by C L Bauer
Lily could get used to this. When he first kissed her, she had not one thought in her head, but soon they were floating in. What was going on with him, and had he even heard that she’d used the “L” word?
His mouth was moving down to her neck. “You do look amazing.”
“Are you telling me I have to wear makeup now all the time?”
“No,” he whispered. “I think it’s the Army shirt. Tonight you can sleep in one of my shirts. I have one that has PROPERTY OF in big letters.”
The stove’s timer went off. Saved by the bell.
“The kissing is very nice but I am starving,” Lily whispered against his ear.
“Are you always hungry, Ms. Schmidt?”
“Have you met me, Agent Pierce? I’m not exactly a stick thin model.”
“Nope. Not a problem.”
The timer was still chiming. “It takes a lot of calories to keep this physique. Can we eat now?”
Dev pulled his head up from her neck. “You’re not going to stop until you get to eat, are you?” He reached to turn off the stove and remove the casserole.
“I’m hungry. I’ve usually had breakfast and I’m at work by now.” Lily looked at her watch. “I should be packing up the van.”
“No work.” He kissed her on the cheek. “You’re home all day this Saturday.”
He tilted his head again. That was it. She was home. He liked it that way.
They ate and he explained that his friends could be overwhelming to most people on a normal day. But on Army-Navy day they could be ill-mannered at the best, usually downright rude. She said she understood. Maybe she needed a “safe” word? If she said “elephant”, Dev would know to rescue her?
About an hour later, the doorbell rang. Lily’s day of terror began.
“Could you get that, Lily? It’s probably JT.”
JT Humbolt, former Navy SEAL and current CIA operative was the only representative midshipman allowed at the game day party. Lily opened the door to greet him, but he flew by her as she smiled and said hello.
“Hi honey, talk later. This nacho sauce has to cook. Dev, the crockpot needs some juice,” he yelled into the kitchen. “Give me some power.”
Lily followed behind. She’d never seen anyone in person who looked like him. His body reminded her of the actor and former wrestler, the Rock. He was a specimen of maleness with broad neck and shoulders, thin waist and powerful legs. He was wearing Navy shorts and a tight Academy tee. There was snow on the ground, and he was wearing shorts and flip flops! She watched the two men do a delicate dance around the kitchen, setting up their food. Men who cooked were very attractive. But they had no time for her. She decided to work on the living room, laying out napkins and coasters and wondering if they’d actually use them. She’d just finished her chore when the next two guests arrived. They didn’t knock, they just walked in.
“Well, hello there. I’m Paul.” This one was obviously former Army. He had a stylish haircut, a little on his neck but he was certainly well groomed. He was shorter than Dev and JT. He looked like he wasn’t at his playing weight. Maybe he was at a desk all day? But even in his game attire, he looked professional. “I’ll have to shake your hand later.” He was carrying two bags of food. Is this a football game or an eating marathon, Lily wondered. He passed by her and headed to the kitchen.
“Dev, I found that woman who made the tamales for General Price’s party. We need to warm them up later.” The third attendee was wiping the snow from his sneakers.
Attired in black Army sweats and a similar shirt as Lily’s, stood one last man. He’d shut the door by kicking it with one foot and was standing face to face with her. He placed his two six-packs of Corona on the floor. He extended his hand and looked directly into her eyes. He was cute and handsome. His shoulders were as broad as Dev’s. He obviously hadn’t shaved today, a light growth of brown was on his chin and neck. His eyes were pool blue. He seemed calm.
“Lily, I’m Dan Parsons, Dev’s only friend.” His smile made Lily melt. Apparently, he was charming as well as good looking. Were any of them just normal?
She looked toward the kitchen. “Then who are these other guys?”
“Imposters,” he answered seriously. “They are insane individuals and we feel sorry for their inferior intelligence. God bless their little hearts.” He made the sign of the cross.
“Catholic?” she asked. Her laughter filled the room.
