None of them had been at Gellings when Gertrude became the mascot for the 946th, but they both knew the story. There had been a refueler squadron here several years back, and the flying hogs had relieved them oftheirmascot not long before they went inactive and transferred to other bases.
So while the unofficial story was that they’d given Gertrude a new home, the real version might call into question the boar’s true ownership.
And nobody wanted the squadron to look bad.
“We didn’t sign up for the military to hand our problems off to the local LEOs,” he said.
“And this here, Juicy, is called tradition,” Pony added. “We’ll get her back. Question is, how much are the tiny dicks gonna pay first?”
A rumble of agreement went through the room.
“You sure it’s not that hot professor chick?” Juice Box said.
A few of the guys snorted.
He had an inexplicable desire to shove Juicy up against a wall and tell him to permanently remove Dr. Kaci Boudreaux from his brain and vocabulary.
Kid was sniffing around something that’d get him in trouble.
Never mind Lance wanted a little more of that trouble for himself.
“That professor chick couldn’t have done this,” Pony said. “She throws. She doesn’t carry.”
More laughs bounced around the partyroom.
But Pony had said the exact wrong thing.
That Kaci couldn’t have done it.
Kaci could do any fucking thing she put her mind to.
She was like Allison that way.
That was theonlyway she was like Allison, though. Kaci didn’t seem the type to put on dinners or volunteer to teach Sunday school or to wear a dress.
“Besides, how would she know Gertrude exists?” Pony added.
Because Lance told her.
That should’ve prompted a shitstorm of expletives in his head, but instead, he caught himself smiling again.
Wouldshe have?
Undoubtedly.
And thewouldremoved any doubt about thecould, because if he had learned anything about Dr. Kaci Boudreaux, he’d learnedshe never stopped.
Kaci was headedup to her apartment late Sunday afternoon after a Physics Club meeting when none other than Captain Lance Kiss-and-Run Wheeler strolled around the corner on her floor.
Her heart did a somersault and her ovaries sat up and sniffed, but the rest of her went on high alert.
Was he here for her?
And if so, because of the kiss, or because of the boar?
“Evenin’, Captain,” she said. “Fancy meeting you here.”
He crossed his arms and took up a position holding the wall up. “Is it?”
