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“Not everyone hits the showers after work like you, my man.” He patted Hunter on the back. “You hoping Brooke is working tonight?” Niall teased, moving out of the way before Hunter could shove him again.

Hunter rolled his eyes and lowered his voice to me. “You good?” he asked, concern showing in his eyes.

I shut my truck door and locked it, slipping the key fob into the pocket of my jeans. “I’m good. Thanks for calling, I could use a drink.”

“First round on me!” Niall hollered as he skipped across the asphalt toward the entrance.

I nodded my head toward Niall, following him. “Must’ve been a good first day with the recruits?”

Hunter grinned. “You know he loves to boss the new kids around.”

“I heard that!” Niall laughed. “I’ve served my country for ten years, the least The Guard can do is let me have a little fun with the fresh meat on their first day.”

Hunter laughed. “That’s fair.”

Stepping inside Rusty’s, I was instantly hit in the face with the stench of stale beer, cleaning solution, and classic rock music.

Hunter took a deep breath. “Smells like tomorrow’s hangover.”

I agreed. The air in the room was less than appealing, but that’s what made Rusty’s so good. One beer out of their keg would leave you with a headache, yet we kept coming back, the bar too comforting to abandon.

I grabbed the nearest high-top by the pool tables while Niall’s lanky form waltzed to the bar.

There were a few familiar faces scattered throughout the room, and a familiar blond working behind the bar, her shirt a tad too tight, her high-ponytail slicked back at an uncomfortable angle.

I turned to tell Hunter that Brooke was indeed working, but he had already zeroed in on her, his eyes rounded and glazed over like a puppy’s.

Brooke was Hunter’s ex-girlfriend from high school who had dumped him after graduation because he’d joined The Guard. She’d been hoping he would go on to become a doctor, or a lawyer, seeing as Hunter was the top of his class in high school, and had the most prestigious universities sending him offer letters of acceptance. But he was like me, a complete thrill-seeker with a zero attention span for further schooling. So, The Guard it had been.

Let’s just say his salary wasn’t anywhere near what Brooke was looking for.

I sighed. “You’re too good for her, big brother.”

Hunter didn’t hear me, or didn’t care, because he left my side, walking straight for the bar. “I’m going to go help Niall with the drinks.”

“Uh-huh,” I whispered to myself, soaking in the nostalgia around me.

Rusty’s is as you would expect it to be, with old sheet metal panels covering the walls and car memorabilia covering every inch of space. I’d been coming here since I first joined The Guard eight years ago, but had only been allowed to legally drink here the last five.

At twenty-six years old, I felt like I’d already lived a full life with everything I’d seen and done; Aaron and our last tour being at the forefront of my mind. But before I could get too lost in the awful memories, Niall and Hunter arrived back at the table with pitchers of beer, the welcomed distraction I’d been waiting for.

“M’lady.” Niall grinned, pouring me a glass.

I rolled my eyes and took a sip, the cold, slightly flat brew hitting the spot. “So, tell me about the day. Anyone pass out?”

“Two.” Hunter chuckled. “No matter how many times we tell them to loosen their stance while standing in the heat, they never listen.” He took a deep drink from his own glass, pointing casually at Niall. “Reminds me of Niall’s first day⁠—”

“Come now, Hunter. Don’t sully my mood.” Niall buried his face in his hands. “I pissed myself one time, and that’s all anyone can remember . . .”

Hunter broke into a fit of laughter as I bit my lip, trying my best to support Niall, but I couldn’t help myself; a laugh escaped me, passing through my lips before I could stop it.

Hunter looked relieved I still knew how to laugh.

When was the last time I’d laughed?

“Okay . . . okay . . . ha-ha. Next topic,” Niall pleaded.

Hunter opened his mouth to refute, but Niall was saved from further harassment when two of our friends and fellow soldiers showed up.