He picked up the beer.
“Priest.”
He didn’t wait for her response, but headed to the rest of the group. Lily was speechless, actually speechless. She knew Dev had a friend who was a priest but this was the priest? And she’d just thought he was charming with eyes that could make her melt, well, at least sin. Sorry, Lord, you shouldn’t have made him so cute.
There was no room for her in the kitchen. Actually, it was better that way. She feared there was no oxygen; testosterone had filled the air. Besides, it was more entertaining watching the comedy from her viewing area. She sat down at the island bar, listening to their banter.
“Yes, I brought my Corona. You morons don’t have to drink it.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”
“I’ve got a dunkel in the ice, JT.”
“What the hell is a Dunkel?”
“Dunkel, Belgian, Bavarian, nice beer.”
“Did you use the right chili recipe?”
“The right recipe?”
“The one you used the last time we won?”
“Ain’t happening this year, boys.”
“It’s snowing in Philly. We have a chance when you Navy boys don’t have perfect conditions. Everything has to be perfect for you sissy asses.”
“Hey, we have a lady here.”
“Says the priest who brought Mexican beer.”
“What’s wrong with my beer?”
“We went through this last year, remember?”
Dev lifted his head up from the counter, standing straight, feeling Lily’s eyes on his back. He pushed through to the refrigerator. He turned and set a real Coke in front of her.
“You’re going to need this today. And I thought this would be a good idea. I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” He held her hands in his.
“Ooh, sweetheart. Did you hear that boys?”
“Dev’s got a girlfriend.”
“How old are we, ten?” The priest stopped the banter.
“Yes, yes we are,” JT answered.
“No, that’s your IQ,” Paul added.
Dev shook his head, never removing his hands from hers. “Again, what was I thinking?”
After awhile, Lily made her way into the kitchen. She was in search of pickles and JT had to have them. It was another of his traditions that helped Navy win. Only Paul remained. The others were in a whispered conversation in the living room, something about a running back.
“Pickles are in the fridge, Lily,” Paul said motioning her to the correct shelf. “JT has to have his pickles.”
“How did Father Dan end up as a priest when you all started out so differently?” Lily stopped.
He glanced at her, then turned to lean against the counter. “There used to be five of us. Four of us since West Point, all five of us since our first deployment.” Paul took a drink from his beer bottle. “You know there’s always that one really sweet, nice guy?”
“Dev,” she answered quickly.
Paul laughed. “Hell no. The nice guy was Tom Paintor from Des Moines, Iowa. Tom was the go-to guy. We were going into our second deployment and everyone gets pretty bruised and battered but you just groan and go on. Tom found another way. He got hooked on drugs, painkillers at first and then opium, cocaine, morphine, valium, whatever he could get his hands on. He ended up with some stuff from an opium grower in Afghanistan.” He paused and took another drink. His face had grown serious, his coloring had paled.
“Dev and Dan found him. Drug overdose.” He looked up and then closed his eyes. “It was a bad time.”
&n
bsp; “That’s awful,” Lily murmured. She completely understood what hadn’t been said. Tom was gone.
“We were all changed, but Dev and Father Dan seemed to be affected more than the rest of us.”
Lily touched his arm. “I can’t imagine.” But she could. She had lived that reality of loss.
“We better get the mustard too.” He turned to the sandwich tray. “You know, I really think that one incident changed Dan and Dev forever. Dev took a job in Justice dealing with drugs. He began in the Special Ops Division of the DEA. Dan went in a different direction. His contact with us was off and on. One day we all met for lunch and he came walking in with the collar on.”
“It’s a shame you’re all such underachievers,” she joked in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Grab the nachos, please.”
“Sure. We better get out there before they revolt.”
She looked up at his face. “And what about you? It changed you too.”
“Ah, you are a smart one. I volunteer with kids in the Big Brothers program.”
She shook her head as she headed into the living room.
