On Sunday, they spent the day getting Shane and Sarge moved in. Sarge had been staying with Matt for the past two weeks and as Annie was sorting out the closet space, Matt and Shane moved a few boxes in.
“Doesn’t look like you have much here,” Matt observed.
“I’ve got more stuff in storage, but I don’t want to overfill Annie’s place.”
Matt looked around at the quaint, but tiny, apartment. “Yeah, it doesn’t look like it can hold much more.”
Shane offered him a seat as he flopped down on the sofa. “It’s small but it came with the clinic, so she doesn’t have to pay rent. I’m gonna start looking for a place, but now…well, I kind of have different needs now.”
Matt looked over at his friend, raising his eyebrow in question.
“Before Annie, I would have just found a one bedroom apartment big enough for me and Sarge. Now, I’d like to find something nice with a couple of bedrooms.”
“Things movin’ along that well?”
Shane just nodded toward the bedroom where Annie was still sorting their clothes and said, “That woman in there changed me, Matt. Gave me her trust and had that sunshine beamin’ down on me. Not gonna let that go. Gonna hang onto it and take care of it.”
Just then Annie walked into the room, seeing the two friends talking. Smiling at them both, she walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a couple of beers. Moving to the living area she handed one to Matt then sat next to Shane while handing him his. “What are you going to take care of?” she asked, indicating that she had overheard the last of their conversation.
Throwing his arm around her and pulling her in tight, Shane answered, “You, sunshine.”
Matt laughed as he announced, “And that is my cue to leave.”
Annie protested as she walked him to the door. Matt leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks, Annie, for taking care of him.”
After Matt left, Shane moved off the couch and said, “Babe, you’ve worked all day. I’ll order some pizza and we’ll have a night in. How does that sound?”
“Sounds amazing,” she said with a thoughtful look on her face.
Shane wrapped his arms around her as he asked, “What are you thinking about, sunshine?”
“Matt.”
“Should I be jealous or maybe go pound that sorry-ass friend for makin’ my woman spend her time thinkin’ about him?”
Swatting him on the chest, she replied, “No. I was just wondering what his story is. I mean, he’s nice looking and seems really loyal and a good friend, but…I don’t know. I guess I just think everyone should have someone they love.”
“Don’t start matchmaking with my friends,” Shane warned jokingly.
“Honey, before I can matchmake anyone I would have to have friends! Other than Leon and Suzanne, if it doesn’t have four legs, I don’t know them!”
Shane ordered the pizza and they sat on the floor using the coffee table as their dining table. Annie’s question about Matt had Shane thinking about his friend. Before he went undercover, he and Matt had spent weekend days enjoying sporting events and their nights would often find them enjoying some of the nightlife around Richland. Neither one of them were looking for love, but lust was another matter.
“Now what are you thinking about so hard,” Annie’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Hell, woman, now you have me thinkin’ about Matt.”
“So, what’s his story?”
“Don’t know, baby. Before I went under he was a player, enjoying the nightlife and never with the same woman more than a time or two at the most.” Sheepishly Shane admitted, “Since I’ve been back the last couple of weeks, I haven’t really thought much about him other than that we get to be partners again. But you’re right. He doesn’t quite seem the same.”
“Well, talk to him about it,” came the logical reply from Annie as she wiped the pizza sauce from her lips with a quick flit of her tongue.
For a moment, he forgot what they were talking about as he watched her tongue slide across her lips. We gotta finish the pizza so those lips can slide around my …
“Shane, where’d you go?”
Startled away from his thoughts about her luscious lips, he looked backed into her eyes.
“Sorry, baby. What did you say?”
Rolling her eyes, she repeated, “Talk to Matt. Find out what has been going on with him over the past couple of years.”
“Babe. I’ve got a dick.”
Looking at him with a confused expression, she cocked her head to the side. “What does that mean?”