Chapter 13
13
OWEN
Following a slightly awkward breakfast at Jade’s, as Gregor’s eyes bore through me like a heated fire poker from across the circular dining table, Mari, Poppy, and I then waved Jade and Gregor off as they jumped into their bus to take them onto base for the rest of the day.
Gregor dropped me a text as soon as he was seated, with a very stern threat of don’t fuck this up , then glared at me through the window as they drove off.
I have no intention of fucking anything up with her, but I love how protective he is of his boss and little Poppy. Or maybe he’s just thinking of himself and his job. Either way, it’s sweet of him, and I’ll have to rib him later and let him know how cute he is being, trying to protect Jade’s heart.
As the bus disappeared out of sight, Mari suggested she come with me so that she could watch Jade and Gregor in action, too.
Buzzing with excitement, we were ready within an hour.
I offered to drive, and Mari and I made the half-hour trip to camp, with Poppy chattering away, buckled into her car seat in the back of Gregor’s worn-out jeep that feels like it’s going to tip over around every corner. He has really shitty taste in cars, or a shitty budget to rent one. Either way, the jeep is far from ideal or safe to drive a baby around in, and I might just mention that to him when he returns from work later.
I texted Blake before we left the villa, and we met at the gates, then followed her up the two-mile corridor of road, from the guard room up over the hill, where a vast airfield and full working air base came into view.
My mouth dropped open at the enormous space I did not know existed until a week ago. Hundreds of military family homes, a petrol station, supermarket, bars, restaurants, swimming pools, even beaches, and its very own airport; it’s like a village within a village.
Given full access to the briefing before the aerobatic team flew, I couldn’t take my eyes off Jade. Fascinated by her assertiveness, and the way she commanded a room, I listened intently, hanging on to every word she said.
Ever the professional, in the zone and not distracted by my presence or her mom and daughter, she ran through their choreography with precision, making my heart swell with pride, making me want to yell from the top of my lungs, She’s mine .
She’s breathtakingly fierce and fearless; a goddamn goddess.
Obviously sensing how I felt, Mari gave my hand a little squeeze, letting me know she felt the same amount of pride as I did.
When the briefing was over, and the team dispersed, then and only then did she come over to kiss Poppy on the cheek and say hello, informing us she could only spare a few minutes as she had her flight suit to put on.
The moment she gave me a farewell kiss, the infamous Cobra appeared in the doorway asking what she would like for lunch, displeasure written all over his face.
Now I know how he got his nickname. I swear he was imagining sinking his prominent fang-like canines into my jugular as his nose flared and jaw twitched. The snake tattoo on his forearm tensed as he clenched his fist by his side.
Oblivious to his obvious dislike of me, or maybe she was aware and choosing to ignore it, Jade introduced me as Gregor’s cousin, blushing, as if desperate to give a label to what we are and inform him we’re a thing, whatever that thing might be.
He shook my hand, almost breaking it as he squeezed tightly, but I didn’t flinch, showing him I was unaffected by his strength.
Fuckwit.
Side-eyeing me with disdain, Cobra instructed Jade that she was to stay back after flying today as he had important matters to discuss and that he would personally drop her off at the villa afterward.
Slimy fucker.
She replied, telling him that Blake would also join them, as she had a couple of media ideas she wanted to discuss too.
It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as I thought about her being vulnerable or scared around him, and what I would do to protect her from him.
Thirty minutes later, I’m standing with an entourage of press and spectators, on the furthest point of the base, way up high on the cliffs of the peninsula, watching in awe as Jade, and the team, in tight formation, roll, corkscrew, and zoom through the air in a series of moves and steep turns over the Mediterranean Sea.
Mari taps me on the forearm. “Could you hold Poppy for me? She’s getting very heavy. ”
“Of course.” I lift Poppy into my arms and point at the red planes as they fly toward us.
Knowing she can’t hear me from under the noise protectors that are keeping her tiny ears safe from the noise, I still say, “Here they come, Popsicle. Are you ready?”
At supersonic speed, the jets fly straight for us, then snap out of formation to create something that looks like a firework of planes in the sky as they change course, flying from horizontal to vertical in the blink of an eye. The screeching noise they create shakes the cliffs underfoot, rattling every bone in our bodies.
