Page 15 of Operation Rescue
“I come running.” He smiled, a little crookedly. “A little lopsided, but running.”
She shook her head. “Men. It’s amazing how you can do that, just drop into each other’s lives after months, even years, and pick up as if nothing’s changed.”
He studied her for a moment. Then let out a compressed breath. And when he spoke, she couldn’t help thinking there was something deeply personal in what he said. “And I don’t get how women have to do constant maintenance. But I guess I’d better learn.”
“Someone you need to get to know?” It was a guess, but she would have bet money she was right.
“Someone I’ve known for a long time, loved for a long time. But…we fell apart years ago. Because of me.”
She sensed there was something more. “But?”
He smiled then, widely, warmly, and it changed everything about him. “We’ve put it back together. Stronger this time.” He held her gaze a moment before saying quietly, “It can be done. Even if the breach is…huge.”
She knew that was aimed at her. But she shook her head. “Too much damage.”
“That’s what I thought, too.”
She tilted her head as she studied him. She wouldn’t have expected this man to be so…open with someone he didn’t even know. But maybe this was part of the debt he felt he owed Blaine. She was getting the feeling there wasn’t much this man wouldn’t do to help.
But he couldn’t help with this. She hadn’t just broken up their marriage, she’d shattered it.
“I was young,” she said, unable to stop it from pouring out. “I’d always loved Blaine, and I had some silly ideas about being married to a pilot. The pride, the…the glamour, I guess. Before I realized what came with it, the constant fear.”
“Being a military wife is a job like no other.”
She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was…unusual for this man. He clearly wasn’t saying all this easily. She could almost feel he was having to work at opening up like this, but yet he was doing it.
“It is a job,” she agreed.One I wasn’t very good at.
“Especially when there are children involved.”
She sighed. “Yes. And now they both hate me. Blaine and Ethan.”
“You’re wrong,” the man said, a little gruffly. She stared at him. “This isn’t my business, but I’ve been there, so I’m going to say this and then shut up. Blaine feels a lot of things about you, but I guarantee hatred isn’t one of them.”
She couldn’t miss the utter certainty in the man’s voice and expression.I’ve been there…
“The one you put it back together with?” she said softly. “She’s a lucky woman.”
“I’m the lucky one,” he said, just as softly, although she guessed his earlier gruff tone was more the norm for him.
Just then Blaine emerged from the hallway. He had something in his hand but she couldn’t see what it was.
“What stuff did he take? And what did he put it in?”
She blinked. “What?”
“A pile of schoolbooks was dumped in the closet. Did he have a backpack for those?”
“I…yes. A blue one.” She should have mentioned that. At the moment she was just surprised that he’d figured that out.
“What’s missing?”
“What?”
His voice took on that tone of extra patience, and she didn’t blame him this time. She was so rattled she wasn’t thinking straight.
“What things did he take with him?”
