by Debra Webb
She looked away. “That’s right.”
Tom wanted to shake her. Why couldn’t she see that what they could have was worth whatever difficulties they had to overcome? “You can just walk away and not look back?” He flung his arms in the air in frustration, then quickly crossed them over his chest to prevent himself from reaching out to her. “Nothing we shared this past week makes you want to think twice?”
His words had an impact this time. She trembled. Her own frustration and anger was clear when her gaze reconnected with his. She glared at him for two long beats before she spoke. Tom knew she was gathering her resolve, His was gone. Desperation had long since replaced it. A whirlwind of emotions churned inside him.
“What happens when I receive a new assignment and have to move across the country?” she demanded, her anger and frustration rising. “Or to another country altogether?” She set her plaque aside on a nearby table, braced her hands on her slender hips and moved in for the kill. “Are you going with me, Tom? Because when the orders come I sure as hell have to go.”
Tom blinked. He wasn’t prepared to think that far ahead. Not yet anyway. They needed to take this one step at a time. To build on what they had started. The rest would come in due time.
“Is that your answer?” she snapped. “What about when I’m assigned to some third world country where the political situation is volatile and family members aren’t allowed? What then, Tom?” she swallowed, hard. “Will you wait patiently state-side?”
“We need time to talk, to figure this out,” he countered, defeat weighing heavy on his shoulders.
“Time won’t change the way things are,” she said wearily.
“I only know what I want.” Tom wished there was some way he could make her understand just how much he cared for her.
Jane laughed softly. “But the price is too high for you, is that it?”
A muscle jerked in his tense jaw. “I’m willing to compromise.”
Jane shook her head and moistened her lips. She was very close to crying and that affected Tom beyond all reason. The last thing in the world he wanted to do was hurt her. He couldn’t even bear the thought.
“You just don’t get it,” she maintained. “The price is everything, Tom. It’s all or nothing. If your heart’s not in it, then we have nothing to discuss.”
“All right then,” he said tautly. He didn’t have too much pride to be the first to say the words. “I love you, Jane. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll leave Waynesville. I’ll go wherever you go.”
She stumbled back a step, then shook her head.
She didn’t know. Tom almost sagged with the impact of that realization. Jane really hadn’t known or even suspected, it seemed, that he loved her enough to sacrifice it all, that he was willing to give up everything. The shock, the disbelief, it was all right there in her big brown eyes.
“I have to go,” Jane brushed past him and ran from the room without looking back.
Tom watched her run away. How could she not have known that he loved her? He had shown her in every way he knew how.
But he hadn’t told her until this minute.
He was either too late or Jane didn’t feel the same way.
Chapter Ten
“At ease, Sergeant.”
“Thank you, sir.” Jane relaxed as much as possible, considering what was likely to happen. She had known from her last meeting with General Suddath that he was not pleased with the way Jane had handled his wife’s two-week retreat at Camp Serenity. Choosing to be diplomatic, he had simply told her that he intended to send in Sergeant Riggs to replace her. Jane had said “yes sir” and that had been the end of the meeting. What else could she say? He was her commanding officer.
Obviously in the three days Jane had been back at the post, General Suddath had had time to reconsider his oversight of her less-than-acceptable performance of duty. Now would come the reprimand…or worse.
General Suddath paced the length of the room before he stopped and turned back to her. “Sergeant Passerella, I’ve given a great deal of thought to the time you spent at Camp Serenity. And it grieves me that I have allowed these past three days to pass without acting on my thoughts.”
Jane swallowed tightly. Here it comes, she told herself and braced for the bad news.
The general retraced his steps. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’ve considered all that my wife has told me,” he continued. “I’ve even given due regard to what the other ladies had to say about the goings on during the two-week period. It’s a story I won’t soon forget.” He shook his gray head. “And I have to tell you, Sergeant, I’m more than a little disappointed—”
“Sir, I can explain,” Jane said abruptly, then caught herself. Her eyes rounded in disbelief. She had just interrupted the general. Damn! What was wrong with her? Her broken heart was obviously affecting her brain.
