She dialed Scott’s number and waited anxiously for the phone to ring; she hoped he’d be okay with an early morning call. The connection went through, but the phone rang and rang and rang. Disappointing but not unexpected. It was four a.m. in New York.
Until Warren returned, the laptop was hers to babysit. Closing out of Skype, she clicked open her email, intending to send Scott a message, and then beamed when there was a message from him waiting in her inbox. And there was also one from Skye Summers. Not Summers anymore. Her friend had married the lead singer of Angel Fire and was now Skye Dean. The mouse hovered over Scott’s last message, but she clicked open Skye’s first.
Hey, wench!
I’ve got news, and I know how much you hate surprises. I’m coming to see you! The whole band is actually, and I can’t wait for you to meet Ash. You HAVE to tell me where in that godforsaken country they’ve stationed you. The USO built a tour schedule for the band, but Ash wants to surprise the troops. We’re headed to Bargain…Barghram…hell if I know how to spell it. Some air base. Are you anywhere near it?
Anyway, Ash is looking into how the band can do gigs, jams, and pick up sessions at the smaller outposts. Or whatever the hell it is you guys call thosethings. Forest’s arranged for me to meet up with some of the medical leadership there. He’s got a bug up his butt about starting his own medical rescue team. You know how he is…always saving the world.
God, I miss you! Anyway…I’ll be there soon. Forest wants to surprise you with my visit, so please, please, please pretend you don’t know.
Love you oodles and bunches and everything else.
Oh, wait! Before I get off, you’re in one of those critical transport teams, right? I totes need to pick your brain, girl. And you know, if the Air Force thing doesn’t work out…
Love,
Skye
Tia couldn’t keepthe grin off her face. She’d met Skye in the Forest Skye Memorial Hospital emergency department. Skye had been a new attending emergency room physician. After Tia had finished nursing school, Skye had gotten her a job working as an emergency nurse. One thing led to another, and Skye’s constant encouragement led to Tia heading off to become a CRNA. Forest’s foundation could’ve paid her way. He’d insisted actually, but those funds needed to go to Forest’s unique foster-home initiative. Besides, she’d wanted to see the world, and the Air Force provided solutions to both dreams. One scholarship, and now, she was a world away, fighting the war on terror.
She composed a quick text, telling Skye she’d already met up with Forest and included the best news. By whatever twist of fate, she was at Bagram and would be able to see her good friend.
Next, she clicked open Scott’s message. The last time they’d chatted via email was almost two months ago. Her unit was bedded far forward and operated under a communications blackout withfriends and family. Scott would be thrilled when he saw her reply. She clicked on the message.
Tia,
I hope this finds you well. God knows I’ve struggled with sending this. Please know I love you. I will always love you. Shit, Tia, I feel like an ass, but you know how things have been. You’ve been gone for so long, and there’s no letting up. I miss you. I really do…
Her heart skipped,and her stomach dropped.No. No. No!She forced herself to continue, even knowing where his message was headed, but she needed to read the words.
SIX
Dear Jane
This isn’t working. Look, I’ve tried. I’ve really tried to hold on to you, but I keep thinking of you with all those men. I hate the anger festering within me. I hate that I doubt you. I know you love me, but, Tia…I don’t feel it anymore. I feel empty and detached, and I think I just need someone who is with me rather than a world away.
I’ve met someone. Someone who doesn’t make me feel that way. I know telling you this in an email is a jerk move, but I don’t have any other way to get a hold of you, and I thought it would be worse not to say anything. I mean, what kind of man would I be if I let you think everything was okay? And I know we weren’t doing much to plan the wedding, but don’t you see, that’s just another reason this hasn’t been working?
I love you, Tia. I really do, I’m just not in love with you anymore. I need…shit, I’m just sorry. I’m so sorry. I never thought I’d be that guy, but I guess I am. Please don’t hate me.
Scott
Don’t hate him?Don’t hate him!She wanted to rip his head off. No, wait. She wanted to rip his balls off first, feed them to him, and then rip his head off. She wanted—
“T?” Lyons’s deep voice called to her, tossing out an anchor she desperately needed.
Except she couldn’t lean on Lyons for support. Theirs was a working relationship. It had rules associated with it, and while the team shared kids’ birthdays and holiday parties, the destruction of her relationship wasn’t something she wanted everyone knowing about. Not yet. Maybe never.
“Holy hell, T!” He straddled the bench and sat beside her. He leaned in close, placed a hand on her shoulder, and lifted her chin with his other hand. “What the hell happened? Is everything okay?”
The words on the computer screen blurred behind her tears.
Shit!She scrubbed at her cheeks. She didn’t need to be leaking tears. Not here. Not in the middle of a chow hall and most definitely not in front of Lyons. Of all the people to see her come apart, why did it have to be the one man she couldn’t show any weakness around? Her job was hard enough, and while she never tried to be a man, she worked hard for the men in her team to not see her as weak and vulnerable.
Lyons scooted closer.Was he going to hug her? No!He couldn’t—
He put his arm around her shoulders while she swiped at her tears and yanked out of the hug he was about to lay on her.
