He’d been flirting on and off with this particular woman for the last few weeks on the app. They’d almost met, and he still felt bad about letting her down at the last minute when he’d been called away to duty. He’d almost been tempted to tell her what his real job was, rather than the description he used online at the moment of ‘international banker’. That was his brother’s job, so it had been easy to pick up a few tips.
His apartment had had that odd, unused odour when he’d opened the door half an hour earlier, so he’d thrown open the glass doors to his wide balcony and left them open. He’d bought the apartment a few years back, thinking he was going to be more or less permanently based in San Diego. But he’d barely signed the deal when he’d been shipped off—first to Chicago, then Washington, then Hawaii. The life of a navy surgeon was never quiet.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. On my way. He smiled. Finally. He might actually get to meet the elusive Ali, the insurance agent who seemed to jet about almost as much as he did.
He tapped his fingers on his phone, a nervous habit, and quickly shoved it back in the pocket of his jeans. It wasn’t that he was anxious about the date. Of course not. He’d been on enough dates in his life to write a dating guide—some good, some bad. In his teenage years there had been the girl who’d stayed at the end of his street and after two dates had camped out in his backyard—much to the amusement of his three sisters. Then there had been the girl who’d also been dating three of his other friends. At med school he’d met a girl at a local restaurant and gone to meet her just in time for the cops to show up and arrest her for shoplifting.
Finally, there had been all the ‘friends’ his three sisters had set him up with, each one nice, but just not for him. It seemed to be their mission to find him a girl. In all this, his brother was no help whatsoever. Mr International Banker had married his high school sweetheart years before and had the perfect wife and two kids.
The dating app made things easy. It was a perfect cover. Since his deployment four years ago to a war zone, followed by a catastrophic fire in a hotel he was staying in, his nights had been full of nightmares, reliving one experience or the other. Sometimes the nightmares faded and settled for a while, only to rear their heads again when he wasn’t expecting them. He had no real knowledge of what triggered them. All he knew was that he hadn’t had a serious girlfriend in the last four years. No relationships. No overnight stays. He didn’t want to share his horror with anyone else.
His last real girlfriend had stayed in Hawaii and things had come to a natural end when he’d been stationed elsewhere. She wasn’t the type to wait around when he’d been deployed to a war zone and it had turned out she’d been right not to wait for him. He’d been on his own ever since, and frequently placated his sisters by sometimes showing them who he was meeting, or chatting to on the dating apps.
On the surface, it looked as though he was putting himself out there, but if the nightmares flared up too much he could delete the apps and pull himself back, protecting himself for a while. His family had no idea about his night-time horrors, and he wasn’t about to share. He was a doctor. He could deal with this himself. So he couldn’t quite put his finger on why he was so edgy about this date.
Was it timing? He was hoping to be based permanently in San Diego now, and his nights had been quieter lately. Maybe things were settling down once and for all. Eventually he would like to meet someone and finally settle down to a normal life—or as much of a normal life as anyone who was in the US Navy could have.
Maybe it was his age. Most of his friends in their mid-thirties like him had met someone by now and were starting to make family plans. He’d never had those thoughts before and had no idea why they were entering his brain now.
His friends had liked the fact he seemed to go from one date to another. It seemed to brighten up their lives. But it would be nice to stop being their light relief.
He walked into Gino’s, welcoming the dim lights and relaxed atmosphere. He spoke to one of the bartenders and took a seat in a booth in the middle of the bar. Jazz music filled the air, soothing but soft. By the time he finally met Ali, he wanted to actually be able to hear her talk.
She’d given him good vibes. Confident. Self-assured. Fun. Most important, she took her job seriously—just like he did. The only thing was he had no idea what she looked like. Did that even matter?
He didn’t like to think of himself as a guy who would judge someone on their appearance. A few of his friends had told him the fact she didn’t have a profile pic was a red flag. But he’d been quick to point out that neither did he. It was complicated. Using a pic when he wasn’t using his real name could cause all sorts of issues. There were dozens of computer programs out there that could easily scan his image and search for it elsewhere. That could end up with a whole host of uncomfortable questions. Why was a navy surgeon posing online as someone else?
Plus, at some point, he felt you just had to have trust in someone. He had to hope he wasn’t about to meet someone who was thirty years older than they claimed to be, but the possibility had circulated in his head.
He sent a quick message.
I’m here. What do you want to drink?
The answer came so swiftly he couldn’t help but smile.
On the Old Town trolley. Will be at least another ten minutes. Rosé wine, please, and keep it chilled!
He raised his brows at the slightly unusual choice and scanned behind the bar to make sure they had what she wanted before he ordered. Most bars in San Diego only stocked red, white and the very occasional blush. But Gino’s had a variety of rosé wines so he asked for a recommendation and hoped for the best as he carried it back to the table. A woman at the next table gave him an admiring glance but he pretended not to notice. He’d dressed in a black polo shirt and jeans. Casual. And whilst admiring glances were nice, there was only one woman on his mind right now, and he was happy to wait.
