Chapter 38

Kevin's voice was gruff and laced with amusement. He yanked Thompson back from the swirling memories. He forced a smile, and there was the familiar mask slipping into place. "Just passing through, old friend. Looking for a bit of excitement, you know how it is."

Kevin's sharp eyes narrowed, and some anxiety was etched on his weathered face. "Excitement, or escape?" His words hit a raw nerve, exposing the hollowness beneath Thompson's bravado. He looked away, his shame warring with defiance.

"I don't need your psychoanalysis, Kevin," he muttered, clenching his jaw. "I'm just trying to have a good time."

Silence stretched between them, and it seemed thick with unspoken truths. Kevin leaned against the grimy bar counter, his gaze distant. "Good times. It seems like a long time ago for both of us, doesn't it?"

Thompson felt a pang of guilt. He knew Kevin was right. Their shared past, a moment woven with reckless abandon and desperate choices, had left them both frayed and scarred. His gaz