Page 10 of Trapped (Sheppard & Sons Investigations #6)

“Unfortunately.” It’d be a miracle if she got our order right, given how often she asked us to repeat it.

Everyone was there for my final interview, so they knew I didn’t like talking about what had happened.

That knowledge didn’t stop AJ. “Did it happen in the SEALs?” he asked.

“No.” I held the sides of my barstool in an iron grip and counted on the inhale.

“Let it go, Janerek,” Jay said. “You know he doesn’t like talking about it.”

I appreciated his support, but maybe it was time for me to open up. I didn’t have to go into detail, but sharing would help me form bonds with my new co-workers and teammates.

“Thanks, Jay, but it’s okay.” Still clutching the sides of my chair, I shared what I’d told Jay, and his brothers during my second interview. “It happened during an undercover op when shit went south.”

My knuckles turned white, and my fingers started to ache, but I held on.

When my skin started itching, I counted five things I could see while methodically counting my breaths. In, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. Out…

I didn’t make it to the next step before AJ asked, “Let me guess, a year ago in Vegas?” They knew I was the asshole who’d promised Ashley the best night of her life and then ghosted her. All eyes turned to me in anticipation.

No doubt learning I was ‘that guy’ hurt my reputation at SSI, but maybe knowing I had a good reason would help fix it. At least with the guys .

“Yes,” I confirmed.

They nodded their understanding. If they expected more, they wouldn’t get it.

If I shared more, it’d be with Ashley first, to explain why I’d broken protocol and asked her out when it was so damn risky. And apologize. A lot.

The silence at the table was louder than the chatter of the crowd and the music blasting through the speakers.

“I’m a Cubs fan,” Doug ended the silence with a whiplash-inducing subject change, putting everyone back at ease.

I could talk about sports. Sports were a safe topic.

“Are you from Chicago?” I asked.

“Born and raised. Bears fan too,” Doug answered.

“What about you? What sports do you like?” Jack asked.

“Football and hockey.”

“Don’t give us too much all at once.” Jay laughed.

“Pot,” Jack coughed into his hand.

“What was that?” Jay asked.

I sat back and watched, glad the attention had shifted away from me.

“I seem to recall a certain Jarhead giving nothing but one-word answers for a while.”

“Shut up, ground pounder,” Jay countered.

“That’s rich coming from you, grunt,” Jack teased back.

“Technically, Raiders aren’t grunts,” I said.

Jay held up his fist, and I bumped it with mine. “Yeah,” Jay shot back at his brother.

“And the SEAL enters the ring,” AJ said.

“The two of us against all of you. Any day,” Jay bragged.

“With or without guns?” Doug asked, sizing me up.

Enjoying the banter, I shrugged and asked, “Does it matter?”

“It does. Jamie’s as good a shot as Jay, so we’ve got the distance covered. So it’d come to pistols, and I think we could out shoot you,” Doug said.

“Big talk coming from an airman,” Jay teased.

“Do you doubt my skills?” Doug asked.

I hadn’t seen him handle a gun, but the rest of the team trusted his skills, so I figured he couldn’t be too bad a shot.

“What about unarmed?” I asked.

“Jay’s batshit crazy on the mat and could easily beat both his brothers at the same time.”

“Hey!” the older Sheppards piped up.

“It’s true,” Jay said, his confidence bordering on arrogance.

AJ and Doug nodded. I tucked away the information, knowing I’d want to remember this conversation when it came time for the monthly sparring session.

“Neither of us,” he pointed between himself and AJ, “has beaten Jay on the mat, but we can hold our own. But you’re a wild card; no one has seen you fight. Though it’s fair to assume you can kick some ass based on your resume.”

I laughed. I can . “You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Shall we wager for August?” Jay asked.

“The usual?” Jack asked, flashing a grin.

“Let’s make it interesting and double it,” Jay said.

“I’m out,” Jamie said.

“Me too. Meg will kill me if I lose too much.”

“Hey Blaze, did you hear that? They know they’ll lose.”

“Nice going, dude.” AJ smacked Jack in the arm.

“So, Nathan, how about them Cubs?” Doug once again shifted the conversation.

I laughed. “I wouldn’t know; I grew up in Colorado.” I was a Broncos and Avalanche fan but didn’t follow baseball.

It was no surprise the three Sheppard brothers were Cowboy fans. All three played football in high school. Something I couldn’t afford to do, and apparently neither could AJ.

“I was a wimpy tech geek, more suited to watching sports than playing,” Doug admitted. That may have been true in high school, but Doug was now a well-trained, six-foot-four wall of solid muscle.

When our server delivered our wings, the order was wrong. Not wanting to make her feel more uncomfortable, we ate them. At least she got the pizza order right .

The conversation turned to family as we ate. It wasn’t surprising. Jamie and Jack were expecting, and the others were engaged.

As the only single guy at the table, I observed more than I spoke.

Deciding it was best not to ask our young server to split the check for us, we split it six ways. I threw in two extra twenties to cover the round of drinks I’d offered to buy.

Dinner was exactly what I’d needed. I connected with the guys and learned that the Sheppards were the only ones who grew up in a loving family.

“Thanks for the invite, Jay. I needed that.”

“No problem, man.” He clapped my shoulder. “See you tomorrow.”

“Bright and early.”