Page 96 of Forever Fascinating

“Yes,” Matthew said, almost in disbelief and smiling at the other man. “I know she could do so much better than me, but we are very happy. I’ve never seen her smile so…”

“You’ve never known her before now,” Jace said flatly, interrupting him.

“You knew when you broke my nose,” Matthew began in dawning realization, looking at the other man… only to see his quiet smile.

“Now he gets it…”

Jace stood there, arms crossed, looking at him… but there was a softer stance to the man. Was he giving him a hard time before because Matthew hadn’t told him? Was this why Caboose urged him to tell Jace – because the team already knew?

“Do you want some coffee?” Matthew said quietly, “I’d really like to talk for a bit, just us.”

“You know… I think I will have a cup, Vapor,” Jace smiled wryly. “Bring your stupid phone so I can see my sister – and what you’ve been up to.”

An hour later, Matthew was smiling and laughing with the Jace as they sat alone at the table, the phone laying between them. Jace had looked through the photos and then started talking to him, as if he realized that his sister was indeed happy.

This was probably the most that the two airmen had talked in the year that Vapor had been there.

“… And Jana cut my hair down to the scalp right in front to get me back, but thankfully I woke up quickly,” Jace smiled, shaking his head. “She can be a little spiteful, but I guess that’s because we got on each other’s nerves. Karen says it’s because we are a lot alike…”

“Really?” Matthew started, surprised. “You seem very different, but maybe I don’t know you as well.”

“Guess we need to work on that while I’m here for another month or two.”

“Going home?”

“Going to Texas,” Jace smiled, correcting him. “Karen’s family and job is there… and frankly, so are a lot of my friends. We can always fly up to visit, but home is where she is happiest. If things don’t work out or I can’t find a job out there, then I’m going to look at getting a license to pilot commercial aircraft or something.”

“Nice…”

“How long do you have left stationed here?”

“A little over a year,” Matthew admitted.

“Are you re-upping?”

“Not sure,” he began nervously. “I need to see what is coming up and talk with Jana about it, because…”

“Vapor,” Jace nodded, interrupting him with a wry smile on his face. “That’s all I needed to hear, brother. I just was curious if she was going to factor into the decision or if I needed to worry about some stupid idea to bring her here.”

Matthew swore, staring at him like he’d grown a third head.

“That was certainly a ‘no’ if I’ve ever heard one,” Jace muttered, laughing, only to look up. “And we have company.”

“You two nerds still singing Kumbaya?” Caboose taunted, making a face and swaggering towards the two of them. “Are you two ‘besties’now and getting ready to paint each other’s toenails?”

“Is he always like this?”

“Yes…” Handsy, Reaper, and Jace said in unison – before smiling.

“Y’all get a cup. I just sweet-talked Hanson into brewing a fresh pot before shutting down the commissary.” As they sat down, Caboose thumped Matthew on the back of the head playfully.

“You know this bozo went to Greece with your sister?”

“I’ve seen the photos,” Jace smiled. “That’s on her bucket list of places to go to.”

“Iceland is next,” Matthew admitted, looking at the other man, almost expecting him to blow up. Instead, Jace looked satisfied but a little concerned.

“Are you taking her places so you can…”

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