a hand landed on the middle of the table, a big old boy standing there, glowering at them.
“I hear you’re threatening my buddy, asshole.”
Jericho saw it, when the man he knew as Anderson became Logic. It was fucking wild.
Bright green eyes went flat, and one eyebrow lifted. “Only if your buddy is an asshole.”
“He’s got a right to his woman.”
“He does. And I’m sure whatever toothless whore belongs with him is waiting desperately for him. That would not be my sister.”
The guy pulled his fist back, and Logic simply stared him down.
“Think about it, buddy. Think hard.”
“You little—” The guy’s name clicked into place in Jericho’s head.
“He’s right, Robbie. This is a very public place. You want to go sit in jail while your momma is in church tomorrow?”
Logic never looked away, never blinked.
“I’ll get you—”
“I swear to God, if you say ‘my pretty,’ I’m going to giggle.”
Jesus. Jesus, shut up. Robbie Martin was a drunk with a huge temper, and he wasn’t terribly bright, either.
“Would you like a coffee?”
Robbie blinked at Anderson’s question. “What?”
“Look. You’re defending a friend. I’m defending my sister. I’ve got no beef with you. You want a coffee? My treat.”
“No! Jesus. You really are a freak.” Robbie turned on one boot heel and stomped off.
Anderson turned back to Jericho, cool as a cucumber. “Where were we?”
About to get in a fight in a Starbucks? Jericho blinked trying to remember. “Scrabble? Something like that. Would you honestly buy him a coffee?”
“Sure. Why not?” Anderson was going to get himself murdered.
“Well, that ain’t how bullies work. They want to roar and growl and bump chests. That was like taunting him some more.”
“God for-fucking-bid I do that. Funny, it only took a decade to forget how to kiss up to redneck bullies.”
“Hey, I just don’t want you to get hurt.” He shrugged, and he was back in high school, shoulders hunched, chin down. God.
“I don’t want to get hurt either, but he wants to pound me, one way or the other, you know?”
“I know. It sucks.” That was better, Anderson smiling for him a little, looking more relaxed. This whole situation was like a minefield. One wrong step and either one of them could get hot under the collar. Their families weren’t safe.
“Yeah. You’re the best part of it.”
“I—I am?” Surprised, he leaned forward. “Thank you.”
“It’s true. You didn’t even recognize me the first time.”
“No. I mean, in my head you were always sixteen.” That was how it was, right? It was like his wife. She’d been dead long enough that, to him, she was always seventeen and pregnant.
“That’s okay. Sixteen was a bad year for me.” Anderson rolled his eyes.
“It wasn’t great for me either. Now I have a new Anderson in my head.” A better one. A fine-ass one.
“This is the superior version. I’m happier these days. Busy, but happy.”
“You look it. Healthy too.” He wanted to expand on how healthy, but they were in public. “In fact, you’re freaking amazing” was what he settled on.
Anderson went bright pink. Oh. Oh, he’d made an impression. A good one, he thought.
“Come on, huh? Let’s get through Wally. It’s always a trial.” Walmart in Greenville was bigger and had more stuff, but it was also… well, trying.
“You got it. Bailey will pluck us baldheaded if we don’t get back.”
“I know. And she wants cherry nut. What else does she like? A burger?”
“Crinkle fries,” Anderson said right off. “Maybe chili.”
“And all the babies want chicken fingers.” All of them.
“I can see that. I’ll see what they have in the way of grilled chicken.”
“Shit, they even have salads now.” He would get a big, juicy burger.
“Yeah. I should get one, but…”
“Hey, how long has it been since you had Braum’s? Maybe a while too.” He didn’t want to think about that; Jericho was a practical man.
“True that. I’ll have to get me something that will take a thousand sit-ups to work off.”
“We can think of other ways too.” Monday might not happen, but he still had high hopes that he would need condoms and lube. He would get those at Walmart.
“Oh, there he is! I like that. Exercise is important, isn’t it?”
“It is. Anything that gets your heart rate up.” He touched Anderson’s leg once they settled in the truck.
“That’s you, cowboy. Let’s go buy condoms and cameras. List of champions.”
“God, yes. I want to do bad, bad things to you.” Was that too much? Nah. He meant it in the best way.
“You make a list, cowboy. I’ll make it