“Morning—” I start to speak, but it comes out as a cough.
I hit myself on the chest to clear my throat. Bronn looks at me sharply.
“You coming down with something, Kieren?”
Seth stifles a laugh, and I shake my head, which sends the trains in my skull rumbling to the other side of my brain. It takes all my energy not to wince, but I can’t show weakness in front of Bronn.
Thankfully, he’s too caught up in the opening of the new office and our first briefing. He gives me a curt nod, and his gaze passes over me.
Relief floods me. Bronn is the typical hard-ass ex-soldier. He’d never understand what compels me to down liquor until I can’t think straight, to escape into the sweet oblivion that alcohol brings.
I need to stop drinking. I know I need to. But try telling that to myself when I’m sitting in a bar and scouring every face, hoping that one of them is Jodie.
The thought I might have lost her forever grips me like a fear. My coffee tastes bitter in my mouth, and I suddenly want something stronger.
Jodie is what I thought about on my last and final deployment. She’s what kept me sane. The memory of her soft voice, her smiling eyes, her body next to mine—it was the shining light that guided me through the darkness of war.
I always assumed I’d be able to find her when I got back. And if I don’t, if there’s no light, then there’s only darkness.
Leo comes into the room, humming as he always does. The cheerful bastard. He clocks my hangover immediately and his eyes light up.
“Good night out, Kieren?” he teases. “Meet any women, or still flying solo?”
I flip him the bird, and he chuckles good naturedly. It’s hard to be cross at Leo. When we were on tour, he kept us all going with his good humor and bad jokes.
Leo takes a seat at the back next to Tony, who’s as sullen looking as Leo is cheerful. Tony grunts a greeting at Leo, keeping his giant arms folded, the bulges of his muscles making his tattoos fall at funny angles.
“Mmm, I suddenly have a strong urge to eat boiled eggs,” Leo says jokingly, referring to Tony’s completely bald head.
Tony started losing hair a few years ago and recently took the step to shave his head and be done with it. Leo never loses an opportunity to rib him about it.
If it was anyone else, Tony would have them in a headlock by now. But he and Leo grew up together. They’re best friends and brothers in arms.
Tony just shakes his head heavily. “You gonna make that same joke every day, or you got any new material?”
“It’s not a joke my friend. It’s fact. I’ve got a boiled egg packed for lunch.”
“Is that because you were thinking about me when you woke up?” Tony quips back. “That’s sweet, man.”
We all chuckle, enjoying the banter.
Bronn moves to the front of the room, and the chatter stops.
“Thank you all for coming in today,” he starts.
There’s some housekeeping about the new building, how parking works, fire safety, and all that. I try to concentrate but my mind wonders, as it always does, to Jodie.
I wonder what she’s doing and where she is right now. If she’s still on the coast or if she moved off somewhere. I’m regretting all the questions I never asked her on that one perfect weekend.
“Now that we’ve got a fancy new office,” Bronn continues, “we’ve got a receptionist to field calls and greet clients.”
The door opens, and a petite and curvy blonde comes through looking nervous.
“You’ve all met Amy before, the newest member of our team.”
Leo sits up in his seat and nudges Tony. “You didn’t tell me Amy was coming to work here?”
Tony looks hard at his daughter. “I can keep an eye on her here. Make sure no boys come sniffing around.”