At mid-morning, the heat is verging on oppressive, but I couldn’t make this call at home.

I’m not making it in the office, either.

I’m around the corner from the building outside a café. This walk would have hurt yesterday morning. Today, it’s nothing. Nothing.

Why did I wait so long?

The answer is in my phone. I saved the number under his initials. I don’t know why.

I bring up the contact and press call before I can drag it out any longer.

One ring.

Two.

And then…

“Hello.”

His voice is flat but unmistakable.

“Alex.”

He sucks in a breath. He knows it’s me.

“Dayton Nash,” he says slowly. “I can’t fucking believe you’d call.”

“Yeah, well—” I move past the café and flatten my back against the brick wall. That, at least, is solid, unlike the ground beneath my feet. “I have a phone now.”

He laughs, a cruel note in his voice. “How times have changed.”

Enough of this. “I want to talk to you.”

“We’re talking.”

“I want to talk to you in person.” That car, coming up over the curb, right at Summer. Right at our baby. “I think it’s time we discussed what happened.”

“Oh?”

I tighten my grip on the phone. “That was the past. Summer—” Shit. I didn’t mean to say her name. Too late now. “She has nothing to do with that. You can’t keep coming after her.”

“Who’s going to stop me?”

“Alex, she had nothing to do with it. If you want your revenge, you can take it out on me. In person. Stop chasing us around the city. She’s pregnant, for fuck’s sake.” The rage builds, but I keep my voice level. I have to control it. I have to control it.

Alex is silent on the other end of the line.

“Come on. You’ve been trying to run me over with your car. Sit down with me and talk instead. I’ll buy you a beer.”

He’s not going to agree to it. He’s going to hang up, and then I’ll be fucked. I’m already fucked. This is a last-ditch, desperate attempt at heading off the inevitable, and we both know it.

“Fine.”

“What?”

“I said, fine. I’ll meet you.” He laughs again, like this is the most absurd thing that’s ever happened in his life. That can’t possibly be true. “Where do you want to meet?”

Why the hell is he letting me choose? It’s all wrong, but I’ve got him on the phone. I’ve come this far. I name a bar a few blocks from the office. It’s a shit place, which should be perfect for a guy like Alex.

“What time are you free for our little date?” Goosebumps rise up on the backs of my arms, and I look around without turning my head. Is that fucker here right now? I wouldn’t put it past him.

“One o’clock.”

“See you then, sweetheart.”

* * *

I’m almost back to the office when I realize it.

I have another call to make.

The old Dayton would have walked into this meeting with nobody.

The new Dayton has a woman to go home to and a baby on the way. I can’t walk in there by myself. I don’t know what I’m going to say to Alex, but even if I say the right things, he still might lose his shit.

Wes answers on the first ring.

“This is Wes Sullivan.” His voice is clipped and precise.

“Where are you?”

He makes a noise in the back of his throat at the sound of my voice. “That’s a personal question, don’t you think?”

“Are you on base?” If he’s on base, I’m screwed. It’s a six-hour drive in the middle of the day.

There’s the sound of traffic in the background. Is it from my end or his? “No.” A gust of wind whistles in my ear, and then it’s quieter.

“Where are you?”

“I’m in Newark.”

“For what?”

“For some leave time.” Wes doesn’t bother to hide his irritation. “Which you’re interrupting with this asinine phone call. What do you want?”

I step to the inside of the sidewalk and hold the phone tighter to my ear. “I don’t know why the hell you’d vacation in Newark, but I’m fucking glad.”

“Why are you—?”

“I need your help.”

There’s a long silence.

“Listen.” I take a deep breath. “I’m sorry I got us blown up in that Humvee. Okay? I’m fucking sorry about it. But there’s some shit happening and I need you for back-up.”

“You didn’t get us blown up.”

This is news. “What?”

“That wasn’t your fault.” Wes is incredulous. “Nobody could have predicted that IED. It was my fault, if it was anyone’s.” He lets out a bitter laugh. “Should have seen it coming. And now you’re missing a fucking foot.”

I listen hard to what he’s saying right now, like I’m missing something other than a foot. “You’ve hated me all these years for that fucking IED.”

Wes sighs. “I didn’t hate you, you asshole. I didn’t want a scumbag like me spending time with my sister. Or thinking about her. I know what you’re like. You’re my best friend.” Another pause. “Dumbshit.”

“Can you come here or not?” I give him the address of where to meet me. “I need you there at twelve-thirty.”

“That’s an hour and a half from now.”

“Then you have thirty extra minutes to jerk off, if that’s what you want to do.”

“You’re very charming, Dayton. Did anyone ever tell you that?”

“Lots of people. Are you going to be there?”

“Have I ever let you down?”

We let that ruminate in the air between us.

“I’ll be there,” he says finally, and ends the call.