CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Saturday, September 30th
Brooke sat at one of the tables along the sidewalk and waited for Piper to arrive. They had chosen the Islander Restaurant for lunch because it was close to a cute clothing shop. Desperately in need of a wardrobe update, Brooke had roped her best friend into helping her choose some new things.
As she took a sip of her iced tea, she heard her phone ping, alerting her that she’d received a text. Flipping it over, she read the message Frisco had sent and felt a silly smile begin to form. How sweet of him to let her know he was looking forward to their date. She heard her name and looked up to see Piper striding in her direction with her long blonde hair flying behind her. “Hello.”
“Sorry I’m late. Did you order already?”
“No.” She stood and embraced her friend. “Thanks for coming to the island today.”
“My pleasure. I’m so darn excited that you want to go shopping that I’d have gone to Orange County if you asked.”
“Are my clothes that bad?”
Piper took her hand and nodded gravely. “Yes.”
“Thanks for holding back and sparing my feelings,” Brooke responded as they walked inside to place their orders.
“You haven’t had a reason to update your look until now, and I’m happy that you want to.”
“I don’t see why I can’t wear one of my caftans.”
“Those are perfect in Africa; however, they are not what you should be wearing on your first real date in years.”
“Which is why I need your help.”
Piper kissed her cheek. “Anytime.”
“What are you going to have?”
“Hard to decide. I love these new gourmet fast food places that have popped up, because they have so many healthy options.”
“I’m going to have the fish and chips.”
“How long do you think it will take you to get your fill of American fries?”
Shrugging, Brooke looked over and smiled. “Forever.”
“That’s what I thought.”
They ordered their meals, went out front and grabbed a table under an umbrella. “So, what have you been doing all week?”
“Cleaning out my little bungalow and reading. The downtime has been fantastic, and I’m starting to feel like my old self.”
Brooke studied her friend and asked, “In what way?”
“I’m happy, and I’m appreciating all the small things in life like quiet, a clean bed, and a hot cup of coffee. Things I probably never valued until we went abroad.”
“Do you think you’ll ever want to go back?”
“Not sure,” Piper replied. “Never say never, but my next job is going to be stateside. I’m thinking of looking for something in a clinic where I can use my training in psychiatry.” Running her hand over the table, she shrugged. “Anything after Chad is going to be easy. Treating all those women and children who were abused day in and day out wore me out.”
“Me too,” Brooke replied. Their number was called for their order, and Brooke stood. “I’ll grab it.”
“Thank you.”
As she walked into the restaurant, she noticed how lethargic she felt and decided she could no longer ignore the signs. As much as she wanted to put it off, she knew she couldn’t, because if she thought what was happening actually was, every minute counted. Taking the tray off the counter, she decided that she would call for an appointment on Monday.
Piper gave her a look when she returned, and Brooke lifted her shoulder in question. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re not telling me something.”
“Mind reading is bad manners,” Brooke replied as she set the plates down.
“No, it’s not.” Pointing her finger, she swirled it around. “Spill, sister.”
“Well…”
“Oh my God, Frisco turned out to be a total dud in bed after all.”
“No!” Spreading her napkin on her lap, she frowned.
“He suggested something really crazy with a sex swing, and you said no.”
“Piper, what have you been watching on Netflix?”
“You can tell me, or I can just keep guessing.” She lifted her fork and speared her crab cake. “It’s up to you.”
“I’ve been really tired since we got home and…”
“Maybe it’s nothing more than malaria flaring up again.”
“That’s what I’m hoping. Or maybe I got infected with hepatitis E when we were in Am Timan.”
“Or you have a perfectly normal parasite feeding off your body.”
“Any of those are possibilities.”
Piper lifted Brooke’s hand and squeezed. “It’s not the other. No way would God send that back your way.”
Nodding, she smiled. “Absolutely.” She lifted a fry and dipped it into the tartar sauce next to her fish. “Should I get a dress for tonight, or is that too much?”
Piper stared down at her plate and then wiped her cheek quickly with a napkin and cleared her throat. “I think a romper would be perfect, because it’s sexy and won’t make it look like you’re trying too hard.”
“Don’t you cry, Piper. Buck up and paste a happy smile on that face of yours, because it’s your job to be positive. Everyone knows I suck at it, so start spreading all that schmaltzy sunshine bullshit you love so much.”
Lifting her head, she smiled at Brooke. “Oh, honey, you have no idea how much positivity I’m going to smother you in. I promise you’ll be choking on it before you know it.”
“Thank you.” Shoving several fries into her mouth, she enjoyed the salty goodness. “What is a romper anyway?”
Piper groaned. “How is it that you have no fashion awareness?”
“Apparently, all of mine was given to you.”
“Which is why you’re lucky to have me.”
Looking into her friend’s eyes, she felt herself almost choke up. “More than you’ll ever know.”
Clearing her throat, Piper threw her hair over her shoulders and grinned. “I’m going to make sure you have a fab outfit for tonight, so Frisco’s eyeballs pop out of his head when you open the door.”
