Fighting Redemption(62)

“So what’s the problem?”

“It’s four years.”

They watched Nathan sink another shot and high five Davis before taking a swig of beer and returning to the table. “Well, nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”

“It’s in Sydney.”

“Oh f*ck,” Kyle breathed.

Nathan’s next shot rebounded hard, and the ball coasted into the middle of the table. “You’re up!” he yelled at Ryan over the loud noise of the bar.

“In a minute,” Kyle told Nathan.

“You’re kidding, right? Just hurry up and take the damn shot, Kendall!”

“In a goddamn, f*cking minute,” Kyle growled angrily.

Nathan blanched at Kyle’s sudden fury. Kyle was difficult to rile. Everything rolled off his back with an effortless grin, making him a hot commodity to have in your team, just like Jake had been.

Ryan put a hand on Kyle’s arm. “I’ll take the shot, Brooks.”

Shifting around the table, he rapidly sank their last two balls, followed it with the black, and won the round in five minutes.

“Fuck,” Davis moaned. “Who suggested we play you two bastards?”

Kyle rubbed his thumb over his fingers with a grin. “Pay up, losers.”

They both slid notes across the table. “Let’s play again. Double or nothing.”

Davis growled at Nathan. “Are you stupid?”

“That’s likely,” he replied with a laugh.

Ryan nodded. The pool and the alcohol were busy making everything numb, and he needed that right now. “We’ll give you a head start by letting you break,” Ryan told them. “You’ll need it.”

Kyle and Ryan returned to their tall bar table by the wall as Nathan and Davis set up the next round of play.

“Four years is a long time, but like I said before, nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”

“Nothing’s ever been easy for Fin and I,” he replied, his chest burning at the admission. “I guess some things aren’t meant to be. I mean, how the f*ck long is this war going to drag on for? It could be years before the Government decides to pull our troops out. That would mean what—I’d see Fin a total of eight weeks over the next four years with her living in Sydney?” He ground his jaw as he tried not to think about it. “I won’t have her putting her life on hold because I can’t be there with her and …”

Kyle downed the last of his beer and set the empty bottle on the table. “And what?”

“And I can’t ask her to stay.”

“No you can’t,” Kyle agreed, “but—”

“You’re up, Brooks,” Davis called out after breaking and dropping two balls.

Glaring at the interruption, Kyle picked up the pool cue and twisted it in his hands. “Does she want to stay?”

Ryan nodded once, the movement abrupt.

“Well then.”

“She has to go.”

Disbelief made Kyle’s eyes wide. “You can’t make the decision for her.”

“I can.” Ryan folded his arms. “This is everything she’s ever worked for. If you think I’m going to let her throw that away on me, then you’ve got more than one screw loose.”

“No talk of screwing while I’m stuck in this bar with you and those two meatheads,” he said, waving a hand over at Nathan and Davis. He took a step towards the pool table and looked at Ryan over his shoulder. “So what now?”

“Now I’m back on base for the next two weeks and after that…” Ryan swallowed down the ache in his throat “…she’ll be gone.”





Fin woke to sunlight streaming through her room and an empty bed. She jolted upright as the events of last night flooded through her. Turning on her side, she grabbed for her phone off the bedside table. She dialled Ryan’s number but when it went straight to message, anxiety clouded every other emotion. He was avoiding her?

She sank into bed, rubbing gently at the tender bump on the back of her head. The fall had scared her. Fin had no clue how long she’d been out for, but when she came to, Ryan hadn’t returned. Feeling like her head was splitting open, she barely managed to tidy up the broken glass and drag herself to bed.

Picking up her phone again, she flicked through her contacts and dialled.

“Dr. Jensen’s office, Trudy speaking.”

“Trudy, it’s Fin.”

“Fin, honey!” Fin could hear the wide smile in Trudy’s voice. She’d worked reception for Fin’s family doctor for as long as she could remember. “How you doin’, girl?”

“Oh, you know.” Fin waved her hand airily before she slumped into the soft covers.

“No, I don’t know, honey, so tell me.”

“Just busy working.”

“How’s that hot man of yours?”

“You know about Ryan?”

“Of course I do. I ran into Julie down at the supermarket last week and she may have mentioned something in passing.”

Fin shook her head, knowing that Trudy would have drilled her mother for every last detail and her mother would have happily complied. “Well, anyway, I need to make an appointment.”

“Sure thing.” Fin heard tapping at the computer before Trudy spoke again. “She’s not free for another three days. How does Thursday morning suit?”