Someone to Watch Over Me

Marc bolted upright. “That’s a dog-faced lie! Granted, I met Lizzy at one of her dad’s dealerships, where I went to scope out a car. But cars have nothing to do with why I’m going back to Utah to take our relationship to the next level.”

“I’m serious, Marc,” Gabe said. “How do you know Lizzy’s the one and only?”

“How did Coltrane know Summer was it for him?”

“I have no idea.” Gabe smacked the steering wheel. “Especially since he bombed completely back when he married Monica.”

“Now, she was a piece of work,” Reggie said.

“Yeah. But I remember envying Colt back then. Hell, we all did.”

“Our priorities were different, I guess,” Marc muttered.

Mossberger jumped in again. “In the Corps, we had stuff to prove. But even then we had each other. When Colt married Monica, it was like we lost something.” He shook his head. “Before he was captured in that operation that went bad, we thought we were invincible. Suddenly we were ordinary. Men with shortcomings. That changed us.”

Marc’s brows drew together over the bridge of his nose. “Jeez, Moss, you make us sound like a bunch of losers.”

Gabe sneaked a peek at Reggie in the rearview mirror. “I think Moss is trying to say that when we were faced with our own mortality, we woke up. On some level, we all knew Monica was a user. But tough guys like us were supposed to bag a trophy wife.”

“Yeah. Two by two is nature’s way. All God’s species come in pairs.”

“Spoken like a veterinarian,” Marc jeered. “This conversation’s getting too deep for me. Lizzy’s nothing like Monica. She works and she takes care of her grandmother. Best of all, she has a great sense of humor.”

Gabe grabbed Marc’s arm. “Wait. Maybe Moss is onto something. Guys usually get along when we hang out together. Once the pack breaks up and we’re shuffling around on our own, loneliness forces us to start searching for a mate. Someone to keep us company.”

“Marriage is about more than companionship,” Marc said. “Don’t either of you ever think about having kids?” he ventured hesitantly.

Leaning forward, Reggie planted his bony elbows on his knees. “I do. The old vet I trained under worked closely with the area elementary schools. He kept a petting zoo where city kids come to learn about animals. Some kids, well, they got to me, ya know? You guys’ll probably laugh me out of the car, but…I’ve been thinking about adopting. Not a baby. An older kid. I don’t have any prospects for a wife, but I ask myself, do I need a wife to make a home for a kid who has nothing and no one?”

Gabe tugged at his ear. “I’m not gonna laugh, Moss. Growing up, I kicked around the streets fighting hunger in my belly too often. After Russ Poston threw me out, a home like you’re talking about would’ve seemed like heaven.”

“Still, if you’d had your druthers,” Marc argued, “wouldn’t you have preferred having a mom and a dad? I sure want a kid of mine to have both.”

“Aha! So when’s the wedding?” Gabe drawled. At the same time Reggie whooped and said, “Is Lizzy pregnant?”

Marc turned bright red. “It’s not like that with us. She, uh, we aren’t sleeping together…yet,” Marc qualified, growing ever more crimson.

“Whoa! I believe our ol’ buddy is dead serious about this little gal.” Moss slumped again. “Man, before long I’m gonna be the only one of the fearsome foursome who’s still single.”

“When did I get booted out of the club?” Gabe asked.

“You think I didn’t see you making cow eyes at that babe today?”

“What babe?” Marc’s flush subsided and a gleam flickered in his eyes. “What’d I miss? Gabe’s yanking my chain over Lizzy when he’s hot for some Callanton babe?”

“It’s true,” Moss declared over Gabe’s vociferous denial. “You mean you didn’t see him stalking that tall, black-haired caterer with his tongue hanging out?”

“Keep it up, Reggie,” Gabe warned, “and you’ll be out on the roadside hitching your way to the airport.”

“I see! You can razz me, but your woman’s off limits? No fair! Give with the details, pal.” Marc wasn’t about to let it go.

Gabe clammed up as he curled his hands around the steering wheel and kept his eyes on the road.

“She served us cake at the reception,” Reggie supplied for Marc’s benefit.

“I don’t remember even seeing her. You might’ve tipped me off,” Marc grumbled to Reggie. “So what’s her name?”

“You won’t drop this, will you?” Gabe blew out a stream of air, watching both men lean toward him. When they only continued to leer owlishly, he reluctantly supplied her name. “Isabella. Isabella Navarro.”

When nothing but silence followed his admission, Marc gave another nudge. “How long have you two been dating? Jeez, Gabe, talk about me working fast. Colt said you were in and out of Callanton in a matter of days when you closed the agency’s deal on Summer’s ranch.”

“I’m not dating anyone.” Gabe’s head snapped around. “I…find her…attractive, that’s all. She gave me the brush-off. Now enough’s enough.”

“So what’s wrong with her?” Reggie queried. “She engaged or something?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong.” Marc echoed. “Women never brush you off, Gabriel.”

“She has good reason, okay?” Stalling, Gabe finally capitulated, and in fits and starts relayed the awful thing Summer had told him.

“Holy shit!” Marc and Reggie chorused, their voices laced with horror.

“Exactly. So now you see why it’d be plain stupid for a guy to even try and get anything going with her.”

“Why do I have a feeling you’re gonna do it anyway?” Reggie shrugged. “Otherwise, you’d have packed your bag and come to Idaho with me.”

“Naw,” Marc insisted, frowning at Reggie. “Gabe’s got more brains than any of us. You’ll be driving back to Sun Valley tomorrow, right? To kick back and get in a little spring skiing before Marley needs you to close my deal in Utah.”

“Well…this is great country. Maybe I’ll hang here until Marley phones.”

Reggie smacked a hand down hard on the back of Gabe’s seat. “I knew it. You’re gonna make a play for the caterer.”

“Am not.”

“Are too,” Reggie shot back.

“No. But I may stay a few days. Maybe see what kind of ranch property’s come on the market since Coltrane thwarted those developers and arranged for SOS to save Summer’s ranch.” Gabe winced at what sounded like a lame excuse even to him.

Naturally, Reggie jumped right on his friend’s statement. “Hell, Gabe, you’re a banker. What do you know about ranch land? Or ranching, for that matter. I’ll bet you don’t even know which end of a horse to bridle.”

“I’m not a banker, you idiot. I’m an accountant.”

“Close enough. Shoot, I just can’t picture you mucking out stalls.”

“So? Land’s always a good investment.”

That statement seemed to appease Gabe’s friends for the time being. They moved on to talk of other things until Gabe parked at the small yet bustling airport.

Marc and Reggie were booked on the same flight to Boise. From there, each would go his separate way. With the new heightened security, sans luggage or a ticket, Gabe wasn’t allowed to accompany the men beyond the passenger terminal. As the three longtime friends prepared to part, it again became evident that their lives were changing. No one wanted to say what all were patently aware of—this might be a more lasting goodbye. All cleared their throats awkwardly.