She came out on top of their little skirmish. But they both won the battle. They started in the living room. Then the hallway. Then up against the door. When they finally hit the bed, Sable happily let Colt take the lead. His stamina amazed her. The hell with that little blue pill. Pharmaceutical companies would kill for whatever magic flowed in his blood. On the open market, it would be worth billions. Alone in this bedroom, it was priceless.
For a brief second, Sable considered ignoring the text. Colt was worn out and so was she. They had a few more hours before he was due on the set. The idea of spending them sleeping in his arms sounded like heaven. Then she glanced at the screen and froze.
Sable checked it again. No, her eyes weren’t deceiving her. Heart racing, she carefully eased away from Colt and slid out of bed. She grabbed the first thing in sight, Colt’s shirt, covered herself, and quietly padded to the door. She took a glance behind her to make certain Colt hadn’t stirred. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. It wasn’t loud. It was cacophonous. Like cymbals crashing against her head. She wondered how Colt slept through it.
Dad.
Sable feared the word would suddenly disappear. An illusion. A trick. But there it was. Finally. After almost two years, her father had gotten in touch. She had hoped for a phone call, but at this point, she would take whatever she could get.
Sable’s hand shook. Deep breaths. Calm. That didn’t work. Instead, she gripped the phone and hit the screen. Any hopes she had for a reconciliation were dashed after she read the first sentence.
What are you doing with your life?
Sable closed her eyes. She should have known better. Her father would have called if he wanted to speak to her. This was another condemnation. Cold. Emotionless. He delivered the blow in a text because he couldn’t bear to hear her voice or see her face. And it sliced right at her heart.
Taking another breath, Sable forced herself to read the rest of the message.
You left the Army. Your career. There was no explanation and you refused to listen to reason. A bodyguard to the rich and pampered? That was bad. But this? Your mother tells me you’ve moved in with this movie star. He’s paying your bills? Making you the butt of jokes all over the base. I can’t ignore it because I’m not allowed to. The pictures. The gossip. I repeat. Where is the young woman who dreamed of impacting the world in a positive manner? Think long and hard, Sable. I repeat. What are you doing with your life?
Carefully, Sable set the phone on the coffee table. There was no need to read the message again. The words were stamped on her brain. Hard and with deliberation. Her hands were no longer shaking. She didn’t want to cry. In truth, she felt nothing.
Once, when Sable told her father that she was resigning from the Army, he asked her why. And for the first time in her life, she lied to him. It hurt, but the truth would have hurt him more. It hadn’t occurred to her at the time that the day she told her lie would be the last time she saw him. All she could see was the disappointment etched on his face.
Would it be different if she had told him the truth? Sable didn’t know. At the time, it seemed like the only thing to do.
Mathias Ford loved three things. His daughter, his country, and the Army. The Army came first. He showed his loyalty to his country by doing his job to the best of his ability—and beyond. Sable understood that. And she respected it. After all, it wasn’t simply his career. It was his life. Before Sable understood what it meant, she witnessed the sacrifices her father made to do his duty. He couldn’t understand walking away.
Because Sable loved him more than anything. Because she refused to be responsible for putting a crack, no matter how small, in his absolute faith that the Army was always right, Sable kept her secret.
With a sigh, Sable leaned back. She rested her head against the sofa and closed her eyes. Was she wrong? A seed of doubt crept past her staunch belief in her decision.
Since the day she left, Sable had refused to rehash the series of events that led up to her decision not to re-up and hand in her resignation. Why put herself through the pain of remembering all the dirty details? What good would it do?
Tonight, she needed to rethink it all. For her peace of mind. And to figure out her next move. Should she let the past stay buried? Unless he had a drastic change of heart, that meant a life without her father. If she spoke out, would he believe her? Or would his faith in the infallible Army be so strong, he would throw her words—her accusations—back in her face.
Sable needed to make a decision. She let her mind wander. Back. To where it began.
