The Commander: Red, Hot, & Blue, Book 12

by Cat Johnson

  Leave it to a man to totally forget they’d all want to bring their girls for the weekend. Lois loved her three sons, every blessed one of them. Good thing too, because there were times when she wanted to strangle them.

  Chapter Two

  The convoy of vehicles had hit the highway an hour later than planned, but at least now they were almost to their destination—Pigeon Hollow, North Carolina. The government-issue black SUV driven by Jack, with Hank riding shotgun, also contained Bull and Matt, along with John Blake, the team’s various dress uniforms and one wedding dress. A convertible sports car holding the bride and groom led the way. Bull’s girl had to work tonight so she’d drive down tomorrow with Blake’s girlfriend. BB’s SUV with Katie and the baby brought up the rear, behind Trey’s pickup truck that he drove with his girl, Carly.

  It had been like staging a damn mission to get everybody in one place and ready to leave. Hank liked when things were organized and on schedule. Today’s departure had been enough to raise his blood pressure. Some needed to fuel up. Others needed to hit the drive-thru for something to eat. If Hank’s hair hadn’t gone gray years ago, this trip might have done it. Coordinating a team was one thing. This jumbled group was quite another.

  Ahead of them, the convertible driven by Jimmy turned off the interstate.

  “Just a few more miles now, and I do wish that brother of mine would use the damn blinker when he’s driving my car.” Jack scowled.

  Bull laughed. “I think he’s got a few other things on his mind right now, Jack.”

  Jack flicked on the blinker and slowed for the exit. “Yeah? Well, driving should be one of them, especially since I was nice enough to let him and the blushing bride take my car. Though with her morning sickness—actually more like all-day-long sickness—it’s safer for everyone in here that she’s riding in a convertible with lots of fresh air.”

  “Very true.” Hank was very grateful to not have to deal with the threat of vomit in the vehicle he had to spend two hours in. He’d been through morning sickness with his ex-wife many years ago. Once had been enough for him.

  Hank glanced at the side mirror to make sure Trey and BB’s vehicles still followed and had turned off behind them. Ahead, the interstate changed into a two-lane road. After a mile or two, that changed from rural nothingness to a populated small town. In the blink of an eye, they were in downtown Pigeon Hollow. At least, that’s what the welcome sign said.

  “So, Jack. When you gonna make an honest woman out of your girlfriend?” Bull kicked the back of Jack’s seat.

  “None of your business, that’s when.” Jack frowned at the windshield ahead.

  “Crap, Jack. You’re not still into Carly, are you?” Matt asked from the back seat.

  “Shut the fuck up, Matt. And no, I’m not.”

  “Wait?” Blake leaned forward between the seats. “Jack used to be with Trey’s girlfriend Carly?”

  “No. I wasn’t.” Jack’s grip on the steering wheel tightened.

  “Sure looks like you’re still into her from the way you’re acting.” Matt’s comment had Jack clenching his jaw. “Otherwise why wouldn’t you want to marry Nicki? You’ve been together for what? Like a year now.”

  Hank decided he’d better intervene before Jack ended up driving off the road and wrapping them around a phone pole. “Jack, you don’t have to answer. Coleman, shut the fuck up. Blake, leave history in the past where it belongs.”

  “It’s okay, Commander. I wanna answer. Matt, not that it’s any of your concern, but I’m not sure I wanna marry Nicki or any other woman. Unlike my brother Jared, who can talk about nothing else besides wanting to marry his girlfriend if she’d just quit her job, I’m old enough to remember when my parents were still married.” Jack let out a bitter laugh. “I can tell you, it wasn’t good.”

  “But Jimmy’s old enough to remember that too and he’s getting married,” Bull pointed out.

  “Jimmy got Lia pregnant.” Jack cocked a brow.

  Hank glanced at the man next to him. “Jack, not all marriages are created equal. Yours won’t be like your parents’ because you’re not like your father. Neither is Jimmy.”

  Jack swallowed. “Thanks, Commander. And to answer your question, Blake, Carly and I had exactly one date before she and Trey starting going out. End of story. Right, Matt?”

