by Kat Mizera
“Your husband was a Marine?” he asked, startled. “Did I know him?”
She nodded. “Wade Garner. He was the one who died in the parachute accident.”
“Oh, hell, Rob—er, Bobbi. I’m sorry. I heard about that. Equipment failure. There was hell to pay.” He paused, uncomfortable and unsure why. They’d both lost someone; it shouldn’t have been awkward.
“Anyway, are you thinking of enrolling Sam here?”
“Uh, yeah. I’m Force Recon now and need to make sure I have back-up plans.”
She nodded and turned to Sam. “Would you like to come explore the room with me, Sam?”
The little girl hesitated but then nodded. “Okay.”
Ron watched them together and knew immediately he would sign Sam up for the program. Not only had he known Bobbi since they were 14, she was wonderful with Sam. She was already giggling, looking through the cubbies to determine which would be hers. This was definitely meant to be, even if he was having fantasies about seeing Bobbi naked. Hey, he was only human. It’s not like he would ask her out or anything. Hell, she’d been a widow less than a year and probably had no interest in him. He could fantasize, though. He was a normal, red-blooded male and no one could help but look twice at her slim figure, bright blue eyes and messy braid. He’d take hold of it while he was balls-deep inside of her and—
He mentally shook his head, embarrassed. What the hell was wrong with him? In high school, Roberta Santino had been shy, awkward and definitely didn’t look like this in jeans. Her now-blond hair had been a mousy brown and her glasses had hidden the blue of her eyes. He’d liked her a lot—they’d been lab partners for three years in biology, physics and chemistry—but hadn’t spent much time with her outside of those classes and study periods. She’d been smart, funny and shy, but he’d been going away to college and joining ROTC while she’d been planning to take night classes at the local community college and work during the day.
“Ronnie?” Bobbi was staring at him.
“I’m sorry, yes?” He jumped back to the present.
“Would you like to tour the rest of the facility?”
“Sure, thanks.” He nodded and followed her out to the main lobby.
Chapter 2
It had been a hell of a day. Bobbi had gotten a flat tire on the way to work and wound up getting in late since she had to change it herself. Two of the kids got into a hair-pulling snit and she’d had to put them in time-out. She’d forgotten her lunch and didn’t have any cash for takeout, so she was starving, and now every parent in the program seemed to be late picking up their kids for the day. She was dying for a burger and a hot bath, but the chances of getting either were probably slim to none.
She currently had two children sobbing, one in her arms, the other clinging to her leg. Sara Sawyer was typically a great kid, but today she’d been cranky and insolent, not listening to anything Bobbi said and crying when she didn’t get her way. Bobbi hoped Sara wasn’t coming down with the flu—these kids were always getting sick—but her patience was about shot today. She barely managed a smile when she spotted Sara’s father, Benny, coming in.
“Hey, princess.” Kason “Benny” Sawyer took Sara from Bobbi. “What’s going on?”
“They cry too much,” Sam muttered, picking up her backpack and walking towards Ron, who’d also just come in.
Ron chuckled. “They’re having a bad day, honey. It happens to you too.”
“Marshall? That you?” Benny was holding out his hand and he and Ron proceeded to do some complicated guy handshake thing, big smiles on their faces.
“Hey, I was wondering when I’d run into you.” Ron grinned.
“When did you get married?” Benny looked at Sam.
“I didn’t.” Ron cleared his throat. “This is my sister’s kid, Samantha, but I got custody after she passed away last year. Car accident.”
“Sorry to hear that.” Benny shook his head. “But she sure is pretty.”
“Who’s this?” Ron looked down at Sara, who’d buried her face in her father’s shirt.
“This is Sara. She comes three times a week and usually loves it, though that doesn’t appear to be the case today. I also have a little boy, John, but he’s only a year and we haven’t put him in preschool yet. Maybe this fall.”
“It was a rough day all around,” Bobbi said with a soft smile, another crying child in her arms now. “Must be something in the air.”