THREE YEARS AGO
“THEY SAY HE’S tough but fair.”
“We can’t ask for more than that.”
Sable high-fived her friend and fellow soldier, Doreen Mayfield. The other woman was five inches shorter, had bright blonde hair and was built like a playboy bunny. But as she said on the day they met, Don’t let my looks fool you. I’m a tough bitch with eyes in the back of my head.
They hit it off immediately. Their backgrounds were as different as could be. Sable grew up an Army brat. Doreen came from old New England money. Debutante balls and tea sandwiches. Doreen shuddered when she spoke of it. She joined the Army as an act of rebellion. To her surprise, she found her vocation. Their jobs threw them together. The love and pride they found doing those jobs bound them as sisters.
After an intense workout, they had cleaned up and were dressing for a much-needed evening out. Maneuvers had kept them on the base for the last month. Tonight it was time to let loose.
Gossip ran rampant at the best of times, the arrival of a new C.O. amped the stakes. They were all curious who would be replacing Colonel Maxwell. He had run Camp Allenby with a firm hand. But if a soldier had a problem, his door was always open. It was easy to celebrate his promotion to adjutant general. It was a huge honor and no one deserved it more. But they were anxious for any news about the colonel’s replacement.
The locker room buzzed with movement and conversation. It wasn’t a large group. Of the four thousand plus soldiers on base, only a fraction of them were women. The Army did its best to make everything co-ed. The more the sexes mingled, the less friction when they worked side by side. The theory worked—for the most part. That afternoon the weight room had a ratio of about six-to-one, men to women.
Naturally, the post-shower conversation rolled around to the new C.O., Colonel Baker Montgomery. Sable imagined it was the same on the men’s side.
“He’s old Army. Married. Two sons, both at West Point.”
Geri Frain worked in the administration office. The brunette was a whiz on the computer but as a soldier, she was expected to stay in shape and liked to work out with Sable and Doreen. She wasn’t privy to personnel files but she kept her ears open. Geri liked nothing more than getting the scoop before anyone else. Except passing it along to a rapt audience.
“He and his wife arrived sometime yesterday. There will be a big Meet the C.O. assembly tomorrow morning. The meet and greet, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, is scheduled for next week.”
“Think your pops will come?”
“If he can.”
Sable didn’t try to hide the fact that her father was an Army colonel. What would be the point? Nothing remained a secret for long.
On the day she enlisted, her father made it clear that he was just that—her father. But once she donned her uniform, he was her superior and he would not give her special treatment. If she had a problem, he expected her to handle it through the proper channels. There was a chain of command and it didn’t include her father.
In three short years, she had risen from private to corporal. As far as she was concerned, the sky was the limit. But she would get there on her own merit, or not at all. And that was the way she wanted it.
“Drinks at Shooters?” Sable called out to the room. The invitation was open to anyone who could make it. It was more fun with a crowd.
“I’m in.” Geri buttoned her jacket. “Can I get a ride with you?”
/> “Sure. Six thirty at the gate.” Sable picked up her duffle bag, slinging it over her shoulder. “Doreen’s boyfriend is chauffeuring us there and back, so we don’t have to worry about a designated driver.”
“God, Doreen. You are so lucky to have a steady guy. I’m so horny Hillbilly Will is starting to look good.”
“He’s an MP,” Doreen pointed out.
“And loves to brag. I don’t care about the size of his sidearm.”
“From what I hear, it’s a tiny caliber and goes off without any warning.”
“Poor Will,” Sable said.
Doreen and Geri looked at Sable. A second later, the three women burst out laughing. You learned fast in the Army, or you didn’t survive. Near the top of the list, especially for a woman? Watch out for would-be players. Men like Hillbilly Will thought that female soldiers were there for one reason. To hit on. He expected them to fall on their backs, grateful for the opportunity.
