An Officer and Her Gentleman

by Amy Woods

  He’d start to tell her that this morning.

  Avery wrapped her arms around him, snuggling in close as he hugged her tight. “Good morning, sweetheart,” he said into her hair. “How’d you sleep?”

  “Like a baby.” She looked up at him and her eyes were clear in the morning light peeking through the kitchen window. “Foggy’s been good to me.”

  Her affection for the dog was evident in her voice, and Isaac thanked the stars that the two had made as good a fit as Hannah had thought they would. He made a note to do something special for Hannah as a thank-you.

  “Where is the guy?”

  “Oh, he’s with the kids. They adore him.”

  Tommy chimed in. “It was a little tough getting them to understand what it means when his vest is on, but once we got that down, everybody’s happy.”

  “Although they like him best off duty,” Avery said, a grin brightening her already lovely face.

  She wore a blue tank top that matched her eyes over another white one, and Isaac noted with pleasure that she’d already gained a couple of pounds. Skinny jeans hugged her perfectly curved bottom and he resisted the urge to put his hands all over her.

  He always made sure their dates involved food, and even though Avery had called him out on it, she’d started to enjoy eating a little bit more, and they had a blast rediscovering her favorite meals.

  “I’ve got something for you,” Isaac said, taking Avery’s hand to lead her out of the kitchen.

  “See you kids later,” Tommy called after them.

  “What is it?” she asked, and Isaac laughed. Impatient—just like a kid at Christmas.

  “You’ll have to wait and see, now, won’t you?”

  He tugged her down the hallway and sat her down on the couch in the front sitting room, pulling the box he’d brought over to place at her feet. He’d taken a leap of faith on this one, and he hoped she’d like it.

  “Open it,” he said, and her eyes widened, pretty little crinkles at their corners as she smiled.

  She picked up the box and pulled off the giant yellow bow, then made quick work of the soft green paper he’d chosen. Isaac couldn’t remember when he’d last been so nervous. It wasn’t like he was proposing now, yet the world seemed to hold its breath as he waited to see what she thought.

  She pulled out each item, touching them softly, and as she realized what he’d done, her eyes filled with moisture.

  “Oh, Isaac.”

  “I hope this is okay,” he said, apprehensive.

  On Thursday, after he’d picked her up from her therapy appointment, when Avery was busy with Foggy, he’d noticed a piece of paper on the ground in the room they’d been using at the training facility. Not wanting any of the dogs to get hold of it, he’d picked it up, intending to toss it into the recycling bin out back. But when he picked it up, the paper unfolded, and Isaac had seen what was written on it. It was a list, and he had everything on it memorized by now:

  Things That Make Me Happy

  Regency romance novels

  The Beatles

  Blue nail polish

  80s movies

  Homemade chocolate-chip cookies

  Isaac Meyer

  Foggy

  He watched as she laid each object out on the floor—five of her very favorite Regency romances, he’d double-checked with Macy; every John Hughes film ever made; a few Beatles box-set albums; every shade of blue nail polish he could find; and a dozen chocolate-chip cookies, freshly baked in his kitchen that morning, using Nana’s famous recipe—forming a circle around her.

  When she was finished, she covered her mouth with a fist, and tears began to slide down her cheeks.

  “I didn’t mean to invade your privacy, Ave. I found the list on the ground at the training center, and, well... I couldn’t help myself. I hope it’s okay.”

  “Shut up, Isaac,” she said, crawling out of her circle of happiness and into his lap, covering his face with kisses as he laughed, thankful he hadn’t screwed up.

  Finally she stilled, looking into his eyes. “You know, I don’t have any of this stuff. When I left for the military, I pretty much got rid of everything, and when I got back, I never got around to buying any of the things I enjoy. I guess I wasn’t sure if I would stay.”

  He brushed hair back from her eyes and kissed her, long and slow, on her sweet mouth.

  “Please do,” he said. “Please stay.”

