Bryce wasn’t on the train. After some veiled questioning of his co-workers, Richie learned Bryce hadn’t come in to work. Richie wanted to leave right that second and hunt the man down, but to what avail? Bryce had asked him to stay away. Even though Richie knew he wouldn’t do that, he still didn’t think showing up on the man’s front steps and demanding to know why he hadn’t come to work was a good way to fix things. He needed help. Richie needed a friend.

He called the only person he knew he could count on. Luckily, Darrel answered on the second ring. “Hey, how’s it going?”

Proving he was a good friend, Darrel didn’t exclaim his surprise over hearing from Richie for the first time in forever. “Hey. I can’t complain. How are things going with you?”

There was no answering that question without lying, so Richie dodged it. “Do you have plans for lunch?”

“Nope.”

“You want to meet at the diner?”

“Sure,” Darrel said. Thankfully, he didn’t sound the least bit put out. If he had, Richie might’ve changed his mind. Being around his friends was hard. He didn’t like looking weak. Richie wasn’t sure he’d been anything but since he returned to real life. “It’ll take me about fifteen minutes to get there.”

Richie nodded, forgetting for a minute Darrel couldn’t see him. “Cool. It’ll probably take me about the same. See you there.”

“See you,” Darrel said, disconnecting their call.

Richie stood and hoped he didn’t back out. His friends had all tried being there for him. Richie had shut everyone out. Today, he really needed some advice.

On the walk to the diner, an unwelcome thought hit Richie. He hoped Darrel didn’t call the whole gang together for lunch. Once upon a time, Darrel, Wyatt, Jayden, and Richie had been inseparable. They each worked in high-pressure jobs as different public servants. Darrel and Wyatt were SWAT. Jayden was an EMT and Richie did what he did. They ran in the same circles and used to spend a ton of time together. Then Richie had come home from Mexico fucked up. Shortly after, Wyatt had gotten shot several times in the line of duty. The man met his husband that day. Then, Jayden and Darrel had started dating and everything between the four sort of shifted. Or, maybe it hadn’t. Hell, Richie didn’t know. They still did shit together—lunches, parties at Wyatt’s mom’s, since she might as well be all their mom. The four of them, now five with Wyatt’s husband Benny, they were still friends. Maybe Richie just felt like the odd man out now. Whatever it was between them, Richie didn’t feel like part of the group anymore. He didn’t want to see them today. Darrel was the one he’d always felt closest to. If Richie planned to get back to normal, he needed to start there.

Thankfully, as he came through the door, he spotted Darrel sitting alone in a booth. He slid in across from him.

“Damn, man. What’s with the get-up?” Richie asked, motioning toward the sling Darrel wore on his left arm.

Darrel glanced down like he’d forgotten he had an injured wing. “I tore out a rotator cuff at the gym.”

“How long are you stuck in that thing?”

“About six weeks. I’m also trapped with desk duty.” Darrel didn’t sound happy about it.

“That’s a feeling I know all too well,” Richie grumbled. He imagined his days of being in the field were over. No one had said as much, but they didn’t need to.

Darrel nodded and picked up a menu. He spoke while focused on it. “I imagine. You should think of joining SWAT. We rarely see any action.” He cleared his throat, moving on, and not giving Richie time to point out that Wyatt had almost died recently. “I have to say, I was a little surprised to hear from you. You haven’t exactly come around much lately.”

While focused on his menu, it wasn’t as awkward to talk about shit. “I haven’t felt like myself for a while. Sometimes, it’s easier to be alone. But I’m still around. You’re still my friend. I should’ve known about the shoulder.”

Darrel snorted. “It’s just a shoulder. Nothing I can’t handle alone. You’ve earned the right to deal with your shit your way. I’m just glad to see you out.”

Richie nodded and chewed on his lip. Honest to god, he didn’t know where to start. “I saw Bryce last night.” His lips moved without his brain’s permission, jumping in with both feet.

“I would think you see him every day, working in the same building and all.”

“We went to dinner.”

Darrel dropped his menu and focused on Richie. “How did that go?”

“Well, he didn’t spit in my face, but he did verbally destroy me and storm out.”

To Richie’s surprise, Darrel chuckled. “Good for him. It’s about time he stood up for himself.”

“I thought that at first too,” Richie said, going back to staring at the menu. “I wanted him to get mad and stop being a psychologist for five seconds. Turns out, I wasn’t prepared for what he had to say.”

Darrel took the menu from Richie’s hands, setting it aside and leaving him no other choice but to meet his stare. “Why would you want Bryce to stop being the psychologist? Bryce can’t stop helping people. That’s not a bad thing.”

“It is when you’re in my shoes.”

Darrel leaned forward in his seat. His gaze fixed upon Richie, making Richie feel like the man had all the answers in the universe. “You’re not hearing me. Bryce helps people. It’s not what he does. That’s who he is. If you want him back, you have to get on the same page. I know you want him to see you as a whole man, but be honest with yourself—are you? Whole, I mean?”

“No.” It was funny how he admitted the truth so easily to Darrel when his voice wouldn’t work with Bryce.