Men like Hillbilly Will did not represent the majority. However, they were often a vocal minority. The best way to handle it was to stay as far away as possible. And laugh. God, if one didn’t have a sense of humor, Army life could be brutal.
“When do you think we will get our orders to redeploy?”
“Soon.” Sable held the door for Doreen and Geri.
“Afghanistan?”
“That would be my guess.”
“I don’t know how you do it.” Geri’s job kept her in an office hooked to a computer.
“What? The dirt? The heat? Crapping behind a rock? Who would turn down that kind of glamour?”
Sable chuckled. Doreen had hit it on the head. Add dehydrated food rations and bugs the size of her fist, and it got better and better.
“I meant the bombs and bullets. I joined the Army because I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in Humble, Missouri.” Geri pushed back a stray strand of dark brown hair. “I’ve seen a nice chunk of the world and I hope to see more. But when I signed those enlistment papers, it was with the express understanding I would never see combat. I admire your bravery.”
“Hell. We aren’t brave. We’re stupid as posts.” Doreen winked at Sable. “Why else would we ruin our manicures cleaning guns? If I had half a brain, I would be married to a very rich lawyer. I could spend my days lounging by a pool with a drink in one hand and the gardener in the other.”
Sable’s eyes sparkled with humor. She knew her part in this routine. When Doreen started waxing on about what could have been, Sable’s job was to play straight woman.
“What about your husband?” she asked, her tongue planted firmly in her cheek.
“He would be too busy with his secretary to worry about my extra-curricular activities. We would meet up once a week at the in-laws for cocktails—there are always cocktails—and perhaps in a few years, I would pop out an heir. Ah, the good life.”
It was Geri’s first time hearing Doreen’s patter, but she had no problem playing along.
“If you had all that to look forward to, why are you here?”
“I joined for the waters.”
“Waters?” Sable frowned, clearly puzzled. “What waters? Afghanistan is in the desert.”
“I was misinformed,” Doreen said, using her best Humphrey Bogart deadpan.
“Oh, my God.” Geri looked between Sable and Doreen, her brown eyes wide with admiration. “Casablanca, right? I love that movie.”
“How many times did we watch it during basic training?”
“Too many.” Sable rolled her eyes.
“Perhaps I was a bit obsessed,” Doreen conceded. “You were a good friend to sit through it over and over again.”
“It’s a good flick. Besides, now you owe me. When I collect, it will make it worth all those, here’s looking at you kids.”
“Name it and I’ll pay. But for now?” Doreen slung an arm over Sable’s shoulders, then did the same to Geri. “Drinks. The first round is on me.”
THE MUSIC WAS loud and the alcohol flowed freely. Sable and her friends made the most of their night off.
The number of bodies at their table ebbed and flowed throughout the evening. At the moment, six women laughed and yelled over the music. They danced when the mood hit them, not waiting to find a partner. It wasn’t that kind of evening.
They moved around the other bodies, letting the pounding beat, and a few drinks, help them relax. Tonight was about forgetting their responsibilities back on the base. They weren’t worried about their next deployment or keeping their country safe. It was all about the booze and the pounding beat.
A few of them, Geri included, looked to pick up a local hottie for an unencumbered one-night stand. But most of them simply wanted to have fun. That meant shots, laughs, and good company.
Sable made her way across the crowded room. It was her turn to buy a round and their server was missing in action. The area around the bar was three bodies deep, but she was good at slipping through tight spots. A push here, an elbow there and she was at the bar, right in front of the bartender.
He looked a little like Tom Cruise in Cocktail. Taller. Tattoos circled both muscular arms. And his skin was a rich chocolate brown. But he sported the leather vest and his moves were smooth. Bottles flew, spinning in the air and caught nearly behind his back. A gorgeous man putting on a show. Very nice.
“I need four drafts and two shots of tequila.”
“And I need four more hands. Wait your turn, honey.”
“No hurry. I like the view.”
