On Point (Out of Uniform 3)

“I’m good.” Maddox actually should be elevating whenever possible, but he didn’t want to be any more trouble than he already was.

“I’ll go order for everyone. Our treat today.” Camilla and Ben’s father headed up to the register to order after confirming what the others wanted to eat.

“So what’s this I hear about you leaving Dad’s?” Marilee poked her brother. “Can you even shower on your own yet?”

“Dude. Mind your own business about my hygiene.” Ben always seemed to revert to fifteen around his sister, something Maddox found rather endearing even as their bickering made him wistful. “And I need my privacy back.”

“Is privacy another way of saying Camilla won’t take you cruising in Hillcrest?” Marilee laughed as she handed the toddler a cracker.

“I’m not that desperate.” Ben didn’t deny the urge altogether though. Arm in a sling or no, Ben wouldn’t be lonely long, especially with the apartment to himself. Maddox’s stomach churned, no appetite for the food he’d been looking forward to.

“How about you?” Marilee gestured at Maddox. “You’re coming to the wedding, right? Need help finding a date?”

Yes. Maddox had never been the best at meeting people, but before he could speak, Ben held up a hand. “God, Marilee, just let the guy eat. He doesn’t need a matchmaker.”

No offer to go together to the wedding. No caveman-like stomping of his feet. Just Ben fed up with his sister. Yup. Never going to be the one. Maddox wasn’t one for making a long list of resolutions, but right then he resolved that he wasn’t going to Rand and Camilla’s wedding alone. Life was too short to let his obsession with Ben stop him from going after the things in life he really wanted.

Chapter Twelve

“The Welcome Back banner is a bit much, don’t you think?” Ben said to Dylan, Apollo’s fiancé and instigator of that day’s barbecue to celebrate Maddox finally getting released from the rehab unit. The back patio at Apollo’s house featured a smoking grill, several tubs of drinks in ice, people milling around, and one giant banner across the door to the house.

“It’s for both of you, grumpy.” Dylan lightly clipped Ben on the good shoulder. “And how is it that you survived your brush with death only to emerge even pissier than normal? I thought near-death experiences were supposed to mellow people out.”

Dylan was Ben’s friend—they played on the same rec league soccer team when Ben wasn’t deployed, and despite the fact that Ben had once made a concerted effort to get in Dylan’s shorts, they maintained a brotherly camaraderie, but that didn’t mean that Ben wasn’t tempted to dump him in the beer cooler.

“I’ll be mellow once I’m back with the team,” Ben said, not joking. He was about to go stir crazy. His orthopedic appointment yesterday had finally relaxed the rigid 24/7 sling rules and given him permission to drive. Picking Maddox up himself had felt like a major victory. But Apollo’s backyard full of friends seemed like overkill. Or maybe he really was that grumpy. Not being able to work out more than some walking on the treadmill and the very gentle PT for the shoulder had him crankier than Camilla’s ancient cat.

“Talked to your LT. He said you’re both looking at three-to-six months of PT?” Dustin, Dylan’s older brother, joined their conversation, helping himself to a beer from the cooler on the patio. He was the XO on a different SEAL team and had that annoying lieutenant quality of sticking his nose into everyone’s business.

“Three,” Ben gritted out. Twelve weeks he could do. Six months? He wasn’t regenerating the shoulder from stem cells for Pete’s sake. “I heal fast. I’ll be back to kicking ass in the grinder in no time.”

“I’m counting on it.” Dustin’s laugh was a bit too hearty. “You on limited duty is no fun for anyone.”

“Truth.” Apollo came out of the house with a huge tray of burger patties. “But shoulder surgery’s no joke—dislocating it again would be catastrophic. Listen to the doctors.”

Ben made a noncommittal noise. He didn’t need his friends’ concern. And what he really needed was to get Maddox home. The place had been too damn empty without him, and Ben wasn’t going to feel right with the world until Maddox was back in his kitchen, humming to himself while Ben dozed in the big leather chair. He’d been sleeping like shit, the apartment seeming to echo with the force of missing Maddox. And yeah, that vision of his nap and good smells coming from the kitchen was probably part of why he was cranky.

“I’m going to see if anyone inside needs a beer.” By anyone he meant Maddox but he didn’t need Apollo giving him any more shit about where their friendship stood. He grabbed Maddox a pale ale, then realized he wasn’t sure what painkillers Mad was on, so he stuck a soda under his good arm as well.