Finish the Course (The Barnes Family Book 1)

by Riker, Becky

  Slater looked at the second medic, “Caine?”

  “Sir?’ the soldier was just a kid.

  How had he made it into special forces?

  “What caused him to land on his face?”

  “The fall, sir.”

  Another ripple of amusement was stopped short by Slater’s glare.

  “And what caused the fall?”

  Porter was clearly trying not to laugh.

  Caine straightened, “We didn’t strap him in and he fell off the stretcher as we carried him up the hill, sir.”

  Slater’s lips twitched. The incident would certainly account for Harrison’s face looking like he was trying a mud facial.

  Slater looked to Hall who, at the moment, anyhow, had better control of his features.

  Hall looked at Harrison, then back to Caine, “We do not carry our men around in such a manner, if we can help it, soldier. Please show the sergeant a little respect and wipe off his face.”

  Hall turned back to Slater who still had his back to the injured man and his medics, “Ready, chief?”

  Slater nodded.

  Hall gave the order to resume the run.

  With all the delays, it was nearly four hours before the men were back from their run.

  “I’m going to see Chung,” Hall called into the shower, “you wanna come with me?”

  “Give me two minutes,” Slater called back.

  When they arrived at the hospital, Anna was sitting with Chung.

  “How was your run?” she barely looked at Slater and directed her attention to Hall.

  “Not boring,” Hall took the other chair, leaving Slater to stand.

  “How are you feeling?” Slater spoke to the patient.

  “Tired,” he tried to shrug, but it took too much energy.

  “Whatever they gave him to help him breathe is making him sleepy,” Anna explained.

  “Harrison is in now,” Hall informed his sick brother, “he sprained an ankle on the run.”

  Chung managed a slight smile.

  Slater stood behind Anna, but he had better sense than to put his hand on her shoulder, “The new guys went down to get him and dumped him face first back into the mud.”

  Chung started to laugh, which caused him to cough.

  “Nice going,” Hall chastised his CO.

  Chung waved his hand, “Was (cough) worth it (cough).”

  The nurse came in shortly and shooed them from the room.

  They stopped in briefly to speak to Harrison.

  “You remember a couple weeks ago when you said you’d do a rematch any time, any place?” Anna folded her arms across her chest as she looked at the man sitting on the edge of the bed.

  Harrison grinned at the woman.

  “I choose now, Sergeant,” she hooked a thumb toward the door. “Let’s go.”

  “Okay,” he tried to stand up. “Just give me a second to ditch Nurse Ratched.”

  The pretty redhead put a hand on the man’s chest and shoved him back down, “No rematches tonight.”

  “Is it broken?” Slater was a bit impatient with the banter since it seemed Anna was going to be on good terms with everyone but him.

  “We’re still waiting for the x-ray, but Captain Garrett didn’t think so.”

  “Garrett is usually right,” Hall raised an eyebrow at Slater. “I can wait here with Harrison.”

  Anna recognized the dismissal, so she waved at the patient and turned to leave.

  “Anna,” Slater caught up with her before she stormed out of the hospital, “can we talk?”

  She spun around, “Okay.”

  Her arms folded across her chest did not seem an encouraging sign.

  “How about I take you out to supper?”

  She glared at him and then turned from him.

  He followed.

  “Anna,” he caught up with her and reached for her arm, “can you at least give me a ride back? I didn’t drive.”

  She didn’t answer, but she didn’t tell him to go fly a kite either.

  “I really would like to take you to get something to eat, Anna,” he said once they were in the car.

  She turned on the car and flipped a switch for the windshield wipers, “Why? Because you’re hungry and I’m as good company as any of the other guys?”

  He looked at her, more confused than ever.

  “Anna,” he reached for her hand, but she pulled it back to herself, “I really do not know what is wrong. If you really want to go out on Valentine’s Day, we can. Although, truthfully, I doubt I could get a reservation now.”

  “I don’t care about Valentine’s Day, Slater.”

  He inhaled through his nose, determined not to get frustrated with the circles in this conversation.

  “Okay. How about supper tonight, then?”

  She fastened her seatbelt, “Where to?”

  “I don’t really care, Anna,” he knew he needed to tread lightly. “Chinese? Pizza Hut?”

  She nodded and moved to put the car in drive.

  Something still wasn’t right. He had to stop her.

  “Anna, wait.”

  She put the car in park so she could turn and scowl at him.

  “Are you not hungry? We don’t have to go eat. We could go play some ball or catch a movie.”

  She narrowed her eyes further.

  “What?” he threw up his hands, “I know I’m a complete and utter moron, but would you just tell me why?”

  “I’m not a guy, Slater.”

  He waited for the rest of it, but nothing came.

  “I know that, Anna,” he explained, “We’re dating, in case you’ve forgotten, and we certainly would not be if you were a guy.”

  “You treat me like a guy,” she shot back at him, “Like one of your men!”

  He sat back in his seat and stared at her.

  She folded her arms over her chest and looked away from him.

  “Anna,” the light was beginning to dawn, “have I said something to make you believe I don’t think you are attractive to me?”

