Sophie hurried back to the armory to change into her uniform, before heading to the hospital where the ambulance had taken Sergeant Baker. Before she left, she found her platoon sergeant.

“Sgt. Schott, I wanted to let you know that I’ll be at the hospital for the next couple of hours with Sergeant Baker and his family.”

“Did you check with Captain Jenkins?”

“No, and to tell you the truth, I’d just as soon avoid him for the time being.”

His eyebrows shot upward. “Anything you want to tell me about?”

“No!”

Realizing she’d sounded very abrupt, she looked at him with troubled eyes.

“It’s a long story and very confusing. Can we leave it at that?”

“Sure, Lieutenant. Say no more. I’ll run interference for you, ma’am!”

“Thanks, Sergeant. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

Feeling a little less alone in the world, she left for the hospital before she had the misfortune of running into Gage. She was very concerned about Sergeant Baker, but the visit to the hospital would also give her a good excuse to avoid Gage for most of the day.

The masquerade was getting old. She felt like she couldn’t let her guard down for a minute. But, when things had started happening with Sergeant Baker, her brain had kicked into autopilot. Her reactions had been natural, and she’d forgotten all about the pretense. If only she hadn’t taken off her glasses.

She had already decided to tell him truth, but she wanted the revelation to occur on her turf and in her own good time. And the last thing she wanted was an audience for the unveiling—certainly no big scene in front of the entire unit.

Once Gage figured out the deception, he was guaranteed to be angry, but she wasn’t sure exactly how he would react. Emotionally, she knew the inevitable confrontation would be hard on her. Her feelings for him were too new, and her heart too vulnerable.

The last thing she needed was to break down in tears in front of her men. She had worked long and hard to present a picture of strength, and competence. She would just have to stay out of sight until the day was over.

---

Gage searched the armory, room by room, looking for Lieutenant Keaton without any luck. He passed the first sergeant in the corridor outside of his office. He carried a stack of folders and papers.

“Howdy, Captain, sir.”

“Good afternoon, Top. Do you have the orders ready for our annual training exercise?”

“Yes, sir. I’m just finishing up the last of them before we head home. Is there something I can help you with?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. Have you seen Lieutenant Keaton?”

“Not lately, sir.”

“Well, if you see her will you tell her I want to see her in my office?”

“Yes, sir.”

Gage returned to his office and barked at the administrative specialist sitting at the desk outside his door. “Olson, get me Lieutenant Keaton’s personnel file.”

The soldier scrambled to his feet and all but ran from the room.

Gage paced the floor behind his desk as he waited. His frustration grew when Olson didn’t return immediately. How long should it take to retrieve one file? When the specialist finally appeared in the doorway, he practically jumped on the man. “Well? Where’s the file?”

Cringing, the specialist backed up a step before replying.

“Sir, I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? What do you mean, you don’t know?”

Storming past the specialist into the administration office, he marched to the filing cabinet and began rifling through the folders containing information about each person in the unit. When he got to the last names that began with the letter K, he riffled through them twice before he acknowledged, there was no Keaton amongst them.

“Damn. Where the hell could that file be?”

“I don’t know, sir,” the specialist said.

“Did someone take the file to their desk?”

Before the specialist could answer, the captain answered for him. “Let me guess, you don’t know.”

The specialist gave him a weak smile. “Yes, sir.” He offered, “I tried to bring up her information online, but the system isn’t working right now. Sergeant Schott is working on it. He’ll let us know when it’s up and running again.”

Realizing he was getting nowhere fast, and that he was creating a scene, he decided to retreat into the office to catch up on some correspondence while he waited for the system to come back online and for Lieutenant Keaton to show her face. Before closing the door, he addressed the specialist, “When Lieutenant Keaton arrives, tell her to come straight in.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gage forced himself to concentrate on catching up on his reports, and then he reviewed the training plan for the upcoming exercise. After more than an hour had passed, he gave into his restlessness. The lieutenant still had not made an appearance, so he decided to get away for a while and check on Sergeant Baker.

