Colton Read online

  Whether I liked it or not.

  A promotion to Captain would keep him off my back for at least a couple of years, and would allow me the breathing room I needed to figure out my next move from there.

  “How old are you now, son?” Reeves asked, leaning forward, bracing his hands on his desk, mirroring my posture.

  “Twenty-seven. Almost twenty-eight.”

  Reeves laughed again, a gleam of understanding lighting up his eyes. “Same age as your old man when he got his Captain’s pin, huh?”

  I nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

  Reeves was still smiling, but his tone turned more serious as he continued, “Tell you what, I’ll shoot straight with you. You’re a good man, Hawk, you bust your ass for this unit, and you deserve to know the truth.” It took every drop of self-control to keep the heels of my boots from tapping the floor as I waited for his next words. “There is a Captain slot coming up in a few months. We’re making some internal changes to the unit, moving some people around. But—”

  My heart stilled from its frantic pounding, and started to slide down the wall of my chest, inching towards the pit in my stomach. “But?”

  “Your name hasn’t been thrown into the ring for the promotion.”

  My gut twisted, like little fingers had wrapped around my stomach and clenched tight. Suddenly, I had the urge to get up and leave, wanting to be anywhere but in Colonel Reeve’s office, hearing that my dream wasn’t even a realistic ambition.

  I nodded, my jaw set in a firm clench. I refused to show my emotions to my commanding officer. “I understand. Thank you for your candor, Colonel.” I slid forward in my chair, preparing to leave, when he stopped me.

  “Hold on, son. I told you I’d shoot straight, so let me finish,” Reeves said. “I said your name isn’t currently in the ring, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be. You gotta play your cards right.”

  I leaned forward again, my ears humming with anticipation, needing to hear every sound to make sure I didn’t miss a detail.

  “I can’t give away the names of the others in talks to get the promotion, but what I can tell you is what they have, that you currently don’t.”

  My brows furrowed together, unsure of his meaning. I knew for a fact that I led the other First Lieutenants within the unit in all test scores, performance, and amount of time spent overseas.

  “A wife. A family.” Reeves smiled at what I’m sure was a very colorful change of expression as I reared back in my seat.

  “But I—what does that—I don’t see how—” I sputtered, my emotions and thoughts rolling like a ship caught in a storm. “I’m sorry, Sir, I just don’t see how that could be considered a flaw. I’m focused on my career, I can get up and go anytime, anywhere, I have nothing holding me back!”

  Reeves nodded. “That’s all well and good, son, and remember, this is all off the record, under the table advice I’m giving you.” He gave me a pointed look, his meaning clear. What he was saying wasn’t meant to leave the confines of his office. I nodded, in silent agreement, and he continued, “The other candidates have wives, children. They’re out there right now with their families. This isn’t my personal view, but I’m not the only vote in the room. The other commanders want to see well-rounded candidates. Having a wife, kids, a home, it all works together to fill out your resume as a soldier. Those without families can sometimes be on the outside. Now, no offense, Hawk, but your reputation as a lone wolf—even though it’s effective as hell—isn’t going to take you all the way up the ranks like your old man.”

  Reeves’ words soaked into my mind little by little. My brain fought to repel each thought, with a rationalization as to why I was a better soldier as a single, unattached man, but I knew it didn’t matter, so I kept the arguments to myself. Reeves had already said he wasn’t the one making the calls, so any protests would fall on deaf ears.

  “So, what I suggest, you go down there to the BBQ, make a show of being involved, talk with the other families, hell, start asking the other wives and girlfriends if they know anyone available. Chances are that they could talk you up and score you some points before you even go on the date,” Reeves continued.

  “Sir?” I stared at him, unblinking. “Are you giving me dating advice?”

  Reeves held up his hands but his smile was all the answer I needed. “That’s all I have, Hawk. Take it or leave it, the choice is yours. Now, what do you say we go get some good old fashioned Southern BBQ?”

