Page 3 of Love at First Rep

He walked back to the bunk room in a daze after hearing the details of how he’d make all his brothers and sisters in his unit think he was dead.

He had no choice. His country needed him, and he’d taken an oath to protect that country with his life.

The mission was hours away. He’d have to find a way to say goodbye to Garrett without actually saying goodbye to him.

Ridgewood was clear: if Rafe told a single person about what was going to happen to him, he’d be out on his ass and could face treason charges for sharing classified information.

At least Ridgewood was sympathetic when he delivered the threatening words. He knew how much Garrett and Rafe relied on their friendship, not in a dependent way, but in a way that kept them focused and alert. They made each other better at their jobs.

Was he capable of working without Garrett at his side? Sure, but he wouldn’t like it. Garrett had been his rock all through Sea Cadets training in high school, fifty-six weeks of initial training and months of pre-deployment training, including making it through BUD/S. There was no chance in hell he could have done any of it without Garrett.

Garrett was always the one pushing them, making Rafe wake early to go for a run, pushing him to train, to be better, faster, stronger.

Ridgewood was adamant that Rafe could handle this job without Garrett, but that didn’t mean Rafe didn’t wish he could come along.

He’d even asked, but Ridgewood turned him down.

Garrett, on the other hand, would be fine without him.

Well, maybe not fine, but that man could handle anything.

As much as he hated it, today would be the last day he’d see Garrett in… Fuck, I don’t want to think about how long.

Trying to ignore the annoying voice in his head whispering never, he returned to the bunk room to find Garrett right where he left him.

The smile Garrett sent his way when he looked up from his puzzle book almost made Rafe stumble.

Never again would he be greeted by that beautiful smile, by those bright, eager eyes.

“Hey, everything go okay?” Garrett asked.

“Yeah.” Rafe choked out the word. He cleared his throat. “He filled me in on tonight’s operation.”

“What about it?” Garrett asked, always clawing for more information.

“I’m taking point probing one of the streets tonight. Intel says it should be low-risk, but we’ll be able to find out for sure.”

“All right!” he said as he held out his fist, and Rafe bumped it in return. “That’s awesome. You deserve some more responsibilities.”

“Don’t I have enough on my plate taking care of you?” Rafe teased.

“I think you have that the other way around. You’d lose your head without me and you know it.”

Rafe opened his mouth to defend himself, but Garrett was mostly right. Instead, he used it as an opportunity to lay the foundation of some semblance of a goodbye.

They were alone in the bunk room, most of the other guys out working on their respective chores. Rafe took the opportunity to get close to Garrett and sat next to him on the narrow cot.

Garrett grumbled weakly, the cute grin on his face betraying his real feelings, and adjusted himself so they could both fit, their sides plastered against each other.

“You would do fine without me, I know it,” Rafe said, and Garrett’s head snapped in his direction. The way they sat meant Garrett’s face was just inches away. His body heated at the close proximity.

“Don’t talk like that. I don’t want to find out how I’d do without you. We’re ride-or-die, man. In it together until the end, right?”

Rafe smiled softly at the vehemence in Garrett’s words.

“Of course. No matter what, I’ll always be with you, even if I can’t take you where I’m going. I’m with you.” Rafe tapped the back of his hand against Garrett’s chest. “Right in here.”

Garrett reached for Rafe’s hand and held it against his chest.