Running her hand over her hair, she asked. “Should I get a blowout?”
Slapping her hands on the table, Piper let out a squeal of delight. “Don’t tease me if you don’t mean it, because I couldn’t take the disappointment.”
“Let me add a cherry to your ice-cream sundae and say…you can do my makeup too.”
Sitting back, Piper put her hand over her heart. “Dreams really do come true.”
“I hope so,” Brooke said as she lifted a piece of fish. “I hope so.”
***
Frisco lifted himself out of the pool at the Naval Amphibious Base and shook out his hair. It was good to be back in the water, and he appreciated the chance to work off some of his nervousness before he picked up Brooke later.
Walking over to the bench, he picked up a towel and heard his name. He looked up and saw Mark and Blake walking his way. “Blake, what the hell are you doing back here?”
The two men walked up, and Blake shook Frisco’s hand and gave him a satisfied smile. “I’m an instructor at the base. I thought you knew.”
“I must’ve missed it and been deployed when it all went down.”
“I also got married, and I’m about to become a father any minute.”
Stepping back, he studied his friend. “Guess I missed a lot. You two have time for lunch?”
“Absolutely,” Mark responded. “Let’s run over to Leroy’s Kitchen and grab something to eat.”
“Why do we always have to go there?” Blake asked with exasperation.
“Because they have the best burgers on the island.” He gave them both a patronizing smile. “Once a commander, always a commander, and I choose Leroy’s.”
“Let’s just go,” Frisco replied. “If we don’t, then he’s going to complain the whole time if we end up someplace else.”
“Your wife has spoiled you, and this is what we have to deal with,” Blake responded.
Mark punched Blake in the arm hard and grinned. “If you’re real lucky, Paige is going to do the same thing to you, and there won’t be any difference between us.”
“She already does,” he said quietly.
“Pregnancy hormones,” Mark replied. “Nothing better.”
“What the hell are you two old biddies talking about?”
Blake slapped him on the shoulder and grinned. “If you’re lucky, maybe someday you’ll find out.”
“Whatever.” He draped his towel over his shoulder. “Meet you guys at Leroy’s in fifteen minutes.”
“Roger that,” they said in unison.
Shaking his head, he walked away and wondered what the hell was so great about pregnancy hormones.
Frisco looked at the burger he’d just been served and then at Mark. “When in the hell did you become so fancy about your burgers?”
Shrugging, Mark picked up a fry. “Since I married Birdie. My wife is an amazing chef, and she has spoiled me so much that I can’t eat crap anymore.”
Blake nodded. “It’s true. I saw the breakfast she packed for him, and it’s no wonder he needs a burger that’s got gourmet cheese, bacon jam, and homemade pickles. It’s Birdie’s doing, and we should blame her.”
Mark ate several truffle fries and then grinned. “It’s true.”
Frisco took a bite of his burger and moaned. Damn, Mark was right, the thing was amazing.
“Told you so,” Mark said.
Lifting his finger, he flipped his friend off. “After he wiped his mouth, he looked at Blake. “Married and a baby, how’d that happen?”
“Saved a beautiful woman in Sakib, then romanced her into sleeping with me. Knocked her up and then hunted her down and harassed her until she agreed to marry me.”
“Now, that’s some romantic shit,” Frisco said as he laughed.
Blake pulled his phone out and held it up. “That’s my Paige, and I’m the luckiest man in the world.”
Sitting back, he studied his friend and noted that he was dead serious. One of the toughest sons of bitches he’d ever known had just said out loud in public that he was lucky and in love. He took the phone and grinned. “She’s too damn pretty for you.”
“And smart, kind, and funny,” Blake added. He tucked the phone back into his pocket and then lifted his burger. “Knocking her up totally worked out because I probably wouldn’t have had a chance otherwise. She was a diplomat for five years and undoubtedly would’ve taken another assignment if I hadn’t put a bun in her oven.”
“You and Max working from the same playbook?” Frisco asked.
“No, I just got lucky.”
Frisco got to work on his burger and, for the first time in his life, completely understood what the guys had been talking about all these years when they’d met the one. Thinking of the woman who had him mentally and emotionally falling all over himself made him realize he probably had too.
“How’s the thing going with the nurse?” Mark asked.
“Date tonight,” Frisco responded.
“Want some advice?” Mark asked.
“Do I have a choice?”
Shrugging, he shook his head. “Not really.”
“Hit me, then.”
Mark wiped his mouth and sat back. “Do you remember the mindset that you walked into BUD/S with?”
“Yeah. I decided before I walked through those gates that the only way I wasn’t going to make it was if they dragged my dead body out.”
“Same thing,” Mark replied.
“Never quit,” Blake added.
“That’s it?” Frisco asked.
Mark and Blake looked at one another and shrugged. “Yeah,” they said together.
“All in,” Mark added. “I would scorch this earth clean if that’s what it took to have Birdie by my side for the rest of my life. Add to that the kids, and well…” He grinned. “You get the idea. There is nothing that I wouldn’t do to have her in my life and be happy about it.”
