Wyatt thumped his chest seriously. “There won’t be a next time. I promise.” The weight of that vow was clear. They both felt it.

Even if Dave saw him as something more, Wyatt still saw Dave as his leader. He was just someone who chose to follow.

“I’ll keep you informed from now on,” Wyatt said. “Don’t get tired of me nagging. Old folks do that a lot.”

Dave gave a soft smile. “Why would I mind? My dad died when I was little. Your nagging just reminds me that someone still ...