Mint Juleps and Justice by Nancy Naigle

glad that you’re back. He worried about you when you were in Iraq. We all did. I think he was afraid you wouldn’t be careful.”
    “I didn’t take any unnecessary risks. No one needed to worry.”
    “I don’t know, man. When you left…none of us were in a real good place.”
    Mike shook his head. “Let’s not go there.”
    “Fair enough. So, you’re back for good?”
    “I better be. I’m building a house here.”
    “You rebuilding over at the old place?” Rick looked surprised.
    “No.” The old place. He couldn’t build there. He hadn’t even been able to bring himself to drive by the property. Under the circumstances he wasn’t sure why he’d hung on to it, but selling it just seemed wrong. “No, man. I’m having one built over in the new neighborhood.”
    “That log cabin you always wanted?”
    “Exactly. I think it’s time to settle down in one place. This ought to tie me down a little.”
    “Shackles couldn’t tie you down, but I’m sure that’ll set you back a pretty penny.”
    “You got that right, but you only live once.” Mike stood up.
    “Your dad said you aren’t seeing anyone.”
    “I’m not. I’m busy. He’s way more worried about it than I am.”
    “You’re afraid,” Rick said. “You were in the Marines, not a monastery, man. You need to get back in the game. Life’s too short to live it alone.”
    Rick was the last person he wanted to discuss this with.
    “Jackie wouldn’t like you to be alone. She wouldn’t like it at all,” Rick added.
    She would have said that. Rick was right, but if it had been the other way around, she’d have understood. It’s one thing to say it. Another to live it. “I’m working on it.”
    “If you say so.” Rick didn’t look convinced. “Eight years is a long time to be alone.”
    “I’m not pining away. I even asked someone to the Ruritan Club steak dinner Friday.” Mike didn’t know why he’d offered up the information. It was no one’s business, and he hadn’t even meant to ask her, but somehow he felt like he needed to prove that he was okay.
    “Really? Guess the old man didn’t know about that. Someone serious?”
    “No. Just met her. Nothing serious. First date.”
    “Mike, it’s okay if it is. It’s been a long time since Jackie died. You can move on.” Rick started laughing. “But it is kind of funny. Showing up at a Ruritan dinner is like ringing the bell on the gossip line. Everyone will be talking about y’all whether it’s serious or not. Hell, I’d have at least done coffee or something easy to get out of.”
    “Kind of didn’t think about that part. Too late now.”
    “I’m just giving you a hard time. It’ll be fine.” Rick’s face grew serious. “It’s really good to see you, man.”
    “Yeah. It is.” The old friendship hadn’t changed despite the years since they’d last spoken. “Can I get you a beer or something?”
    Rick raised a hand. “No. I’m not going to stay long. I’m just glad you’re back. Wish I’d known. I’d have thrown you a big welcome-back barbecue on the farm. It would have been better than the high school reunion, which you missed, by the way.”
    Mike cast him a sideways glance. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t tell you.”
    “Seriously, don’t be a stranger. It’s been too long.”
    “I’ll stop by one day next week,” Mike said. They’d been like brothers at one time. In a way, they’d always be family.
    “That would be good. You won’t even recognize the farm. I’ve done a lot while you’ve been away.”
    “I’m thinking a farm looks like a farm.”
    “Oh, no. I gave up the hog farming, thought my luck with the ladies might change after that, but it hasn’t. Tore down all the hog barns and replaced them with a state-of-the-art horse barn.”
    “I hadn’t heard you’d gotten out of hogs.” Mike had done a stellar job removing himself from everything he left behind when he’d joined the Marines, and that had felt good at the time, but