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Most of the time.

“Still, doesn’t hurt, eh?”

David decided it was time to change the subject before Philip tried to prod him. The last thing he needed was to have Philip bring Christian into a crude discussion. The thought grated on David’s nerves, and he would have preferred Philip thought about Christian as little as possible.

“Well, it will please you to know you won’t be floundering much longer,” David said, opening a file on his computer.

Philip cocked his head. “Oh?”

“Well, this isn’t the first time you’ve spoken of needing help. So I found you someone who can.”

Philip blinked. “How...so?”

“You’ve said time and time again you could use some help, and what better than someone who knows their stuff? I found a man, Oscar Reyes, who could definitely benefit you but also could use the experience,” David said, turning the computer screen to face Philip.

Philip’s eyes turned cautious, though his smile remained. “You’re...replacing the assistant I already have?”

“Your receptionist will be fine. Reyes will work directly under you and aid you with decision-making. He has a lot of field experience and has commanded more than his fair share of soldiers. His injuries prevent him from doing anything active, so I figured, take his field experience, combine it with your administrative talent, and we have a match made in heaven,” David explained.

“I wasn’t looking for a replacement,” Philip said carefully.

David snorted. “Replacement? This man will help you.”

And hopefully, replace him. David hated this aspect of his job, preferring to run the base instead of being neck-deep in politics. Yet it was an inevitable aspect of his life, and he couldn’t avoid it forever. He had a feeling Reyes would be ten times better than Philip at the job and a hundred times more dedicated. All the man needed was to learn the ropes.

“Well, I’ll certainly give it some thought,” Philip said, the happiness surrounding him disappearing.

“He’ll be arriving soon, so you’ll have time to figure out how to integrate him. I’m sure we can find him something to do around here in the meantime,” David said.

Not that Philip would have a whole lot of choice in the matter. If David wanted Philip to have someone working as what would essentially be a protégé, then that would happen. Philipdidn’t have to like it, and he could drag his heels and draw out Oscar’s placement, but it would happen. Hopefully, once it did, with enough time, David might be able to present Reyes as a better choice and see if there wasn’t something somewhere else that would suit Philip better.

Philip’s attitude shifted almost immediately back to his previous mood, speaking loudly as he moved on to another subject. David nodded, adding only enough to keep Philip happy as the man began to regale him with a tale about a few unruly new soldiers and ideas for improving the clinic’s efficiency. However, David did not need to engage much in the conversation, as Philip was perfectly happy to hear himself talk, allowing David to zone out peacefully.

That was until a message popped up on his screen, bearing Christian’s name.

Good Lord, he’s so loud. You’re going to need a hearing aid if he keeps this up.

David kept his rapt expression, nodding to Philip as he replied.

Are you calling me old?

It took a moment, and David almost smirked at how long Christian took to answer.

There’s no answer to that question that wouldn’t get me in hot water, so I admit defeat.

David’s lips twitched, and he closed the message thread, feeling better than he had moments before.

CHRISTIAN

Another day, another lunch at his desk. Christian wasn’t going to complain, though, as it’d been a relatively quiet day for both he and General Winter. Most days, the two had to work through their lunch, taking bites when they could. Christian had no doubt it was worse for General Winter, as work for him generally involved meeting people. You couldn’t exactly stuff your face while you were having a serious conversation with someone.

Then again, Christian couldn’t say he did any better. Even with his workload lower than usual, he was still tapping away at his computer while he munched on his taco salad. Despite nothing on his to-do list that demanded immediate attention, he liked to keep on top of anything that might come up. Someone was always looking to make an appointment to see the general or follow up on a message he sent. The tasks built up quickly, and Christian liked to keep them arranged and prepared to be set into an appropriate schedule as quickly as possible.

And that didn’t include the sudden changes, cancellations, and impromptu visits. Each had to be juggled to make it work for everyone. Christian had learned he would never make everyone happy, but he could try to minimize the number of pissed-off people.

He was interrupted when he heard the office door open, and General Winter poked his head out. Christian glanced over, watching the general look around the waiting room before disappearing into his office. Staring at the door, he considered messaging the man to find out if he needed something but was spared when General Winter reappeared, this time with his lunch in tow.

Christian stared at the plastic bowl. “Something wrong with it?”