Seth rested his hands on Lee’s shoulders. “Nice,” he drawled. “You’ve done The Falls proud, Leland. Let me know if you want to go into law enforcement. I can put in a good word for you with the sheriff over in Mineral Springs who is looking for someone with your skills.”
Lee’s smile slowly slipped away. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He didn’t tell Seth that he planned to reenlist and that his stay in Wickham Falls had an expiration date. “By the way, congratulations on your recent marriage.”
Seth flashed a sheepish grin. “Thanks, man.”
“Attention!”
Lee and the others in the sports bar snapped to attention and affected a snappy salute when a tall man with raven-black hair and electric blue eyes walked in. “At ease,” he ordered, grinning from ear to ear as a number of rolled up paper napkins were thrown at him.
“Aren’t you overdoing it, Captain Wainwright?” Seth shouted.
Lee remembered Angela telling him that a Wainwright was involved in real estate and he’d married local girl Mya Lawson, and he wondered if he was the same man. Folding his arms over his chest, he angled his head and watched as the captain shook hands and patted backs like a candidate campaigning for office until he stood in front of Lee. He offered him his hand.
“I’m honored to meet you, son.”
Lee shook his hand. “Thank you, Captain.”
“It’s Giles. I was Captain Wainwright in a former life.”
“Were you in the Corps?”
Giles affected a smug grin. “What else is there?”
Lee rolled his eyes upward. “What’s up with you marines? You act as if you guys are the only branch in the service.”
Giles leaned in close. “I have to perpetuate the hype. Though I never would’ve been able to survive the rigorous training to become a ranger, Delta Force or a SEAL, which means I give you dudes props for becoming elite soldiers.”
“I know this is not the time to discuss business, but I was told you’re into real estate and I have some land I’d like to sell off.”
“I handle international properties for the company, but I can contact my cousin Noah Wainwright, who’s involved in the domestic sales. Currently he’s involved in a development project in DC that may tie him up for the next month. I’ll let you know when he’s available to come down and meet with you.”
Lee smiled again. “I’d appreciate that.”
“What can I get you, Captain Wainwright?” one of the bartenders called out.
“Whatever you have on tap,” Giles said.
“What about you, Leland? Do you want another brew?”
“Nah, Fletcher. I’m good.” He excused himself and went to see if his sister and Angela were seated, and had placed their orders.
Chapter Six
Angela forced a smile she did not quite feel as Lee approached her table. She thought about how much Justin would’ve enjoyed being there to help the others celebrate Lee’s homecoming. Guilt assailed her when the thought popped into her head what if the circumstances were reversed and it was Justin they were welcoming home instead of Lee. What if her husband’s best friend had had a military funeral and Justin had been his pallbearer instead of the other way around?
The brittle smile faded, replaced by one filled with inviting warmth as she stared at the man who, along with many of the men and women in the restaurant, had risked his life to protect their country. Lee did appear tall, dark and dangerous dressed all in black: a long-sleeve mock V-neck cotton tee, slacks and boots. There wasn’t an inch of excess fat on his tall, lean body. She found herself transfixed watching him smile whenever someone greeted him. He’d smiled more in the span of twenty minutes than she’d ever seen him. It was apparent he loved all things military and that interacting with those who’d served had given him what he was unable to find in Wickham Falls: acceptance.
Lee sat next Angela. “Did you order?”
Viviana nodded. “Sharleen took our order.”
“What are you drinking?” he asked.
“I ordered a green apple martini,” Angela said, “and Viviana a Long Island Ice Tea.”
Lee whistled softly. “A Long Island Ice Tea can be lethal. I hope you’re not the designated driver, Vivi.”
Viviana scrunched up her nose. “Angela’s driving tonight.” She pushed back her chair. “Excuse me, but I’m going to get our drinks.”
Lee rose to stand. “I’ll help you.”
“Stay,” Viviana urged. “I’ve got this.”
Draping an arm over the back of Angela’s chair, Lee leaned close. “I forgot to tell you that you look amazing.”
Angela lowered her eyes. There was something in Lee’s voice that sent a shiver of awareness racing through her body like a lit fuse. “Thank you.”
His mouth touched her ear. “No need to thank me for stating the truth.”
She closed her eyes. His warm breath, the hypnotic scent of his aftershave and his low, sensual voice made her aware that it had been much too long since she’d been reminded she was a woman—a very passionate woman with physical needs that needed to be assuaged.
She slowly turned her head until their noses were inches apart. Staring into the blue-gray eyes made her feel as if she was looking into the sky with angry storm clouds in the distance.
Angela was certain Lee could hear her heart pounding in her chest. When she and Justin occasionally broke up and she would continue to interact with Lee, she’d asked herself if she had chosen to date the wrong boy. Lee was steadfast in his friendship, while Justin often proved to be unpredictable. And she blamed that on his mother. He’d denied himself to please his mother and that made their relationship erratic and unstable. Even Justin’s decision to drop out of medical school to join the military had caused a rift in their relationship when Angela told him he’d wasted time and money pursuing something he didn’t want. But in the end she had supported him because she loved him.
