“No shit.” Impressive.
“But all that took a toll on his body, which is why he retired,” Doug said.
“You’re smart.” Reggie sipped his beer and nodded. “I can’t imagine the strain on your joints and muscles day after day doing those stunts. Good move to retire while you’re still young. Remember Old Bob Rocket?”
“Poor bastard.” Benny sighed. “I came on right as he left. Broke his neck doing a stupid chair battle. A newbie broke a chair over the back of his head instead of his middle back. Crushed his C-1 and C-2 vertebrae.”
“Ended up on a ventilator and died a month later, didn’t he?” Reggie remembered that.
Doug frowned. “You two are easily distracted.”
Benny sighed. “Sorry.”
“The question for you Reggie, is what are your intentions towardMaggie?”
“Is this where you whip out a shotgun and nudge us both toward the preacher to get married?”
Benny choked on his beer laughing. In a terrible Southern accent, he asked, “What are your intentions, good sir?” He turned to his husband. “Easy, Doug. Reggie’s a good guy.”
“You just like him because he loves Bear Destruction.”
“Well, yeah. But also because he’s a decent guy. Emily thinks he’s the shit. And Maggie asked him to dinner ona date.” To Reggie, he said, “That’s a big deal, you know.”
“Oh?”
“Maggie’s pretty particular when it comes to dating. She never lets a guy come over to meet the evil little genius. I mean never.”
“Well, to be fair, I met Emily first. Then Maggie.”
“True.” Doug nodded then turned red. “And, ah, for the record, that story Emily told about me…”
“About the nonstop pooping?” Reggie had to tease the guy.
Benny guffawed.
“I had a serious stomach bug two years ago. It’s not a regular occurrence or anything.”
“Good to know.”
Benny’s eyes narrowed. “Huh. You’re really a fireman. An EMT, right?”
“I am.”
“You’re almost a doctor.”
“Not quite,” Reggie said wryly. “I’m a few letters away from that, and I have no aspirations to become one.”
“But you’re smart and handy to have around. And you’re not puny.” Benny nodded as he looked Reggie over. “Stephen’s puny. I don’t like him.”
“Stephen’s like me,” Doug protested. “He’s lean and fit. Nothing wrong with that.”
“Not on you. You’re gorgeous. Stephen. Ech. I don’t like him.”
Reggie liked Benny. And he had to admit, Benny had a point. Doug was a pretty good-looking guy. Though Reggie wasn’t into dating men, he wasn’t one of those guys who couldn’t tell if a man was attractive. He knew what women liked. And they typically liked movie-star handsome.
“Are you guys done with your questions?” he asked after a moment.
“I am. For now,” Doug said.
