Page 73 of Cavern of Silence

Hunter reluctantly sits at the table, and we follow. I begin to tell Tinker about our situation. "Can you get us passports?"

Tinker nods. "Sure. It normally takes twenty-four hours."

"I'm going to check on Vanessa." Hunter rises.

"Be nice to Julieta," I warn him.

He scowls. "I'm always nice."

"Try harder."

He grunts and goes out to the deck.

Tinker scratches his bald head. "What's going on with you two? Are you letting women come between you?"

"No. He's a disrespectful ass at times to Julieta."

Tinker groans. "Don't let any woman come between you. We have a brotherhood. It's stronger than anything you could have with either of those two women." He points outside.

Anger bubbles. "You've always been a clueless idiot."

"What does that mean?"

"I know you've never been married, but a relationship with a woman should be more potent than any bond we have. That's the beauty of it. And it doesn't make our friendship any weaker or threaten it in any way."

He scoffs. "What you said makes zero sense."

"Maybe you should try to commit to a woman for once instead of running every time it gets too intense."

"Running? I don't run."

I snort. "I've known you since boot camp. You've never married, and as soon as a woman wants to get serious, you dump her."

"Not my fault I haven't found a Maureen yet."

Silence.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have brought her up."

"It's okay. She always had a soft spot for you even though she held out hope you would eventually settle down."

His eyes crinkle. "Remember when she tried to fix me up with her sister?"

I take a swig of my beer. "God, you were such an ass. I can't believe Maureen forgave you for standing her up."

Tinker's face falls. "She had a special heart."

I blink hard and nod then take another sip of my drink. I turn to the deck. Hunter and Julieta are speaking, but it doesn't look adversarial, so I stay put.

"Don't confuse what you had with Maureen with what you have with someone else," Tinker quietly says.

I spin my head toward him and clench my fists. My heart pounds in my throat.

"You aren't going to find what you had with Maureen again. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but women like Maureen don't come around twice in one lifetime. Julieta is hot, but don't confuse it."

I slam my drink down. "What's your problem? Are you so miserable you can't stand to see me happy?"

His eyes narrow and pity crosses his face. "Did you forget I was there? Date. Have fun. Get laid. Don't get attached, or you'll get burned, and I don't want to see that. I won't watch you fall down a hole of sadness and despair again."