“Sabrina tells me you did well at Career Day,” he said, not one ounce of pride steeped in his voice. Rather cold and direct.
“Is she your spy?” I couldn’t help myself.
He clucked his tongue. “I hope you explained the cons of flying.”
I tossed a quick glance over my shoulder at Monroe, who was reading on her phone. “She only wanted to know about my G-LOC, sir.”
“I would prefer that she find a career that is less dangerous, but she’s set on becoming a pilot for the Air Force, which isn’t your problem. I called to give you your next assignment. Captain Braun would like you to help him with his F-15 Eagle class until the medical board clears you. It will be a good experience for you to get some teaching under your belt.”
I shoved a hand through my hair, holding in my frustration. Since my G-LOC, Lawson had me doing everything like I was his gopher. Still, assisting a class full of cocky bastards like me had to be better than the crap I’d been doing for Lawson.
“I know nothing about teaching,” I said.
“But you know the F-15 inside and out, so that makes you an excellent candidate.”
There was no sense in arguing. Orders were orders whether I liked them or not. “Any word on the medical board review?”
“Not since you asked me yesterday. Now, as far as your new assignment, report for duty in the morning at 07:00 sharp, and one more thing. You won’t have time to volunteer to help the football coach.”
I’d forgotten I mentioned that to him during a morning brief the day before. He’d been pleased that I was interested in volunteering. “Anything to support the community is always an honorable thing,” he’d said,
It might be honorable, but I’d been pulling my hair out that I wasn’t flying.
By the time I hung up and turned around, Monroe was gone.
Growling to myself, I searched the area but only found her ex sitting on the bleachers with a red-haired woman who wastalking in his ear. I would bet the redhead was the reason Monroe had taken off.
Anger blew through me, and if Monroe were here, I would kiss the fuck out of her. Part of me wanted to piss off her bastard ex. The bigger part just wanted her. I despised cheating, and it was all I could do not to march over to him and punch the fuck out of him.
Instead, I headed to my car. It was probably best to give Monroe time. Hell, I needed some to unpack whatever the hell was going on between us.
Was I ready for a relationship? Was she? Probably not to both questions. For one, I moved around too much. And two, she probably despised military men, thinking that they all cheated on their partners.
So I had no chance with her anyway. Yet, for the first time, my heart wasn’t on flying. For years I’d kept things light, kept things moving. But the fact she’d left without a word, just walked away, that gutted me. Maybe I was ready for someone like Monroe. Maybe I was ready to set some roots down.
7
MONROE
Karaoke night at the Rusty Spur was in full swing. Two young airmen were butchering “Sweet Caroline” on stage while the crowd’s voices and clinking glasses hummed beneath their off-key crooning.
Lila, Evelyn, and I sat in a booth tucked into a corner, chatting about the week we’d had and, in particular, Jace Callahan. He was the topic at the moment.
Evelyn, with her brown curls and warm smile, nursed a vodka tonic. “So you just walked away from him?”
I wiped the condensation from my glass of vodka and cranberry. “Yep. I feel awful. Ryan’s fiancée was there, and with the connection Jace and I had, I couldn’t deal. I panicked. I even told Jace I wasn’t ready to date.”
Sitting beside Evelyn, Lila studied me intently. Her lips were pursed so hard, I swore she was about to unleash her fury on me. “But you like Jace a lot. Stop torturing yourself.”
“I just met him. Besides, he’s military,” I shot back.
Both of my besties rolled their eyes.
Lila was about to speak until Evelyn held up her hand at Lila. “Look around, Monroe. Half of this town is military. You’ll be alonely woman if you don’t take a chance, especially on a man you really like.”
The truth sat heavy in my chest as I toyed with the napkin, unable to meet their eyes. They knew me too well and could read me like a book.
“Okay, fine,” I admitted quietly. “I might like him too much. That’s the problem.” I inhaled a deep breath. “He almost kissed me in the school hallway.”
