Page 94 of The Bright Side of Brooding
Epilogue
Nate Reynolds
Eric and I both shook Nick Masters’ hand. The Army was losing a great soldier, but at least he still had about a year left. He’d brought in his paperwork indicating his intent to retire and had just finished up his meeting with the CSM.
“You’ve got a lot to be proud of, Sergeant Masters. You let me know if there’s anything we can do for you as you make the transition.”
“Will do, sir. Thank you.”
“You’re going to keep kicking my ass, right? Dropping your packet doesn’t mean you’ve suddenly started coveting a life of leisure?” I asked, knowing full well the man’s plans were just the opposite.
“No, sir. I’ll make sure your workouts are extra challenging.”
“Glad to hear it. And tell Summer congratulations. I hear she got that promotion.” I’d heard Ariel talking about it with Livie. Summer would be the nurse supervisor over at the clinic—good for her.
“Thanks. I’ll tell her.” He nodded, and with a wave, left silently.
The congenial air to the room shifted immediately. Eric eyed me, more criticism in those ridiculous eyes of his than I’d seen in a long time. Maybe ever. The fact that he’d tucked it away when Masters came in, right as we’d started this conversation, told me he had himself fully under control and was letting me see that look for a purpose.
“Just tell me.”
I heaved a sigh. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
His lips pressed together and he blinked. “Are you really going to avoid this?”
“I’m not avoiding anything.”
He crossed his arms and leaned back in his desk chair. Oh okay, so we’re going for the stare-down, are we?
Two can play at that game, my friend.I’d stopped being intimidated by him about the sixth month of my time as a platoon leader when he was a captain—and my company commander. Right around the time I’d met Ariel, in fact. More than fifteen years ago, for sure, so if he thought this little commander act was going to be a thing now, then he could shove it.
“Seriously? You’re giving me the look?”
That stone-faced stare had caused many a young soldier to cower in the wake of errors. In the end, though, people knew Eric Wolfe was for them—he rooted for his soldiers, worked for them, and when you knew a guy had your best at heart, it was hard to be too terrified.
Worried about disappointing him?
Now that could make me shudder, if I thought about it. But I wouldn’t, and so the glaring needed to stop.
His turn to loose a sigh. “We haven’t talked about this before, but—”
“Then why start now?”
His frown deepened. “Seems to me that inviting my sister to move in with you is a pretty good reason.”
My pulse sped up.Okay, here we go. I’d been waiting for this talk. He was right—we’d never really talked about my feelings for Ariel or her lack of them for me, but he’d known. For a long time, if I had to guess. Small things like him telling me how she was doing, or giving me the heads-up she was here. Since she’d moved to Germany, he’d seemed pleased with our friendship—encouraged it at every turn, even.
The fact that he was just now bringing up Ariel’s moving in, more than a full month after she’d done it, showed true restraint. Granted, he’d asked if there was going to be a problem when it first happened, but that was far different from actually addressing my feelings for her in the same context. I wasn’t fool enough to think he hadn’t wanted to before now—likely the only reason he hadn’t that day was because Ariel could’ve overheard us.
“She needed a place. I had room. Simple as that.”
He raised one brow. “Really.”
“Yes.”
He waited another beat, then spoke. “So your being in love with her for the last… what has it been?”
Then he waited again, like I would actually answer the question. Like his saying that out loud wasn’t a punch to the gut.
