“That will be the best part of the journey, I’m sure,” David told him.
Joshua wrapped both arms around Colin’s waist. “God, I can’t wait to see Danny.”
“And he can’t wait to seeyou. He’s taking us on a tour of Galway Harbor the first day we’re there.”
“On his boat?” Joshua asked.
“On his boat.”
“That sounds wonderful!” David told Colin, then turned to Joshua, who had burst into laughter. “What’s funny?”
“Well, it’s a great boat, and the harbor is glorious. But… um…”
“What?”
“Well, it’s a commercial fishing boat, David,” Colin explained as Joshua continued to snicker.
“I don’t get it,” Nate said.
“Mm,” David grunted, catching Colin’s meaning, then turned to his husband. “The boat might smell a bit like…”
“Abitlike?” Colin queried with a smirk.
“More likereeks of…”Joshua informed him, poking David’s arm.
“Reeks of…?” Nate asked, still puzzled.
Laughing, all three of the others looked at him and blurted out as one: “Fish!”
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
VETERANS
The following week, Colin and Joshua joined David and Nate for dinner. “You guys did good work helping out that vet,” David told them, leaning back in his chair. “Word of that incident traveled fast.”
Colin gave a quick, mocking laugh. “That ‘good work’ only happened because I’m a sap who can’t say no when Josh flutters his lashes and gives me that doe-eyed look.”
“That kind of intervention benefits this community.”
“Josh batting his eyes at me?”
“Helping troubled veterans.”
“More to the point, it benefits the people in this community who need it most,” Joshua added.
“Not only need it most,” David said. “Deserveit most. The way our veterans are treated is often appalling.”
“Sad that it’s left to street cops to evaluate these guys,” Nate murmured.
Colin shrugged. “A lot of them are homeless, and street cops are the ones who… well, they’re on the street. So, they’re the first ones on the scene when there’s a problem.”
“Sadder yet,” Nate said. “Isn’t there anyone the cops can call? Someone like Josh who can help these guys?”
“They can,” Colin told him. “That doesn’t mean theywill.Depends on the cop. If they’re an ex-serviceman, it’s more likely that they’ll call an ambulance rather than arrest them.”
“Some cops won’t even consider calling an ambulance. They’dratherarrest them,” Joshua said, his voice weary.
“And thenIhave to prosecute them,” Colin spat out. “Which I fuckinghate!”
