Chapter 32 The Alarm
THE ALARM
ZEKE
I always assumed when the time came and I received orders to my next duty station, I would be methodical and organized while packing my belongings.
I didn’t have much anyway since I still lived in the barracks and all my furniture had been provided by the Army.
Unlike other soldiers, I didn’t want to clutter the space with stuff I knew I’d have to move eventually so I made do with whatever had been provided.
Organizing all my gear took the most amount of time, a grand total of two and a half hours.
With it being Maggie’s last night in River’s Run, I didn’t want to bother her.
Saying goodbye to Marla and Celeste would probably be really emotional and I didn’t need to get in the way of that.
I still missed her, though. I could imagine the way her nose would crinkle at the stack of library books I needed to take back, or how she would laugh at the knowledge that I didn’t even own a television.
She probably expected me to own a lot more clothing than just the three boxes stacked in the corner.
I’d be surprised if all her clothes even fit on the plane to Korea.
Life was a blank, beige canvas until Maggie streaked through in all her technicolor glitter. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Other than a room inspection, I couldn’t recall a single time I had a visitor. Maybe Maggie missed me as much as I missed her and she decided to join me. I certainly wouldn’t mind the alone time with her.
One of the soldiers from my unit who I’d barely ever spoken to stood at my door, Specialist Brandon Sparks.
Everyone called him Sparky. If he and I lived outside of the Army, we wouldn’t have a single reason to interact.
Whereas I considered myself to be rather quiet and reserved, Sparks was all flash and attention.
We frequently saw each other at the gym, and I knew he could bench more than I could, but he had a much leaner physique than I did.
To my knowledge, he hadn’t renewed his contract and would be getting out of the Army soon to return to his home state of California.
His tan skin and bright blue eyes made him the perfect SoCal stereotype—and definitely a Sparky.
“Hi, Sergeant,” he said, glancing around the room behind me. “I heard congratulations are in order.”
I frowned. “Can I help you with something?”
Sparks shrugged nonchalantly. “Just wanted to lay eyes on the girl everyone’s talking about.”
“Everyone’s talking about a girl? You mean Maggie?” She was the only woman I really knew, after all.
“Is that your wife?”
I nodded, trying not to puff out my chest as I’d been wanting to do all afternoon.
“Then yeah, that’s who everyone’s talking about.” He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms, eyes twinkling like he found the whole exchange funny. Based on the little I knew about the guy, he probably did. “Is that how you got that shiner?”
“What?” Yeah, I wouldn’t be taking headshots any time soon, but my face didn’t look that bad. Just a little red and tender. I’d looked worse after a long day in the field.
Sparks held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying. If people were talking about my wife like that, I’d have to shut them up.”
“I don’t want anybody talking about Maggie. Tell them to stop.” My frown grew deeper.
Sparks shrugged again. “You have a hot wife, you give the guys something to talk about. I don’t make the rules.”
“There aren’t any rules about this, Specialist,” I scoffed. This guy could fuck right off. “Go back to your room. And tell all the soldiers you’re reporting to that I have every right to make them do pushups until their arms break.”
The twinkle in Sparks’ eye grew brighter, as if my challenge excited him.
“Will do, sir. Congratulations again. Give my best to the missus.” He sauntered off down the hall, hands casually in his jean pockets like he didn’t have a care in the world.
Which, I reminded myself, he didn’t since I would be gone by tomorrow and his contract was about to end with Army.
Fucking prick.
Now that the image was in my head, I couldn’t get rid of it. Creepy men ogling Maggie like Peeping Toms. Stupid, immature soldiers catcalling her as she walked around post…like those men at the party where we first met.
Or that jackass who claimed she owed him money. The jackass who was currently in River’s Run with her while I holed up in my room.
Screw her space. Maggie needed to stay by my side. Even an arm’s length was a step too far.
Sighing, I grabbed my truck keys and prayed my cave man act didn’t piss her off.