out his phone and called Tank.
“Hey. You back in town?” Tank asked the moment he answered.
“Yep. Just got back a few hours ago.”
“How was the trip?”
“Amazing. We had a leisurely drive across the country after a nice visit with my parents.”
“Did you put a ring on her?” he asked in a fully serious voice.
Bracken sighed as he dropped down on his desk chair. “No. I haven’t even purchased a ring.” But he would. It was on his list of things to do.
“Why the hell not? It’s obvious to all of us that your search for the perfect woman is over.”
“Yeah. But I need to wait for my perfect woman to catch up with me emotionally.”
“Uh-oh. That sounds daunting.”
“Maybe.” He shuffled a few papers around on his desk, not looking at anything, just keeping his hands busy. “I can’t be sure.”
“Wait. Where is she now?”
“She went to her condo. She needed to reunite with her posse. I get it. They’ve all been through a lot. Commiserating is a good idea. Hopefully, it will help her to connect with the women.”
“The tone of your voice tells me you’re concerned.”
Bracken sat back and rubbed his temples. “Understatement.”
“You’re in love with her.”
“Head over heels.”
“She’ll come around. She’s been through a lot. Have you told her?”
“Yes.”
“Then she probably needs some time to talk to her friends. I don’t think you need to worry.”
Bracken nodded, even though Tank couldn’t see him.
“It’s been a rough few weeks for all of them. Kraft and Hatch have each taken some time off to spend with their women. I’m not surprised they need to band together. Libby, Christa, and Shayla have been attached at the hip. Reuniting with Bex is normal.”
“Have you seen any of them?”
“No. I just hear from Hatch and Kraft. The two of them were in the middle of plotting to hook me up with the elusive Shayla before all this went down. I didn’t want to take her out on a date while she’s dealing with the emotional drama of a hijacker. I’ll wait a bit longer to connect with her.”
Bracken chuckled at the mention, his mood lightening. “It will be incredibly weird if you end up with Shayla. How could so many people in the same friend circle pair off like that?”
Tank laughed. “Crazy, right? But hey, I’ve only met her a few times in passing. All I know is that she’s smoking hot. Could be we have nothing in common. Let’s not get carried away when we haven’t even spoken to each other yet.”
Bracken still marveled at the irony. What were the chances? It sure would be convenient as far as future get-togethers were concerned, but what the hell was he even thinking? He hadn’t even fully convinced Bex to commit to him. No sense pondering what the future might look like. It would be dismal if for some reason Bex decided to break things off with him.
Bracken sighed as he ran a hand down the front of his face.
“Why the long sigh?” Tank asked.
“You know how I worry about every damn thing. Do you think I’m doing the right thing here?”
“What the hell do you mean?”
“I mean, I’m fourteen years older than Rebekah. I’m tired. A part of me keeps reminding myself that she should find someone her age who isn’t already retired.”
Tank chuckled. “You’re always so hung up on your age. Dude, you’re only thirty-nine. Not ninety. And the only reason you’re tired is because you’re bored. I know you don’t work full-time for me because it’s not where your heart is. If Rebekah keeps you young, go for it. Find a new passion. I mean besides her.” He laughed again.
“Yeah, I’ve actually been thinking about opening a bakery with her.”
“That’s perfect. See?”
Bracken stared into space. “I was thinking more along the line of letting her manage it. Not so much me. She needs something new to make her feel fulfilled. I don’t think she would want me hovering.”
“That’s ridiculous. I seriously doubt she thinks you hover.”
Bracken shrugged even though Tank couldn’t see him. “Maybe you’re right. Something to consider. I think I’ve been in a rut for the last year, lost without the constant stress of the Army. I felt like I’d lost my edge. But when that shit went down on the plane…it’s like something inside me snapped into place. I jumped into action without hesitation.”
“Sweets, you killed two terrorists and landed a fucking commuter plane. I’d say you still have your edge.”
Bracken chuckled. “Yeah. Maybe.”
“Enough of this ‘I’m too