As it turned out, being in command of a unit also wasn’t just all busy work. I was busier than I’d ever been, but I still found time to speak to her as often as possible.
Time had morphed into one giant, sand-colored loop. According to the calendar I’d taped up on the first day, there were only twenty-five more days to go. Although the last five months had been without a doubt the best of my career, they’d sucked for my heart.
A helicopter whirred past overhead, interrupting my thoughts and reminding me that I was supposed to be in the middle of a training exercise. Eden ambled up to me with a knowing grin on his lips. “Spaced out, huh?”
“Yeah,” I admitted, lifting my cap off my head to swipe beads of sweat off my forehead. As I put it back on, I glanced into my friend’s green eyes. “Was it that obvious?”
“To me, yes.” He inclined his head toward Dave and the rest of our unit. “I doubt any of the others noticed. They’re working on their strategy for the invasion they have to stage in ten minutes.”
I smirked. “Whatever strategy they come up with, we’ll be ready for them.”
“Provided you stop pining.” He winked and clasped my shoulder. “Don’t get me wrong. I know you’ve been good about keeping your head in the game, but you’re going to need your focus today. These boys might just surprise you. You’ve trained them well.”
“We’ll see about that. I think the simulation exercise will be good for them either way. We’ve gotten Dave to learn when to joke around and when not to, and even Turner has learned how to assert himself. Now we just have to see how we all function together.”
Eden nudged me in the shoulder with his. “We all function like a well-oiled machine together thanks to you, and you know it. I think you’re just running this simulation to keep everyone busy while you fantasize about your girlfriend.”
“Fuck off.” I punched him in the bicep, but I couldn’t totally deny it. I knew my unit functioned like one that had been together for years. It wasn’t being immodest to admit it. We’d gotten enough compliments for me to know it wasn’t just my ego talking.
Apparently, once I’d started putting my unit together, we’d been labeled as the Misfit Team. Since I was perfectly happy being the leader of the misfits, I hadn’t argued about it. Besides, we were an odd bunch to have together.
When Charles had told me to pick my men, though, I’d known who I wanted. Dave and Turner, my cellmate and driver from Washington, had both agreed to be transferred. Eden had joined us the same day that his doctors had cleared him.
The others were all guys I’d worked with before, and every one of them had been happy to join my team. Within five short—though also excruciatingly long—months, Team Misfit had earned a lot of respect from the Navy.
Even Charles had contacted me to tell me how proud he was of me. Actually, he’d contacted me a lot.
“Isn’t that your father-in-law to-be?” Eden asked, pointing at a silver-haired figure climbing out of a Jeep. “Sure looks like him.”
I narrowed my eyes, putting my hand to the end of my cap as a shield to squint into the sun. “What the fuck? I think you’re right.”
Sure enough about a minute later, the figure was close enough that I could make out Charles’ features. It was difficult to know for sure, since the man was grinning instead of frowning, but I was ninety-percent sure that Sofia’s father was walking up to us.
He trained his eyes on me, holding out a hand as he came to a stop when he reached us. “Surprised?”
“Sure.” I grasped his hand firmly but then got even more surprised when he yanked me closer to him and gripped me in a one-armed hug. “What are you doing here?”
He let out a gruff chuckle. “I thought I’d stop by and see how you were doing.”
“Are you ever going to really retire?” I asked, but the corners of my lips refused to play along with the mock seriousness of my tone. “Or have you taken up golfing in Iraq as a hobby?”
Charles shrugged, smoothing out the white button-down shirt he was wearing. “I’m not golfing, but maybe I’ll look into it for my next trip. I’m heading back home tonight.”
“Did you really come all the way here just to check on me?” My brows rose before I leaned to the side to peer around him. “Any chance you brought Sofia with you?”
“Nope,” he said, fixing me with a strangely gentle look before shrugging again. “I started a consulting firm. Navy men have a hard time retiring and just sitting at home.”
“I can see that.” I frowned when I realized he kept looking at me in that weird way. “What’s up, old man? You’re kind of freaking me out a little bit.”
“Nothing is up,” he said, but his hazel eyes focused on a spot behind my shoulder for a moment. When his gaze came back to mine, the softness was gone but so was the hostility I’d gotten so used to. Then again, I hadn’t seen it since the day he’d sent me to the brig.
Suddenly, he reached into his pocket. “I have a delivery for you. It’s from Sofia.”
He withdrew a sleek, light blue envelope from his pocket. My heart started pounding as I took it from him, blood rushing in my ears. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.”
“She really misses you,” he said, so quietly that I almost missed it with Humvees, helicopters, and people all around us. I just managed to catch
