Page 58 of Fallen Hearts

Parker oozed skepticism, likely because of the “accidentally” part.

“Anyway, she texted me. We kissed. But I stopped it there. And then we hardly spoke this morning. Which is exactly the problem. We can’t fool around and work together. I should never have done it.”

Parker didn’t say anything. Typical of him. So I prompted him. “What do you think?”

“You want my opinion?”

“Yeah. I do.”

“I think you’re beating yourself up for a lack of discipline, but this isn’t the army. You’re not violating OPSEC. Yeah, you’re her boss. And yeah, it might get complicated if you decide to stay and the two of you have to work together. Or equally as complicated if things work out, but you go back to the city. But it’s not a life-or-death matter, not in the sense you’re trained to think like. You’re both adults and can have an adult conversation about the consequences of getting together. That there’s something between you is an understatement, big time. If it were me, I’d consider exploring it. But it’s not me, so I get your hesitation. But sometimes, in the real world, you have to break protocol.”

“Breaking protocol can get you killed.”

“Or get your heart broken.”

“Almost just as bad.”

“Jesus,” Beck said, coming in with supplies. “It’s like a funeral in here. What the hell?”

“Mason kissed Pia,” Parker said. There was zero chance Beck wouldn’t find out, and I’d known it the second I told Parker. For better or worse, there were no secrets between this group of guys.

“Oh, shit.”

“That’s what I said.” Parker stood, taking the bag from Beck.

“So what’s the problem?”

“He’s beating himself up about it. Boss man and all.”

Parker had such a way with words. “I’m sitting right here.”

“Great, then talk,” Beck said, shooing Parker off the cooler and grabbing a water.

“There’s nothing to talk about. It happened. Won’t happen again. Let’s get to work.”

As if that was going to be the end of it.

“Not so fast. Why won’t it happen again?”

“Besides the obvious?”

“Yeah, sure. Besides the obvious.”

I was done with this discussion. “Never mind. Let’s get to work. You guys sure you want to spend your Sunday?—”

“Yes, we do. Now shut the hell up and let’s finish this.”

It wasn’t until the wall was gone, the debris and dust cleared and the three of us were at the kitchen table with beers that Pia’s name came up again.

“So what’s the plan?” Beck asked. “Just pretend nothing happened?”

“Great question,” I said. “I have no fucking clue.”

“You don’t know how to deal with Pia because you have no idea what’s next,” Parker said. “And that’s the bigger problem.”

Obviously, he was right.

“There’s just so much to consider,” I said, having thought about little else, besides the fact that Dad would never come walking into this kitchen again.

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