* * *
‘Elvis’ had broken into ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ moments after Ivy had boarded the trolley. Within seconds most of the passengers were singing along as the trolley made its way across the Coronado bridge. Her hair was immediately ruffled in the evening breeze but Ivy didn’t really care. It clearly didn’t want to be tamed and it was useless to try.
She closed her eyes for a second, leaned back and smiled. She had a good feeling about tonight. That was unusual for her. Generally, she was nervous about talking on the dating app, the whole aspect of meeting someone. Probably because on a few occasions she’d felt kind of let down later. But this time felt different.
She’d chatted with Rob for a few weeks. He seemed down to earth, had a wide range of interests and a bit of cheeky flair. She liked that. There would just be those few awkward moments when, after meeting him and ensuring she felt safe, she would have to admit what her real name and job were. It paid to be cautious in this life, and she was sure she would know pretty quickly if it felt safe to be herself or not.
She grinned as a text arrived from Rob and she answered it quickly. Her timing was perfect. He was there first.
She’d just sent the text when her phone rang. It gave her such a shock she almost dropped it—even more so when she recognised the number. ‘Ivy Ross,’ she answered.
‘Ms Ross, there’s an emergency,’ came the deep voice of her commander.
She sat bolt upright. ‘What kind of emergency?’
‘It’s Flight Surgeon Davis on the USS Calvin Coolidge.’
Her skin chilled. The USS Calvin Coolidge was one of the biggest ships in the fleet. An aircraft carrier that could carry as many as five thousand personnel.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘There’s been an accident—not him. His wife and kids have been in a serious car accident. We have to bring him home and we need a replacement.’
‘What do you need me to do?’
She could almost hear
her commander smile as her stomach lurched. ‘We need you to be ready to deploy at zero six hundred hours.’
Her mouth went dry. It wasn’t the job. She’d done it before and enjoyed it. It was the short notice. That, and the fact she’d had her fingers crossed for promotion. She was eligible, she’d been interviewed, and she’d been hoping against hope that the next call she got from her commander would be telling her she’d be Senior Medical Officer somewhere. Taking this position would likely rule her out for any immediate new role. But Ivy always did the job she was needed to do. Her stomach had a roll of regret as she said the words. ‘Where is the USS Calvin Coolidge?’
‘In the Pacific. Pack your things, Flight Surgeon Ross, you’re needed.’
Her mouth was still open as the call ended. She hadn’t even asked if she would be a permanent replacement or not. How long would she be deployed? Weeks or months? It wasn’t that long since she’d got back from her last assignment. She loved her job, but knew rest and recuperation were essential.
Working on the aircraft carrier would mean that as Flight Surgeon she would be responsible for the welfare of thousands of colleagues, along with the senior medical officer and chief medical officer. It was a huge deal. Every minute of every day would be filled with work. She would be permanently on call—always ready to jump at the first sign of a siren. Her last assignment had been smaller, more manageable.
This one was like throwing her straight in at the deep end. She licked her dry lips. But the commander had phoned her. He’d thought of her when disaster had happened. She didn’t want to believe she was the only person qualified who could fly out a moment’s notice. The US Navy didn’t function like that. She could almost see the list of files on his desk as he’d deliberated the job, weighing up who was most suited. He’d chosen her. This time her heart missed a few beats. That was good. No, that was great.
She’d spent years wanting to finally be on the radar of the commander. She admired him and wanted to impress him. He clearly thought she was up to the task. But would he consider her for a bigger task? There was so much to think about. One thing was for sure, if she said she didn’t want to take this emergency job, she would automatically tumble down the ranking for any promotion.
Her stomach flipped over as she remembered Ruff. She’d need to make arrangements for a colleague to take him back to the shelter tomorrow—and it wouldn’t be open before six a.m.
A photo of a glass of wine appeared on her phone. Oh, no.
Rob. She grimaced. The wine looked perfect. Chilled, with some condensation on the glass, in the midst of a dimly lit bar—the perfect place for a first meeting. How on earth could she tell him?
Her fingers started typing before she even thought.
So, so sorry, but family emergency and I need to bail. I promise, at some point, we will actually meet.
She stood up then walked to the front of the trolley, signalling to Elvis that she needed to get off. He shook his head as they were nowhere near an official stop. The trolleys weren’t supposed to stop anywhere else.
‘Sorry,’ she pleaded. ‘It’s an emergency.’
After a few moments he gave a shrug and slowed down, giving her the chance to alight. ‘Don’t know what you’re missing,’ he said with a twang in his voice as he pointed towards the heart of San Diego.
She pulled up another app to grab a ride back to her apartment, and thankfully a car was only a few minutes away.
As she jumped inside, she realised that Rob hadn’t replied and a wave of regret washed over. She felt terrible. She’d been looking forward to this and now, with one call, she had to walk away. But that was her job, her duty. Part of her wished she’d been a little more truthful, then she could have actually revealed why she had been called away. But it was too late now. As the car sped back across the Coronado Bridge she turned her phone over in her hands, wondering if she’d just blown it for good.
