“Well, I knew that Dave does, too—approves,” Casey said. “So I figured you would. You guys are so great together. But I know with Jon there...”
“Dave might not want to go. I get it. Let me talk to him,” he said. “We’ll get back to you ASAP.”
“Thank you,” Casey said. “Really.”
“No worries,” Rio said, although it wasn’t quite true. He actually had quite a long list of worries, and now her going to an SF convention without a bodyguard was up near the top. But having to spend three days with Jon...? Oof. That was not going to be fun.
“I can’t do three days,” Dave said, slathering the last of the sunblock onto his ears and the back of his neck as Rio sat down on the concrete of the grinder and started his pre-run stretching. “I don’t even think I have enough for two.”
Rio knew he must’ve looked surprised, because Dave laughed and added, “Unlike you, I actually use my leave to, you know, leave.” He sobered. “But also, being in close quarters with Jon for all that time...? Part of me kinda wants to, so I know I probably shouldn’t.”
Rio sat up at that. “Damn straight you shouldn’t.”
“But I know she’s in a bind, so if you’re willing to take the time...”
“You wouldn’t mind?” Rio asked. “If I went without you?”
“Why would I mind? I’d be grateful.”
“Wait, I’m confused. Who’s in a bind?”
Rio jumped because yeah, Thomas—or Lieutenant King, as he was called here on base—had somehow stealth-joined them. He was sitting on the concrete deck about two feet away from Rio, wearing his running gear, stretching his own quads and hamstrings.
“Casey.” Rio and Dave answered him at the same time in a pretty tight unison, with Dave adding a solo “sir.”
“So the wedding went well?” Thomas asked. “On a scale from tears in the bathroom to full-on bar fight, it was...?”
“Only happy tears, LT,” Dave reassured him.
“The ceremony was very nice,” Rio agreed.
“So not even a small table flip?” Thomas persisted.
“Sorry to disappoint—Tasha.” Rio laughed. “Tell her she was right—the suit was a hit.”
“You know I will.” Thomas switched to stretching his other leg. “And you guys didn’t, like, get engaged, or ooh, accidentally married yourself—in a wild fake-boyfriend plot twist?” He thought he was funny—and okay, he kinda was.
“No extra hijinks,” Rio told his longtime friend. But even as he said the words, an image popped into his head: Air Biscuit Jon out by his car, with the man in the lumberjack shirt standing much too threateningly close. Casey’s brother totally knew the dude, despite saying that he didn’t. What was that about?
“It worked,” Dave reported. “Really well. Jon was respectful.” He glanced at Rio. “As respectful as he can be.”
“The asshole is strong in that one,” Rio agreed. “Although who am I to talk? Asshole’s pretty strong in me, too. Still, we all sat at the same table at the party, and everyone made it out alive.”
“Except now Casey’s in a bind,” Thomas brought them back to their original conversation.
“She’s going to a science fiction con in Palm Springs on Wednesday,” Rio summarized, “and her regular bodyguard’s got a family emergency.”
“She asked Rio and me to go with,” Dave said. “But Jon’s going, too, so...”
“Shit,” Thomas said.
“It was really great to see him, you know, sober,” Dave said.
“Yeah, no, Dave definitely shouldn’t go,” Thomas told Rio.
Rio nodded. He was in agreement—and also still hoping he could get Luc and Dave in the same room again. Although that sounded a lot like Casey’s strategy for Dave and Jon. But Rio’s tactic was minus the cheating, alcoholic-in-early-recovery ex, which was an important difference. Now, if he could only get Luc to answer his texts…
Dave sighed heavily. “I think it’s smart for me to keep Jon at a distance for at least a little while longer.”
