Cowboy Boots and Combat Boots

LEXI

Link was about to punch the old man bothering me in the face. The old guy looked horrified as he cringed.

“Stop!” I snapped, grabbing Link’s arm and pulling him away.

Diners all around were staring, some whispering to each other. One guy held up a phone.

What a mess!

“I need to speak to the manager!” the customer bellowed.

My heart was hammering already from him grabbing me, and Link had just amped the whole thing up to eleven.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Link’s brother sidle up to the guy.

Great. Just what I need.

But I couldn’t deal with it since I already had my hands full.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I said to Link.

His face was flushed, and his eyes stared over my shoulder, boring into the old man.

“Sir!” I said with a glance at the customers watching, tugging his arm to lead him farther away. The muscles under his skin were iron.

He glanced at me as we stopped near the entrance.

“Link, I’m fine. Don’t do that! I don’t need you to protect me.”

His eyes found mine and he frowned.

Was he maybe a little bit somewhere else there for a sec?

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked me.

“Yes,” I said. My heartbeat began to return to normal. “I’m doing just fine. I get that kind of thing every day. I can handle it.”

I checked back on the table. My manager, Phyllis, and Link’s brother were both talking to that rude jerk of a customer.

“Denver omelets don’t even have mushrooms,” I muttered.

“He shouldn’t have grabbed you,” Link said.

I turned my attention back to him. “You’re right, he shouldn’t, but when my manager saw, she’d have kicked him out. Now it’s more complicated.”

His face changed, taking on a sheepish look. “Oh.”

Around us, the diners were losing interest, going back to their own meals.

Thank goodness.

I smiled. “Hey, it’s okay. I appreciate that you wanted to help.”

He nodded but cast down his eyes in a way that told me he knew he’d screwed up. Well, better that than a man who couldn’t accept when he was wrong.

“How about you head back to your table, huh?” I said. “Let’s get you and your brother fed and pretend none of this ever happened.”

He nodded again, but as he made his way back across the restaurant to his seat, his shoulders slumped. I felt bad.

I wish I could make him feel better.

“Hey, I hope to see you on Wednesday,” I said.

He turned and looked at me over his shoulder. Then he grinned.

LINK

“So you think she’s interested after all?” Rowan asked as I got ready.

It was Wednesday, and group was in forty minutes.

“She told me she hoped I’d come to this group session again at the diner. She didn’t have to do that,” I said, pulling off the shirt I’d chosen and selecting a different one.

I checked myself out in the mirror. This one did a better job of emphasizing how fit I was.

I patted my six-pack. Though, come to think of it, I’d been drinking a lot of six-packs lately, and I could feel some flab that didn’t used to be there. I frowned at my reflection.

“You know, Link, you might want to consider barking up a different tree,” Rowan said, crossing his arms as he leaned in the archway to the kitchen.

I was still using his living room as a bedroom and was really starting to wish I had my own place.

“What tree?” I growled.

Rowan shook his head. “I’m just saying. Tinder is a thing. Plenty of girls’d swipe right when they got a look at your pecs.”

“I don’t want just any girl.”

Rowan rolled his eyes and turned to leave. “You never change,” he said over his shoulder.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I called after him.

“Susie Rhodes.”

Buttoning my jeans, I followed after him as he crossed the kitchen to his own room.

“What about Susie Rhodes?”

Rowan raised his eyebrows at me. “Are you going to pretend you weren’t obsessed with her from seventh grade until after you graduated?”

“Obsessed is a strong word.”

“Meanwhile, Jerilene Kelley. Teri Ingram. Natalia Secada!”

Each name was an accusation.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, though that was a lie.

“Fine. Pretend like you don’t remember how all these fine girls came after you, and you wanted nothing to do with any of them because they weren’t Susie Rhodes, who never gave you the time of day.”

“If she would have just given me one chance. ~One~ date.”

“I know that. She missed out!” Rowan said. “But you’re fixing to do the same thing with Lexi. And chances are, she’s never going to give you a chance either.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, bro.”

“Come on, Link,” Rowan said, shaking his head as he entered his room. “The VFW isn’t Tinder. They’re trying to actually help people.” He shut the door in my face.

I glared at it. I was going to prove him wrong about Lexi, and if I wanted to do that, I’d better get on the road.

***

We finished up the last breathing exercise, inhaling on a count of eight, holding for four, exhaling for four.

On the way over, I couldn’t stop worrying about how Lexi would feel about me, especially after the incident in the diner. But she’d greeted me with a warm smile, and I felt better.

Just like last time, Lexi said, “Okay, when you’re ready, if your eyes were closed, you can open them and have a stretch.”

That concluded the session, which had gone similarly to the first one I’d attended.

I extended my arms, pulling one in front of my chest crossing the other over it like a T. Then I switched.

It felt good.

These relaxation techniques of Lexi’s really helped.

I joined in putting up the chairs.

As the last guys left, I approached her. “What you do here, it’s really good,” I said.

Lexi beamed at me. “Thanks, that means a lot.”

“You been doing this for a while, huh?”