Poppy gleefully claps her hands, completely mesmerized by it all. Clearly having been exposed to this lifestyle since the day she was born, she is not one bit fazed by the speed of the jets or the overwhelming sound. She might very well be a little daredevil herself.
Blake walks toward us across the rubble-topped cliffs. “That was the final maneuver. You ready to go?” She smiles, pushing her sunglasses on top of her head. “They did great today.”
“Her display was perfect.” Mari makes an okay sign with her hand using her thumb and forefinger.
“She had nothing to worry about.” Blake pushes her arm out as if she’s a teapot to escort Mari over the uneven ground.
Mari accepts, then she chuckles. “Except she did anyway. She always does with her routines and her team,” she says, now walking toward Blake’s sturdy four-wheel-drive jeep she brought us up the steep cliffs in.
I listen in, fascinated by Jade’s apparent under-confidence in her ability, and clearly only sharing that with loved ones. She should never doubt herself and I make a mental note to tell her that later because she was awesome, both in commanding her team and in the sky. I look up into the expanse of bright blue sky, Poppy’s electric copper hair catching my attention.
“Shall we take these off?” I pull off her ear protectors.
“Momma?” she asks.
“Flying. Up there in the sky.” I point above.
Poppy’s gummy smile lights up her whole face. Then she babbles away as if chatting to me about the weather. She’s so freaking cute in her blue gingham dress with gold pineapples embroidered on it.
I answer her constant chatter, pretending to have a conversation about the display and how hot it is today, then ask her if she wants to go for a swim when we go back to the villa, and I take the way she grabs on to the back of my hair and pulls it as a firm yes.
As we reach Blake’s car, both she and Mari are staring at me like I’ve grown two heads.
“Everything okay?” I ask, worried I’ve done something wrong.
“Yeah, great.” Shaking her head, almost as if in disbelief, Mari’s eyes shift between me and Poppy.
“Everything’s perfect.” Blake sighs blissfully. “Just?—”
“Perfection.” Mari finishes her sentence.
Not understanding what they mean, I ignore their weird behavior, strap Poppy into her car seat, and then jump in the back with her as Mari and Blake buckle themselves into their seats up front.
“Right, little Pop-a-doodle,” I say, sounding like we have an important mission. “We have swimsuits to locate, sun cream to apply, just like your nana taught me, and then we are going to do some huge zoomies in the air, just like Mommy’s plane. Yeah? Maybe we should stop and get that giant inflatable duck with the cool sunglasses we saw at the shop on the way here. What do you think?” Poppy grabs my hand when I hold it up. I was expecting her to high five me, but, instead, she holds on to my thumb and doesn’t let go.
“I’ll take that as a yes then, Popsicle.” I chuckle, turning to face the front, curious why we are the last car to leave the cliffs, only to find Blake and Mari’s heads twisted around between the space of passenger and driver’s seats watching me.
“Do I have something on my face?” I pull my hand to my cheek, dusting whatever it is away.
“No. Not at all.” Mari’s smile broadens. “You’re just really great with her. It’s lovely to watch.”
“You’re very cute with her,” Blake says, making me scrunch my nose up.
“Cute? I’m not cute.” I make light of her comment, flippantly scoffing.
Asshole? Yes. Cute, most definitely not.
“You are with her.” Mari nods in Poppy’s direction.
I slowly turn to look at Poppy and she’s looking back at me with adoration written all over her face, as if I stole the moon out of the sky for her, and my heart swells in a way I’m not familiar with.
What the hell is that feeling?
I reach for my chest with my free hand, laying it over my tee shirt as my heart pounds against my ribcage.
“She likes you, Owen, and you are a natural with her.” With love-filled eyes, Mari stares at her granddaughter. “Much better than her own father,” she mutters under her breath.
In a heartbeat, Poppy’s face changes, turning bright red.
“What’s wrong?” I panic. She looks like she’s choking.
“Oh, she’s doing a poo.” Mari’s amusement is clear in her tone as she turns to face the windscreen.
Giving her privacy, I look away too, a laugh bubbling in my chest. “Well, that’s not very ladylike, is it?” I stare out of the car window, inwardly replaying Mari’s words.
Trying not to overthink what this all means, I brush them off and say, “I’m gonna call you Poopy instead of Poppy from now on,” making Mari and Blake chuckle.
I twist my neck to look at Poppy.
Me, a stepdad?
I’ve never considered it before.
Until now.