  She shook her head but didn’t look at him.

  “You’re a beautiful woman, and I like all the girly things about you.”

  She glanced back to him, still skeptical.

  Slater thought about the colonel’s words earlier, “I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you as a woman, Anna. I’m guessing I’ve missed dozens of chances to be romantic, but if you’ll forgive my stupidity, I’ll try to be more romantic in the future. I’ll even take you out on Valentine’s Day.”

  Anna looked at him, her lips pursed, “I really don’t want to go out in the crowds then.”

  He laughed a little, “You just wanted me to notice you. I get it.”

  She swiped at a tear that hadn’t obeyed her order to disappear.

  “Please don’t cry, Anna,” he caught the tear on her other cheek.

  “Because it’s too girly?”

  The enormity of what he had done – or hadn’t – hit him.

  “Anna,” he pulled her hand to his mouth, “I am so sorry I haven’t been treating you like a woman. I’m sorry you feel like I take all your feelings for granted. It’s not too girly to cry. You can cry all you like, but it breaks my heart that I hurt you. I love every girly thing about you.”

  She planted her head on the steering wheel, “I’m sorry I overreacted.”

  “I don’t think you did,” he mentally kicked himself for ignoring what his team had been telling him. “I think I haven’t been treating you right.”

  He leaned across the center console and pressed a kiss to her cheek, “Forgive me?”

  She nodded and blinked, “Supper?”

  “If you want, we can go to the grocery store and pick up something to make.”

  She turned the corner, “Are you inviting yourself over to my house?”

  “Not necessarily. We could go make it the team kitchen.”

  She pulled up to the stop light, “Better buy a lot of groceries.”

  �
�Most of the guys are out tonight anyway,” he assured her.

  She drove toward the grocery store, “I think we should go to my house, Slater. I was just teasing you.”

  They got what they needed, and Slater was soon at the stove.

  He had worn street clothes to the hospital, but nobody would mistake him for a civilian. His bearing would give him away even if his hair did not. Somehow, even his polo shirt and crisp jeans looked like standard military issue.

  “I’m going to go change,” she stood up and left the room.

  Anna knew she had overreacted that morning, but she honestly wondered if Slater knew there was a difference between her and his men. She threw off her uniform and grabbed a pair of jeans.

  “No wonder he thinks you’re just like the guys,” she muttered to herself.

  She walked to her closet and searched through to the back. She smiled when she found what she had been looking for. It was a deep green knit dress. It wasn’t very fancy, but it was very feminine.

  She pulled it on over her head. The capped sleeves showed off her tones arms, and the scooped neck accentuated her figure without showing any cleavage

  She pulled on some black stockings and high heels before going into the bathroom to reapply her makeup. Releasing her hair from its bun at the nape of her neck, she simply brushed through it and left it down.

  “Anna?” Slater was coming down the hall to find her just as she was putting earrings in.

  “Yes?” she came out of the bathroom to meet him.

  He stopped dead in his tracks.

  She brushed by him on the way to the kitchen, “You ready?”

  He spun and followed her.

  She seated herself and waited for him to join her.

  “You look really nice,” he finally sat down. “I feel underdressed.”

  She was glad he wasn’t more formally attired, “I just thought you needed a reminder.”

  “Of what?” he poured the wine.

  “That I’m not a guy.”

  “Anna,” he sounded pained, “I do not think of you as one of the guys.”

  He served her some pasta, “I am so sorry that I have been treating you in a way that would even allow that thought to cross your mind.”

  She looked down at her plate, “Well, giving me this much food doesn’t help your case.”

  He looked down at the food he had offered her.

  She traded plates with him and served herself a more reasonable portion.

  “Anna, you’re gorgeous. Even in uniform, you are the most beautiful woman I know. If I couldn’t see your figure, then your mannerisms, your voice, the way you move. . .you’re all woman. And I love every bit of you.”

  She smiled at him before lifting her fork for a bite. His words soothed her more than a thousand fancy meals could.

  They ate for a few minutes in silence.

  “I also love that you play basketball better than most of the men I know,” he waggled his eyebrows.

  She took a sip of wine, “Better than you?”

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself,” he chastised her. “I can do a layup.”

  “My coach used to make me stay after to practice.”

  “Why didn’t it work?”

  She threw her wadded up napkin at him in revenge. He caught it with a grin.

  “I don’t know,” she answered honestly as she rose from her seat. “I think it was the timing.”

  “Of the practice?” he led her to the living room.

  “No,” she hip-checked him. “I just can’t get the timing right on the layup. I shoot too soon or too late.”

  “I’m glad we got the timing of us worked out,” he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

  “That was almost sappy, Major Reed.”

  He rested his hands on her shoulders, “Must be the dress.”

  She smiled, “You want a ride home?”

  He gave her a quick kiss, “No thanks. I need the walk.”

  “You picking me up for church on Sunday?”

  He scowled, “Won’t I see you tomorrow?”

  She shook her head, “I have class.”

  “Psychodiagnostics?”

  “And Techniques of Group Counseling.”

