Page 40 of Trusting a Warrior

She tore a piece of paper off her pad and rooted around for a pen. “What was his name?”

“Cade Barlow.”

The retired guys at the other end of the bar snapped their heads around, and Geo immediately tensed. “Got that? Cade Barlow,” he said loudly, clearly, staring them down. “B-A-R-L-O-W.”

“Don’t even bother, Luce,” one of the men said, his tone dripping with disgust. “That wall’s for heroes.”

In an instant, Geo was on his feet and in the dude’s face. “Excuse me? What was that?”

The guy didn’t back down. “You heard me. That wall’s for heroes who gave their lives in service to their country, not weaklings who decide to check themselves out.”

His whole body shaking with rage, Geo growled, “You have no idea what he’d been through, asshole. He—”

“We’ve all been through it,” the guy broke in. “Every single one of us has demons we wrestle with, but you know what? We don’t shame our community by taking the coward’s way out.”

“He was not a coward,” Geo shouted. “You don’t know the first thing about him!”

“Well, the fact he ate his own bullet tells me everything I need to know, now, doesn’t it?”

“You don’t know shit.” Geo planted his hands on the guy’s chest and shoved.

The dude staggered back a few steps but quickly righted himself. Geo could feel Matt’s warmth at his shoulder as the other man’s friends leapt to flank him.

Pointing at Geo, the man growled, “You’d better watch who you’re fucking with, son.”

“Fuck you! Cade was my teammate...”

“And I’m sorry for your loss. But a SEAL who gave up, who quit, doesn’t deserve—not while I have breath left in my body—to have his picture on this wall.”

A huge lump rose in Geo’s throat, almost choking him. When he didn’t say anything, the guy went on, “Those men—” he pointed “—died fighting. They died honorably, bravely, SEALs to the end.” He paused, lips twisted in a sneer. “Can you say the same about him?”

The disgust on his face, on all his friends’ faces, plus the open-mouthed shock on Luce’s, convinced Geo it was futile to continue the argument. Still, unwilling to back down, he took a step closer to the man, until their noses were only inches apart.

“It shouldn’t be how he died, it should be how he lived,” Geo hissed. “Cade Barlow gave eighteen years in service to his country. His bravery under fire was unquestioned, the lives he saved too numerous to count. For those reasons, he fuckin’ deserves to be on that wall with his brothers.”

The man shook his head. “Tell that to their families, son. Convince them that someone who chose to die should hang next to these men who fought death all the way to their very last breath. Tell them, or get the fuck outta my face.”

They stared at each other, bodies rigid, Geo’s anger mirrored back at him in the other guy’s expression. Matt’s hand coming to rest on his shoulder broke the spell. “Let’s go, George. There’s no point to this.”

The older guy flicked his gaze to Matt, a renewed sneer twisting his lips. “Hey, I’ve heard about you. The spitting image of your uncle, aren’t you? I had the pleasure of serving with him early in my career.” He smirked. “Oh, the master chief must be so proud.”

Derisive snickers came from the guy’s friends at the sarcastic inflection to his words. Matt’s voice remained calm, unruffled, as he said, “He is, and I’m sure he’d love to discuss it with you. Go ahead and call him.”

The guy snorted. “Nah, cupcake. I wouldn’t bother him with something as ridiculous as you.” He lifted his chin toward the door. “Now prance on outta here, would ya? This bar’s for real men.”

Geo’s muscles coiled, his fingers balling into a fist. “What the fuck,” he started to say, but Matt tugged on his sleeve.

“It’s not worth it. Let’s go.”

The group’s mocking laughter followed them through the door. When they reached the sidewalk, Matt took a deep breath, his cheeks puffing out as he exhaled. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” Geo stared at him. “You?”

“I’m fine.”

By silent agreement, they turned and started ambling along Orange Avenue, hands stuffed in their pockets. Geo couldn’t help stealing looks at Matt, unsure what to say, until Matt glanced at him.

“Yes, I’m gay,” he said quietly. “And out.”