“Do you know anything about this girl?”
I know she’s incredible. “She’s smart. Wanted to be a doctor at one point before switching her major.”
“A doctor. Nice. What made her switch?”
I paused. “I’m sure she’s told me, but I don’t remember.”
“Pussy too good?”
I growled. “Don’t you talk about her that way.”
He held his hands up. “Just making a joke. Damn.”
I took another long pull from my beer before I heard footsteps beside us. I whipped my head over and kept the groan to myself. John stood up. I had my hand already gravitating toward the gun on my hip. When Rupert emerged from around the corner of the house, I sighed.
“You almost got shot, you know,” John said.
Rupert chuckled. “I would’ve dodged.”
I snickered. “He is good at missing those flying pieces of metal.”
Rupert smiled. “I take it you’re feeling better?”
He clapped his hand against my shoulder and I grunted.
“Or maybe not. Sorry.”
I sighed. “You’re good. I’m at that part of the healing stage where everything hurts.”
He pulled up a chair. “That’s good. Means your body’s actually trying.”
John cleared his throat. “Want a beer, Rupert?”
He smiled. “Don’t mind if I do. Thanks.”
I held up my bottle. “And get me another.”
Rupert cocked an eyebrow. “You on pain medication?”
John chuckled. “You think he cares?”
Rupert pointed. “I think that girl of his will care.”
I drained the last of my bottle. “Well, she’s not here, is
she? So fuck it.”
Rupert chuckled. “Spoken like a man who’s truly taken.”
I didn’t hate the idea. But it did make me bristle a bit.
“What brings you here?” I asked.
Rupert leaned back. “Coming to check up on you. See how you’re doing. Generally talk about how fucked-up things are right now.”
I nodded. “They’re pretty rough, yeah.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I just… got a bad feeling about all of this. Something’s not right. And I feel like it’s closer than we think. You know?”