  Still shell shocked, I let Colonel Reeves lead the way to where the food was being served. I grabbed the plate he handed me, but barely registered what was being put on my plate as I made my way through the buffet line, each station there was someone on the other side of the table, plopping something onto my plate. I nodded an absent “Thank you” and kept going down the line, staring out at the other families. Babies were being passed around—some being held by their father for the first time—other, older children were running wild, hopping all over one another, dancing, and singing. Couples were snuggled together, fingers intertwined, on the benches of the picnic tables that had been brought in for the event.

  My gaze snagged on my father and mother, seated at a table with another couple across from them. My mother looked up and waved me over. I took the last scoop of food, grabbed a paper towel, and went across the room, calling back to fellow soldiers who hollered at me as I made my way.

  “Where have you been, Colton?” My mother asked, fussing over one of the patches on my ACU’s as soon as I sat down next to her on the bench. “We’ve been waiting all afternoon!”

  “I was speaking with Colonel Reeves,” I replied, hoping she didn’t ask me for any other details.

  “Well, you’re here now, I suppose.” She bit back her frustration and turned on the charm, as she gestured across the table to the other couple. “This is Darren and Lana Meyers.” I shook hands with them, not sure who they were, or why they were at the BBQ. Knowing my parents, they were a military family. All of their friends were somehow linked back to the military thanks to my father’s four decades of service—most of which had been spent living on Army bases where my mother filled their social calendar with other Army families.

  After the introductions, the conversation reverted back to what they’d been discussing before I joined them, and it wasn’t until after the Meyers excused themselves to go get seconds, did my father even acknowledge my presence at the table. He reached around my mother and extended a hand. “Good to see you, Son.”

  “You too, Dad,” I replied.

  “I was speaking with some friends and found a little tidbit for you,” he said.

  My mother stood up and climbed off the bench—a task made awkward by her fitted attire. “Oh, if you boys are going to talk shop, I’m going to get a slice of pie!”

  She left us to our talk, which amounted to my father filling me in on the rumor of a Captain’s slot opening within my unit. I nodded, playing along as though it was the first I’d heard of it, not breathing a word of my conversation with Colonel Reeves. Before my father could prod for my plan of action, my mother returned, and wedged herself back in between us at the table.

  “Now it’s my turn to share some gossip,” she said, smiling at me, ignoring my father completely. “Look over there, Colton,” she instructed, bobbing her chin back towards the tables where the food was set up. I saw the couple that had just been at the table with my parents, They’d moved back to the buffet tables and were speaking with a blonde woman who was wearing an apron. “That’s Darren and Lana’s daughter, Ruby!”

  I couldn’t help but groan, knowing exactly where the conversation was headed.

  My mother gave me a stern face and continued, “Darren and Lana own the BBQ shop that provided the meal, and their daughter, Ruby, came down from college to serve the meal to the troops. Isn’t that so sweet?”

  “Yes, Mother, it is, but if this is another one of your matchmaking efforts, I’m not interested…” My protest carried away as I remembered my
conversation with Colonel Reeves. I gave the girl a second glance. She was pretty, but looked a little too young. As I was studying her, she turned and smiled at me, offering a slight wave before going back to serving potato salad to the next soldier in line. “Does she know she’s here on some kind of set up?” I asked my mother.

  Her innocent shrug set off an alarm in my mind. I’d been back home for less than half a day and I was already being auctioned off to the first available co-ed. Great.

  “Are we interrupting?”

  I looked up at the familiar voice and smiled broadly at the faces of Lucas Sprigg and Miles Warren—two of my fellow soldiers, and best friends. “Not at all,” I answered, abandoning my meal and standing from the bench. I leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to the side of my mother’s temple, and nodded at my father. “Thanks for coming out today.”

  My mother looked annoyed, but I turned my back and made my escape, knowing I’d have to apologize later. She couldn’t stay mad at me for very long.

  “What was that all about?” Miles asked, still looking back at my parents.

