He pulled her in to him and tucked her head under his jaw. Luke pressed a sweet kiss to the top of her head and held her to him until his alarm sounded.
***
They met Luke’s family at the base. The parking lot was packed with family members saying their good-byes. Harper tried not to stare at the bus in front of them. The bus that would take Luke Garrison forever from her life.
There wasn’t time to waste. The schedule had to be kept.
Luke, dressed in fatigues, stowed his pack on the bus and returned to them. Harper watched him walk down the line, hugging and shaking hands. Claire dragged him in for a long hug. “Come home safe,” she ordered.
“Don’t I always, Ma?”
He shook Charlie’s hand and gave James a resounding slap on his back. “Don’t forget to mow my lawn, lackey,” he reminded his brother.
“Don’t forget to come home to annoy the shit out of me.”
“Boys!” Claire censured them.
Luke moved on to Sophie and Josh, wrapping them both in a bear hug. “Take care, Soph,” he told his sister.
“You, too, Uncle Luke. We’ll be missing you.” She sniffled and Josh patted her face.
And then Luke was standing in front of Harper.
He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.
“Thank you, Harper. For everything.”
A single tear slid down her cheek. She shook her head. “I should be thanking you. This was the best month of my life.”
“Tell me one more time.”
“I love you Lucas Garrison and you’d better come home safely to your family or I’ll come back and kick your ass.”
He grinned. “That’s my girl.”
He lowered his lips to hers and held, softly, tenderly. She could taste the salt of her tears on his lips.
Luke pulled back slowly and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. When Harper’s lip trembled he pulled her in tight.
“I’ll be thinking about you,” he murmured in her ear. “Be good. Be safe.”
“Back at you, Captain.”
He ran his thumb across her lower lip and smiled.
When he turned, Harper almost grabbed him. She wasn’t ready for this. She needed just a little more time.
She watched him stride across the parking lot where the rest of the unit was forming a line at the bus. She was proud and scared and sad all at the same time.
Sophie’s arm settled around her shoulder, anchoring Harper to the spot.
“It’s going to be okay, Harp.” But her voice wavered, too.
Claire stepped to Harper’s other side and put her arm around her waist. “We’re all going to be okay. Together.”
Harper nodded, eyes never leaving Luke’s retreating form. She knew there was no “together” in her future. She was an outsider, not family.
Luke paused on the lowest step of the bus and turned. He raised an arm in a wave.
