“You’re getting awfully personal.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet.”
She gave him her most wicked grin and offered her glass for a toast, “To getting very personal.”
“Okay, but I’m reserving the ability to defer.”
“Fair enough. We have ten or fifteen missing years, and I’d like to know more about the long-term relationship.”
“I’ll do the best I can, but some of this might be for another time.”
“Later is fine.” She paused and took a drink. The Scotch tasted good and was already creating a warm buzz.
“So what’d you do after college?”
“Went into the army.”
That stopped Molly. That was the last thing she expected. The US had been at war in Afghanistan and Iraq. The only guys who joined the army were ones with nothing else to do. College graduates got jobs. They didn’t volunteer for the army during wartime.
“Tell me about that. Why the army?”
“It’s a family tradition going back generations to Scotland. The McKinnons feel an obligation to their country. The men in our family serve their time. Mom’s deal was college. Dad’s deal was military service. You weren’t a McKinnon man until you’d served your country.”
“Wow.” Molly absorbed that. A third generation ranching family in Montana whose kids were named after TV western characters and whose men joined the army.
“So tell me about that.”
“Brett and I enlisted together but were sent to different locations for boot camp. There’s a weeding out process that happens at boot camp. At the end of six months, we were both referred to the Rangers.”
“The Rangers are the army’s elite fighting corps.”
“Yes.”
“How do you qualify for that?”
“Run faster, jump higher, fight better, shoot straighter, and demonstrate certain tactical skills.”
“So you and Brett are good athletes, and it showed in basic training.”
“Pretty much.”
“Okay, well, congratulations. How long did you serve?”
“Enlisted for four years, but it turned into six. The army has a way of convincing you to extend.”
“I’ve heard that. Where’d you serve?”
“We had a full year of advanced training in the states—shooting, fighting, survival, electronics, medical, tracking, the full package. Then we were dispatched to Afghanistan.”
“Were you and Brett in the same group?”
“We were never in the same unit or company. But we served at the same time.”
“Did you have a specialty?”
“Sharp shooter.”
Molly thought about that before she said, “Sniper?”