One gray eyebrow arched in question. “May I continue, Sergeant?”
Jane moistened her lips. “Of course, sir.”
He squared his shoulders and clasped his hands behind his back. His solemn gaze settled on hers. “As I was saying, Sergeant…I am sorely disappointed in the behavior of my wife and friends. I cannot—”
Jane jerked her head in his direction. “I beg your pardon, sir?”
The general frowned. “Sergeant Passerella, has your hearing been impaired?”
Jane took a deep, calming breath. “No, sir. I’m sorry, please continue.”
He glared at her. “Thank you, Sergeant.” He cleared his throat. “When Mrs. Suddath related the details of their shenanigans, I believe she called them, I was appalled. Grown women behaving like children.” He directed his disturbed gaze at Jane. “I’m surprised you didn’t report their behavior immediately, sergeant.”
Jane considered her response. Maybe she did have a hearing problem. Was the general, in some roundabout way, trying to let her off the hook? No way! Jane resisted the urge to shake her head. That couldn’t be right. She was clearly delusional.
“Well, sir,” she began when he shifted impatiently. “I considered the assignment a challenge.” Yeah, right, Jane scoffed silently.
“Whatever the case, sergeant,” he replied dismissively, “I would like to personally commend your handling of the situation. You did a fine job considering the circumstances and I’m most grateful.”
Huh? Jane looked quickly from side to side. This had to be a set up.
Jane took the general’s continued silence as her cue. “Thank you, sir. If that’s all, sir, I’ll report back to my troops.”
General Suddath stroked his chin a moment. “Actually, Sergeant, there is one other thing we need to discuss.”
Jane did a mental double take. Uh-oh. She knew this was too good to be true. Now came the kicker. She held her breath.
“I’ve been giving some thought to my hasty decision of removing you from the Camp Serenity assignment.”
Jane’s breath rushed out of her lungs. Boy, he’d been doing an awful lot of thinking where she was concerned.
“Considering your patience and ability to see the best in people, I believe you would be a true asset to the camp. So, I’ve decided to send you back.”
Jane’s head shook before her brain could give it the command not to.
“You have a problem with that, sergeant?”
“No, sir,” she said immediately, and swallowed. “Yes, sir,” she amended cautiously. “I think I would best serve this command right here on the post.”
The general cocked his head and studied her. “Are you saying, Sergeant Passerella, that you know what serves this command better than I?”
“Oh, no, sir,” Jane exclaimed. She was getting in deeper all the time. Did they court-martial soldiers for stupidity? The image of Tom’s amazing blue eyes kept appearing before her eyes, distracting her. The memory of his kisses, his lovemaking was playing havoc with her ability to reason.
“I’m just…” Jane didn’t know what to say.
“Co
nfused?” the general offered.
She nodded. “Yes, sir.” How did he know?
“Welcome to the club, Sergeant.” A small smile got past his authoritative demeanor. “Love does that to you, so you might as well get used to it.”
“I don’t understand, sir,” Jane said, more than a little bewildered. She couldn’t have heard him right. She was going deaf and getting stupid.
The general sighed. “What’s to understand, Sergeant? I’ve given an order, you obey.”
Jane opened her mouth to speak but he halted her with one upraised palm.
“I would consider it a personal favor, sergeant.”
Confusion reigned supreme. “A favor, sir?”
“My wife has threatened to kick me out of the house if I don’t send you back to Mr. Caldwell ASAP,” he finally said with defeat.
“To Tom?” Jane frowned. How could the general know? “But why?”
“Sandra seems to believe you’re in love with the man, sergeant.” The general looked disgruntled. “Are you suggesting my wife is wrong?”
Jane struggled with the response her mind wanted to make versus the one her heart shouted loudly. “No, sir,” she said finally.