“Like I said, such underachievers.”
She heard his laughter behind her and then the cheers filled the room from the others as they arrived with the food.
“You two almost missed the kickoff,” Dev said as he grabbed the salsa and chips. “What are you all eating? I have mine.”
A pillow was thrown in his direction from the Navy side of the room. Dev was on the Army side, seated in his oversized chair.
“Lily, you’re on this side,” he directed, emphatically pointing to a spot next to him.
“Yes, sir,” she saluted.
“She already knows to do what you command,” Father Dan remarked, shaking his head sadly. “It took us years to figure out that’s how you make him happy.”
“Perhaps that’s because she’s smarter than all of you.”
“She can’t be that smart if she’s with you,” JT jabbed, never taking his eyes from the television. “Go Navy, beat Army.” A chorus of “Go Army, beat Navy” drowned him out.
Lily took her place next to him. She noticed how close they were as Dev placed his arm around her. That gave her a little more room. She surveyed the men around her. Accomplished, intelligent, respected, but what a bunch of goofballs. She was entertained by their immature antics; amazed at who they were, what they had done in their lives, and what they were doing in their careers now.
“Dan, I saw Carlos the other day,” Dev yelled over JT’s cheering for a first down run.
“Really, how is he?”
“Good. He works with me now and then.”
“I see. In Miami still?”
“Sometimes.” Dev ended the conversation. Lily noticed that Dan knew what he meant with the omission of details. He placed his left hand over her right one.
“They haven’t scared you off yet?”
“Not yet. The priest is probably the scariest.” She was watching him spell out “Army” in cheese puffs.
“He’s always been the weirdest,” Dev admitted. “Later, I’ll tell you how he sold a tank to a CIA operative. The man still hates him.”
“Really?”
Dev nodded. “He used to have a pet camel, ate soap, and dyed his hair orange once.”
She was laughing too hard to hear the rest of the outrageous list. In the back of her mind though she wondered who Carlos was and why he was important to them. More questions included what did Paul do? He was different than the other three and very preppy. He was also the only one who wore a wedding band plus his Academy ring. And how did they end up with a Navy SEAL?
“You remember Judge Stanley and his wife?” Dev murmured against her ear.
“Yes, of course. They are such a sweet couple.”
“Michael, their son was just as weird. Dan and he organized a naked volleyball tournament in Afghanistan.”
“That’s not possible,” Lily answered. “A Muslim country and naked volleyball?”
“Well, technically it isn’t possible, but twenty men and five women showed up. Michael’s team won,” Dev admitted, winking at her.
Dan looked up from his masterpiece on the coffee table. “My team was robbed. The ref was paid off. That last play when O’Brien dug for that spiked ball in the sand was one of the singularly best plays in the history of volleyball.”
Lily could only imagine. She nearly choked on her drink. Now she was shutting her eyes in an attempt to not imagine the vision and to compose herself. Digging for a ball? A priest, huh? You really do work in mysterious ways.
At halftime, everyone shifted. Paul went out to take a walk, Dev and Dan went into the kitchen to get the chili and tamales ready and Lily was left with JT.
“Dev, your girl has jumped ship.” Dan pointed into the living room where JT could be seen with his arm around Lily, head to head in deep conversation.
“Nah, she’s fine. She’s used to brides and their mothers every weekend. She can handle a demented ex-SEAL. Besides, he’s probably telling that raid story again.”
“Have you noticed it keeps getting better and better over time? Pretty soon he’ll be the only one in that cave with fifty bad guys and he’ll omit the part with that pack mule.” Dan shoved the tamales into the stove to warm. “These should be ready by the beginning of the third quarter. By the way, whose idea was it for a cinco de mayo theme?”
“Mine. I haven’t had any good Mexican food since Kansas City.”
“So, that’s why we have the first woman mascot at our game.”
Dev pulled more chips and unloaded the entire bag into the bowl.
