The Teacher and the Soldier Read Free Page A

these kids like you did me?” Daniel leant forward, mimicking Liam’s posture. This was a vital question to be asking. He had given himself away calling them kids. A lot of these guys would be younger than him, it was the nature of warfare, but Daniel for some reason—today—he felt older than his years. For a few seconds Liam looked to be thinking. Then in a flurry of motion he rose and placed his dirty coffee mug in the small desktop dishwasher. His back to Daniel he carried on the conversation as if there hadn’t been a pause.
    “Where do I sign up?”

Chapter Two

    The beer slid down so smoothly, and after his third, Daniel felt his anger and aggression from earlier in the day moving to one side, allowing peace to wash over him. Max had just arrived and given how long Finn had been in the hallway with his lover they were clearly giving each other a very thorough hello. Kieran was on his third beer as well and grinned at Daniel. He’d been looking at Daniel in a very odd way since he’d got there and had almost started a conversation when Max’s arrival interrupted his flow. He kept glancing at the door behind which Max and Finn were getting some privacy and Daniel wondered how long Kieran could keep in whatever was bugging him. Finally Kieran appeared to lose the will for patience.
    “Heard you told Liam what you’ve been doing in K-ville,” he said. There was an expression of utter innocence on his face, but Daniel wasn’t falling for it.
    “I only talked to him this morning.”
    “Saw him at the diner. Taken you long enough to tell him.”
    “Uh huh.”
    Silence. Daniel loved that Kieran sat there trying to get more information out of him. Clearly all Liam had said was that Daniel had spoken to him.
    “So spill,” Kieran said. “And no shit about finding sex. We all know you haven’t had any since you got back on US soil.”
    Christ . Kieran had said that like he was commenting on the weather. Of course Daniel hadn’t got with anyone. Apart from some nebulous idea of going with Liam for mutual release, the thought of sex with another person was low on his list. A scarred and battle worn soldier with no career or prospects to talk about was hardly partner material despite what he wanted. Thing is, hearing his pitiful sex life reduced to a single sentence of dismissal from his friend, even said in jest, was a sad indictment on his life.
    “Had more than you,” he snapped back but with little heat.
    “That’s not difficult,” Kieran said with a grimace. “I spend my entire life fixating on straight guys.”
    Daniel laughed and his laughter heralded the return of Finn and, in tow, a very tall broad Max, who looked kiss-dazed and a little shell-shocked. Max took the double sofa, Finn grabbed two beers and curled up next to him. Seeing his friend so happy filled Daniel with a mix of contradictory feelings. Happiness—after all Finn was a good guy and he should have the best. Sadness—Finn was one of the ‘Friday’s’ single gay men traversing the tricky world of being gay in a small town. Jealous—because Daniel really wanted someone like Finn. An aspiration that one day could be achieved.
    “Luke Fitzgerald is back in town.” Finn had said this before Daniel had been able to open his mouth about the hostel idea. “He was up on Hill drive parked there for hours looking down at the town, Widow Jenn called it in.”
    “He’s actually here?” Daniel asked.
    “Got here last night. Holed up in the hotel room. Came out to post a letter and went back in. Not seen him all day.”
    “Should I be worried that you’re stalking this guy?” Max joked. Finn frowned then smiled.
    “Nope,” he said. “Really nice looking guy, but you know I like firemen.” Max leant down for a kiss and Kieran huffed his disapproval at the stop in talking.
    “Get a room or give a proper show,” Kieran grumped. “After you tell us how he is.”
    “Changed,” Finn said gently. “Looks tired.”
    Daniel