Galen tipped his head forward and felt Bede’s fingers, full of ice, on the back of his neck. In front of him was a plastic bottle of water, already opened, and Bede was holding it to his mouth.
Taking a large mouthful of water, Galen swished it around, glad to be rid of the hot copper taste of blood in the back of his throat.
“Now spit.”
With raised eyebrows at Bede’s bossy but friendly tone, Galen leaned away from Bede and spit out his mouthful of water, then gladly gulped water down when Bede held the water bottle to his mouth again.
When Bede handed him a handful of ice and guided Galen’s hand to the back of his own neck, Galen sighed at the coolness, and felt his shoulders relax. Then, when Bede poured some water on the mostly clean cloth and wiped Galen’s face in long, gentle strokes, Galen shivered all over.
“I didn’t mean to do that, you know,” said Bede. He hunkered close, one booted toe in the dirt, one hard, curved knee pressing against Galen’s upper arm.
“I know.” Galen took a long drink of water to give himself a moment to figure out what else he needed to say. And whether he wanted Bede to back off, or whether he wanted another strong hand full of ice pressed to the back of his neck.
He wanted the latter, so he just up and said it.
“More ice, please.”
Without a word, Bede reached into the cooler and brought out a fistful of ice. Water dripped from his fingers as he placed the ice on the back of Galen’s neck.
Galen closed his eyes and savored the feeling. That of not having to move for a good minute or two. That of Bede’s hand onhis neck, spreading out warmth from his skin as the ice melted. That of Bede’s presence looming and protective.
“You got to be firm with those guys,” said Bede, breaking the spell, however unknowingly.
“I know,” said Galen again. He reached to wipe the back of his neck, and Bede’s fingers dropped away. Then he took another huge swallow of water and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I keep expecting they’ll step up and do some real work, only they never do.”
“They will in time,” said Bede. He stood up, grabbed more ice, and made an ice ball in the white cloth with it. This he handed to Galen, who placed it on the bridge of his nose. “I’ve worked with guys like this. They want to be told what to do. It makes them feel safe.”
“Safe?”
He watched Bede grab the last bottle of water from the chest, open it, and lift his cowboy hat to pour it on his head. Then he put the hat back on while small beads of water ran down the sides of his face and onto his neck.
“Gives ‘em structure,” Bede said with a wide smile. “Believe it or not, they love it. It tells them their place in the world, and that makes them feel safe. And when they feel safe, they’ll more easily do what you ask them to do.”
Galen knew that Bede had led many men in his life. He would have had to, in order to grow his drug empire. Only now, he was using that knowledge to help Galen using words and a tone of voice that Gabe or Leland might have used.
“Thanks,” he said.
Maybe he’d turned a corner and maybe his days as team lead weren’t destined to fail. And maybe making friends with a guy who he wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with only a few weeks before wasn’t a bad thing. No, not a bad thing at all.
“I’m going to change into a clean shirt,” he said as he watched a bead of water trace its way across the plane of Bede’s tanned cheek. “Meet you at the mess tent?”
“Sure thing, boss,” said Bede. He bent to grab the small ice chest, hefting it quickly, then winked at Galen. “See you.”
“See you,” said Galen faintly as he watched Bede stride along the path to the main part of the compound. And mused to himself that this was not how he’d expected this morning to have gone.
Chapter 14
Galen
Galen made his way to his own tent, and took off his shirt to look at it. There was a bit of blood along the collar, but nowhere else. A spray of stain remover and a good soak in cold water and the shirt would be good as new.
He put on a clean shirt before heading to the mess tent. As he stood in line at the buffet, he got a few astonished looks from Toby and Owen, and anyone who had caught sight of his red and swollen nose.
Bede was at the far end of the table where Toby and Owen sat, eating his lunch, not looking like he was enjoying it very much.
Gabe came in, Blaze on his heels, and stood in the buffet line behind Galen.
“What happened this time?” Gabe asked.