“I’ll get this one out of your hair then,” Benny nodded at Ron. “We’re having a barbeque on the 26th, bring Sam and join us. Shoot me your digits and I’ll send you the address.”
“Done,” Ron said, pulling out his phone and typing in Benny’s number as he called it out. He put his phone back in his pocket and turned to Bobbi. “Not a good day, huh?”
“You have no idea,” she murmured, producing a tissue from her pocket and wiping one of the kids’ noses.
“Wanna get pizza with Sam and me?” he asked.
They both froze, their eyes locking as if neither of them expected the question. Bobbi wasn’t sure what was going on, but her high school crush had just asked her to go out with him and she had no idea what to do. She’d only ever dated one guy—her late husband, Wade—and that didn’t really count since he’d knocked her up the first time they slept together and she hadn’t had much choice but to marry him.
“I, er…” She swallowed. “Um, okay. Sure. I’m not done here until six, though. I come in at nine and stay for pick-up. Others get here at six in the morning and leave earlier.”
“No problem. You know the park on Keller Street?”
She nodded.
“Meet us there about 6:15. I’ll pick up the pizza and scope out a picnic table. Any preference?”
“I’ll eat anything, but Julian likes pepperoni.”
“Julian?” He glanced at her curiously.
“My son.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize you had kids. I don’t know why…”
“It’s okay.”
“All right, I’m cool with pepperoni but Sam only eats cheese. I can get a slice for her and a couple of pepperoni for us.”
“I’ll eat cheese,” she said. “And if you could grab Sprite for Julian, I’ll give you money when we get there.”
“Nah, this one’s on me. You can pay next time.” He walked away whistling and with a little smile, she watched him go. He was delicious. Long and lithe, he wasn’t like her late husband, who’d had burly muscles and a bald head that made him seem more meathead than military. Ron, on the other hand, was as adorable as he’d been in high school, with a touch of hard maturity that made him super sexy now that he was a man.
He was probably six feet two to her five feet seven, but she’d seen the ripple of muscles in his arms when he picked up Sam or opened a door. His hips were lean, stomach flat and his light brown hair cropped close to his head. But it was his eyes that got her every time. Slits of silver with long dark lashes, and so much expression it often left her unable to focus. In high school, that had been what made her adolescent heart beat faster; when he listened to people, he would focus those beautiful eyes on them, as if for that moment in time, no one else existed. She’d dreamed of him—and that look—long after they’d gone their separate ways. And now he wanted her to go have pizza with him. Her day had just gotten a whole lot better.
Ron settled on a picnic table, putting out the pizza boxes and bottles of water and soda for them, along with a sippy cup of juice for Sam. He’d been surprised to discover Bobbi had a son and she’d seemed almost apologetic when she’d mentioned him, as if her having a kid was somehow different than him having one. He wondered what her life had been like after high school. She’d married a Marine, taught preschool and had a son. It sounded far too simplistic for 14 years without contact, but he would find out more when she got here.
He spotted her the moment she came around the corner, a lanky boy of about ten beside her, head down, shuffling his feet. Ron got to his feet, calling
out a greeting. Bobbi looked up and smiled.
“Hey.” She ruffled Sam’s hair. “Hi, Sam-Bam.”
“Hi, Miss Bobbi!” Sam was staring at Julian. “Who dat?”
“This is my son, Julian. Julian, say hello to Sam and Ron.”
The boy mumbled something under his breath.
Bobbi took a breath. “Julian, please look up and say hello. You know how I feel about you mumbling.”
Julian looked up, a scowl on his face. “Why are we here? Can’t we have pizza at home?”
Bobbi sighed. “We could, but hanging out with friends is nice too.”
“Whatever.” He sank onto the bench, digging a video game controller out of his pocket.
“Not during dinner,” Bobbi said, leveling her gaze at him.
“Fine.” He threw it on the table. “Can we eat?”