  “Uh, yup. That’s how it happened.” For once, Matt did the smart thing—he agreed with Jack and kept his smart-ass comments to himself.

  “Crap, look at Jimmy now. He’s speeding through town like a bull running downhill toward a herd of heifers,” Jack shook his head and all was back to normal.

  Matt barked out a laugh behind Hank as Jack continued, “And there’s Bobby Barton’s deputy sheriff car parked in front of the diner. Friend or not, it would serve Jimmy right if Bobby gave him a ticket. I mean, Nicki’s waiting on me at the farm and it’s been two weeks since I’ve plowed her field, but you don’t see me kicking into a gallop in the middle of town, now do you?”

  “Is everyone in your family as colorful as you, Jack?” John Blake asked.

  Jack met Blake’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “Next to Jared, I’m the calm one.”

  Bull shifted one more time in the cramped confines, his legs crushed behind Jack’s seat in a space that didn’t come near to accommodating his size. “God help us all if that’s true.”

  Silently, Hank agreed with Bull. At least this weekend wouldn’t be boring.

  They were through town and turning onto a dirt road before Hank could say Pigeon Hollow. An actual dirt road. The Jersey City native in Hank couldn’t quite wrap his head around that concept.

  After about a mile, Jimmy swung the convertible, sans blinker again, into a pretty magnolia-lined gravel drive marked by a large mailbox that read Gordon Equine.

  Jack followed. “Here we are, boys. Welcome to the Gordon farmstead, home of the tastiest pies and the finest-bred horses in North Carolina.”

  “You’re quite the spokesperson, Jack.” Matt laughed. “Next time Central Command is looking for a poster boy for their recruiting, I’ll suggest you.”

  Jack slowed the vehicle to a crawl as the tires crunched on the gravel. “Oh, hell no. I saw what they made BB wear in those ads. Get Blake to do it. He’s the newest. He should have to.”

  “Me? I don’t think so.” Blake leaned forward. “And what did they make BB wear?”

  “Dude, you don’t even want to know.” Matt shook his head.

  “Don’t worry, Blake. It was just some photos for recruiting ads, and then a few more pictures in his underwear.” Bull grinned wide.

  Hank turned in time to see the expression of horror on Blake’s face. It was enough to make even Hank laugh.

  The driveway seemed to stretch on forever, but eventually a sprawling white farmhouse came into view. It was so typically Southern, right down to the columns on the front porch, he wouldn’t have been surprised if Scarlet O’Hara came through the front door.

  As they drove closer, Hank could see that though Miss Scarlet wasn’t in attendance, there were plenty of others here to greet them. Three females and one male emerged from a door off the side of the house. From this distance, Hank recognized Jack’s girl, Nicki, from her short dark curls. She visited the base pretty often. The man that looked like a younger version of Jimmy and Jack must be the infamous youngest Gordon, Jared. He had his arm around a blonde, leading Hank to assume she was his girlfriend.

  But it was the third woman who intrigued Hank most. Did Jack and Jimmy have an older sister? He didn’t think so. If they did, they’d never mentioned her. Maybe she was a cousin visiting for the wedding. Or hell, maybe the Gordons had a housekeeper. With the size of this place, they would need one. Hank didn’t care what the woman did for a living, because he was too busy admiring her denim-hugged curves.

  The woman ran toward Jimmy. He swung her up and around before setting her on the ground. Then she turned to Lia and gave her a hug.

  Meanwhile, Jack had alrea
dy thrown the SUV into park and was out the door and hugging Nicki as fast as—what was his saying? A bull running downhill toward some cows, or something like that. Hank was a city boy. He didn’t have Jack’s flair for farm talk.

  Hank opened the passenger side door and stretched his cramped legs. Speaking of bulls—he detected the distinct odor of shit. Horse. Cow. Chicken. Maybe a combination of all three. Hank wasn’t sure of the origin, but it hung in the air like the stench from the refineries hung in a cloud over parts of New Jersey.

  It was so pungent that Blake followed him out, sniffing the air. “What’s that smell?”

  “Horse manure, city boy.” Matt crawled out from the third row of seats.

  “The governor is going to love that being the prevailing odor during his only daughter’s wedding.” Hank laughed at the thought. “I hope his friend Senator Dickson is invited so he can enjoy it too.”