  “I just ruined one of my mother’s surprise blind dates,” I answered, my voice still tinged with irritation.

  They both laughed and Lucas swung an arm around my shoulder. “Rough life huh, Hawk?”

  “You have no idea,” I muttered, debating when I should drop the bomb on them that I had a few months to find a wife if I had any chance at getting my promotion. As they dragged me out the door, they began a roaring debate about which bar to hit up first, I shoved it all to the back of my mind, deciding to worry about it in the morning.

  Chapter Three: Colton

  When my eyes peeled open the next day, the fragments of light filtering in through the slats in the mini blinds on my bedroom window were enough to fire up the migraine headache that was pulsing on either side of my head. I squeezed my eyes shut against the light and the pain, and rolled away from the window. God, why had I gotten so wasted?

  As my conscious mind stirred, I remembered going out with Lucas and Miles, we’d gone to Duke’s, one of our favorite bars. It wasn’t on the base, but it was always packed with soldiers. As a good chunk of us had just returned home, it was packed wall to wall, and ten times crazier than usual. But, that’s what we’d been counting on. The mission hadn’t been particularly stressful, it had actually been on the border of too calm, leaving too much downtime, which, with a group of pent up, homesick soldiers was never fun. People got edgy, and started picking fights for entertainment. I kept my team busy with workouts that guaranteed to not leave anyone with enough energy to stir up shit for no reason, but I only had sway over a small section of the unit.

  Miles and Lucas had been on the deployment with me, and although they were working their way up the ranks, neither of them had the same leadership role as I did, so each deployment for them was more like punching the clock and doing their job. They were more content to relax and let things happen. They didn’t see each tour as a stepping stone to the next wrung on the ladder. I’d grown up as a military brat, and my father had instilled in me from a very young age exactly what it took to navigate my way to the top.

  Once at Duke’s we’d had a few beers—followed by some shots at the request of a trio of beauty queen types who hung out at military bars when they wanted to get a little crazy. A request all three of us were happy to oblige. The blonde of the group—Leah—had locked me in her sights from the get go, and Miles and Lucas kept her two friends occupied while she worked her charms on me.

  I was still tracking it all back, wading through the memories, when the sound of footsteps had me bolting upright. I was halfway blinded by the pain between my eyes, but I made out the shapely form of a blonde striding back to my bed, her soft curves covered with the fabric of one of my old t-shirts.

  Leah.

  Shit.

  I hadn’t made it back to that part of my memory bank yet, but when I saw her, it all came slamming back. After I’d taught her some trick pool shots, she’d asked me about the tattoo on my arm, and after hearing the story of my Celtic knot—a tattoo that Miles, Lucas, and I all shared—she offered to show me her tattoo, on one condition, that I take her home with me.

  And there she was…as she slid into the bed beside me, I caught a glimpse of the mermaid tattoo that covered her right hip, as my t-shirt rode up her body.

  “Morning, handsome,” she purred, snuggling up to me as I slouched back down, laying on my back. “I borrowed your shirt, I hope you don’t mind.” She giggled softly and her lips teased the edge of my earlobe.

  “Not a problem.” I pressed my eyes closed, desperately craving another two or three hours of sleep, but as I relaxed my muscles, Leah’s hand slithered down my bare chest, past my waist…

  My eyes popped open again and Leah giggled. “Seems like you’re pretty happy to see me,” she teased. I looked down into her wide, blue eyes that shone with delight as she felt my reaction to her touch. She was a gorgeous girl, there was no doubt about it. But between my splitting headache, dry mouth, and jet lag, I wasn’t in the mood to pick up where we’d left off the night before.

  “Hey, listen, Leah,” I started, grabbing for her hand. I brought it back up to rest on my chest and rolled to my side to look her in the eye. “I had a great time last night, but I’m exhausted from the flight home. I’m not gonna be a lot of fun today. I’m probably gonna down a bunch of NyQuil and crash out again. I’m really sorry.”