  He made a face, “Sounds fun.”

  “More fun than spending the night outside in twenty-below weather, hoping the storm holds off until command picks you up.”

  “Ah,” he grinned. “Now there’s some fun for ya.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Sunday night, Slater got a call that his presence was required in Washington. He decided to use the time away to accomplish something.

  Slater still didn’t know which flower was her favorite, but he didn’t let that stop him. On Monday, he sent her irises. She called to say she loved them.

  “The woman at the flower shop said they represent inspiration,” he told her.

  “They’re lovely.”

  On Tuesday he sent lilies and a note that said he would love to take her out for the special holiday – crowded or not, but he was going to be in meetings for at least two more days.

  She called to tell him all the women in the office were jealous.

  On Wednesday, he sent yellow tulips.

  The woman at the flower shop told me they signify hopelessly in love. I thought it fitting.

  On Thursday, he sent her daffodils.

  On Friday morning, she waited for the flowers to arrive, but they didn’t. She was a little disappointed but didn’t dwell on it.

  “Barnes,” Colonel Olson poked his head in the door just after twelve hundred, “I need you to go to the airfield and pick someone up for me.”

  She rose, “Yes, sir. Who is it?”

  He shrugged and walked away.

  Anna thought it was a little strange, but she wasn’t about to question him. She climbed into the jeep and drove to the appointed strip. Nobody was there, but there was something unusual out on the tarmac. She got out to take a closer look. It was flowers. Cornflowers. She was pondering how several dozen bouquets of cornflowers ended up scattered around the field when a movement behind her caught her eye.

  It was Slater, dressed in his Class A’s. He was walking toward her with another bouquet of cornflowers in his hand.

  She turned slowly, “I suppose you’re responsible for this?”

  “I broke down and asked your mom what your favorite flower is.”

  She walked toward him, “This is a lot of cornflowers.”

  He grinned, “Did you know they’re also called bachelor’s buttons?”

  She was about to respond in the affirmative, but he turned her attention skyward.

  There was a plane flying overhead. This was nothing new, but apparently, there was a jump going on. She hadn’t heard anything about a jump today.

  As the dots in the sky came closer, she could see there were actually five jumpers. She watched as they spread apart. She soon realized they were holding a banner. She squinted to read it.

  Will you marry me?

  Anna turned and looked up at Slater. She knew her eyes must look like pie plates.

  “Before I met you, I thought I wanted to be a bachelor forever,” he dropped to his knee, “but now I just want you, Anna.”

  She looked up at the men who were still gliding down.

  “I love you, Major Barnes,” he tugged on her hand, “are you going to answer me or make me wait all day?”

  She nodded, too awestruck to speak.

  He stood up and pulled her up into his arms, swinging her around in a circle.

  The crew from a nearby hangar cheered.

  He set her down and kissed her in front of the crowd.

  He finally pulled back at the sound of Hall’s voice.

  “I assume this means she said yes,” that man was winding up the banner as he walked toward them.

  “Oh,” Slater started like he was shocked, “I forgot.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black box.

  Anna looke
d down as he opened it. Inside was a rather large princess cut diamond in a platinum setting.

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered as he slipped it onto her finger.

  “You said yes before you saw the ring?” Garret had joined them, “it could have been a piece of tin.”

  She looked up at Slater, “I would have married him with a piece of yarn around my finger, Captain.”

  “In that case,” DeWitt was struggling with his end of the banner, “you can hand it over. My wife wouldn’t mind a spare.”

  Captain Hall waved to the others, “C’mon, guys. We’ve got a swim today.”

  Anna shuddered, “Swimming in February.”

  “At least we’re in North Carolina,” Slater led her back to the jeep.

  She didn’t think that made enough difference, “It’s 47 today.”

  He lay the bouquet down and went to retrieve the ones strewn about, “Don’t worry about it. We’ll be fully dressed.”

  She cringed, “We?”

  “Sorry,” he brought back the bachelor’s buttons. “I tried to reschedule the swim for tomorrow, so I could spend the afternoon with you, but some of the guys have their halos tomorrow.”

  She scooted over so he could drive, “I wasn’t thinking of myself, Slater.”

  He leaned over to capture her lips in a brief kiss, “I’ve missed you.”

  She bit her lip, “This was beautiful, Slater.”

  He took her hand to drive her back to her own building, “I think I used up all my romantic gestures for the next few months.”

  She laughed, “Thanks for the warning.”

  “I had some help in the idea department,” he admitted as he pulled into a parking spot.

  “From who?”

  “Colonel Olson’s wife.”

  “Nice of her.”

  Slater agreed.

  She turned and looked at him, “Just so you know, I would have said yes if you had just said, ‘Hey, wanna get hitched?’ sometime after we played basketball.”

  He snapped his fingers and affected an air of disgust, “Nuts. That was my first plan.”

  She laughed at him, “I would have been a little disappointed, but I would have said yes.”

  He lifted her fingers to his lips, “Glad I didn’t go that route then.”

  “This was far above anything I had ever imagined, Slater,” she wiped a tear away. “Thank you.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY