“Isn’t she pretty?” He pointed with his thumb to the young woman.
I nodded. “She is.”
“She’s my daughter.” He pulled the picture back and looked at it fondly before returning it to his wallet. “Say, it’s what, almost June? The ball’s in September. Do you have a date yet?”
I glanced at Hernandez, who looked like he was trying not to laugh. “Um, I have a fiancée. I’m hoping she can come.” What was the man thinking? Was he really trying to hook me up with his daughter five seconds after meeting me?
But I didn’t ask, and Sergeant Barnes only smiled a little and said, “huh,” before putting the wallet back in his pocket. “Well, it’s good to meet you, Allen. I expect good things.”
“What was that about?” I asked when the sergeant was out of earshot.
Hernandez laughed. “I was trying to warn you. Barnes is retiring soon, and he’s determined to see his poor daughter attached to one of us before he does.”
“But I’m engaged,” I said, thinking again of the sergeant’s little smirk.
“He’s convinced that he’ll either see your girl at some event or she’s made up.” Hernandez hung his clipboard up and shrugged. “He’s not completely nuts, though. A lot of guys have made up girls just to get him off their back.” He chuckled again, shaking his head. “Which is weird. Because he’s a good NCO. Best I’ve ever had, aside from his obsession with finding his daughter a husband.”
“Hernandez.”
We both jumped as Barnes came toward us again, and Hernandez was about as red as a cherry. Thankfully, the sergeant didn’t seem like he’d overheard.
“I wanted to ask you about this report you left for me last week.”
As they went over the report, I washed my hands and grabbed my stuff from my locker. Then I pulled my phone out. Through the window in the locker room, I could see that the sun was just peeking over the eastern horizon. It was seven, which meant it was five in Colorado. But Amy would be up. She always got up to run the track at the gym before going in to work. I decided to call.
“Hey, stranger,” I said when she picked up.
“Hello, yourself.” She yawned. “What are you up to this early?”
“You’re up earlier than I am.” I smiled. “I just got off work, and I’m headed home.”
“Going home sounds fantastic. I’m on my way to the gym.” She yawned again. “As much as I love hearing from you, I haven’t had any coffee yet. What’s up?”
“What do you mean? Can’t I call my fiancée?”
She laughed. “Derrick Allen, you never call before eight in the morning. Not if you can help it, at least.”
I smiled and nodded as I leaned against my locker. “Fine. I have a question. And I know you already said no, but I need you to check your schedule and see if anything’s changed.”
“Huh. All right. Let me pull into a parking spot first.” I waited a minute and then heard her clicking through her phone. “What day are we talking about?”
“August eleventh. The military ball.” I paused. “Can you come?”
Amy sighed. That was never promising. “Derrick, I told you, I’m traveling that day for the firm. I would cancel, but we’ve been planning this for months.” She paused. “I’m really sorry. I wish I could be there.”
I bit back the pathetic pleading that I really wanted to employ and took a deep breath instead. “I get it. I just wanted to make sure. I’d love to have you there .” My mind flashed back to the last ball she’d attended with me. She was dazzling. Dark hair piled up on her head, the sapphires in her earrings bringing out the blue in her eyes. The dark green dress she’d worn had been a tad on the revealing side for a military function, but she’d worn it so well no one had said anything.
“I know, babe. I just can’t blow this account,” she said. I could hear her closing her car door as she did.
“Okay. Well,” I paused, “I guess we can talk about it when you get here on Friday.”
“Oh, that reminds me!” She cried. “I nearly forgot.”
“What? That doesn’t sound good.” I tried to laugh.
She groaned. “Look, babe. I meant to tell you last night, but it totally slipped my mind. My boss has to have emergency knee surgery, and I have to take his place in a case.” She paused. “Tomorrow.”
“Oh.” I swallowed. “So…I take it this means you can’t come to the ceremony then.” I could feel Barnes and Hernandez staring at me, and I suddenly had the desire to melt into a puddle.