  “I plan to,” she said. “Now that I have you.”

  He smiled, leaning his forehead against hers.

  “Thank you, Isaac,” she whispered. “Thank you. For everything.”

  * * *

  Later that morning, they all piled into two trucks and drove to Peach Leaf Park, where the local animal shelter’s 5K fund-raiser was scheduled to take place.

  Avery and Isaac unloaded Foggy and Jane, snapping on their harnesses and leashes and Foggy’s vest, ready to practice being in public in a place chock-full of every kind of distraction available.

  A banner welcomed them as they entered the park, Tommy, Macy and the kids trailing along behind. The air was thick with the smell of delicious food: hot dogs, funnel cake and popcorn, all ready to reward the serious racers after a day’s run, Isaac joked.

  Avery definitely planned to sample everything, glad that her favorite jeans were close to fitting again, proud of the feminine curves that had begun to make their reappearance. Most women would be horrified to gain five pounds in a few weeks, she mused, but she needed the weight, and Dr. Santiago would be thrilled at her progress. Avery definitely was.

  Isaac made everything better, even food.

  She made no effort to hide the fact that she was checking him out as they walked. He looked great in a soft, dark green T-shirt that hugged the muscles underneath, and khaki cargo shorts. His unruly hair—hair she’d had plenty of chances to bury her fingers in—just touched his collar under an ancient Peach Leaf Panthers baseball cap.

  Her hand felt right at home in his as they walked, a dog on either side, and for the moment, Avery couldn’t imagine how her life could be any more perfect, or any different from what it had been a few weeks ago.

  She hadn’t even known what she wanted until it landed right in front of her. Now she would do anything to keep it, to keep him.

  Isaac. Her Isaac.

  They strolled around the park for a while, checking out all the booths and making sure Foggy and Jane had plenty of water before they set off to walk the three-plus miles. Isaac told Avery that the race organizers, being animal folks, of course, had opted to start the race by shouting into a megaphone, rather than using the customary air horn or gunshot.

  Finally, they gathered at the starting line, waving at Tommy, Macy and the kids, who were going to cheer them on from the sidelines. When the announcer gave the go, Isaac and Avery set off at a quick pace, Foggy and Jane trotting just ahead.

  They’d spent a couple of hours that week working with Foggy on Isaac’s idea of keeping people at a safe distance from her with the block command, and he showed off his training with honor that day, making sure to keep in front of Avery so that she didn’t get too close to anyone, and the crowd, overwhelming at first, lessened its effect on her after a time. She relaxed into her footsteps, keeping a steady pace, enjoying the late spring sunshine on her face, the gentle breeze in her hair and the cool, dewy morning air.

  Occasionally, as they walked, Isaac looked over to check on her, and they stopped every once in a while to give the dogs water in a little travel bowl.

  The four of them together felt...like family, and Avery let every minute of it soak into her soul, replacing bad memories with good ones. If she spent enough time with Isaac, she knew, the happy would begin to outweigh the sad. It was only a matter of time.

  At the finish
line, Sylvia and Ben greeted them with fresh water bottles, and they accepted the paw-shaped medals the race officials draped over their necks for completing the distance.

  They were headed toward the food booths when Avery thought she heard someone calling her name. Isaac turned as she did and she saw Nathan coming toward them, Connor hurrying to keep pace, his little hand in his father’s.

  “Avery,” Nathan said, breathing hard. He stopped a few feet away and lifted Connor into his arms. “If you’ve got a minute, I’d love to talk to you. That is—” he glanced from her to Isaac and back again “—if that’s okay with you.”

  She swallowed, her throat tight, and Foggy must have picked up on her nervousness because he stepped forward and sat down between her and Nathan, calmly but with obvious confidence. He didn’t even need the block command; he would protect his girl if he needed to without being asked. He would make sure nothing got to her that might cause her to be afraid or upset.