“After you say hello to Ron and Sam.” Bobbi gave him a look when Julian remained quiet. She shrugged. “Have it your way.” She picked up the handheld gaming console and stuck it in her purse.
“Mom!” Julian’s head snapped up, his eyes blazing.
“You had two chances. Now it’s gone for the week.”
“I hate you,” he growled, getting up and stalking off towards the playground.
“Should I—” Ron began.
Bobbi shook her head. “Let him go. I’m done giving in to his bad moods and guilt trips. His dad’s been gone for a year and the therapist we saw said he’s playing me. I’d like to take him back to her but money’s been tight so…” She shrugged, absently opening the boxes and putting a piece of cheese pizza on a napkin for Sam. “He’s had it rough since his dad died. They weren’t close, so… Well, it’s been hard on him.”
“He seems angry,” Ron said, taking a slice of pepperoni.
Bobbi took a bite, a faraway look on her face. “Wade and I were having problems,” she said finally. “We fought all the time. He was…abusive.”
“He hit you?” Ron’s heartbeat kicked up a notch even though the guy was dead.
“Not physically abusive, but verbally and emotionally.” She looked down. “You know how shy and awkward I was in high school. That didn’t change in college. I was 24 when I met Wade, just before I got my degree. I’d been going to school part-time and was finally getting ready to graduate. I hadn’t dated at all, between school and working full-time, so my friend talked me into getting contact lenses, some new clothes. We went to a bar and I saw this cute soldier—”
He started to interrupt her but she shook her head, smiling. “I know Marines don’t call themselves soldiers, but this story is from my perspective. Sitting there that night, I didn’t know he was a Marine; I just saw a crew cut, tattoos and military. He kept staring at me and I was flattered. He was my first…everything, you know?”
She was blushing but Ron didn’t say anything at first, merely reached out to put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” he said at last.
“It’s okay,” she said quietly. “I was a late bloomer. That would have been okay if I hadn’t gotten pregnant the night I lost my virginity.”
Ron winced. “And you married him?”
“My mom essentially told me I had to or I couldn’t live at home anymore, and when I told Wade, he was pissed, but I wouldn’t get rid of it so he married me.”
“And the marriage was hard?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not at first. He was deployed in the beginning, and when he came home he had a son. For a few years, it was okay, but then… I don’t know, maybe he had PTSD or something, but he was pretty withdrawn. He started drinking, and the more he drank, the more he wanted to drink. I asked him to get help and he told me he didn’t need help. That’s when he got mean, started telling me I was ugly, fat, stupid, not a good mother…” She sighed. “Even then, I knew he was wrong. I may not be a supermodel, but there’s nothing wrong with me. He was unhappy with himself, not me, but it was hard to raise a kid under those circumstances.”
“I’m sorry, Bobbi.” Ron felt a plethora of emotions as she talked about her late husband. What kind of guy behaved that way? How could anyone call her ugly? Ron thought she was beautiful and wanted to tell her so, but wasn’t sure if it was appropriate at this stage of their newly rekindled friendship.
“It’s okay. I just wanted you to know how hard it was on Julian. When his dad was home there was always a lot of yelling and then he was just…gone. I don’t think he knows how to handle the grief. We saw a therapist for a little while but money’s tight now that we can’t live on base anymore, so I’m doing the best I can.”
“That’s all any of us can do,” he responded gently. “And you seem to be doing better than a lot of people in your position would. I think you’re amazing, Bobbi.”
Her cheeks turned pink and she dipped her head. “You don’t have to say that.”
“I know, but you’re smart, beautiful and Sam adores you, which says a lot.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“You’ve always been beautiful, Bobbi. You were just painfully shy.”
“And dumpy.”
“I never saw dumpy,” he admitted softly. “Shy and timid, yes, but never dumpy.”
“I wore clothes that were two sizes too big.”
“I know. I just figured it was part of your shyness, but every time you looked at me with those big blue eyes of yours, I wanted to tell you how pretty you were.”