“Whenever I broke up with Justin I tried imagining what it would be like to date you.”
Easing back, Lee gave her a long, penetrating stare. “If we had dated I know I would’ve asked you to marry me.”
Angela glanced away. The intensity in Lee’s eyes frightened her. “And our lives would’ve been very different.”
“No doubt. I’m not certain whether we would’ve had twins, and you definitely wouldn’t have had Miss Joyce as a monster-in-law.”
Angela laughed in spite of the seriousness of their conversation. She had been widowed for four years, and giving birth months after burying her husband had been the most vulnerable time in her life. If Lee had proposed marriage, she probably would have accepted it, as a recent widow and new mother.
It wasn’t easy living with Joyce, but Angela had no intention of using Lee as an excuse to escape her calculating, domineering mother-in-law. “What is it exactly that you want from me?”
“I want you to allow me to fulfill the promise I made to Justin before we graduated. That I would take care of you if anything ever happened to him.”
“So, this is all about you keeping a promise to a dead man?”
“That’s not the only reason.”
“What’s the other, Lee?”
“It’s how I feel about you.”
“And what’s that?”
A muscle twitched in Lee’s jaw. “We’re friends but I want more from you than friendship.”
She stared at him. “What I don’t understand is you sending me double messages.”
“We’re not who we were high school, Angela. I’m talking about us dating.”
“I...” Her words trailed with Viviana’s approach. “We’ll talk about this later.”
Lee lowered his arm and sat straight. “Come over for breakfast tomorrow morning.”
“I can’t. I have an appointment with Mrs. Riley at the realty comp
any to see a few houses.”
Angela sandwiched her hands between her knees to conceal their shaking. She wanted to believe Lee was teasing her, that he’d changed so much that she no longer knew the real Leland Remington. And that he’d become a master at concealing his emotions. The strained mood was shattered when she saw Viviana balancing two glasses with their cocktails.
Viviana set the drinks on the table, which had place settings for four. “Fletcher said he was going to have someone bring the drinks to the table but I told him we didn’t want to wait.” She stared at Angela, and then Lee. “What did I miss?”
“Nothing,” Angela and Lee said in unison.
“If you say so,” Viviana drawled. “Aren’t you drinking anything?” she asked her brother.
“I had a beer. Right now I need to eat.”
As if on cue, Sharleen appeared balancing a tray on her shoulder. She set out serving dishes with pulled pork, barbecue spare ribs, brisket, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans and cornbread. “Enjoy!”
Angela stared at the food. “I think we ordered too much.”
A shadow fell over the table. “Do you guys mind if I join you?”
“Please do, Sawyer,” Angela urged. “How’s Jessica and the baby?”
Sawyer set his plate on the table and sat next to Viviana. “They’re both good now that James is sleeping throughout the night.”
“The Falls is currently experiencing a population explosion,” Angela said to Lee, as she filled her plate with pulled pork, baked beans and coleslaw.
He smiled. “Maybe one of these days our census will make it past five thousand.”
“That’s really a stretch unless women start having multiple births.”
“Don’t look at me,” Angela said in protest when three pairs of eyes were directed at her. “I nearly fainted when Dr. Franklin told me I was carrying twins.”
“Maybe if you get pregnant again you’ll have triplets,” Viviana teased.
Angela took a sip of her drink rather than reply to Lee’s sister’s taunt. Fortunately a roar went up from the assembly whenever another veteran arrived at the homecoming celebration, redirecting the attention from her to Lee. She had noticed a number of women staring at Lee as they passed their table. Some she recognized from high school. They were the girls who’d been warned by parents to stay away from him. Oh, she mused, how times had changed. Not only hadn’t Lee followed in his father’s footsteps to serve time in prison, but had served his country as an elite soldier.
Sawyer pushed back his chair. “I’m going to get another beer. Do you want one, Lee?”
Lee stood up. “I’ll join you.” He nodded to Angela, and then Viviana. “Excuse us, ladies.”
Viviana shook her head. “I think they’ve had enough of the so-called ladies’ section and would rather bond with the dudes at the bar.”
Angela smiled. “I agree.”
She didn’t know if it was a tradition on Ladies’ Night, but the women tended to congregate in the rear of the restaurant rather than at the bar. However, observing the camaraderie between the men who’d shared a bond because they’d served their country, she recalled the times when Justin returned home on leave more animated than she’d ever seen him in his life. All he talked about was the Corps and the men and women whom he considered his military family. Then his mood would change whenever he expressed regret in taking so long to discover he’d always wanted a military career—a career that had eventually cost him his life.
