Chapter 13 #2
Jerry looked at his watch. “Nah. I concede. Split up my stuff. I’m going to pick Olive up and take her home.”
“Oh! Man down! Man down!” Brock teased.
“Her knight in shining pickup truck,” Fisher grinned, slapping him on the back. “Be careful. Call if you need us to get you out of a ditch or something. We’ll send a Chinook.”
“Yeah. You know they did that back in the late 80s once.” Jerry put his cap on and checked his pockets to make sure he had gloves.
Fisher said, “Not completely sure you have the same amount of stars on your shoulder boards to merit that kind of treatment, Sergeant First Class.”
“Est quod est.” Jerry quoted the Latin for it is what it is. “And it’s ‘promotable.’ Sergeant First Class promotable. It’s going to take an hour to de-ice the truck.”
“I’d help, but…” They walked outside, and Brock looked up at the sky. The snow had slowed down considerably. “Well, you know, it’s cold out here, bro.”
Jerry laughed and waved them on, then carefully walked out of the courtyard and over to the parking lot.
He used his key fob to remote-start the truck, then went up to his room.
He’d give it about five or ten minutes to heat the windows from the heater inside the truck before he attempted to get the ice cleared.
Clarksville, Tennessee
Casablanca’s black-and-white glow danced across her living room as Olive snuggled closer into Jerry’s side. The empty soup bowls that had contained leftover chicken noodle she’d made Wednesday sat stacked on the coffee table, a faint thyme taste lingering in her mouth.
She tilted her head, studying him. She liked the shape of his face, the beard that covered his jaw, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled.
In the weeks since Christmas, she’d relished every moment spent with him and wanted more and more.
She shouldn’t have accepted his offer to come get her.
She should have just stayed put. But the thought of another day not seeing him had not appealed.
“Still can’t believe you drove through that,” she murmured, her Alabama drawl soft against the film’s dialogue.
Jerry’s grin flashed, dry and quick. “Four-wheel drive’s no joke. Couldn’t leave you stranded. Plus, I missed this.” His fingers brushed her arm, sparking warmth under her sweater.
She smiled, snuggling closer. “Well, you are certainly my hero.”
The movie rolled on. Rick and Ilsa at the airport, tension in the scene thick.
They would always have Paris. Olive enjoyed the layers of solid muscle and the heat of his body beneath his clothes as she snuggled into him.
Yet despite his raw strength, each time he made contact with her to stroke her arm or tuck her hair back, his touch felt so gentle, as if petting a newborn kitten.
Jerry shifted, his voice low. “Speaking of not leaving people behind—Phil called this afternoon.”
“Ozzy?” She perked up, remembering the time years before when she had met Phil Osbourne and all the stories Jerry had told her about his team’s former medic.
“Yeah. He and Melissa set the date. They’re getting married on a cruise in May.”
“A cruise?” She shifted so she could face him fully. The movie droned on, but she wasn’t paying attention anymore. “Seems like an odd venue for former SF. Kind of a closed-in environment.”
He chuckled. “I thought the same thing. And no weapons. The security on a cruise ship is serio dicere.”
“What?”
“Oh. That was from the philosopher Seneca. Serio dicere. Meaning to be taken very seriously. Cruise ship security is no joke.” He enjoyed her curiosity and her fearlessness in asking for clarification.
“Showing off again, soldier?”
He chuckled. “More like I feel comfortable being myself with you.”
She felt heat rush up her neck into her cheeks and squeezed him tighter. His body felt so hard and strong. And warm. “Never been on a cruise. Seems odd to have the ceremony on a ship, too, really.”
“Phil has his reasons.”
“What reasons?”
He shook his head. “Not my reasons to tell.” His hand began rubbing lazy circles on her back. “We’re all invited.”
Curiosity made her want to know more, but she didn’t push. “A cruise is expensive.”
“His dad’s covering our tickets and travel.
From the chatter on the group chat Phil created, most of us who served with him are invited.
Our team went through a lot. We’re close.
I think his dad knows that and wants to bring his extended family there to represent.
” He brushed a hair off her cheek in a gentle manner that made her heart skip.
“So, anyway, how would you like to go with me? Be my plus one?”
The idea of being isolated with Jerry for a week, surrounded by the people he loved and respected, getting to know them in a unique way sounded very appealing. She studied his face, searching for any indication he didn’t mean it. She found none. “I would love to. When are the dates?”
They discussed minor details, then settled back on the couch for the rest of the movie.
When the credits rolled, she glanced at the clock—11:47 PM.
No wonder she kept having to fight off yawns.
She used the remote to turn the television off and disengaged herself from his arms. She stood and stretched her back.
“It’s late. The roads are probably still bad.
You’re welcome to sleep on the couch if you want. ”
Jerry stared at her, his expression thoughtful and introspective. “Well, that’s a very tempting offer.” He stood with her and pulled her to him. “I appreciate it, Captain, ma’am, but I think I will respectfully decline. For now.”
As much as she wanted to dismiss his concerns, she understood them. Still, she felt a twinge of rejection. “Okay.”
He cupped her cheek with his palm, his eyes darkening. Suddenly, her mouth went dry and her pulse started to pound. When he spoke, she somehow knew what he would say. “Olive, listen,” His voice dropped, raw. “I’m in love with you.”
That tiny little twinge of rejection vaporized. Quick tears burned her eyes. “I—” She took a deep breath, and spoke through the joy that burst from her heart. “I love you, too.” It spilled out, deep and true. How could she feel this strongly after such a short amount of time? It didn’t make sense.
His lips found hers, warm, the kiss holding a promise. She melted into it, fingers running through his beard then curling into his hair, breathing in his scent, until he eased back, forehead resting on hers. “Yeah. So, I won’t be staying. I better leave right now.”
She bit back the temptation to once more extend an invitation they might both regret. Instead, she smiled. “Drive safe. Let me know when you get there.”
After one last, soft kiss, he grabbed his coat. She stood at the door, listening to his boots crunching their way out to his truck.