  She batted her eyes for a moment and I nearly groaned, not wanting to explain it again. I’d already spelled it out quite plainly. After a moment, she pushed herself up and swung her legs out of bed. “I get it…” she said, her voice shaking. “I was just a good time, huh?” She stood and stooped over to gather her discarded clothes from the floor.

  “No, it’s not that—” I started, pushing up onto my elbows. I looked away as she stripped off my t-shirt, threw it unceremoniously onto the floor, and pulled on her jeans, bra, and t-shirt from the night before. “I just need some sleep, that’s all.”

  I glanced over at her as she was pulling on her shirt and couldn’t help but wish I hadn’t said anything as she turned back to face me, giving me a tantalizing view of her breasts in the black, lacy bra. I shook my head at the stupid game we were playing. Girls like Leah and her friends knew that going to an Army bar on a homecoming day was just a plan to get laid. Did they really think they were going to fall into a fairy tale romance by throwing themselves at a bunch of horny guys who just got back from living in the desert for six months?

  “It’s fine, Colton, you don’t have to explain.” She left the bedroom and I cursed under my breath as I got out of bed, slipped into my boxer briefs that were laying near the foot of the bed, and followed after her. She was in the living room, slinging her purse on her shoulder. At my appearance, she dug into her purse, and produced a business card. “Here, if you’re for real, then call me sometime.”

  I took the card and she slipped out the front door of my small, two-bedroom home. I sighed as the door shut and looked down at the glossy card between my fingers:

  Leah Humphrey

  Esthetician

  Ladies First Day Spa

  I set the card on the side table near the couch on my way back to my bedroom, knowing I might as well throw it in the trash because I wouldn’t be calling her. I ignored the guilty pit in my stomach feeling, and gingerly crawled back under the covers and surrendered to the sweet call of sleep.

  * * * *

  Things didn’t get better when I woke up the second time. I spent the afternoon at the lake, drinking a large coffee and waiting for the final edges of my headache to ebb away. Just when I was starting to get out of my groggy, zombie state, my cell phone rang. My mother was on the other end, inviting me to a family dinner to welcome me back home properly, since I “ran out” on her and my father the day before. She posed the invitation like a question, something like “would you be able to come?” but we both knew it wasn’t optional. It wa
s my punishment for being a bad son and ditching them at the BBQ. There wasn’t a way for me to sidestep the dinner without repercussions in the form of family drama and guilt trips for the next several months.

  So, at five o’clock, I found myself pulling up the long driveway that led to my parent’s estate, a few towns away from where I lived on base. When I parked, I took note that both of my brother’s vehicles were already present. Jeff, my older brother, would be inside with Tina, his wife, and their twin daughters, Sophie, and Sammie. Then, Lyle, my younger brother, would be there, likely with his long-term girlfriend, Lacey.

  I sighed as I got out of the car, pausing to grab the bottle of wine I’d brought along. As I made my way up the paver lined walkway, up to the sprawling front porch, I mentally made a wager, betting that the blonde girl from the BBQ would be inside—or, at the very least—I would be given her phone number with strict instructions to call her by the end of the week. My mother had been on a mission to get me married off for years now. I had no idea why it mattered so much to her, she already had two grandkids, and most people who knew Lyle and Lacey expected a diamond ring to drop right around the same time as the New Year’s Eve Ball come December.

  “I thought I heard you pull up!” My mother called out, appearing at the top of the steps. “Come on, don’t dawdle! It’s your party after all,” she said, waving me up the steps.

  I handed her the bottle of wine and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “Thanks for putting this together.” She led me inside, prattling on and on about the vintage of the wine I’d given her. She stopped when we reached the formal living room which was filled with loud conversation. “Look who I found!” My mother announced to the room.

  Which—thankfully—did not seem to include the blonde debutante from the day before.

  “Hey there little bro!” Jeff boomed, getting up and offering me a handshake, turned hug. Sophie and Sammie took that as their cue to tackle me, chanting “Uncle Hawk, Uncle Hawk!”