“At first I tried out some different stuff,” she said. “First was a yoga class…but that went over like an outhouse breeze.”

I chuckled. “Not too many takers among the vets around here?”

“Well, a couple. Bryan’ll try anything.”

“For you, I’d try anything too,” I said.

Lexi’s face grew serious.

Fuck.

“Link, I’m sorry. I know it’s easy to think…”

The door of the room opened, and someone poked their head in, but then left just as quickly.

Lexi sighed. “What I mean to say is, it’s normal, feeling…drawn to someone like me, running a group that engages you and calls on you to be…vulnerable, I guess.”

I blinked at her, uncomprehending.

“It’s called ‘transference,’” she said earnestly. “It’s something psychologists have identified—since way back in Freud’s day. Totally normal. But it’s really important that I maintain good boundaries with you.”

“Whatever. I get it,” I said in a growl, deeply annoyed at the condescension.

She patted my arm. “I’m sorry, Link. But I really do hope you’ll keep coming to group.”

LEXI

I felt bad about Link, and if I was honest with myself, it wasn’t just because I hated to hurt his feelings.

I liked him.

And I couldn’t deny that those muscles—that rugged face—well, if things were different…

But they weren’t, so it was best to put him out of my mind.

As I left Link to go back to the main office, my supervisor, Hector, stopped me.

“Come into my office please, Lexi,” he said.

I did so, unable to ignore an immediate spike in tension.

Hector was a good guy, but he was strict. Getting asked into his office was never a good thing.

“What’s up?” I asked as he made his way around his desk.

Gesturing to the seat across from him, he said, “I noticed you talking to a new guy after group.”

I nodded, taking the seat he’d indicated. “Sure. That’s Link.”

“Just joined?” Hector said.

“That’s right. Today was his second time attending.”

“I noticed that Sunday and today he took his sweet time leaving after group was over.”

I shrugged. “He helped put up the chairs. He’s not the only one.”

Hector leaned forward, steepling his fingers. “Maybe so,” he said. “But I wouldn’t want there to be any confusion for Link about the nature of his relationship with you, Lexi.”

“And there isn’t, sir—”

“You’re a pretty girl, Lexi, and you’re on a pedestal by nature of your position in relationship to these men.”

A pretty girl?

But I wasn’t going to get into it with him.

I held up a palm. “I know, sir. I just had a talk with Link about that very thing.”

Hector peered at me for a moment before saying, “Good. Because I’m warning you now. I won’t give you any leeway when it comes to dating clients. One strike and you’re out.”

A jolt of anger made my cheeks warm.

You’re just assuming because I’m a “pretty girl” that’s a possibility?

I shook my head emphatically. “You don’t have to worry about me, sir. I understand.”

LINK

“Transference,” I grumbled as I made my way out to where I’d parked my truck.

Might as well be the name of some New Age band.

Maybe Rowan was right. Maybe I was barking up the wrong tree.

But just the idea of looking at another woman…

It made me tired.

When I stepped outside and the heat settled over me, I stopped and closed my eyes for a moment, letting the wind and dust wash over me.

What the hell am I doing?

It’s not even noon on a Wednesday.

Decent folk are at their jobs, not getting shot down for the second time by a girl they just met.

I needed a direction for my life.

I was only hung up on Lexi because I had nothing else going on.

I had to make something of myself.

But what?

I have no idea.

I knew I wanted a house, and a wife, and a dog, and kids…but I didn’t know how to get there. I didn’t have an image for the work I’d have to do to afford any of that.

Opening my eyes, I looked around the parking lot and something made my heart stop.

It couldn’t be.

The Honda Rebel.

The candy-red, fully restored, all-original chrome beauty I’d seen outside the diner.

What was it doing here?

I didn’t even realize I’d moved but found myself standing right next to her again.

How can this be?

I had a sneaking suspicion I knew the answer to that.

The door of the center opened, and I bolted without thought, climbing into my truck on the other side of the parking lot and hunkering down to watch.

Sure enough, Lexi came striding out.

She made her way across the lot.

She was carrying an old-style motorcycle helmet, and she put it on, fiddling with the strap.

No. Way.

As I watched, my goddess straddled the other beauty I’d fallen in love with.

Holy shit.

If this wasn’t a sign, I didn’t know what was.

Screw the Jerilene Kelleys of the world. Lexi was simply made for me.

As I watched her jump to start the bike, my body tightened with desire.

She’s the one.

Maybe I should leave the group. Not be a client anymore.

But I wanted to keep going.

If I have to wait until she’s done with her internship, that’s what I’m gonna do.

But was I going to just spin my wheels in the meantime?

No. I had to get going. Start taking steps to get somewhere with my life.

As Lexi sped away, I left my truck and walked back to the center, marching up to the front desk.

“Mrs. Bell?” I said to the lady with the braids.

“What can I do for you, sir?” she asked.

“I was hoping you might have some kind of…support for vets looking for jobs?”

She smiled and pulled a binder off a nearby shelf.

“You can look in here. We have a page on the website, but that’s more up to date.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” I said and took one of the plastic chairs.

It didn’t take long at all to find what I was looking for.