He slapped me on the back. “No shit. Is it the blond lady you told me about from Devil’s Hollow?”
I bobbed my head, grinning like a lovestruck bastard. “I’ve never met anyone like her.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Jace Callahan, have you fallen?”
“Pretty fucking close.”
His jaw came unhinged. “No shit. I’m happy for you, and I can’t wait to meet her. But if you don’t mind me asking… Never mind. I should get to therapy.”
“Dude, spill it. Since when do you hold back?”
“I don’t want to rain on your parade, but once we’re cleared to fly, don’t we have orders to Germany?”
The air shifted—colder, heavier—as my grin slipped. “So?”
He dragged a hand along his jaw. “Blitz, one reason you never put roots down was the volatility of your career. Is your lady friend okay with that?”
Leave it to Tate to remind me of my promises.
“Her name is Monroe,” I said, chewing on the inside of my cheek. “And I need to pass the centrifuge test before we’re wheels up, and you need to be cleared as well.” All that to say I had time with Monroe.
Regardless of a relationship or if I was falling, I had a career, as did she. I wouldn’t ask her to give up teaching, and I was damn sure she wouldn’t want me to give up the military.
But the more I stood there as Tate went on about me passing my centrifuge test, duty was pulling me one way and desire in the other.
Still, flying was my purpose, but Monroe was becoming my peace, and I wasn’t sure I could survive losing either one.
12
MONROE
The bleachers were packed, the air was frigid, and I was plastered against Jace’s side, trying to steal his body heat. Any closer, and I would be in his lap, which was tempting but not exactly appropriate for a Friday night high school football game, with half the town and parents watching and my son sitting on the team bench. Not to mention, I was a teacher at Pine Valley High.
Jace laughed in my ear. “I have ways to keep you warm, but they’re rated R.”
I flushed. “I’ll be fine.”
The fact that he was here made me giddy. We’d texted all week with little things likethinking of youorI can’t wait to see you Friday. Every message had felt like a spark. Every steamy comment had me warm and gooey. Truth be told, I thought about Jace every free moment. I’d been walking on air, and even my meeting with Ryan about his holiday plans with Ethan had gone better than I expected. Probably because I wasn’t as angry anymore. Probably because it was time to move on.
Pine Valley scored a touchdown, and the crowd went nuts. Even Jace popped to his feet, cheering loudly.
Once he sat back down, he said, “The team is really good.”
“You miss this?” I asked.
His arm was around me again. “I do miss the Friday nights on the field, the noise, the adrenaline. I played wide receiver in high school and college. But”—he pecked me on the cheek—“I missed you more. You’ve been on my mind all week.”
Oh my word. I thought I just fell harder for him until Ethan turned around and looked up into the stands as though he’d heard what Jace had said. I’d been thinking about how Ethan would react to a new man in my life, worried that he wouldn’t accept anyone because he was afraid I would get hurt again. I couldn’t blame my son. But I had to take a chance on love again. Otherwise, I would be alone, and I wanted a partner, maybe another child.
Regardless, I’d talked to Ethan during the week about me seeing Jace. He hadn’t said much except that Jace seemed like a nice guy. Apparently, Ethan’s girlfriend, Sabrina, had shared what she knew about Captain Jace Callahan. After all, Jace reported to Sabrina’s dad.
I waved at my son, who in turn smiled, and my heart soared that Ethan seemed happy for me. I’d worried that my son wouldn’t be accepting of another man in my life. But the fact he appeared to be made me more comfortable around Jace.
The fans shot to their feet, shouting and cheering when Pine Valley intercepted the ball.
“Go! Go!” the spectators yelled.
When number eight scored the touchdown, I turned to high-five Jace. Instead, he caught my face in his hands and kissed me long enough for me to realize that I never wanted us to end.
