Chapter 2
TWO
Austin
I HELD THE DOOR OPEN as Jesse and the dream girl entered the brick-faced campus building.
One gust of air from the glass door was all it took to blow her honey-blonde hair out of her face, revealing eyes so light brown that the only thing holding their irises together was the golden ring encircling them.
Their innocence was the sole factor keeping my professionalism intact because, my God, she was gorgeous.
A spark of heat lit something within me that had lain dormant for far too long when I realized, on the lawn, that she might have been the Jesse I’d been talking to through email about joining the service.
Disappointment quickly extinguished that flame the moment I realized that name belonged to the all-American-looking prick who’d rammed into her like she was invisible.
How the hell could she be invisible to anyone?
Especially someone like him, who had a real chance at making her his?
Maybe ramming into her from behind was his pathetic attempt at one day ramming into her from behind.
I didn’t know her name, but I wished it started with the letter M and ended with an I-N-E.
Instead, it felt like her name started with an H and ended with an I-S.
“As I mentioned, I ship out tomorrow for my new duty station, so excuse the chaos,” I reiterated, making eye contact with the overflowing cardboard box of office belongings and other scattered items I hoped weren’t overly noticeable.
The only possession I truly cared about in the box was the pewter-framed photo set on top—the one of my grandparents on their wedding day.
I’d displayed it in every office I worked in since I’d pulled it off the wall in their house, where it lived for over fifty years.
It was one of the things that kept me grounded whenever the need arose.
Whenever I wished the most remarkable people I knew—the ones who had raised me in place of my shitty birth parents—were still alive.
Embarrassed to show off the sparse, makeshift cubicle I worked from on campus-event days, I walked Jesse and someone I would love to impress right into it.
My new office would be much more suitable for someone of my rank.
Someone who had already dedicated eight years of his life to serving his country.
I sat. Jesse sat. But she stood frozen. The pair hadn’t shared a word or touched since entering the building, meaning they weren’t comfortable together.
Were they even friends? Or was their collision their meet-cute?
I sincerely fucking hoped not. Jesse’s casual use of the term first date proved how unprepared he was for what was to come.
“Please, have a seat and join us, Ms. …” I hinted, motioning toward the remaining tired chair that had seen more ass in its day than I had in my lifetime.
If I had the time, I could turn that old piece of oak into something worth displaying.
Helping anything become the best it could be was something I loved doing.
Her petite-up-top, curvy-down-below frame settled into the chair gracefully before she responded with an angelic, “My name is Elle.”
What a name. Different without being weird.
Her voice matched her dainty, manicured hands.
She placed a gray backpack and a stack of books on the carpet beside her.
Based on their thickness and the various mental health titles decorating their spines, she was a studious little thing, perhaps a psychology major.
My uniform pants tightened as I continued inspecting her. Intelligent women got my blood pumping.
Everything about her—from her relaxed makeup to the overstuffed backpack—told me she took her education seriously.
I cleared my throat in response to the heat the thought lifted to my face.
Thankfully, it was loud enough to ward off the almost blush I was conditioned to rarely let through.
What was it about her that made it so difficult for me to stay focused? Better yet, what wasn’t it about her?
“Thank you for being here today, Elle. I’m sure it means a lot to Jesse here,” I said. A glance in his direction was all the attention I gave the young man I was almost jealous of. Not because of his looks, but because of his accessibility to her. “It’s nice to meet both of you,” I continued.
Jesse’s leg bobbed against the underside of the modest desk we’d gathered around. Elle didn’t appear to detect it, but he couldn’t hide it from me. He was nervous, fidgety even.
For very different reasons than I was.
He was also less experienced at hiding it from a trained eye. I’d had an early childhood filled with reasons to suppress my emotions. Had he?
“I know we hashed out the details via email, but would you mind walking me through everything one last time?” Jesse asked, cooly voicing the reassurance he needed—a trend common among young students about to sign away years of their lives.