The volunteer at the hospital information booth looked up Sergeant Baker in the hospital database and directed Captain Jenkins to the cardiac intensive care unit. He made his way up to the floor and stopped at the nurse’s station to ask about the soldier’s condition and to see whether he was allowed visitors.

There was one nurse at the station, and she pointedly ignored his approach, continuing to review the chart in front of her.

“Excuse me,” he said leaning over the counter toward her. The nurse glanced up briefly then back at the chart she was studying. Doing a double-take, she glanced back up at him, her eyes growing wide as she stared at his arms and shoulders. Her gaze traveled up his chest to his face, and she gave him a huge smile. “What can I do for you, honey?” she said in a deep southern drawl.

“Where can I find Mr. Donald Baker?”

“He’s in room three-O-four, only he’s already got a visitor. CICU patients are only allowed one visitor at a time in the room. If you want to talk to the family, they went down to the hospital cafeteria.”

“Did they leave a family member in the room with him that I could talk to?”

“Oh, no, sir. A Ms. Keaton, from his Army unit is in with him now.”

“Keaton?” Gage’s heartbeat skittered.

“Yes, Ms. Keaton.”

So, this is where she’s been. “Could you go get her for me, please?” he asked, smiling warmly at the impressionable nurse.

“Sure, honey, I’ll be right back,” she said, scurrying down the hall. Turning, she smiled back at him. “Don’t you go anywhere,” she teased, wiggling her fingers in the air before she disappeared around a corner. She was back in less than a minute, but without Lieutenant Keaton.

“I’m so sorry, sugar. She must have slipped out while I wasn’t watching. Would you like to wait here to see if she returns?” she batted her eyes, and smiled hopefully.

Gage sighed. “I’d love to, but I need to talk to Sergeant Baker, and then get back to my unit.”

The nurse’s smile turned downward in disappointment.

Gage added, “Thank you for all your help...” he paused and read the name on her tag, “Nurse Smith. You have a nice smile.”

The smile returned, and she sat back down behind the desk with a dreamy expression in her eyes.

Gage made his escape, walking down the hallway to Sergeant Baker’s room. He decided to stick around to see whether the lieutenant returned.

Gage entered the room quietly. The older man was lying in a hospital bed surrounded by machinery and plastic tubing. Sergeant Baker’s eyes were closed.

Gage turned to leave.

“Captain Jenkins, don’t go.”

Never comfortable in hospital environments, Gage walked close to the bed and fidgeted. “Sergeant Baker, how are you feeling?”

The sergeant smiled weakly and said, “I’ve felt better.”

“What do the doctors say?”

“I’ll be here for a week or so. I won’t be taking any PT tests any time soon, that’s for sure. They think it might be my ticker. Won’t know until they run tests. Might be a stent or two in the near future. But hopefully, not a bypass.”

“Well, I’m sure you’re in the best of hands,” Gage said, injecting a little false cheer into his voice. “Well, I need to be getting back to the unit. If you need anything, you just give me a yell.”

Gage felt a hand on his arm and noticed that there were tears in the sergeant’s eyes.

“Captain Jenkins, what you and the lieutenant did today... Well, you know...thanks.”

“Don’t mention it, Sergeant. I’m glad I was there to help. The unit needs good men like you, so you get well. That’s an order.”

Raising his hand, I.V. and all, the sergeant gave him a little salute. “Yes, sir,” he said weakly. “And thank you, sir.”

Gage left the hospital feeling somewhat humble. Situations like this made you count your blessings, and appreciate being healthy and alive. Gage had learned that Sergeant Baker had a family who needed him. His wife didn’t work, and they relied on the income he received from the low-paying job he had with the city water department. He had four kids, two of whom were grown, but two teenagers still lived at home. He was in the Army National Guard to help supplement his income, while serving his country.

Gage reflected on his blessings and found them wanting. Yes, he was healthy, and he had all the money he could ever need from his investments and construction projects, but what else did he have? He would be thirty-five next year and had managed to evade the matrimonial noose, thus far. Just weeks ago, that fact would have sounded like an achievement to be proud of. Now, it just left him feeling empty and alone.

