“Thank God he came to his senses,” Doreen said with feeling. “The last thing we need is to scuffle with a townie on the eve of our new C.O.’s arrival.”
“Amen.” Sable drained her beer in two gulps.
“Time for another?”
“Mmm. But this time, make it the hard stuff.”
“A tray of shots, coming up.”
“YOU DRANK AS much as I did. More. Why aren’t you writhing in pain?”
“I was blessed with a stellar metabolism.”
“I hate you.”
Sable took pity on Doreen and handed her a steaming cup of black coffee. It was seven o’clock. A late start on most mornings. But the assembly introducing the new commanding officer pushed everything back. Instead of their usual duties, they were in the mess, grabbing a quick breakfast. Well, Sable ate. Doreen had her elbows on the table and her head cupped in her hands.
“You hate me this morning. And I don’t blame you. But you’ll love me this afternoon.”
“Why?” The sound Doreen made was more of a groan than a growl.
“I switched places with you on the duty roster.”
“You mean…?” Doreen’s bloodshot eyes lit with hope.
“That’s right. I will be teaching the self-defense class while you take care of housing inventory.”
“If I could move without making my head explode, I would kiss you.”
Sable laughed. “I’ll take a raincheck. Drink up. We’re due at the compound in fifteen minutes.”
SABLE STOOD AT ease, feet shoulder-width apart, hands clasped behind her back, along with most of the troops stationed at Camp Allenby. They were dressed the same. Everyday gear, clean and neat as a pin. There were a few murmured conversations as they awaited Colonel Montgomery.
“How are you holding up?” Sable glanced at Doreen. Her color was better. Less green.
“I’ll live. A handful of aspirin and a gallon of coffee made all the difference.”
“A gallon?” Sable gave a low whistle. “How’s your bladder holding up?”
“Why did you have to bring that up?”
“What are friends for?”
“I give you—”
“Attention!”
As one, the unit dropped their casual stance. Head up. Shoulders back. Chest out. No one spoke, their eyes pinned on the platform.
The second in command, Captain Todd looked over the troops. Satisfied with what he saw, he began.
“Soldiers. It is my pleasure to introduce your new commanding officer. Colonel Baker Montgomery.”
Sable’s training and iron will were the only things that kept her from reacting. Holy shit! What were the odds? The idiot who had hit on her the night before was the new C.O.
IT TOOK TWO days, but Sable wasn’t surprised when the order came calling her to Colonel Montgomery’s office.
“He can’t know it was you,” Doreen reasoned.
“He knows.”
“How?”
Sable hadn’t told Doreen. At the end of the assembly, just before they were dismissed, Colonel Montgomery looked at her. It was only for a second but it sent a chill racing down her spine.
“It was bound to happen.” Sable checked her uniform. “It’s better to get it out of the way. Hopefully, he’ll turn out to be reasonable.”
“What are the chances of that?”
“In this man’s Army? Not great.”
Sable waited in the outer office, her cap in her hand. She didn’t sit or pace. Her face was calm, portraying not a flicker of emotion. But inside, her heart raced and she had a vague desire to vomit.
“The colonel will see you now.”
Sable entered the office. It looked the same as when Colonel Maxwell occupied it. The man behind the desk had his head down, reading. She stood at attention. The energy felt different. Of course, this was the first time she visited feeling nervous and uncertain. Her relationship with her former C.O. had been one of mutual respect.
She didn’t know this man, but because of the bar incident, she was afraid things were going to be very different around here. At least for her.
Finally, the colonel looked up. Sable didn’t meet his gaze. But as the seconds passed without a word, she felt that chill again. It traveled from her spine to the rest of her body.
“Corporal Ford?”
“Sir.”
Sable raised her hand to salute. Again, he made her wait. She knew what he was doing. It was a power game. He wanted to remind her at every turn that her future was his to manipulate. It gave her insight into the man and the kind of C.O. he would be. Colonel Baker Montgomery was a petty dick. And she was stuck with him.
Intimidation didn’t work with Sable. She kept her expression blank and her thoughts to herself. Colonel Baker wanted to play games? Fine. Let him. She could stand there all day if need be.
Finally, he snapped off a return salute.
“At ease.” He opened a file. “You have an impressive record. Top marks from basic training to your first deployment and everything after.”
“I do my duty, sir.”
“So it would seem.” He closed the file, neatly setting it aside. His desk was immaculate. Nothing the slightest out of place. “Tell me, Corporal. How long until you’re on your knees?”
“Sir?” Sable had no idea what he was talking about.
“According to the notes Colonel Maxwell left behind, you’re up for promotion. In fact, his last official act before handing over command was to sign the papers.”
Sable blinked. She hadn’t known. But it was gratifying to know her hard work and dedication had paid off. She had taken another step. And she planned to take many more before her career ended.
“Sergeant First Class. What did you do to earn it? Interesting. Why you?”
“I hope Colonel Maxwell appreciated the job I did under his command.”
“Interesting choice of words,” Montgomery sneered. “Job? Hand or blow?”
“No, sir.” Outraged at the suggestion, Sable’s shoulders straightened. “My relationship with the colonel was completely above board.”
