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“Eh, in my line of work, everyone’s a disaster.”

“That’s...inspiring.”

Gabriel laughed. “Problem is, most people don’t realize they’re not as big a disaster as they think. Takes someone like me to pick through things, show them where they’re messing up, and where they just need to let it go. We’re all a mess, Oscar. Some people are just better at cleaning it up.”

“That’s kind of better, I think.”

“Realistic, which is important in this line of work.”

Oscar snorted. “Ah, by the way, did you get my package?”

“Yes, yes, I got the house key. I don’t know what good that’s going to do, though. We’re three states away. It’s not like I can just pop in for a visit.”

“Eh, old habits die hard. I feel better with you having a key, just in case.”

“I’ll keep that in mind if I ever decide to pop in for a surprise visit.”

“Oh, boy, I look forward to it.”

Gabriel sighed. “So,areyou going to tell me what’s going on, Oscar? Is it the new position?”

Oscar grimaced. “When I finally get the position, that is. Who the hell knows when that will be since, apparently, the spot was still occupied when I showed up.”

“Then why bring you over?”

“Apparently, to make me sit at the front desk outside the General’s office and do secretarial work all day and pretend it’s going to give me hands-on experience for the job I’m ‘supposed’ to be doing soon.”

“I smell drama.”

“Drama that doesn’t involve me, thank fuck.”

“Okay, so it sounds like you’ve got a handle on the work stuff,” Gabriel continued a faint hint of a question in his voice.

Oscar pinched his brow and sighed. “I ran into someone from my past.”

“Someone?”

“Someone I was...involved with.”

Gabriel gave a soft sound of understanding. “So, an old flame popped her head up then.”

Oscar grimaced, not wanting to spill the truth to his brother any more than he had in the past, but not liking the idea of going along with Troy being a woman. But if the choice was between letting his brother continue the falsehood unknowingly or outing himself, he would choose the former.

“That’s more or less what happened. Haven’t seen each other or talked in six years. Then lo and behold, we both end up on the same goddamn base,” Oscar complained.

“That’s some...interesting luck.”

“Yeah, and even more lucky because we seem to be running into one another all the time.”

Gabriel went quiet before asking, “So, why did things end between you and this unnamed flame?”

Oscar sighed. “I ended it.”

“Ah...and why was that?”

Oscar thought long and hard. The truth was, he’d become so terrified that he and Troy would be found out he’d taken the opportunity his deployment offered as a way out.

“It’s...complicated.”