Page 296 of 5+Us Makes Seven

“Sounds great, Logan. Good to hear your voice.”

“Yeah, you too man. Later.”

I ended the call. Afghanistan, even at the late stages of a war that had lasted longer than a decade, had been a place where lifelong bonds were formed for better or worse.

Was that why Jade wouldn’t vacate my thoughts no matter what I tried? Maybe a night of drinking with Logan would eject her, and I would be able to move on.

I did not need a crazy woman in my life. No matter how much I enjoyed fucking her. After talking to Logan, my spirits were lifted enough to make the afternoon tolerable.

While reading an autobiography from a man who had served in Vietnam, I kept glancing over at my phone, thinking Jade might call, but she never did. Fucking women.

* * *

Later that evening, I walked in the bar like I owned the place. It was pretty much empty, which wasn’t surprising for a Tuesday night. Most normal people who frequented bars had to work hard for their drinking money.

I saw Logan sitting at the bar and walked over. Taking a seat on a stool to his right, I patted his back as he looked in the other direction. He turned around and smiled the moment he saw me. We had been through so much together.

“How you been?” he asked then turned to the bartender. “Two glasses of your top-shelf single malt.”

“Not bad. Yourself?”

“Things went to hell after I got back.”

I nodded.

“For me too.”

“You seem to be doing okay for yourself. I mean, you’re drinking on a Tuesday night.”

“Oh, I’m doing okay. You’re here too. Glad you came.”

“No problem.”

The bartender returned with our drinks. I pulled out a twenty and shoved it across the bar at him.

“Keep it,” I said.

He nodded his head then wandered down to the other end of the bar. I lifted the glass.

“To the family the government gives you.”

Logan grinned as he clinked his glass against mine. We both took a healthy drink. He set his down on the weathered wooden bar. I kept mine in my hand, staring at the ice cubes floating.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked. “I can see it on your face.”

“Remember that reporter chick who showed up and got kicked out by Captain Jeffries?”

“Yeah. What about her?”

“I looked her up.”

His face scrunched up in confusion.

“What?” I asked then finished the last of the alcohol.

“Max called me all excited about a week ago. He said he found her and they were dating.”

“That’s not possible. I just saw her yesterday.”