don’t
you think? Damn girl, you act like I’m ready for a retirement facility and I’m
not even forty yet!”
She put her head back and giggled.
“Sorry, Mitch. Besides, I will never fall for anyone in the military. I
want a man who’s around when I need him, not on the other side of the world.”
Tex shook his head at his little sister.
“I feel sorry for the poor son of a bitch already. I think somebody’s still got
a little growing up to do.”
She flipped her ponytail with one hand
and rolled her eyes. “That’s okay, big brother. I’d rather be on the needing
end of growing up than the receiving end of growing old…like you guys.” She
edged by Mitch to step into his apartment. “Nice digs, Marine. Needs a woman’s
touch but it’s entirely livable and very spacious.”
“Thank you, ma’am. It’s so nice to have
you approve of something pertaining to me.” He laughed as her brown eyes
sparkled with amusement. “What brings you two to this area, anyways?”
“I’ve got a competition this afternoon.”
Haley slipped her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and spun on her boot
heels to face him. “And after that, I want my two favorite Marines to buy me my
first beer in a reputable club of your choosing, here in Lake Coburn. As
of 6:45 this morning I’m twenty-one!” She leaned in closer and whispered behind
her hand. “Guess whose idea it was to throw in reputable?” She nodded toward
Tex, who stood there, glowering at her.
“Well, Happy Birthday, Haley, but first
beer?” Mitch chuckled. “Excuse me, but I find that a little difficult to
believe.”
Tex approached the two of them, pushing
his sunglasses up to rest on his high and tight. “No doubt, she means her first legal beer. But I can’t say too much, being as I joined the Marines to
get my butt out of trouble from having too many illegal beers. I can
only hope she shows more good sense than her considerably wiser brother.”
“You mean older, don’t you, big
brother?”
“Yeah, well, with age, comes wisdom,
Haley girl. You might want to keep that in mind.”
“I will, Matty ,
don’t worry. Besides, I’ve got a plan for my life that doesn’t involve DUI’s
and barfing on cops.”
Mitchell’s bellow of laughter rang out through
the room. “You hurled on a cop, Tex?”
Tex grabbed uncomfortably at the back of
his neck. “Not one of my finest moments.”
Mitch choked back the laughter. “What
the hell did he do?”
“He was about to arrest me, and I begged
him not to. Told him I was having one last hoorah before enlisting in the Navy
the next day. You know this story. He said if I made it the Marines he wouldn’t
throw my ass in jail.”
“I know a story about a speeding ticket
and DUI. This is the first I hear about you hurling on a cop! What’d you do?
Barf on his feet and ruin a brand new pair of boots or something?”
“I’d say it was a little more serious
than that.” Haley gave a throaty chuckle.
Mitch leveled a questioning gaze on his
friend. “So, what happened?”
“Projectile…” Tex closed the gap between
himself and Mitch. “That dude was about two foot from my face. When I spewed,
it covered him…from head to toe. I’d lied like a rug about joining the Navy,
but after that little incident, I was extremely glad to join the Marines. Hell,
I’d have done anything to get out of Beaumont and away from that cop.”
“Oh man!” Mitch wiped tears of laughter
from his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. “I wish I could have been around
to see that. You ever see that guy again?”
Tex laughed and nodded. “Just about
every damn time I come in. We’ve had some good laughs over it. I’ve thanked him
for forcing me to make the best decision of my life, and he’s apologized. Said
he’d always worried I’d bite the bullet in the Middle East and he’d be
responsible. Truth is, considering where I was headed he probably saved my
worthless butt.”
“You’re probably right. Now
you think? Damn girl, you act like I’m ready for a retirement facility and I’m
not even forty yet!”
She put her head back and giggled.
“Sorry, Mitch. Besides, I will never fall for anyone in the military. I
want a man who’s around when I need him, not on the other side of the world.”
Tex shook his head at his little sister.
“I feel sorry for the poor son of a bitch already. I think somebody’s still got
a little growing up to do.”
She flipped her ponytail with one hand
and rolled her eyes. “That’s okay, big brother. I’d rather be on the needing
end of growing up than the receiving end of growing old…like you guys.” She
edged by Mitch to step into his apartment. “Nice digs, Marine. Needs a woman’s
touch but it’s entirely livable and very spacious.”
“Thank you, ma’am. It’s so nice to have
you approve of something pertaining to me.” He laughed as her brown eyes
sparkled with amusement. “What brings you two to this area, anyways?”
“I’ve got a competition this afternoon.”
Haley slipped her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and spun on her boot
heels to face him. “And after that, I want my two favorite Marines to buy me my
first beer in a reputable club of your choosing, here in Lake Coburn. As
of 6:45 this morning I’m twenty-one!” She leaned in closer and whispered behind
her hand. “Guess whose idea it was to throw in reputable?” She nodded toward
Tex, who stood there, glowering at her.
“Well, Happy Birthday, Haley, but first
beer?” Mitch chuckled. “Excuse me, but I find that a little difficult to
believe.”
Tex approached the two of them, pushing
his sunglasses up to rest on his high and tight. “No doubt, she means her first legal beer. But I can’t say too much, being as I joined the Marines to
get my butt out of trouble from having too many illegal beers. I can
only hope she shows more good sense than her considerably wiser brother.”
“You mean older, don’t you, big
brother?”
“Yeah, well, with age, comes wisdom,
Haley girl. You might want to keep that in mind.”
“I will, Matty ,
don’t worry. Besides, I’ve got a plan for my life that doesn’t involve DUI’s
and barfing on cops.”
Mitchell’s bellow of laughter rang out through
the room. “You hurled on a cop, Tex?”
Tex grabbed uncomfortably at the back of
his neck. “Not one of my finest moments.”
Mitch choked back the laughter. “What
the hell did he do?”
“He was about to arrest me, and I begged
him not to. Told him I was having one last hoorah before enlisting in the Navy
the next day. You know this story. He said if I made it the Marines he wouldn’t
throw my ass in jail.”
“I know a story about a speeding ticket
and DUI. This is the first I hear about you hurling on a cop! What’d you do?
Barf on his feet and ruin a brand new pair of boots or something?”
“I’d say it was a little more serious
than that.” Haley gave a throaty chuckle.
Mitch leveled a questioning gaze on his
friend. “So, what happened?”
“Projectile…” Tex closed the gap between
himself and Mitch. “That dude was about two foot from my face. When I spewed,
it covered him…from head to toe. I’d lied like a rug about joining the Navy,
but after that little incident, I was extremely glad to join the Marines. Hell,
I’d have done anything to get out of Beaumont and away from that cop.”
“Oh man!” Mitch wiped tears of laughter
from his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. “I wish I could have been around
to see that. You ever see that guy again?”
Tex laughed and nodded. “Just about
every damn time I come in. We’ve had some good laughs over it. I’ve thanked him
for forcing me to make the best decision of my life, and he’s apologized. Said
he’d always worried I’d bite the bullet in the Middle East and he’d be
responsible. Truth is, considering where I was headed he probably saved my
worthless butt.”
“You’re probably right. Now
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