not saying it was easy, getting used to being shorter—”
Rita smiled and he winked at her.
“But I did. And I’m here to tell you, alive is better than dead.” Kevin held his hand out to Jack. “So thanks, man. Thanks for—hell. For everything.”
Jack took his hand and felt one or two of those straws of guilt fall from his shoulders. He still had plenty left of course, but there was a sigh of relief to know that at least some of the burden had been eased. And Kevin did look good. Yeah, he was in a chair, but he looked strong and well and, damn it, happy. Jack had worried about his friend, thought that maybe he’d never really find any kind of contentment again.
“You’re really okay.”
“I’m better than okay, dude.” Kevin slapped Jack’s shoulder. “Again, man. Read your emails.”
Rita squeezed Jack’s hand again and in spite of the easing of the tension within, he held on to her tightly. “So why don’t you just tell me what’s in the email?”
“Turns out you’re not the only one settling down. I’m getting married, can you believe it?” Kevin laughed, shook his head and said, “Lisa’s a nurse. Hell, she was my nurse at Walter Reed. I showed up there all full of myself and complaining and she just would not listen.” Still smiling, he continued, “The woman refused to let me bitch. She ignored my crappy moods and pushed me to come back to life when I really didn’t want to.”
Well, hell. Jack felt Rita’s hand in his and told himself that he and Kevin had a lot more in common than he would have guessed. Wasn’t that just what Rita had been doing to him for the last few weeks? Prodding, pushing, refusing to give up and go away.
“Anyway, Lisa’s a California girl—her folks live in Oceanside—weird, huh? Go halfway around the world to meet a girl who lived about twenty minutes from me?” Kevin laughed a little. “So I got along so well, they transferred me to a hospital out here and Lisa made the move, too. We’re getting married at my folks’ place.”
“Congratulations,” Rita said, giving Jack a nudge.
“Right, yeah. I’m happy for you, man.”
“Hey, there’s more. We’re having a baby, too.”
Surprised again, Jack blurted, “Really?”
“Hey, man,” Kevin said, grinning, “I didn’t lose any of the important bits over there in that hellhole.”
Rita laughed and Jack just shook his head. “Damn, Kev. You really haven’t changed much, have you?”
“Older, wiser, shorter,” Kevin said, then his smile slowly faded away. “Look, I had to make this drive to see you in person because my wedding is this weekend.”
“So soon?”
Kevin’s eyebrows lifted. “When I emailed you, I gave you two months’ warning.”
“Right.” Jack nodded. “My fault.”
“Absolutely true,” Kevin agreed easily. “But the point is, I drove my ass all the way up here to ask you to be my best man.”
“Your—” Okay, Jack didn’t know how many more surprises he could take. He never would have expected the man he’d believed hated his guts to ask him to stand up for him.
“Best man. Yeah. Because that’s what you are.” His features sober, serious, Kevin said, “We were buds before. Been through a lot of crap together. But what you did for me, Jack, I can never repay.”
A twist of pain wrung at his heart. “You don’t have to.”
“Yeah, I know that. Doesn’t stop the need.” Kevin glanced at Rita. “Your man was always a stand-up. He kept me alive in a place that tried its best to kill me.”
Rita reached out instinctively and took his hand with her free hand, somehow linking the two men even more completely than they already were. Kevin released her hand, and reached into the pocket of his black leather jacket. He drew out a cream-colored envelope that he handed to Rita.
“I’m giving this to you for two reasons,” he said. “One, you’re way better looking than Jack.”
“You’re a very astute man,” Rita said, grinning. Beside her, Jack only sighed.
“And two, more important, you’ll make sure he gets to the wedding. Right?” He looked at her meaningfully for a long moment.
Then Rita leaned forward, kissed Kevin’s cheek and said, “You bet I will.” She glanced back at Jack as if for confirmation. “We’ll be there. Won’t we?”
“Yeah.” He looked from Rita to Kevin and back again. “We’ll be there, Kev.”
“Good.” He clapped his hands together then scrubbed his palms. “Then my work here is done and my lovely bride-to-be is going to be picking me up outside in—” He checked his watch. “Ten minutes. We’re going for dinner, then taking the long drive home.”
“Do you really have to go so soon?” Rita asked, standing up as Kevin wheeled back and turned. “Why don’t both of you come up and have dinner with us?”
“No, but thanks.” Kevin looked knowingly at Jack. “I think we’re both going to need a little time to get used to the new us, right, Jack?”
It would take time and it was good to know that Kevin not only understood but felt the same. Too many emotions were churning inside him. Waves were rocking his insides like a storm at sea and he had a lot of thinking to do. “Yeah. A little time would be a good thing.”
Kevin nodded solemnly, but his gaze locked with Jack’s. “We’ll get there. But we’ll see you Saturday?”
Just as somber, Jack promised, “I swear. We’ll be there.”
Once Kevin was gone, Jack gave in to the tension screaming inside him. Stalking across the room, he made for the terrace, pushing open the French doors and stepping into the icy blast of wind that rushed at him. He turned his face into that wind and wished to hell it could blow all of his churning thoughts right out of his head.
“Jack?”
Teeth gritted, he kept his gaze on the expanse of the ocean streaked with the brilliant colors of sunset rather than turn to face the woman who’d become too important to him. Until Kevin had come by tonight, Jack hadn’t realized just how much he’d come to depend on Rita’s presence in his life. He was already in too deep, he knew that because of just how much he’d needed her by his side when Kevin was in the house. Needed her to anchor him.
And that bothered Jack plenty.
“Are you okay?” Her voice was soft, husky, filled with concern that scraped at him. He didn’t want her worried about him, caring about him, God help him, loving him.
He’d once vowed that he would never put