He slickly ran his hand through his hair like my response wouldn’t matter. We both knew better.
“Of course,” I assured him.
Elle now had a notebook and a pencil in her lap. What did she need them for? I’d never been more curious. Her feet bounced lightly on the carpet, vibrating her body. My mind couldn’t sit still either, latching on to every subtle movement she produced.
Recapturing my focus on the reason for our meeting, I continued, “The Navy has a limited number of grants it offers to local students who have two years or less remaining in their degree programs. If you sign a four-year agreement today, they’ll agree to pay for the remainder of your college courses and on-campus housing until you graduate.
Once you graduate, you’ll immediately be shipped to the Waulumbee Shoreside Training Center in Illinois for a twelve-week boot camp stay.
After completion, you’ll continue rate-specific training depending on your job placement.
” The rehearsed words flowed robotically, like they’d done hundreds of times before.
“At the end of your four years serving, you can either reenlist or get out and wipe your hands clean of the Navy.” I finished my spiel with a smile, waiting for Jesse to process his reality.
A dry swallow fell down his throat.
What would that noise sound like, coming from her throat instead? Down, boy.
“If I sign, is there anything I’d need to do to prepare or remain in good standing before then?” Jesse broke my fantasy, his concern transparent.
“You’ll need to be cleared through medical to ensure you meet the health requirements for entry.
You’ll also have regular checkups at the local hospital to make certain no new medical issues arise.
Anything the Navy determines as detrimental would result in immediate termination of the agreement,” I clarified.
Jesse nodded in understanding. Elle listened intently, tucking a few strands of her hair behind her ear.
“You’ll also be required to meet the same physical entrance requirements as other recruits, but you look like you’ll have no issue with that.”
“I’d hope not. With the amount of physical activity I partake in, I should set the damn entrance requirements.” The tone of his voice told me he was proud to be a womanizer. It told me all that I needed to know about the boy.
The smaller, more athletic guys, like Jesse, could pass physical fitness tests with flying colors.
In my opinion, the entry standards had become too easy.
My height, muscle, and bulk had slowed me down back when I joined.
It was challenging, training to get my run times where they needed to be.
I hadn’t been the fastest, but I didn’t need to be because I prided myself on being among the strongest. Stronger than Jesse could ever hope to be, regardless of what he considered to be physical activity, which, if my gut was correct, was something that lasted no more than three minutes.
“So, if I sign today, when exactly would I ship out for boot camp?” Jesse leaned forward and placed both elbows on my desk.
Elle’s eyes narrowed, her gaze zeroing in on my mouth. Was she that interested in what I had to say? A deep exhale preceded my response.
“Based on the course review sent in by your academic advisor, you’re set to graduate in December 2011. That means you would be headed north in January 2012,” I confirmed.
“Two more years of freedom? Everything paid for? I can handle that.” He chuckled before leaning back.
Poor Elle’s complexion lightened. Her breathing froze. Her legs stilled. It was obvious she grasped the power of Jesse’s decision far more than he seemed to be doing.
Once an agreement was signed, there was no wiggle room for getting out of it, except in cases of medical necessity.
I assumed Jesse’s need to pay for the rest of his time at CPC was stronger than his hesitation to join the Navy, much like the other students lucky enough to snag a grant.
Opportunities like the one I’d presented to him weren’t offered often. He’d be crazy not to take it.
But he’d be crazier not to take it seriously.
“You’re good at this, bro, a real straight shooter. I have all the information I need. Let’s do it …” Jesse’s empty stare ran past me, like he was only pausing to convince Elle and me that he was finalizing the decision in his head.
Surely, it had been on his mind since our first email. I hoped so anyway, for his sake.
Once he signed his agreement and the Band-Aid was ripped off, maybe the weight of his future would hit him. Until then though, he’d probably continue down the path of the three p’s—parties, pussy, and pretending to give a fuck about anyone but himself.