“Fuck you.”

“No violence,” Jake answers for him. “Mayhem is the only form of retaliation.”

Cam stops in his tracks, his breaths harsh as they leave him. “You’re going to pay, Banks.”

“I’ll be waiting, Gordon.”

My third plan didn’t really need any planning, but it does take a day or so to take shape. It’s weak, I know. And to be honest, I didn’t have the heart to do it myself. Jake’s good people. Always has been. Didn’t stop me from asking Cam to help me out. He was all for it. Besides, pink eye for days—totally worth it.

I settle into bed, prepared to sleep with one eye open. I expect nothing less of my friends than retaliation. I grab my phone to send Ry a good night message, but there’s already one there.

Riley: I love you. I miss you. Come home to me, okay?

I smile, remembering how all her letters to me started. Letters she doesn’t know I’ve read.

Dylan: You are my home, Ry.

I go to switch off the phone but notice the Skype notification. Riley had downloaded and set it up for me when I came home on R&R. We’ve only ever used it when I was deployed. My eyes narrow as I click the icon, then widen when I see Dave’s name. There’s a bunch of images he’s sent through along with a message.

Hey man. It’s Mike. I just turned on Davey’s phone and saw that he never sent these to you. Thought you’d like it.

I click on the first image—a screen shot of a Skype conversation Dave had with Riley.

Dave: Hey beautiful.

Riley: How are you single, Dave?

Dave: Ikr. What girl doesn’t love a strawberry blonde, scrawny kid with freckles and my mouth.

Riley: Lol. How’s our boy doing?

Dave: We just had two units come in with their vehicles so he’s out working. Poor bastard’s out there earning his keep while I get to talk to his girl.

Riley: haha. Lucky me.

Dave: So what’s going on?

I move to the next image, my heart racing, eager for more.

Riley: Not much. Had car trouble on the way home from work.

Dave: Wtf? Didn’t D build you that car?

Riley: lol. Yes.

Dave: Ry. That dude is in charge of military transportation and you’re telling me he couldn’t fucking build you that piece of shit Honda engine?

Riley: Bahaha! No. It was my fault. Nothing to do with his work. Don’t worry.

Dave: So what was it?

Riley: Oil.

Dave: Doesn’t his dad work on your car?

I quickly move to the next image, wondering how much they spoke and how he knew all this.

Riley: Yeah. The check oil light was on… for I don’t know how long… but I have a picture of D on my dash and it was blocking it so…

Dave: Oh man. He’d be pissed if I told him. Especially since you were probably alone, at night, stranded.

Riley: I called Mal right away and he was there within fifteen minutes. He made me sit in the car and lock all the doors until he got there. He was so mad at me. Lol. You know how D gets… that silent type mad.

Dave: Oh, I know the one.

Riley: Swear he looked so much like Dylan.

Dave: lol.

Riley: So yeah… goes without saying this stays between us.

Dave: Hand on my heart. Speaking of secrets…

Riley: :) I sent them one last Friday.

Dave: You are way too good to me.

Riley: You know I enjoy it.

Dave: Sure.

Riley: I do! I like going to the store and finding stuff to send your family. I had to send two boxes this time. I got Ricky this Minions doll but it was too big so he gets his own box.

Dave: He’d love that, Ry. Seriously. It’s not often that kid gets something of his own. He’s always had hand me downs.

Riley: That makes me so happy.

Dave: Swear, you just got me smiling so big.

Riley: Why not say it’s from you then?

Dave: Because it’s not from me. It’s from…?

Riley: I signed the family one as Rosie and Ricky’s one as Vanessa.

Dave: Nice!

Riley: I’m running out of different handwriting though. Hopefully they don’t keep the letters.

Dave: Nah. Ma would keep them all.

Riley: I still don’t get it, Dave. Why the different names and why from girls?

Dave: Keeps the dream alive.

Riley: How so?

Dave: My ma—she always worries about me. Not so much out here but more when I get home.

Riley: ?

Dave: I guess she worries about how I’ll be when I get back, you know? I mean mentally. She’s always going on about how I should find a girl to take care of me. And since the perfect one is taken, I have to make them up.

Riley: She worries about that?

Dave: Don’t you? About Dylan. Not me.

Riley: I try not to.

Dave: That’s good, Ry. You keep the dream alive too. Besides, he has you to take care of him when he gets back.

Riley: I hope I’m enough.

Dave: Seriously, Ry?

Riley: What?

Dave: When I mentioned the perfect girl was taken, I was talking about you.

Riley: Shut up.

Dave: You take care of him, okay? Promise me.

Riley: You goof. I promise.

Dave: Sleep well, Ry. It’s been real nice talking to you.

Riley: Until next time?

I scroll down, my fingers as frantic as my heart while I look for the next image. There isn’t one. I go back to the last and look for the date they spoke.

My breath catches.

My heart stops.

He planned it all.