I shook my head. “He’s an active duty marine, but while he was in boot camp he was at MCRD down in San Diego. I wanted to at least be on the same coast, and I found a good teaching job here. I’m hoping he’ll settle here after he gets out.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “How long has he been in?”
“Nearly four years.”
It felt like a lifetime.
“I’d be happy to talk with him about opportunities in the area if he’d like once he’s stateside,” he offered.
I offered a grateful smile. “I’ll definitely tell him that.” In the comfortable silence that followed, I turned the movie back on and we sat watching, finishing our meal.
“You’re kind of far away over there,” he commented when we’d put our plates down.
I looked at him shyly from the other end of the couch, and scooted closer. When he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into his side, I nearly liquefied with pure elation.
My bliss was short-lived when a moment later a knock sounded on my door, followed by a voice hollering, “Open the door, girl, I know you’re in there with your nose in a book!”
I pulled away from Travis, eyeing him cautiously. “Looks like you’re about to meet Mabel.”