  Bull came around from the other passenger door. “I’m sure Senator Dickhead is familiar with the stench, since he’s so full of shit.”

  That was the truth. Arms crossed, Hank leaned against the SUV’s bumper and watched the Gordon family reunion. Trey and Carly parked their truck next to the team vehicle, while a little farther away, BB and Katie both worked to get a sleeping baby and his car seat out of the backseat of their vehicle.

  Trey stretched his arms above his head with a groan. “God, I’m stiff and I’m dying for a slice of Mrs. Gordon’s pie.”

  Carly shot Trey a glance. “You had lunch right before we left.”

  “Can’t blame the man, Carly. Mama Gordon’s pies are amazing.” Matt stared toward the group near the house. “Can you believe she’s old enough to be Jimmy and Jack’s mother?”

  “I know.” Trey shook his head. “She must have been a teenager when she had Jimmy.”

  The rest of the group turned to look at the woman who was now in Jack’s arms.

  “Wait a minute. That’s Mama?” Hank nearly choked. The tempting brunette in the flip-flops, blue jeans and well-filled T-shirt? The one he’d been staring at and drooling over for the past few minutes?

  “Yup.” Matt nodded.

  “No way.” Bull squinted into the distance. “I pictured her looking like Betty Crocker or Mrs. Butterworth. You know, short, plump, wearing an apron covered in flour and holding a pie in her hands.”

  That was how Hank had visualized her too. He certainly hadn’t thought he’d be imagining rolling around sweaty with her like he’d been since he first laid eyes on the tempting woman.

  “Are you sure that’s Mama?” Hank couldn’t wrap his mind around this revelation.

  “Of course, we’re sure.” Trey laughed. “Matt and I were here during our leave last year.”

  “Visiting Jack and Jimmy,” Matt added.

  “Yes, I know.” Hank had more productive things to worry about than what shady things these two jokers had done. Things such as why was the one woman he’d been interested in since his divorce the mother of two of the men under his command? That made the situation as sticky as one of her famous pies.

  Hank watched as Jimmy hustled an ill-looking Lia into the house. Jared and the blonde followed them inside with the suitcases from the trunk of the convertible, and Jack escorted Mama back toward the SUV…and Hank.

  His heart rate sped the closer she got, and he smothered a curse at how his body reacted to her like he was a damn teenager. This was the last thing he needed, a schoolboy crush on an off-limits woman.

  He searched for a reason to not be attracted to Mama, besides the fact that she was Mama. He knew Jack and Jimmy’s father had left when they were young. He didn’t seem to be in the picture at all. Maybe Mama had a boyfriend. A woman who looked that good wouldn’t stay alone long. Yeah, that would be good. If she were dating, the guy would be invited to the wedding, and then Hank wouldn’t be tempted to even think about her. He blew out a soft breath as Mama took another step toward him.

  Perhaps if he kept thinking of her as Mama, he’d remember how off-limits she was. That was his plan and he was sticking to it. Though his resolve wavered as she stood in front of him.

  “Commander, this is my mama, Lois Gordon,” Jack introduced them. “Mama, Commander Hank Miller.”

  Up close she looked even more like her sons. Like them, she had hazel eyes and golden-brown hair, except hers fell to her shoulders in soft, sun-kissed waves.

  Hank extended his hand. “Mrs. Gordon, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Your boys have told me so much about you.”

  Everything except how young and attractive she was. That bit of information would have been nice to have in advance.

  “We don’t stand on ceremony around these parts. Please, Commander, call me Lois.” Lois—dammit, he’d already started calling her by her first name in his head—smiled and took his hand in a firm grip.

  “Hank is fine, ma’am.” Hank definitely did not need to be reminded he was her sons’ commander.

  She treated him to the same crooked smile he’d seen on both of her sons’ faces so many times. “All right. Hank it is then. Maybe when you’ve been here a while we can lose that ma’am.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” His face grew hot as her smile spread wider. Her eyes met and held his gaze before she withdrew the warmth of her hand from his grasp.

  “And this big guy here, Mama, is Bull.” Jack moved on in the introductions, taking his mother with him.