If he were to have a heart attack, who would be standing beside his hospital bed, holding his hand and telling him it would be all right? No one. Who would care if he lived or died? He didn’t have kids or a wife.

A picture of Sophie flashed through his mind. He knew there was a strong attraction between them, but would the attraction be enough to keep her by his side in sickness and in health, until death do us part?

Whoa. Where did that thought come from?

He stood in front of his jeep with his key in his hand, shaking his head. He shrugged. “What does it matter, anyway? She’s already taken.”

He jabbed the key into the lock, opened the door and swung his long body into the vehicle.

As he neared the armory, his thoughts returned to the problem of Lieutenant Keaton. He felt he was on the edge of a discovery, but needed to corner her to figure it all out. She had turned out to be a lot different than his first impression of her out in the field. He’d thought she was the Army National Guard’s worst nightmare and, with her on his side, who needed enemies?

Observing her these past two days had enlightened him, significantly. Not only was she in great shape, but she also cared about her soldiers, and they cared about her. She had a sense of humor, but she took charge and was firm with the men when she needed to be. They all seemed to respect and admire her, which was better than could be said for the way he had originally treated her.

“Damn. What is it with women? They’re just too damned complicated. Just when you think you know which way the wind blows, they change direction.”

Back in the armory, he went in search of her again, determined to get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

Stopping Private Johnson in the hallway, he asked, “Have you seen Lieutenant Keaton?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, where did you see her?”

“In her office, sir.”

“Thank you. Carry on, Private.”

On his way to her office, the first sergeant stopped him in the hall.

“Sir, I need your signature on a few documents that need to go into the mail tomorrow. Would you mind if I followed you to your office so we can take care of them, now?”

“Can it wait a few minutes, Top? There’s someone I need to talk to.”

“Sir, this is important. These are important papers that need your personal attention. They’re supply requests for our annual training. You need to go over the figures to ensure they’re accurate. It should only take a few minutes, sir.”

The First Sergeant’s insistence won out. Resigned to another delay, Gage led the way to his office where those few minutes managed to take nearly an hour.

When Captain Jenkins finally glanced at the clock, he noticed it was time for the afternoon formation to dismiss the troops. He still hadn’t seen Lieutenant Keaton, and her file remained missing. Well, he would just have to catch her right after formation.

The soldiers were not as loud and boisterous as they usually were while they waited for the formation to be called to attention. Sergeant Baker’s condition seemed to be weighing heavily on everyone’s mind.

Gage’s eyes narrowed as he watched the lieutenant walk from around the side of the armory. The company was called to attention then put at ease while announcements were made. The First Sergeant gave the latest update on Sergeant Baker’s condition, and Lieutenant Keaton announced there would be a makeup PT test given during their two-week annual training. Gage added a reminder about the location, date and time they were expected to report for their next meeting, which was to be their two-week annual training exercise.

After all the instructions were delivered, the unit was dismissed and Gage looked around to find Lieutenant Keaton.

“Damn!”

She was gone, again.

“Something wrong, sir?” Sergeant Schott appeared at his side and looked at him curiously.

“Did you see which way the lieutenant went?”

“She said she needed to cut out early, today. I expect she’s already skedaddled, sir.”

“Thanks, Sergeant. I’ll see you in two weeks.”

Captain Jenkins took off at a run to his jeep. As he climbed behind the wheel, he saw a small red car pull out from behind the building and head down the long drive leading away from the armory. Slamming his car into reverse, he squealed out of his parking space and sped out of the parking lot in pursuit of the illusive Lieutenant Keaton.

He followed her at a distance to avoid detection. It soon became apparent she wasn’t aware of him behind her. He was so intent on keeping her in sight with the traffic flowing around them, he didn’t realize they were going in a familiar direction, until she turned onto the street where he lived…

With the force of an avalanche, everything fell into place.

“I’ll be damned.” His mouth hung open. “I’ll be damned.”

He accelerated until he was tailgating her as she turned into the driveway next door to his house. Braking hard, he slammed his jeep into park then just sat there, shaking his head in disbelief. How could he have been so blind? Lieutenant Catherine Keaton was none other than his two-timing, next-door neighbor, Sophie.