Page 23 of This Feeling

“She’s a pain in my ass,” he stated. “Her best friend, Evelyn, is married tomybest friend, Denny McCain. So I’m forced to see her all the damn time.”

“And that’s a bad thingwhy?” Kian asked.

“Because she’s hated me since high school, and I have no clue why. I’ve tried asking her about it, but she claims I alreadyknowwhy. Whatever. I stopped playing that game, so I basically just ignore her now. Which I think drives her even more mad.”

“You don’t remember what you did?” I asked.

He shook his head. “All I know is she’s hated me since high school. For the sake of Denny and Evelyn, I just deal with her when I have to.”

“That’s got to be hard when you hang out with your best friends,” Kian said with a slight laugh.

“Luckily, I only have to see her during parties and things like that. Enough about me. Why did you get out of the Marines, Declan?”

I sighed and picked up my beer. “It was just time.”

“What does that mean?” James asked. “Did something happen?”

A humorless laugh slipped free. “A lot of shit happened, but I decided it was time to get out and do something else. Settle down and all that stuff we’re supposed to want to do when we reach our mid-thirties.”

My eye caught James’s. He said, “It’s a totally different world here than what you experienced.”

Gavin leaned forward. “You’re joining the force?”

I nodded. “That’s the plan.”

“I don’t think you’ll see the kind of action in Moose Village that you did in the Marines,” James stated.

“Have you thought about state police?”

“Hey.” James glared at his younger brother. “What are you doing?”

Gavin grinned. “I’m just saying, if Declan wants more action, the state police is where he’ll find it.”

“Are you NYSP?” I asked him.

“Was, but a position opened here when Dad retired, and I took it. It’s nice being back home, and I’ll admit that I like the quieter life in Moose Village.”

I nodded. It wasn’t surprising that Gavin was a police officer, just like his brother, father, and his father before him. It was in their blood.

“I’m not looking for action, James. Unlike Kian here, I’m just looking tonotsit behind a desk.”

Kian’s brows shot up. “Why are you picking on me?”

Tapping his beer with mine, I replied, “Because I can. A writer? At least when you were a lawyer, you had interesting clients.”

“I’ll have you know, I live a very interesting life.”

James laughed. “Considering his girlfriend is a mystery to the entire town.”

I nearly spit my beer out. “A mystery?”

Kian rolled his eyes. “It’s a long story. I’ll fill you in later.”

Gavin’s low groan had us all turning to see Brystol, Harper, and two women I didn’t recognize walking toward us.

“Speaking of,” Kian said, standing and kissing a dark-haired woman. She was beautiful, and she clearly only had eyes for Kian. I smiled, happy he’d found someone who looked at him like he hung the moon. The other woman wore a wedding ring, and she leaned in to kiss Gavin’s cheek.

“Hey, Gavin! Better not let Denny know you’re out on the town without him.”

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