“Well then,” General Suddath smiled. “Fall out, Sergeant Passerella. Your assignment begins immediately.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Jane walked out of the general’s office totally and utterly confused. How could Sandra have known? Jane and Tom had been so careful. She shook her head. Hell, it was probably written all over both their faces.
When Tom had abruptly announced that he loved her, Jane had been confused…scared. Was he just buying time? Did he mean it? How could she know? In the three days that had passed, Jane’d had time to think. If there was any chance Tom loved her, she should go for it. Shouldn’t she?
Love didn’t come along every day. Tom’s words echoed through her mind…something you might wish for the rest of your life you hadn’t let slip away.
But would Tom still want her after she’d walked away from him like that?
“Sergeant Passerella,” Specialist Curry interrupted Jane’s troubling thoughts. “The general instructed that I drive you out to Camp Serenity whenever you’re ready to go.”
Jane turned to the general’s driver. “Thank you, specialist,” She chewed her lower lips, then asked, “By the way, do you know of a pet store or a pound in the area where I could get a dog?”
Curry shrugged. “The Humane Society always has dogs to adopt,” he suggested.
Jane smiled. “Good idea, Specialist. How about taking me there first?”
~*~
Tom rifled through the sheaf of papers in his hand, then tossed the whole lot aside. He just couldn’t concentrate. He forced thoughts of Jane away. He would not go down that road again. It was pointless. Her position was clear. She didn’t love him as much as she loved her career. Tom raked his fingers through his hair and forced his attention back on the mountains of papers on the desk. So maybe he had been a fool for not saying the words sooner, but he had said them. Why wasn’t that enough?
“I don’t know why you just don’t go get the woman.”
Tom looked up to find Reg loitering in his door. “Go away, Reg,” he said curtly.
Reg shook his head and made that annoying tsking sound. “You got it bad, my friend.”
Just what Tom needed. A love life analysis in the middle of the afternoon. Why didn’t the man just turn the television on to Dr. Phil and put his two cents where it wouldn’t hurt?
“Is there something you need, Reg?”
Reg strutted across the room. He folded one arm over his middle and rested his other elbow on it so that he could tap his chin. Tom swore silently. This was going to be a long one.
“Team four has a problem with attitude,” Reg said finally, irritably. He shot Tom a look. “And if you tell me it has something to do with my wardrobe, I’ll scream. I swear I will,” Reg threatened.
Tom blew out a breath and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Have Sergeant Riggs give team four a little extra training. That ought to take some of the wind out of his sails.” Tom really didn’t like Riggs, but he was a good PT coach—or at least he had been so far. Tom had a feeling he wouldn’t have much liked anyone that General Suddath sent to replace Jane. He swallowed the regret that rose in his throat.
“I can’t tell Sergeant Riggs anything. He’s conspicuously missing this afternoon,” Reg said impatiently.
“Missing?” Tom frowned. “He was here at lunch.”
Reg feigned a tolerant smile. “Well, be that as it may, he isn’t here now.”
Dammit. This was not a good sign. When a member of staff turned up missing, it usually meant—
“Tom! Reg!” Hattie skidded to a halt at the door. “Come quick! Team four’s hog-tied that new know-it-all sergeant and got him hanging from a tree!”
Tom groaned, then bounded out the door, across the porch and down the steps. This was all he needed. Reg followed right on his heels.
“Oh…my…God,” Reg muttered as he came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the quadrangle.
Tom pulled up short when he caught sight of his new drill sergeant. Tom blew out a breath and shook his head. Sergeant Riggs, bound and gagged, was hanging like a baby in a makeshift cradle from a tree on the other side of the dining table. A four-letter word hissed past Tom’s lips. This was going to be a difficult session if it started off this way.
Reg turned to Tom. “I suppose we should cut him down.”
Tom shook his head again. “Yeah, I guess we should.”
The sound of a vehicle approaching from the gate snagged Tom’s attention. He turned around to find a U.S. Army automobile braking to a stop in front of his office. The driver waved and then drove away, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.