* * *
Travis had just sat down and taken his first sip of beer, letting the cool liquid slide down his throat. He was ready for this. Ready to meet this fun-sounding woman who lived in the same city as he did, and see where it went. Maybe they could have a few fun dates? His eyes kept heading to the door—even though she’d told him she was ten minutes away.
A small woman in a red coat walked in. His pulse rate quickened. But the woman let out a squeal and ran over to another table, embracing someone in a bear hug. Travis sighed and pretended he wasn’t thankful. He wasn’t sure she was his type. Two women around the right age wandered in, chatting and laughing conspiratorially. One brunette, one redhead, both dressed in jeans and light shirts. Maybe Ali had brought a friend. That made sense. He could understand that. But a few seconds later two men walked in behind them and joined the ladies at the bar. They were clearly two couples.
His phone buzzed. An email. He flicked it open and sighed. Peters, a friend and colleague who’d spent the last few weeks trying to convince Travis that he wanted to look to the future—encouraging him to think about leaving the navy and setting up in private practice in San Diego. Peters had a very successful practice already but one of his partners had left recently. He was anxious to fill the spot, and he’d set his sights on Travis.
In a way it was flattering, but Travis didn’t even want to think about things like that. Right now, he was focused on staying in the Navy Medical Service. He liked it. No, he loved it. He slid the email away. The limited conversations he’d had with Peters had always been after a few spells of bad nightmares. Private practice would probably be in his future at some point but things were settled right now. He didn’t want to make the transition before he thought he had to.
He bent his head, trying to take his eyes off the door. It hadn’t been ten minutes yet. Then his phone buzzed again. He picked it up instantly, seeing the message on his screen. His first instinct was to groan and then have a quick look around. Maybe she was in the bar, watching him, and she hadn’t liked what she’d seen?
He glanced down at his clothes again and at his reflection in the gantry behind the bar. His job meant that he was physically fit. Most women considered him vaguely attractive, a few had even called him outright handsome. And, no, it wasn’t just his mother and sisters. Had Ali taken one look and walked away?
The thought didn’t sit comfortably with him. He looked around the bar. Sure enough, as far as he could see, he was the only person right now sitting with a glass of rosé on the table.
Travis looked around again and then laughed and shook his head. Had he missed out on some kind of girl code? Was he getting too old these days to not understand the signs?
It could be something else entirely. It just seemed well...odd that as soon as he’d sent the photo of the wine glass she’d blown him off.
Maybe she was just old-fashioned nervous. There. That was a better thought. But it still left him sitting alone in a San Diego bar.
He had asked her at short notice. But she’d been quick enough to accept. Maybe Ali did have a genuine family emergency. Maybe she would message later or even tomorrow to makes excuses and rearrange. And if she did, would he agree?
He debated in his head as more people streamed into the bar. Soft jazz music was playing around him. A few couples, some groups of friends. An older, single man who sat at the bar, sipped his beer and read the paper.
The woman at the next table gave him a coy smile. ‘What’s wrong? Date called off? Silly girl. I can keep you company, if you like.’ She flashed her teeth at him and he drew in a deep breath.
He didn’t want a companion who might want to hang around overnight. He wanted something more meaningful than that. It’s why he’d spent the last few weeks getting to know Ali. It’s why the first thing he’d done when he’d landed had been to text her and ask her out.
He wanted the chance to finally meet face to face. Get to know if the buzz that seemed to flicker via message between them was
actually there when they met in person.
He looked at the glass of wine and empty seat opposite him, trying to think of any reason in the world why he shouldn’t just look like some guy who’d been stood up. Instead, he flashed her a smile and stood up. ‘Let’s just say you win some, you lose some and some aren’t worth waiting for.’ He picked up his bottle of beer and drained it, before heading to the door and walking out into the warm evening air.
CHAPTER TWO
BY THE TIME she reached the USS Calvin Coolidge Ivy was exhausted. Because the aircraft carrier was already deployed she’d had to travel via a number of different methods to get there. It was not as if she hadn’t flown in a dozen naval planes before. Helicopters were more familiar. But since the Coolidge was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the distance was too far to travel in one journey.
Instead, she’d found herself going from San Diego to Hawaii and then by military jet before finally landing on the Coolidge. It didn’t matter how many times she’d seen the fighters land on aircraft carriers before, as a passenger she still had a moment of terror when it seemed like the jet might just shoot off the end of the runway.
‘Here you go, Flight Surgeon.’ The cheeky pilot who’d flown her in grinned. ‘Welcome to our brand-new aircraft carrier.’
‘Thank you, Captain Yang.’ She smiled as she waited for the steps to be put in place for her to disembark.
The sun was high in the sky above them. The Pacific Ocean unblemished and stretching for miles around them. But as soon as she stepped from the jet the wind almost knocked her from her feet. One of the crewmen grinned and grabbed hold of her elbow.
‘Head down, ma’am, and move in that direction.’
The door to the carrier seemed a million miles away at the other end of the flight deck. She grabbed her bag and walked in long strides, praying she’d get out of the fierce wind soon.
His Blind Date Bride Page 2