Angela took a sip of her martini, enjoying the slightly sour apple flavor on her palate before it slid down her throat and warmed her chest. She was glad Viviana had suggested they go out because it offered her a glimpse of what she’d been missing since becoming a wife and mother. When she’d shared a flat with other models in Paris and Milan they rarely went out socially, and definitely not to eat. Most of the girls acted as if it was a mortal sin if they ate a full meal, while Angela discovered she could eat whatever she wanted and not gain weight, which she attributed to a high metabolism. Breakfast for other women was plain yogurt with a sprinkling of granola and berries. They drank gallons of water because coffee or tea tended to stain their teeth. It was salad for lunch and protein and steamed vegetables for dinner. Cake, bread and pasta were no-nos.
When she made the decision to leave modeling it was not with regret. She’d returned home to Wickham Falls and reconnected with Justin. They picked up with each other as if time and distance had not been a factor, and when he proposed marriage she accepted. She knew her parents wanted her to have a wedding with a gown, flowers and bridesmaids, but Angela had had enough of public displays of pomp and pageantry when walking the runway, and had opted for a simple ceremony at the local courthouse.
“Are you okay?”
Angela blinked as if coming out of a trance when she heard Viviana. “Yes. Why?”
“You looked as if you’d zoned out for a minute.”
She decided to be truthful when she said, “I was just thinking about when I was a model.”
Viviana rested her elbow on the table and cupped her chin on the heel of her hand. “Do you miss it?”
“No.”
“Is it as glamorous as it appears?”
Angela shook her head. “No,” she repeated. “Not when I had to put up with egotistical, neurotic designers who’d abuse their workers if a garment didn’t fall at the exact angle on a model. Once I knew I was getting out of the business I gave one a piece of my mind and he was so shocked that anyone would speak to him in that manner that he was mute for a full minute. Then I gathered my things and walked out as his workers blew me kisses and a few had silently applauded. If I hadn’t feared getting arrested in a foreign country for assault, I definitely would’ve slapped his arrogant face.”
Viviana laughed. “It’s good you didn’t.”
“I came along at the right time and booked a lot of go-sees because black models were suddenly in demand and I was able to make a lot of money, most of which I’ve saved.” Angela stared at Lee as he shared a laugh with someone. “I’ve never seen Lee smile this much.”
Viviana shifted her chair until she faced the bar. “That’s because he’s with his band of brothers. My brother eats and sleeps anything connected to the military.”
A slight frown appeared between Angela’s eyes. “What’s the attraction? Is it the uniform or the weapons?”
“Don’t start me lying, Angela, because I couldn’t begin to explain it.”
“Other than health care and college tuition it must hold some other appeal or many boys who leave The Falls wouldn’t join the military.”
Viviana met Angela’s eyes. “Remember recruiters from all the branches come here during the high school’s career week with offers that make it hard for the boys and some girls to refuse. Hypothetically, if there’s a graduating class of ninety, then at least one-third of them sign up to serve. There were always jobs for boys who wanted to become coal miners like their fathers and great-grandfathers before the Wolfes decided to close the mines rather than install the government-mandated safety measures.”
Angela stared at the food on her plate. Viviana and Lee were descendants of the family who preferred profits over safety for their employees, and those with long memories were quick not to let them forget it. The Wolfe children did not attend the public schools but were enrolled in military, parochial or prep schools before going onto and graduating from elite colleges. The tradition had ended when Lee transferred to the local high school, while Viviana graduated her private school and then enrolled in the University of Virginia.
“Does it bother you that folks still think of you and Lee as Wolfes?”
Angela had asked the question and wondered if some of the townsfolk would paint her with the same broad brush if she married Lee. “It doesn’t bother me, but I don’t know about my brother. Lee’s not one to open up about
his feelings.”
She wanted to tell Viviana she was wrong. It had taken more than a decade, and she was still attempting to recover from Lee’s revelation he sought more from her than friendship when he’d mentioned dating. What Angela did not want to do was use him to escape her current situation. Yes, she was living in his home and hoped it would only be temporary. Milly Riley had made arrangements to show her several properties within her price range.
Angela wanted to purchase property before her children returned to Wickham Falls, which meant she had five weeks in which to find a house. “Lee has always been the strong, silent type,” she quipped.
“Stubborn is more like it,” Viviana countered. “Once he decides not to talk about something you can consider it moot.” She closed her eyes. “I think this Long Island Ice Tea is getting the best of me.”
“I’m ready to leave whenever you are.” They’d spent more than an hour at the restaurant. Angela signaled for one of the waitresses to bring the check.
The young woman who was related to the owners and barely looked old enough to drink shook her head. “Sharleen told me Sergeant Remington will cover your check.”
Angela was slightly taken aback with the news. “If that’s the case, then I’ll leave the tip.”
“I can’t accept it. Sergeant Remington is the guest of honor and my uncle would disown me if I took money from his wife.”
Wife! Angela stared with wide, unblinking eyes. Where did the waitress come up with the notion that she was married to Lee? “Sergeant Remington and I aren’t married.”
A noticeable flush suffused the woman’s cheeks. “Please forgive me. Because you were sitting together and you’re wearing wedding rings I’d assumed you were married.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. Good night, and let Aiden know everything was delicious.”
Twins for the Soldier Page 8