Page 34 of Welcome to Forever
Micah slid a glance in Lawson’s direction. He usually didn’t want to know what Lawson thought, but he cocked a brow anyway. “That it’s time for you to get your hair cut again? And buy a new razor?” he asked, observing the shadow of growth along Lawson’s jaw.
His friend frowned. “This afternoon, all right?” He crossed his arms at his chest. “I think you’re high on Kat. And as a buddy, I have to tell you, it’s a hard crash coming down.”
“I don’t have time for romance, or whatever it is you’re insinuating.” He took another heavy sip of his java. “And, if you remember, Nicole was your brilliant idea.” Micah’s gaze sharpened on his friend. “And by brilliant, I mean bad.”
Lawson nodded. “Agreed. Sometimes that happens. Rare as it is. Besides, I never told you to date her. I told you todateher.” His voice dropped as he made air quotations around the word “date.”
Micah shook his head, unable to suppress a smile. “One of these days I’ll learn to stop listening to you. Like today, maybe.” He straightened, the coffee’s effects not yet meeting his tired voice. “Now go get your gear ready. We’re doing dry runs on the floor this morning. We’ll practice getting our gear on and then we’ll review the flight manual.”
Lawson shook his head. “We all know how to get our gear on properly. We’re not idiots.”
Yeah, but mistakes happened, and in their line of work, mistakes often cost people their lives. They’d both learned that the hard way. “Is that the way you talk to your superior?” Micah asked, keeping his eyes focused on the others. It was a low blow, pulling the rank card, but Lawson was under his command right now. Technically, Micah wasn’t even supposed to be hanging out with him or having him over for dinner every week—not that he’d ever let a rule like that stop him.
“No, sir,” Lawson said, staring at him for a solid second. “I hate it when it’s your time of the month, man. Just like a girl.”
Micah’s jaw locked. A little respect at work would be nice, though.
Lawson offered a sarcastic-as-hell salute and started moving toward the adjoining room, where the other Marines were gathered. “I’ll go get my gear,sir.”
“You do that, Phillips.”
