Page 69 of Home Town

That took him aback. She had to see dozens, if not hundreds of troops come through there each shift. Yet she remembered him? And she remembered his name?

Freaky.

Maybe she had one of those photographic memories. Right now, he’d be happy to be able to remember what day it was. Good thing the doctor back in Mayport hadn’t asked him that question.

“Hello… Blessing,” he said, reading her name off the ID tag to make sure he didn’t mess it up. “Nice to see you again too.”

“You’re looking better. Moving better too. Back and neck not as stiff anymore?”

There she went with the freaky shit again. Knowing stuff she had no way of knowing.

It was always best to treat odd people with kid gloves so he said, “Yes, thank you. Much better.”

“You know…” Blessing began. “My husband, rest his soul, was in the military.”

“No. I didn’t know,” he said. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you. But I remember him telling me one of the most rewarding assignments he had was recruiting duty. Talking to the young people. Helping to guide them into their future. I think you’d be good at that.”

“Me?” he asked, surprised and wondering how the conversation had gotten here.

“Yes, you. Don’t be modest.” She smiled. “You should think about it. Some things—some people too—require a leap of faith. Let’s get you checked in so you can relax until your connection.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He was past questioning her. Best to go along with it.

He took the pen she pushed toward him, signed in and then let her guide him to an open seat, which happened to be in an area containing two sailors who looked young enough they’d probably just graduated high school last month.

Blessing told him they were life-long friends who’d joined up together and were heading to bootcamp.

“Maybe you could give them some advice. Or answer their questions,” Blessing suggested, not so subtly.

Point taken. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best,” he assured her.

He remembered that time in his own life. The excitement. The fear. Yeah, he’d do anything he could for them. It would help pass the time and keep his mind off worrying about the doctor’s decision and if his career as he knew it was over or not.

But once he was on the flight and his mentor duties were complete, he’d think about that recruiting duty idea of Blessing’s.

Some things—some people too—require a leap of faith.

Yeah, he’d be thinking about Josie too. And about how to win her back.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Somehow the gala was that night.

Time flew when there was more to do than there was time in which to do it.

But that the past two weeks had flown by so fast wasn’t the biggest shock of Josie’s day. The shock of her day was that Corey was back again. Right next door at his mom’s house. Just yards away.

Thank goodness, her parents were back too. Their presence, in addition to Quinn and Bailey’s, made sure the three-bedroom house was filled to capacity. That would insure that even in a weak moment of insanity Josie couldn’t be tempted to rekindle her summer fling.

Even the RV helped. Good old Rusty provided a nice physical barrier parked in the drive, blocking her view of the Jacobs’ garage and Corey’s comings and goings.

Luckily, she’d be busy in these final hours before the gala. Out of the house, working on setting up the venue. She might actually be able to avoid him. That was the plan anyway.

She heard a honk and stepped outside to wave at Kirk, pulled along the curb in front of the house.

He waved back and cut the engine, waiting for her to walk over to the open driver’s side window. “Hey, beautiful.”

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