“Don’t give me that. I watched you last night. The way you came on to that guy. You like your men with some color? Colonel Maxwell? The black stud behind the bar? All I wanted was a dance. But I guess my skin was too white.”
Sable took long, steady breaths trying to calm her racing heart. Jesus. It was unbelievable. Montgomery was a sexist and a racist. It was like being in combat. The next bombshell was going to fall. It was inevitable. You could only brace yourself and hope for the best.
“I can’t stop your promotion.”
Sable kept her eyes glued to a spot over Montgomery’s shoulder. A small bug climbing up the window. Valiantly, the creature gained a few inches only to lose its grip and slide down, farther than where it began. It kept trying, but it wasn’t intelligent enough to understand that forces were at work against it. Unless it changed course, it would never reach its goal.
Sable was smarter than the bug. But changing course wasn’t an option for her. Montgomery had her career in his hands. He could lift her up, or squish her into oblivion. He knew it and so did she.
“It’s easy, Corporal. You treat me right, and you’ll have those lieutenant bars in no time.”
“And if I’d rather not?” Sable gritted out. “Sir?”
“Enjoy life as a sergeant.”
THE ARMY WAITED for no man—or woman. Sable’s unit received their orders three days later, effectively putting her problem with Colonel Montgomery on the back burner.
“Maybe he’ll drop dead. A man his age? His heart could go like that.” Doreen snapped her fingers.
“He’s only fifty-six and in good shape. But a heart attack would be a convenient solution.”
Sable had considered keeping the details of her meeting to herself. Involving her friend meant endangering Doreen’s career as well as her own. But she had to talk to someone or go crazy.
Doreen looked around. No one
was in earshot, but to be safe, she wisely lowered her voice. “I’d like to castrate the bastard and hang his balls out for the buzzards.”
“God, I love you, Doreen.”
Doreen hadn’t doubted Sable’s word. Not for a second. She listened, her face a mask of increasing horror. As women in a man’s world, they had experienced minor harassments. But this was so far over the line you wouldn’t be able to find it with the Hubble Space Telescope.
“I need to focus on the task at hand.” Sable zipped her duffle. “Montgomery isn’t going anywhere, but we are.”
“Afghanistan.”
“Six months. By the time we get back, I have to have a game plan.”
“We’ll figure something out.”
Sable hoped so. Beyond giving in to his demands, her options were limited. She could report him. The chances of winning a he said/she said battle with her superior officer were zero. Her career would effectively be over. Or she could turn him down flat. The results would be the same.
Another solution slipped in and out of her subconscious. One she didn’t want to consider. The last resort that she wouldn’t think about unless all else failed. Sable couldn’t imagine a life outside the Army. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to.
SIX MONTHS LATER
THE BASE LOOKED the same but everything had changed.
“Welcome home!”
A group of wives, husbands, and sweethearts greeted them as they left the bus. Reunions were exuberant, especially after a six-month deployment. Kisses. Hugs. And buckets of joyful tears.
There was never anyone there to welcome Sable home but she always enjoyed the show. Getting home in one piece was a victory worth celebrating. Even secondhand.
“Sable? Sable!”
A pair of arms enfolded Sable, the grip tight—almost desperate. She heard weeping. God, please no. The last thing she wanted was more tears. Hers or anyone else’s.
“I couldn’t believe it.” Geri wiped at her cheeks but didn’t let Sable go. “When word reached us last month, I was certain it had to be a mistake.”
“There was no mistake.”
Sable remained stiff and unresponsive. She held herself and her emotions in check. If she gave in, she was afraid she would break into a million unmendable pieces.
“I keep asking myself why. Why Doreen?”
“The risk is part of the job.”
Sable grew up hearing those words. From her father. From fellow soldiers. She had lost count of the times she had said them. It was an easy way to justify the unjustifiable. They rolled off her tongue with little thought. But this time, she could barely spit out the phrase. It left her throat dry and her tongue felt like it was coated with sawdust.
“You look worn out. No wonder.” Geri blew her nose. “Come to my place. I have an unopened bottle of pure Kentucky bourbon. We’ll break the seal, drink to Doreen, and get shitfaced.”
“Another time. I have an appointment.”
“Already? You just got back.”
“It was scheduled before I left.”
Sable left Geri gaping at her retreating figure. The world had changed while she was in Afghanistan. It changed the day Doreen and six other soldiers didn’t return from a routine patrol. The roadside bomb that took out their truck didn’t leave much behind to identify. But there was no mistake.
Doreen was dead. No more delays. No more games. It was time to end this. Once and for all.
“I don’t have you in my book, Sergeant Ford.” A dark-haired, be-speckled man who appeared to be in his late twenties gave her a sympathetic look. It was the same one she had received on the way over here every time she passed a fellow soldier. It was a tight-knit community. They knew that she and Doreen had been close. “Is the colonel expecting you?”
“No.”
Sable reminded herself that the corporal was only doing his job. And that she was a soldier. There was protocol to be followed at all times. She couldn’t punch out the corporal or barge into Montgomery’s office, no matter how satisfying it would be.
“Please tell him I would appreciate a few minutes of his time.” Sable plastered on a fake smile. “I’ll wait. Or come back whenever he’s free.”