  Her heartbeat slowed to normal, knowing her furry companion was there. She lowered a hand and placed it on his neck, letting Foggy know she was okay, and that she appreciated his gesture.

  “Yes, that would be all right with me,” she said, her voice sounding stronger than she’d anticipated. She looked to Isaac, whose hand had come to rest on her shoulder, reassuring her that he was there for her, as well. Her two guys, there to keep her safe. “I’ll be right back, Isaac.”

  “We’ll be right here,” he said, taking Foggy’s leash as she handed it over. The dog wasn’t too happy about having her leave him behind, but he calmly cooperated and followed Isaac and Jane to a nearby drink stand.

  She and Nathan walked over to a picnic table and sat down across from each other. Nathan put Connor down next to him and handed his son a fire truck from his backpack.

  It must be his favorite toy, Avery thought, as she recalled seeing it the other day.

  “Avery,” Nathan said, his voice full of emotion. He looked down at the table and she could see that whatever he was about to say was taking a lot of his courage to get out.

  “I’m surprised you want to talk to me after the other day,” she said.

  “I know, and, Avery, I’m so sorry about what happened then. I didn’t mean to act like that. I was a real jerk and I wish I could take it back.”

  “No, Nathan. I’m the one that’s sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed myself on you like that. It wasn’t fair after all you’ve been through. I was being selfish as hell and I want you to know I didn’t mean to bring all that back for you.”

  He was quiet for a long moment and Avery sensed that he was getting his bearings, that he was trying to hold on to his emotion so it didn’t break free and embarrass them both. She wanted to tell him that he would feel better if he just let it go, that it only hurt to keep it inside, as she’d only recently begun to learn, thanks to Isaac’s presence and support in her life.

  If everyone had their own equivalent of an Isaac and a Foggy, she thought, the world would be a better place.

  “I miss her so damn much, Avery. Sometimes I can’t stand it. Sometimes I think I can’t go on because of how much it hurts to do all this without her.” He put his face in his hands and glanced over at Connor as if worried that his son might hear, but the child continued to play happily with his truck, lost in his own safe, peaceful world.

  “But you have to, don’t you, Nathan?” she said firmly, giving Nathan some of the courage she’d gained from Isaac. “You have to keep going for Connor. He needs you. Sophie trusted you to take care of him if something happened to her, and she would want you to be strong.” She offered him a weak smile as he swiped his hands over his face and met her eyes.

  “Yeah, she would, wouldn’t she?” he said, his eyes softening at her memory.

  “She was so strong,” Avery said. “She was the bravest, best woman I’ve ever known, and I wish I had her back. I miss my best friend, and I know you miss your wife, but she wouldn’t have been too happy if she’d seen the hot messes we’ve turned out to be.”

  Nathan laughed, a tight, sharp sound that hinted at the extent of his sorrow.

  “I lost a friend,” she said, her voice quiet, “but you lost your wife, and I can’t even begin to imagine how hard that must be for you.”

  He closed his eyes.

  “But that doesn’t give me the right to shut you out, or to keep you from seeing Connor. Sophie would have hated that I’ve done that for so long.”

  Shame filled his face, and Avery wanted to tell him that he’d done nothing wrong, that grief was almost impossible to bear sometimes, and other times, it could only barely be tolerated.

  He looked over at Connor. “The only reason I’ve done so is because it was too hard for me, but seeing you the other day...it brought back too many memories of all the good times the three of us had when she was alive, before you both left. I realized how much I’ve been shielding him from because of my own pain. And that’s not fair. I owe it to my son to be the best father I can be, and I know now that I wasn’t doing that.”

  He looked up at the sky as if deciding whether or not to say more.

  “Did you know I don’t even have photographs of her in our home? I put them all away when she died.” His voice wavered. “I just couldn’t bear to look at her, you know?”

  His eyes were rimmed with red as he reached over and took Avery’s hand.

