Page 29 of Falling for Ezra Thomas
Olson chews his cookie slow and steady all while he stares down Masterson like he’s sizing him up, trying to decide if he can trust this man with his past. Whatever it is, still haunts him. The storm clouds rolled into his gray eyes before the question even entered the air between us, and his shoulders tensed. He swallows and puts half the cookie on a tissue and cracks his knuckles.
Masterson glances my way, probably regretting asking Olson anything, let alone about his story. There’s no denying he’s older than us. Masterson is only nineteen, and I’m twenty-two, but Olson? He’s got a few more years on us. Not that he’sold,buthe’s definitely seen more than we have, and his choice to join the Army now is interesting.
Olson clears his throat and looks over his shoulder. “If I tell you, it don’t leave this barracks, got me?”
I sit up on my bed and drape my feet over onto the floor. Masterson leans in, because there’s no doubt this is a good story. I’m just not expecting it when Olson says, “I died, and when it didn’t stick, I figured the least I could do to repay God for saving my sorry behind would be to defend other people. So here I am.”
Once he’s finished, he picks up his cookie and finishes it.
“Wait, that’s…that’s it? That’s all you’re going to say?” Masterson asks, his gaze frantically bouncing between Olson and me.
“Didn’t figure you’d care about much more.” Olson shrugs and wipes his hands on his pants.
“Uh, no dude, I do.”
Olson chuckles at Masterson’s goofy expression and gives in.
“I got myself in a lot of trouble when I was your age, just never got caught. Spent my time with a lot of bad people. That all turned around about two years ago when I got shot, coded on the operating table, and somehow made it back to God’s green earth, probably only because my mama wouldn’t stop praying over my wretched soul. I went to therapy, got new friends, and a medical waiver to join the Army. Now here I am.”
“How old are you?” I ask, disregarding everything my parents taught me about manners.
“Thirty, and I’m still making better time in training than you two squirts.” Olson laughs and eats the other cookie. “Enough about me. Tell us about your girl back in Savannah. Must be something special to get you smiling like a fool whenever she sends you a letter.”
Masterson blushes and dips his head. “Yeah, she’s pretty great.”
He dives into the story of how he and Delilah met, and all the while all I can think about is Lorelai. We’ve shared a lot over the years, enough to make any relationship strong, and I think it means we have a great foundation. Beck and Vivien are proof of that, but that doesn’t mean all good things come in twos.
I lay back down and stare at the rack overhead, listening to my friend spill the details of his childhood and how he fell in love with a feisty Greek girl in his biology class. And I think maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ve found a woman just as amazing and one of a kind as Delilah, and I can’t wait to get home and pick up where we left off.
Chapter Seventeen
Lorelai
Dear Lorelai,
Okay, I got the full story and I think you’re going to love it. Jacob has ADHD, and during high school he didn’t do so well. He failed a lot, and people thought he was kind of an idiot. He was good at football, but that was about it. So he got paired up with Delilah for a senior science project. Apparently she was something like the unobtainable girl. Everyone wanted to date her, but she was too quiet and standoffish because she lost her father.
Anyway, they got paired up and this crazy thing happened. She opened up to him, which was unusual because she wouldn’t even talk to her own mother about her grief. He was just the person she needed to feel safe and able to express those feelings, and for him, she settled his nerves and helped him focus. One thing led to another, and they fell in love. He plans to propose to her after basic training.
He tells the story so much better. I hope I didn’t disappoint with my recap.
I thought I’d open with that to get you all warm and fuzzy inside before I drop the bomb on you. Sometimes we make plans and bulldoze ahead without prayer to guide us. Ever since I can remember, you’ve been hard-driven to become a veterinarian. I actually do think that’s what you love, but there are a lot of ways to treat animals without working for someone else. Owning your own clinic is one of them, but there are others options and other career paths you can choose.
I will always support you whatever you do, but I would pray and be patient. Maybe even research some things you can do outside of the ordinary. You might be surprised. Above all, pray Lorelai. You know where our strength comes from and what happens when we lose our trust.
There are great things ahead for you. I know it, but only time will show you what they are. I’m glad you’re working for Mom and Aunt Tress. I’m positive you’ll have a great time while you search for what will be fulfilling work. Don’t tell anyone, but I have a secret candy stash in the break room. Look on the bookcase behind the top shelf cookbooks. It’s in a paper bag, but don’t let Rose know it’s there or she’ll throw it away.
As for the getting to know you stages of dating, yeah, I’m glad we can skip that too. Still, there are things I want to share with you. Here’s one no one else knows. I mean no one. Not Viv, not Beck. No one.
I hate hockey.
Yep. I said it. At least, I used to. It’s grown on me, but I only joined the team because it was something I could do with Beck. When I got the captain’s position, I almost turned it down, then I worried that if they offered it to Beck, he’d see himself as second best. It was probably a weird take, but I couldn’t shakethe feeling that he’d feel like second fiddle to me. In truth, I think he probably did, anyway. At least, until Vivien.
I guess I ended up liking it okay. It was fun getting into trouble with him all the time, but if not for him, I never would have played. It only makes his injury worse, really. He lost something he really wanted, while I never wanted any part of it.
It’s crazy how life works out, isn’t it?
Well, I’m running short on time and need to get some sleep but I’ll leave you with this. We had to do the OC spray today, and I am here to tell you that it's true. It sucks.
