I walk through the door and smile at Addie. “How’s your day, Blondie?”
“I can’t complain,” she says with a smile. “Lucas is here. He’s back at the bar. I told him you were next door, but he said he wanted to say hi to the girls first.”
“Awesome, thanks.” Lucas has been my best friend since we were in the second grade and he gave me a black eye over a G.I. Joe. We went into the Navy at the same time, went to boot camp together, then flight school. He’s my closest friend in the whole world, and there’s no one else I’d rather have as my wingman.
But when I walk into the bar, I want to lay him flat.
He’s hugging Cami close, his lips pressed to her cheek. And one hand is planted squarely on her skirt-covered ass.
“It’s so good to see you,” Cami says with a smile, and pulls back to cup Lucas’s face in her hand. “Landon will be happy to see you.”
Landon will be happy to see him unhand Cami.
“You look beautiful, as always,” Lucas says, and that’s all I can take.
“Hey man,” I say, and move in to shake my friend’s hand, effectively pulling him away from Cami. “When did you get to town?”
“This morning,” he replies as he eyes me with concern. “Decided it was time to come check on you, since I couldn’t make it over to Italy.”
“I’m fine.” Now. I wasn’t for a while.
“Well, you can tell me all about it tonight while we drink too much beer and embellish flight stories.”
Cami has discreetly backed away, talking quietly with Kat.
“No, I can’t. I have a date tonight.”
“Of course you do,” Lucas says, barking out a laugh. “Didn’t take you long to snag some hometown bimbo. Do I know her?”
“She’s me,” Cami says, surprising me. “I’m the hometown bimbo.”
Lucas looks from me to Cami in surprise. “No, really.”
“Really,” I reply with a smile. “So you’ll have to come over to the job site next door and fill me in on your fictional flightscapades.”
“Hey Cami, I don’t really think you’re a bimbo—”
“It’s okay,” Cami says, waving him off. “I’m sure the others he’s dated have been bimbos.”
“I’ve always liked you,” Lucas says.
“I’ll see you tonight,” I say to her, and grin when she nods and elbows Kat, who makes gagging noises.
“Is Kat single?” Lucas asks as he follows me out of the bar.
“Pretty sure she is,” I reply. “But not positive.”
Lucas continues to chuckle as we walk into the construction zone. “Cami?”
“What’s wrong with Cami?”
“She’s a kid.”
“She’s almost thirty,” I reply, and motion for him to follow. “Hardly a kid.”
“Well, she’s hot, I’ll give her that.”
“She’s a lot of things,” I reply. “And we should change the subject now. What are you really doing home?”
“I’m checking on you,” he says, his face sobering now. “I want to know how you really are.”
I sigh and pick up a hammer. “I’m better than I was.”
“Have you wrapped your head around being home for good yet?”
That’s the thing. I don’t know. It was never my plan to be home for good. I was going to be in the Navy until I retired, and then probably still work for the Navy.
Civilian life is as foreign to me as living in Italy was when I first got there.
“I’m fine,” I repeat.
“You scared the piss out of me. Literally,” Lucas says, and rubs his hand over his mouth. “What happened up there?”
“I don’t know,” I reply, and shake my head slowly. “I don’t remember much of it, thankfully.”
“Brain injury?”
“No, the doctors call it a traumatic injury.” I smirk. “I don’t recommend ejecting out of your plane, man.”
“So noted.” He sighs. “So this is what you’re going to do now? Construction? Have you been medically cleared for this?”
“I’m cleared,” I reply. “And as for now, yes, I’m going to help my dad out with the construction. Long term? Who knows?”
“I’m only here until tomorrow morning. Are you sure you can’t take a few hours to hang?”
“I’m sure. You should have called, man. I’m not ditching Cami for your ugly ass.”
“Fine.”
I toss him a measuring tape. “But while you’re here, you can make yourself useful.”
“You’re an ass.”
I laugh. “That’s not the first time I’ve been called that today.”
I HAVEN’T BEEN nervous to pick up a date since I was sixteen fucking years old. But here I am, palms sweaty, sitting in my car outside of Cami’s house.
Cami would laugh at me and tell me I’m being silly.
Which I am.
I lift the sunflowers out of the passenger seat and walk up to her door. But before I ring the bell, I quickly replace the burned-out lightbulb and shove the old one in my jacket pocket.
With a deep breath, I ring the bell.
And wait.
No answer.
I glance over at the window and see lights on. She’s definitely home. So I ring the bell again, clear my throat, and wait.