again and again. “You have nothing to worry about.”
He grunted something unintelligible under his breath before speaking up. “Don’t be an idiot. I wouldn’t want to go back without you.”
“Then I’ll be fine, too.”
Technically, I wasn’t sure that was true. Compared to how much shit was on my record, Eden was clean as a whistle.
The only marks he had on an otherwise spotless record were ones that had been made there while he’d been on missions with me. They’d tried separating us, but the asshole had insisted on transferring back to my team.
If my career was over, I doubted Eden’s would be unless he ended it himself. I’d have to work on that, though. No way was I dragging him down with me. I never had. He simply jumped when I did, trusting me to know we’d land safely.
Unlike me, he even had an interest in climbing the ranks. So far, he was refusing to do it unless I did it, too. But I’d been pushing him to go on without me.
I was perfectly happy where I was. Not because I lacked ambition, far from it, but because I actually liked it where I was. Becoming an out-of-the-action officer and paper-pusher wasn’t exactly what I wanted for my future.
Eden’s quiet voice broke into my thoughts, a hint of worry thickening his tone. “Do you think we’ll get the news soon?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed into the warm yet crisp air, my eyes on the glowing orange ball that was slowly making its ascent into the sky. “You need to let it go for now, man. We’ve done what we could. We just need to make the best of our time off and hope like hell they’ll be calling us to board a plane soon.”
His gaze followed mine almost wistfully. As if he, like me, was wishing we were watching the sun rising from one of the rounded windows of a plane while being carried to some far-off place.
Kicking ass, taking names, bringing home hostages. Those were just some examples of things we should have been doing.
Yet here we were, chasing the sunrise to our favorite fishing spot. Still, if we had to be anywhere other than doing the job we both lived for, I was glad we were doing this.
Until Eden made one final comment on the subject that I couldn’t shake, no matter how hard I tried. Much later in the day, long after we’d stopped talking about work, Charles, or our fates, his words still rattled around in my head.
“Charles may have used his last days to lobby that you be demoted or worse,” he’d said. “What will we do if that ends up happening?”
His question had been earnest, and I’d given him the best answer I had. I just wasn’t sure that it had really been an answer at all. “If that’s my fate, I’ll be fine. Let it go, bro. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
I’d only realized later that I’d said “when” we got to it and not “if” we got to it. I was hoping the slip of my own damn tongue didn’t turn out to be prophetic.
Chapter 14
Sofia
“This is still one of my favorite places in the world,” Haley said as we walked out on the boardwalk in San Diego. She let out a happy little sigh and spun in a circle, sending her golden hair cascading out behind her.
It swirled around her waist when she came to a stop, a smile on her face and a flush on the apples of her cheeks. She’d drawn some attention from a group of college-aged guys near an ice-cream cart a few yards away from us, but she didn’t notice them.
Haley was always exhilarated to come here but especially during the summer. The sun was high in the sky. There were pigeons, children, and activity all around us. She had a popsicle in her hand. Nothing made her happier.
Yet today, she seemed more subdued than normal. Usually, she’d be insisting that we go on rides, eat until we drop, and find a place that had a happy hour going as soon as possible.
“Are you okay?” I asked, linking my arm with hers as we walked down the pier. “Something seems off with you.”
“I’m fine. It’s just good to be back here, you know?” Her eyes darted to the waves on her other side, rising and falling along with the swells. “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this free.”