  “You sure are a tall drink of water. Aren’t you, darlin’?” Lois moved down the line of guests, welcoming each, showing what Hank assumed was typical Southern hospitality. So why did it make Hank want to grab her and whisk her off alone somewhere where she’d call him darlin’ and turn that brilliant smile on him and no one else?

  “Y’all come on inside. We’ll have some drinks and then eat an early supper.” She spun and headed for the house, followed by the group of visitors.

  Hank brought up the rear, trying to shake the tingle just hearing her voice and that sexy Southern drawl sent through him every time she spoke, no matter what she said.

  He made a conscious effort to not notice the sway of her ass in those jeans as she walked. He was in big trouble here. What he didn’t know was what the hell to do about it.

  “What’s on the agenda for the bachelor party, Jared?” Matt leaned forward in his chair and rubbed his hands together. Every female in the room went still, waiting for Jared’s answer.

  Lois knew one thing—what happened at the bachelor party was best left at the bachelor party. “I’m afraid y’all will have to wait for that information. Son, I need your help in the kitchen.”

  Jared didn’t argue, but he didn’t look happy. He followed her into the kitchen, and frowned. “What’s so important?”

  “You not throwing a wrench into this wedding, that’s what.” Lois moved to the thirty-cup coffeemaker she’d borrowed from the church for the weekend and began to fill a serving carafe with steaming-hot coffee. “No woman wants to hear what her husband is going to be doing on his last night as a bachelor. I can guarantee you that a hormonal pregnant woman surely can’t handle it. You want to brag about your plans to the boys, do it when the ladies aren’t around. Understand me?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Jared hated being reprimanded like a child. His scowl was enough to tell Lois that.

  He’d get over it. Sometimes a mother had to do what a mother had to do to keep the peace. She’d worked too damn hard to make this event happen to risk it being ruined by an angry bride and a groom in the doghouse because of whatever shenanigans Jared had planned.

  Lois handed the filled pot to Jared. “Now take this to the dining room. Cream and sugar are already out there. Come right back. I need help bringing in the pies.”

  “I can help.” Hank Miller’s deep and commanding voice from the doorway brought Lois’s head around.

  “Thanks, Commander.” On the way out the door, Jared sent Lois a smirk, as if he was getting away with something because of Hank’s offer.

  She couldn’t deal w
ith her son’s behavior right now. Lois was too occupied trying to calm the racing of her heart. “Thank you, Hank, but you’re a guest and that boy needs to be kept busy or he’ll get himself into trouble.”

  “Ah, I see I’ve interfered with your plan. My apologies.” He dipped his head in a small nod.

  Mercy, he was sexy with that short silver hair. The muscles bulging beneath his tight black short-sleeve shirt didn’t hurt either.

  “No apology needed. I think I’ll put Jared’s girl on the case. Mandy’ll have to keep him in line this weekend. I don’t have the energy for all three of them home and the planning of a wedding at the same time. I’m not as young as I used to be.” She reached for a mug from the cabinet above her head and realized her hand shook. Dammit. She’d been without a man for so long, even being alone in a room with a man had her trembling. “Coffee?”

  “Yes, please.” A smile drew her attention to his mouth. “And if you don’t mind me saying, you look plenty young to me. You sure they’re really your boys?”

  “Sometimes I have to wonder.” She forced a laugh and handed him the mug, wondering if he was flirting or being polite. The second she could handle, the first she wasn’t quite sure what to do with. Her flirting skills were woefully rusty. “Cream and sugar?”

  “Black. Thanks.”

  Lois handed him the coffee and reached for a second mug that she filled for herself. Grabbing the container of cream on the counter, she sent Hank a glance as she poured a good amount into her cup. “I’m afraid I don’t appreciate the raw flavor of coffee the way you do. I take mine light and sweet. Always have. My jeans would be far less tight if I could drink it black.”

  “I think your jeans look just fine the way they are.”

  Wow. Definitely flirting. Lois swallowed away the dryness in her mouth. Heart pounding, she met Hank’s gaze. “Thank you. You’re sweet.”

  “Nothing sweet about it. Just the truth.” His eyes didn’t waver as they held hers in a trance.