“You think it’s Yurgio?”Greg asked, sounding skeptical.
“I do.I’ve tracked its origin, and the shipment came from Niger from one of Yurgio’s contacts.It was delivered to the town Yurgio is from.It can’t be a coincidence.”He didn’t believe in them, not when it came to Yurgio.
The guys looked at each other, not at all convinced.“It sounds too easy.Yurgio wouldn’t make a simple mistake like that.”
“It wasn’t simple,” Carson argued.It had taken a lot of favors called in and research to get the info he had.“Look, I know you all think it’s foolish of me to keep looking for him, but I’m close.Not only that, I found out the container doesn’t have weapons on it like I thought, but women.”
“Fuck,” Jack swore.
His sentiments exactly.“I was trying to figure out what was in the shipment and its final destination.That’s why I was on my phone so much last night.I wasn’t trying to be a dick, but this is rather important.More than some woman’s feelings.”What was one woman’s feelings when he could save hundreds, if not thousands of people from Yurgio?
“All women’s feelings are important.You should have postponed the date, or better yet, you could have called one of us.We would have looked into it instead of bailing on your date.”
Carson shook his head.“It doesn’t matter.Like I told Sandy, she’s not my type.It’s probably good that things ended the way they did.I don’t have time to date right now.”His life was consumed with work.He didn’t have time for a relationship.Each mission was critical to him.He didn’t want to be distracted on a mission thinking about a woman and her wondering if and when he’d come home.
Jenny had hated it.What woman wanted to sit at home always wondering and knowing the stack of lies and secrets he had to keep?It ate away at relationships.It was better to just avoid getting involved.
Luke disagreed.“Greg and I have done just fine managing dating and working.It’s not like we do missions like we used to.We have plenty of notice before we are sent out, and we aren’t gone for months at a time.”
“But it’s no less dangerous.We are a group that doesn’t exist.If we were captured or, God forbid, killed, no one would notice or come looking for us.I don’t want the added stress of a girlfriend or significant other to mourn a ghost.”
If he died in combat, no one would ever tell her.She would always just have to assume he’d died overseas.Could he do that to someone he cared about?Obviously, Barry and Luke didn’t mind.But he wasn’t like them.
“We were all lucky to be given a second chance to do what we love and serve our country.In some ways, what we do now is more dangerous, but it’s no less important than before.We all come from different backgrounds.You’re a SEAL.I’m a Ranger.Jack was Special Forces We all bring something different to the table.”Luke stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.“After meeting Shay, I realized there are more important things than the next mission.”
“And what’s that?”
“Living a life.You can’t live your life by maybes and what ifs.Life is too short for that.There will always be another mission, Carson.Some excuse or barrier to keep you from having someone in your life.A life filled with someone to share it with, makes me fight even harder now to make sure I come home to her.It gives me a bigger purpose.I’m not saying date the girl and I’m not saying don’t.All I’m saying is be open to allowing someone into your life.
“There will always be missions or the next thing until we actually retire.You can’t use that as an excuse.I still make time for Shay just as I’m sure Barry makes time for Zoe.”
“Damn straight, I do,” Barry concurred.
“It’s all about finding balance.”
Carson didn’t want balance.He liked his life the way it was.He was happy still being able to serve his country.He didn’t need a relationship tossed in the mix to throw him out of sync.
Luke was right though.But that didn’t mean he wanted to date someone like Annie, Allie, whatever her name was.Honestly, he couldn’t think of a certain type that he had.He’d never been picky about certain body types or hair color, but he liked women who looked relaxed at least and knew how to have a good time.Someone who let their hair down at the very least.He knew he was being unfair to this woman, but he didn’t feel anything when he met her.“I’ll take your advice under advisement.”
“I still don’t mind taking her out,” Jack offered.
Everyone just ignored him.Jack was easy when it came to women.He didn’t care what they looked like.He loved all women.
Chapter 4
Allie went through the grocery list in her hand and checked everything in her cart against her list, even though she’d already checked them off as she’d gotten them.It didn’t hurt to be thorough.The last thing she wanted was to get home and have to come back because she’d missed something.
There was only one item left to get.She just needed black olives and then she was done.She came around the corner and headed down the aisle only to see an empty spot where sliced black olives were.Just her luck.She needed those to make the dish she was bringing to a potluck this week.
Allie looked up on the top shelf to see if, by some small chance, some were up there.Stockers put extras on the top shelf sometimes if there wasn’t room.She took a step back and looked.There.She spotted a can laying on its side.
She reached up, but it was just out of reach.Her fingertips barely grazed the side of it.She looked around but couldn’t see an employee to ask for help.
She was going to have to climb the shelf to get it herself.Using her foot, she pushed back a few jars of pickles and stepped up, her left hand gripping the shelf just under her shoulder, and reached up with her right.
Allie couldn’t see the can but blindly reached for it only to end up pushing it away.Great.Allie’s hand darted back and forth trying to search for it, but she was coming up empty.She’d have to go up another shelf.
It wasn’t that she was scared of heights, but she wasn’t sure these shelves were built to hold products and human weight.