“Same,” Blake said. “Absolutely fucking same.”
“It was true from the moment I saw her, and I know it will be true to the moment that I leave this earth,” Mark stated. “It’s like gravity; it just is.”
“It just is,” Frisco responded. Yeah, he got that, because that was how he felt from the moment he saw Brooke’s picture. It just was. “Got it,” he replied firmly. He absolutely got it.
***
Taking one last look in the mirror in her room, Brooke thought Piper had done an amazing job getting her glammed up. She leaned forward and studied her face and liked the way her friend had applied her makeup.
She still looked like herself, only a little more glamorous. Stepping away, she smoothed out the bright yellow romper Piper had chosen for her and decided she liked it because it gave her the freedom of a pair of shorts with the stylish feeling of a dress.
Hearing the bell chime, she turned away from the mirror and walked downstairs, promising herself she was going to be in the moment and not let herself get distracted with what-ifs. Whatever was going on with her health was out of her control, and, come next week, she would know what she was dealing with. Until then, the best thing she could do was soak in as much happiness as she could. “Coming,” she called out.
Taking one last fortifying breath, she then opened the door and decided enjoying herself was not going to take any effort on her part. Frisco was absolutely gorgeous in his white polo shirt and khakis. “Hi there.”
When he took a small step back and didn’t say anything, she worried that the makeover was a total bust. “Uh…”
“You are the most beautiful woman in the whole world. I mean…that was true when you stood in the Hilton N’Djamena in your T-shirt and cargo shorts, and it certainly was true when you woke up yesterday morning in my arms. But this.” He swept his arms around and shook his head. “This is too beautiful.” He looked from side to side and then shook his head. “I can’t take you out in public, because men are going to look at you, then I’m going to have to do something about it, and then I’ll get arrested and our first real date is going to be you bailing me out of jail.”
“Wow, it’s good to know that you’re going to be the crazy one in the relationship. I’ve got rational and calm locked down, and even when I get a raging case of PMS, you’re still going to be the nutty one.” Taking his hand, she pulled him inside. “I’d offer you something to drink before we go, but I’m afraid that could just make it worse.”
Closing the door with his hand, his eyes never left her. He lifted their joined hands and twirled her around slowly. “Damn, woman, you look good from every angle.”
“Did you happen to hit your head hard today?”
“Nope.”
She picked up her purse off the hall table and checked to see if she had everything. “Where are you taking me?”
“Bali Hai, of course. You said you liked fancy drinks from a tiki bar, so I’m taking you to the best place in San Diego and buying you a fancy drink that explodes.”
She clapped her hands together and beamed. “I want the Mr. Bali Hai with the souvenir mug. I have five and just need one more to have a set.”
“Consider it done, woman.”
“Oh, Frisco, this makes me so happy.”
“That’s all I want, sweetheart.” He stepped closer and framed her face with his hands. “Give me a kiss so I can calm the hell down and take you out for a night you won’t forget.”
She cupped the back of his head and pulled him down, and when their mouths were touching, she smiled. “Are you sure one is going to help?”
“It sure as hell can’t hurt.”
Pressing her mouth against his, she closed her eyes and embraced the bliss. Kissing Frisco Jones was one of the finest experiences she’d ever had, and not to appreciate it would be a crime. Deepening the kiss, she heard him growl and then lift his head away.
“Two more seconds of that and I’ll be dragging you upstairs.”
“No way. I’m as glammed up as I’m ever going to be, and I want to go out and be romanced.”
Taking her hand, he led her toward the door. “Come on, then, and quit trying to seduce me.”
“You say that now, but I bet in a couple of hours, you’re going to be changing your tune.”
As they walked out of the house, he laughed. “Honey, you can pretty much count on it.”
They stood next to his truck, and before he opened the door, she put her hand on his arm. “Thank you for a lovely evening.”
“We haven’t done anything yet.”
“I know, but I’m sure whatever you have planned is going to be perfect.”
“You’re it for me, Brooke. I know that I’m not supposed to say so yet, but I don’t feel like holding back. You’re my woman, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that fact never changes.”
Leaning her head against his chest, she inhaled his scent and knew that for the rest of her life, it would mean happiness. “Don’t think saying incredibly sweet and romantic things like that is going to get you out of buying me dessert. I’m not some pushover, and words I’ve waited a lifetime to hear need to be accompanied by a piece of cake.”
“Got it.” He kissed the top of her head and smiled against her hair. “Any particular kind?”
“No, I just like cake in general. In fact, I’ve never met one I didn’t like. The kind from the market with that disgusting goopy frosting is one of my favorites.”
He helped her into the truck and then buckled her in. “We’ll grab one on the way home, and I can decorate you in frosting and then lick you clean.”
Pulling him closer, she gave him a chaste kiss. “You’re a dirty boy, Frisco Jones, and I think you’re just about perfect.”
He kissed her back and then winked. “Music to my ears.”
Leaning back, she waited for him and knew whatever was in store for her could be handled if she had Frisco by her side. Hopefully, he meant all those lovely words, and, when and if she needed him, he would be around.