Page 109 of Mr. Charming

“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.”

“She didn’t tell you?”

“No, she didn’t say anything. He didn’t either. I talked to him earlier today.”

He shook his head.

“That man is bad news.”

“Tell me about it. He wants me to go into business with him.”

“You have the money.”

“Yeah, but I don’t know if I can trust him. And now I find this out. Maybe I can’t trust either of them.”

“Some days it seems like everything was so much simpler in Afghanistan. I mean, it was more dangerous, but we knew what to expect, you know?”

I nodded.

“Definitely. Max showed up after I found her.”

“And you figured why not add good old Logan to the list, huh?”