The bartender sent her an impatient glance. He must have women hitting on him all the time. But when he looked at her, his gold-flecked eyes warmed. It seemed she wasn’t the only one who liked what she saw.
“Hello.”
His voice was like warm, thick honey. And his smile. Wasn’t this ironic? She hadn’t met a man who interested her in a long time. Her last relationship had left a sour taste in her mouth and she didn’t do one-night stands. But, oh, brother. She could feel temptation sitting on her shoulder.
“Hi. Four beers and two shots of tequila.”
“Coming right up.”
“Hey,” a man called out. “I was here first.”
“But you’re ugly.”
“So?”
The bartender gave Sable a knowing smile.
“So, I would rather look at this beautiful lady’s smile. Shut your mouth and I’ll get to you when I get to you.”
“Here you go.”
“You’re fast.” Sable handed him some money.
“At some things. I can be nice and slow when I want to be. Why don’t you meet me after this place closes and I’ll prove it?”
“Sorry.” Sable picked up the tray of drinks. She sighed and shook her head. “Not tonight.”
“When?”
“Will you be around in six or seven months?”
“Probably not. I move around a lot.”
“Me too.”
Their eyes met. Sable felt a twinge of regret and saw it mirrored in his. She headed back to her friends without asking his name. What was the point? But it had been a nice moment. All the women jockeying for his attention and he noticed her.
Sable spent her days playing down her femininity. In the Army, she was a soldier—not a woman. Having a sexy man notice her—hit on her—was a great ego booster. Hopefully, it would last her until she returned from her next deployment. If he were still around? She might take him up on his offer.
“We wondered if you were coming back.” Doreen took her beer. “That crowd eats people up. See?” She pointed out two empty seats. “They danced away with a couple of townies and haven’t returned.”
“It wasn’t the crowd that got them. It was lust,” Geri said. She licked the salt off the back of her hand before downing her tequila. “Speaking of which. There’s a tall hunk who’s been giving me a come-hither look all evening.”
“Come hither?” Sable craned her neck to the left. A tall blonde who barely looked old enough to shave walked toward them. “
Cute.”
“Mmm. I’ll settle for that.” Geri grabbed her purse. “Don’t wait up, girls.”
“Why do I suddenly feel old?”
“Because you have a good man waiting for your call. Last year that would have been you.”
“Unfortunately, you’re right.” Doreen frowned at the thought. Then she smiled. Thank God for Robbie. He’s saved me from sad one-night stands.”
“Not to mention the next morning’s walk of shame.”
“Two things you wisely avoid.”
Sable sipped her beer. She was no sainted virgin. She avoided pickups but she had made a few mistakes. Her one consolation was that she had never fallen in love. For her, it didn’t go with the uniform. Or her ambitions.
“Would you like to dance?”
The man was handsome. Older than Sable went for but the gray in his short hair would qualify him as a silver fox. He dressed casually. Jeans and a polo shirt. His arms were muscled and there was no visible paunch when he bent over. Not bad. But he wasn’t her type. Not tonight or any night.
“No, thank you.” The smile Sable gave him was the opposite of the one she shared with the bartender. “I’m here for a few drinks. Nothing more.”
The man rubbed Sable’s arm. “I bet I can change your mind.”
Sable’s smile quickly morphed from pleasant to feral. “Bet you can’t.”
“Listen, fella.” Doreen recognized the look in Sable’s eyes. “My friend doesn’t like to be touched by strangers. Take your hand away. Unless you want to lose the use of it for a couple of weeks.”
Sable didn’t think the man was going to heed Doreen’s warning. Briefly, his fingers tightened, as did the line of his mouth. She could tell he wasn’t a man used to hearing no. She tugged at her arm, hoping he would be smart enough to let go. Again, he tightened his grip, but only for a second. He dropped his hand and straightened, his lips curving slightly. But his eyes stayed cool.
“Perhaps another time.”
Sable didn’t watch as he disappeared into the crowd. Not in this or any other lifetime.
Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) Page 18