What the hell was all that about? The raucous jeers coming from the group of teenagers gathered around Sergeant Riggs drew Tom’s attention back in that direction. Before Tom turned away, he caught a glimpse of a silhouette in the settling dust. He jerked back around. His heart hammered against his sternum. It couldn’t be, he told himself.
When the dust cleared, Jane stood staring back at Tom. A smile slid across his face. She was back. He frowned when he realized that what he had thought was a duffel bag at her feet wasn’t.
It was a dog.
An immense black Labrador wearing a big blue bow around his neck.
Reg slapped Tom on the back. “Go get her, lover boy. I’ll rescue Riggs.”
Tom walked slowly to where Jane waited. The dog wagged his tail enthusiastically.
“Jane,” Tom offered by way of greeting. She looked beautiful, uniform and all. It was all he could do to prevent himself from sweeping her into his arms and kissing her senseless.
“Tom,” she returned. Her brown eyes were watchful, her expression guarded.
“It’s good to see you.” Tom knew he sounded wistful, as if it had been a lifetime since he had seen her instead of a mere three days.
She smiled, just a little. “It’s good to see you, too.”
Tom nodded. “Good,” he said lamely.
Jane moistened those lips he so wanted to kiss. “I’ve come to relieve Sergeant Riggs.”
Tom gestured at the commotion behind him, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Jane. “Not a minute too soon, it would seem.”
Jane leaned to the right to survey the scene and the plight of the unfortunate Sergeant Riggs. “Looks that way,” she agreed.
“Reg is working on getting him down,” Tom assured her. He glanced over his shoulder and did a double take. Team four was busily stringing Reg up next to Riggs. Tom swore. He turned back to Jane. Why was she here? He wanted to ask. Even more, he wanted to take her into his arms and convince her that she was wrong, that they could have a future together.
He jerked his head toward the rowdy kids. “I should help Reg.”
Jane nodded. “That might be a good idea.”
&
nbsp; Tom started to go, but paused. “Why did you come back, Jane?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “The general ordered me to,” she told him. “But that’s only part of the reason.”
Tom felt his hopes rising. He tried to slow the ascent, but he couldn’t. He planted his hands at his waist and gave her a long, assessing look. “Yeah?”
Another of those tiny smiles teased her lips. “Yeah,” she reiterated.
Tom ignored Reg’s heated shouts. Hattie’s booming voice echoed next. Tom had a bad feeling about that, but it could wait just one more minute. “What’s the rest of the reason?” He had to know.
Jane extended her hand, offering Tom the dog’s leash. “I brought you a present.”
Tom smiled at the handsome dog. “What’s his name?”
Jane shot a nervous look at the dog, then back at Tom. “Blackie,” she answered quickly.
Tom nodded. “Very original.”
“I thought so.” Her smile widened a little this time.
He accepted the leash. “Well, thanks, Jane. Being between dogs is no fun. But the bow will have to go.”
“Absolutely.” Jane took a deep breath. “Well, are those my new trainees?” she asked, pointing toward the group of boys currently tying up Hattie.
Tom scanned the escalating chaos. “That’s team four. We have three others just like them.”
“Looks like a challenge.”
“Yeah.” Tom spoke calmly in spite of the fact that his blood pressure had to be at stroke level. He wanted to shake her; to demand to know the real reason she was here.
Jane adjusted her cap and beamed Tom a battle-ready look. “If you’ll see to Blackie, I’ll just mosey on over there and kick some adolescent ass.”
Tom took a step back and waved a dismissive hand. “By all means, Sergeant Passerella.”
Jane took three steps and paused. She twisted at the waist and looked back at him. “By the way, Caldwell, I’m in love with you and I expect you to back up every single one of those promises you made.”
She talked tough, but Tom saw the hesitancy in her eyes. He crouched next to Blackie and stroked his back. “You can count on me, Jane.”