“Then you have to be real with him,” Darrel said, leaning back in his seat and draping his arm across the back of the bench. “You’re not less of a man for what you went through. I guarantee Bryce doesn’t think you’re weak. Not to mention, I’m sure you have other ways you can show him you’re still in charge,” Darrel said with a smirk. “Let the guy have all of you or stay away. I love you, man, but it’s not right to hurt him again. Boy loves you for real, and leaving him the way you did was some cold shit.” Darrel held up his free hand, as if he expected Richie would take offense. “I’m not saying I don’t feel you. You thought you were saving him from you. But don’t go back if you plan to rip his heart out again just because he can’t stop being who he is, and you’re no longer who you once were.”

Richie heard him. He said everything a true friend should. Richie hadn’t been in the right when he left. That didn’t mean it didn’t sting a little to hear it from Darrel. “What about Jayden and you?” Richie asked, needing his pound of flesh. “Everyone’s dying to know why he doesn’t come around anymore, but you don’t talk about it.” Jayden had been the one for Darrel. Everyone knew it. Richie sat back in surprise as Jayden appeared out of nowhere, as if talking about the man conjured him.

“Hey,” Jayden said without an ounce of hesitation over whether his presence was welcome, even though Darrel looked like he might bolt. The guy shoved his way into the booth next to Darrel. Richie bit his lip to keep from laughing. Jayden was young and hot. Both Richie and Darrel were thirty-eight—much too old for Jayden’s twenty-four-year-old ass. That hadn’t stopped Darrel from falling for the guy. Not that Richie didn’t understand. Jayden was sexy. He was skinny and tall with gorgeous green eyes. His soft-looking brown hair had the perfect amount of curl. While wearing his EMT uniform, everyone stared at Jayden, especially since—like Darrel—the man possessed an overabundance of self-confidence. Both men knew they could have anyone they wanted. It was like the universe recognized it as fact, and no one could stop staring, looking for their opening. It seemed fitting they should love each other. Crazy they couldn’t get on the same page.

Jayden inspected Darrel’s hand that hung from the sling. He squeezed the tips of Darrel’s fingers. “How’s your circulation been?”

Darrel accepted Jayden’s inspection without argument. The man’s gaze moved over Jayden’s face. Desperation coated the air. “Fine. I’ve been doing everything the surgeon suggested.”

Jayden nodded while keeping his gaze carefully averted, as if scared to meet Darrel’s stare. “That’s good. Just text me if anything starts feeling strange.”

“I should’ve told you.”

Jayden stood, calling an end to whatever Darrel had been about to say. His gaze slid Richie’s way. Richie swallowed. There was so much in the man’s eyes. Richie couldn’t process it all. “Richie. It’s been a while.”

“It’s good to see you.”

Jayden’s expression turned cold and mocking. “I can’t say the same.” Without a backward glance, Jayden walked away.

Richie watched him go. The man slid into a booth where another EMT sat. Richie met Darrel’s stare. The man’s mouth was lifted in one corner. “What the fuck was that?”

“Bryce got custody of him in the split,” Darrel answered. Laughter swam in his eyes. “Jayden is loyal to the bone. If I were you, unless you win back Bryce soon, I wouldn’t need an ambulance anytime in the near future. It might not arrive in time.”

“Jesus,” Richie breathed. Things just kept getting better and better.

Darrel wouldn’t stop staring at Jayden like the world was crashing down.

Richie couldn’t take it. “Follow your own advice,” Richie urged. “Go talk to him. Make things right.”

“I can’t fix what I did,” Darrel said, sounding absent. “Besides, he has a hickey. Seems I’ve lost my chance.”

Richie glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, there was a small but obvious hickey on Jayden’s neck. Richie shrugged. “That doesn’t mean much. It definitely doesn’t mean you’ve lost your shot.”

Without tearing his gaze away from Jayden, Darrel shook his head. His pain was almost tangible. “Some shit you can’t take back.” He finally focused on Richie, looking more intense than Richie had ever seen him. “Go fix things with Bryce before you pull some shit you can’t take back. Not all of us have that luxury.”

Richie would do his damnedest. He couldn’t end up feeling how Darrel looked—hopeless.

* * *

Richie: I’m sorry.

Bryce: Apology accepted.

Richie: Can we talk?

Bryce: I’m sure I asked you to leave me alone.

Richie: I know.

Richie: I saw Jayden earlier.

Bryce: Okay.

Richie: He hates me now.

Bryce: Hate is a strong word. But you got everyone else. You have no right to complain.

Richie: I didn’t mean to steal anyone from you.

Bryce: If someone can be stolen, they were never worth having. Plus, you need them more than I do. I’m used to being alone.

Richie: Fuck. I hate it when you say things like that. You deserve better from everyone, including me.

Bryce: Life doesn’t give a fuck about “deserve.” You get what you get. Besides, I have Jayden. Despite what everyone thinks of him, because of the whole Wyatt and Darrel thing, he’s worth more than ten friends. Especially a cheat like Darrel.

Richie: Wow. It sounds like the two of you are closer than I realized.

Bryce: What of it? No one else has been around.

Richie: I’d like to be.

Bryce: Fuck off. I don’t need someone who leaves me with no explanation, and is constantly angry with me for being myself. If you can’t love me for me any longer, what’s the point?