  “That’s in the past now. I took them all out the day we saw you in the park, and I’ve been showing them to Connor every day, so that I can teach him how wonderful his mama was.”

  Avery felt tears prickle at the back of her eyes.

  “And I’m sorry, Avery. I want you to know that I don’t blame you for what happened to my wife. She was stubborn, and what she wanted, she got. And she was an amazing woman who wanted to serve her country almost as much as she wanted to be a mom. It was important to her to do her duty, and it was important to her to go with you. She loved you so much, you know. I think she would have followed you anywhere.”

  They both laughed at the truth of his statement and Avery choked up, wiping away a few drops that had fallen from her eyes.

  “I want you to know that you can see Connor anytime you want. You are always welcome in our home, as are Isaac and your dogs.” Nathan smiled at Connor. “I’m sure this little guy would love to have them over for a playdate sometime. In the near future, Avery, you hear?”

  “Of course.” She squeezed his hand. “Thank you, Nathan. I didn’t know how much I needed to hear those things until now. I promise I won’t be a stranger.”

  He nodded, and they were both quiet, realizing they had broken frozen ground and could now sow seeds that would become their futures. They could make choices for themselves now, rather than holding on to the grief that had rendered them immobile for so long.

  “You know,” Avery said, speaking almost as much to herself as she was to Nathan, “when I joined the military, I knew the risks and the danger, and even though there was always a little fear, I felt prepared.”

  Nathan nodded as his eyes filled, and she continued.

  “I knew exactly what I was getting into—” she swallowed “—but I had no idea how to get out. They don’t tell you how hard it’s going to be to get back to a normal life, if that’s ever even possible.”

  Nathan squeezed her hand. They didn’t need to say any more about it.

  When Connor grew bored with his fire truck, Nathan reminded him who Avery was, and the two of them chatted for a long time about preschool and when would she please come over and bring her puppies to see him.

  Avery’s heart was loads lighter when they parted ways and she returned to Isaac’s side. He handed her a fresh-squeezed lemonade from a nearby stand and gave her back Foggy’s leash.

  “Everything okay with Nathan?” Isaac asked, his brown eyes full of worry as he
studied her face for clues about how their visit had gone.

  “Better than ever,” she said. “We’re okay now.” She took a sip of the drink, sweetness and tartness teasing her taste buds at the same time.

  “So glad to hear it, sweetie.”

  “We’ll have to bring Jane and Foggy by to meet Connor sometime. He’s super excited about being around dogs. Nathan works full-time and Connor goes to preschool, so they can’t have one of their own right now. It would mean a lot to them if he could play with ours.”

  “Consider it done,” Isaac said, smiling. “He seems like a sweet kid.”

  “He is, just like his mom was.”

  “Do you want one someday?” Isaac asked. “Kids, I mean.”

  Avery looked up at him, surprised. “Isaac Meyer,” she teased. “Are you asking me if I’ll have your children someday?”

  He gave her his sexiest grin, tilting his head so that his dark hair grazed his shoulder, looking for all the world like a rake from one of her favorite books.

  “Would that be a problem?” he asked.

  “Actually, no,” she said, pushing her chin forward to show him she wasn’t intimidated by his suggestion of commitment. “And yes, I do want kids. Someday.”

  Isaac’s expression showed her he wasn’t satisfied with her answer.

  She took another sip of lemonade, drawing it out to bug him.

  “My kids?” he asked.

  “Yes, idiot,” she said, reaching across the table to poke his chest. “Your kids.”

  They were both being silly, mostly, but now they were dead serious as they caught each other’s eye.

  It was in that second that Avery knew precisely how she felt about Isaac Meyer—there was no longer any question—and exactly how to articulate it.

  The words were on the tip of her tongue when she heard the first blast. Lemonade spilled across the table as she knocked it over in her hurry to get cover. She flew under the picnic table and huddled there, her arms wrapped over her knees, head down as a few more explosions erupted and, once again, the world went black around her.