“You did?” She was blushing furiously, but staring at him in surprise.
“Well, yeah… Couldn’t you tell?” He cocked his head in surprise.
She shook her head vehemently. “Oh my god, no! You were so far out of my league…”
“Out of your league?” He chuckled. “I was 6 feet tall and maybe 125 pounds soaking wet. Tall, skinny and dorky.”
“Tall, smart and strong,” she contradicted. “And your eyes. I still remember what it felt like, at 16, when you looked at me with those silver-gray eyes of yours.”
“Yeah?” He arched his brows playfully. “What did it feel like?”
“Heaven and hell, all wrapped in one.”
“Why hell?”
“Because I couldn’t have you.”
“And heaven?”
“Because I thought you were the dreamiest thing I’d ever seen.”
“I tried to figure out a way to ask you out without ruining our friendship for two years,” he muttered. “Damn. Love is definitely wasted on the young.”
She giggled. “For sure.”
He paused. “But we’re not young anymore.”
Chapter 3
Bobbi wasn’t sure how to respond. The lonely teenager in her who’d been madly in love with him wanted to throw caution to the wind and seduce him right here and now. The widow with a sad nine-year-old and a job she couldn’t afford to lose had to be cautious. She’d known Ron for almost 20 years but they’d parted ways at 18 and didn’t know much about each other anymore. As much as she still liked him, it would be smarter if she used her better judgment and kept things casual. Dating another military man wasn’t on the list of things she ever wanted to do again, no matter how attractive this one was.
“No, we’re not young, but we’re not foolish anymore either.”
“Foolish? There’s nothing foolish about a mutual attraction between two single adults with a history of friendship.”
“Are you single? I never thought to ask.”
“You think I’d ask you out if I wasn’t?”
“Pizza in the park with our kids isn’t actually a date…”
He chuckled. “Dinner Friday night?”
She bit her lip nervously. She wanted to say yes, but she wasn’t sure what to do. Anything that happened between them personally could impact her professionally and she shouldn’t do anything to risk her job. Not only did she need the money, she loved her classroom and the kids she taught.
“I’d never do anything to get you in trouble at work,” h
e said quietly, as if he’d read her mind.
“I don’t, I mean…” She sighed. “I guess I never imagined someone like you would want to go out with me.”
“Someone like me? I’m just a guy who lost his little sister six months ago and is now a single dad to her kid. There’s nothing special about me.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “Nothing special about you? You’re Force Recon—that pretty much says everything about your inner fortitude and strength. You stepped up to the plate for your niece, which says a lot about your soul and humanity. I remember a guy who was smart, thoughtful and caring…and now I see a man who makes my heart beat a little faster. Just like he did all those years ago. And I don’t have any idea what to do about it.”
“What do you want to do?” he asked, his voice dropping, his silver eyes burning into hers.
“Er…” She swallowed as he leaned forward.
“Can I kiss you, Bobbi?” he asked softly.
“Yes.” Her eyes had just started to close when they heard a loud pop, startling them apart.
“Beanie!” Sam let out a shriek of distress as a can of Sprite hit the ground and exploded, scaring all of them and covering Ron and Bobbi in the cold, sugary substance.
“It’s okay, Sam-Bam.” Bobbi was on her feet instantly, stepping away from the spray of liquid and gathering the shaken little girl in her arms. “It was an accident. Everything’s okay, see?” She looked over at Ron, who was shaking his head, a wry smile on his lips.
“It’s okay, honey.” He picked up the soda and tossed it into the nearby trash container.
“Why did you throw away my soda?” Julian chose that moment to reappear, a grumpy look on his face.
“Sorry, kiddo,” Ron said, meeting the boy’s gaze. “Sam accidentally dropped it and it exploded everywhere.”
“What?!” Julian threw up his hands. “What am I supposed to drink? Little kids are stupid!” He pointed a finger at Sam, as if he was planning to say more, but Ron immediately stepped between the two, his eyes hard though his voice was soft.