“I can’t guarantee anything.” He picked up a stack of papers. “Let me see what I can do.”
Sable paced the outer office. Her uniform was dusty and a coating of dried sweat covered her body. She didn’t exactly smell like a rose. And she didn’t give a damn.
Another time, she would have showered and changed. Perhaps waiting a day or two for this inevitable confrontation. But her temper was on a low but steady burn. It began six months ago. The death of her best friend only added to the flame.
“Colonel Montgomery will see you now, Sergeant Ford.”
“Thank you.”
“Welcome back, Sergeant.” Montgomery looked her up and down. “Never again enter this office looking like that. Understood? Good Lord, you smell like a locker room. Worse.”
“I wanted to settle things immediately, Colonel. There wasn’t time to get cleaned up.”
“There is always time.” He wrinkled his nose. “Stand back.”
Ever the good soldier, Sable moved two paces to the rear.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad you’re anxious to see me. But you won’t be touching me until you’ve showered. And a light perfume. Something spicy.”
“No.” Sable gritted her teeth. It caught in her throat but she pushed the word out. “Sir.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Sable was certain it wasn’t a word he heard often. It made her sick to think of how many women he had forced into this untenable situation. How many caved under the pressure? She refused to think of how many would come after. Right now, she had to think about herself. Her survival. Because no one else would.
“I came here to find out one thing. If you had changed your mind—your terms. I see now that you haven’t.”
“Don’t be a fool. I can give you everything you want. A future with no limits.”
“At what price?”
“Women fall to their knees every day, Ford. It’s natural. You were made to service a man. Many men. Be grateful that I’m willing to reward you for it,” Montgomery sneered. His attractive features morphing into a living, breathing embodiment of the devil.
Behind her back, Sable’s hands clenched and unclenched. The urge to wipe the grotesquely smug expression from his face was almost too much. But she respected the uniform, if not the man. Perhaps another time and another place. But not today.
Without a word, she pulled some papers from her back pocket. Calmly, she handed them to him.
“What’s this?”
“The term of my enlistment ends on Friday. I will not be re-upping.”
Montgomery read the papers, tapping his fingers on the desk.
“Does Colonel Ford know about your decision?”
Sable hadn’t expected the colonel to bring up her father. It took a lot of nerve. Even for him.
“It has nothing to do with him.”
“No.” He sat back in his chair, his eyes cool. “It’s best for everyone that it stays that way.”
The threat was clear. There was more at stake here than Sable’s career. A scandal would have far-reaching effects. All the way to her father. It was the only thing that kept her silent. If it were only about her, Sable would have pressed charges—damn the consequences. But nothing—not even the satisfaction of putting a stain on Colonel Baker Montgomery’s record—would make her endanger what her father had worked so hard to build.
“May I be dismissed? Sir?”
“You’re a fool, Sergeant Ford.”
“If you say so. Sir.”
Again, Montgomery’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t call her out on insubordination. But that little pause every time she called him sir? Sable could tell it grated.
“Dismissed.”
Sable gave him one last salute. And head high walked out of his office.
SABLE
BLINKED. IT took her a few seconds to remember where she was. When she was. Los Angeles. Colt’s living room. Present day. Sometimes the Army seemed a lifetime ago. Then in the blink of an eye, she was back there. Reliving it all over again.
“I wondered where you were.”
Colt. God, his voice sounded good. He looked even better. Sable held out her hand.
“Your hand is like ice.” Colt sat beside her. He kissed her icy fingers, one by one. “Why are you sitting out here when you could be curled up next to me? All toasty warm.”
“I’m an idiot.” Sable met his gaze. So blue. So kind. Suddenly, more than anything, she wanted to curl up in Colt’s arms and cry.
“Hey.” Concerned, he gently pulled her close. “What happened? What’s wrong, Sable?”
Sable handed him her phone.
“Read this.”
She rested her head on Colt’s shoulder, waiting for him to finish her father’s brief text.
“I know you love him,” he growled, his lips brushing her forehead. “And I’ll take your word for it that he’s a good man. But, honey, your father is an asshole.”
“Yes.” How could she argue? “But he’s my asshole.”
“Fair enough. Want to go back to bed? There is still a good hour before we have to get up.”
“That sounds good.” Her lips curved when Colt lifted her and carried her to the bedroom. She wasn’t the type to be swept into a man’s arms. But Colt didn’t seem to know that. And she wasn’t in the mood to tell him. “But I don’t want to cuddle.”
“Music?” He slid in next to her, tucking the covers around them. “We can listen and cuddle. I promise I won’t get handsy.”
“No music. Not tonight.” Sable turned to face him. “I’ve never told anyone why I left the Army. But if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to tell you.”
“I wouldn’t mind a bit.” Reaching for her, Colt tucked Sable against his side, his arm holding her close. “You go right ahead. I can listen and cuddle at the same time.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
COLTON KNEW WHAT he wanted to do with his life for as long as he could remember. He hadn’t gone through the fireman or cowboy stage. There were no dreams of shaping young minds as a teacher or saving lives as a heart surgeon.
Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) Page 19