“Danny, I’m thinking my thirties are my most difficult years. I need to talk seriously to you about something.”
Dan looked at him while he popped open another Corona. “I didn’t bring my stole for confession, Devlin. What’s up?”
“Well, it isn’t a matter of confession, at least not yet. Not that all that is really important to me.”
Dan’s left brow rose in speculation. “Really? Have you lost all of your faith now just because we aren’t in a war zone?”
“Come on, you know me better than that.” Had he lost his faith before meeting Lily? Maybe a little in religion; maybe a lot in humanity. “Actually, my question is because I have been so respectful, so faithful.” Dev eyed his friend. He might as well just blurt it all out. “I feel like I’m sixteen and I’m shoving a piece of paper in front of a girl hoping she checks the box labeled yes. That yes, she wants to go out with me, that I’ll pick her up at her house and we’ll never make it to the dance because we’ll be in the backseat of my dad’s car.”
Dan somehow understood. “Ah, Christian Grey stuff.”
“What, huh? Didn’t he play for the Chiefs a few years ago?”
Dan spit out his drink of beer. “My heavens man, do you live in a cave? That was Christian Okoye. Christian Grey, the character in Fifty Shades of Grey. Sex, right?”
He nodded and then whispered. “Dan, I might as well be a monk right now.”
Dan spewed out another drink of beer. He placed his bottle on the counter until the end of this conversation. “I really didn’t see that coming. You ready to take the vows?”
“Heck no, I don’t want to be a monk.”
The priest crossed his arms in front of him, his face hard. “I wasn’t talking about those vows.” My God, the man could be dense. Not many saw this side of Mr. Cool. Lord, please help Lily.
“And I’m not either.”
“But you’ve brought her here among the insane people, in the land of the almost living. You wanted us to meet her; you wanted her to meet us. It sounds like you’re a man making a huge decision. You must’ve had a plan. You always do.”
“I had a plan for two consenting adults to spend hours in bed. I’m just talking about another step in our relationship,” he paused as he viewed the priest’s face and not his friend’s. When had that transformation happened? “Her faith is very important to he
r. She was serious with a minister before me. So, I’ve been treading very carefully. We aren’t kids; we are both in our thirties, but we just don’t ever get that time together, to be together.”
“What’s important to you? Sex or her?”
“That was pretty direct even for you.”
Dev passed around him to gain access to the refrigerator. He began pulling out guacamole, cheese, and the topping vegetables for the chili.
The priest sighed and broke his severe stance. “What do you want me to say? Here goes nothing. This is not a sprint. It’s a marathon. You’ve only been really seeing each other. I’m not calling this dating because you both are old enough to know better. On top of it, you both are having a relationship cross country for God’s sake. What has it been, eight months really? You respect her, and I fear she idolizes you, the poor woman. I’ll pray for her. This is a relationship you’ve never had, my friend, an adult one based on respect.”
“I’ve had relationships before.”
“Not like this one. She doesn’t treat you like crap.”
“My past girlfriends didn’t do that, Dan.”
Dan began to count in his head his friend’s past girlfriends.
“Well, let me think about this,” Dan began, “I know I’ll miss someone. There was the Senator’s daughter who walked all over your heart. There was that model who didn’t bother to tell you she was sleeping with our commander. There was the instructor’s girl who didn’t like the way you wore your hair; we were at West Point for heaven’s sake. We all had the same haircut. She was nuts and apparently you were just a number on her bedpost so she could make her parents crazy. Do I need to continue? The relationships based only on sex didn’t work, did they?” Dev’s glare gave him his answer. “So, my dear friend, we are all older now. Things change. You two fit well together. I can tell we all like her. She’s hard working, intelligent, nice, and she’s pretty. She’s not like the model or the politician’s kid, but like, and please don’t kill me for this, like a wife.”
“Are you done?” Dev was working quickly to finish his kitchen work and this awful conversation he had begun.
