“Did you go home to get your shoes?”
“No. I got them out of the trunk of my car. I’m a marine. I plan for every contingency.”
She walked toward the kitchen table. He grabbed her as she walked past him and pulled her onto his lap. He planted a soft kiss on her lips, raising the memory of last night. He nuzzled her neck and she giggled.
“You’re as beautiful this morning as you were last night.”
“Afraid you were wearing wine goggles?” she teased.
“No. I’m years past that. Let’s go enjoy our coffee on the back porch.”
It was a pleasant morning with a teasing chill that hinted at the beginnings of autumn. She sat in a rocking chair and sipped her coffee.
“What time is Andrew getting home?”
“Mid-afternoon, I’d imagine.”
“Good. That gives me plenty of time to seduce you again.”
“Not until I have another cup of coffee and finish this Danish. I need to keep my strength.”
“Maddie,” he said, “I really did mean everything I said last night. No matter what happens, you need to know that I want to be with you.”
“I know you meant it.” She’d seen the truth of it in his eyes.
“I’ll always come home. To you.”
“Promise me that if you ever decide it isn’t working out between us, you’ll tell me. I couldn’t handle not knowing what happened.”
“You have my word on that.” He took a sip of his coffee. “We were so into each other last night that I forgot to tell you how proud I was of you and the boys. You coached a great game. That was quite a win.”
“Thanks. Since you’re so proud of me, do you want to run my laps for me?”
“I don’t think so, Coach, but I might be persuaded if the terms are good enough.”
The grin on his face made her want him all over again.
“Good terms, huh? Come on back to the bedroom, I’ve got something there that might seal the deal.”
She took his hand and led him down the hallway.
After a shower, they settled on the sofa. David clicked on the television and tuned in to the early football game. They were midway through the fourth quarter when Andrew came home. He walked into the living room, mumbled hello and trudged down the hall toward his room.
“Is he okay?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. I’ll go check on him.”
Maddie knocked on Andrew’s door. No answer.
“Andrew? Can I come in, kiddo?”
Muffled sobs.
She opened the door and found Andrew sitting on his bed facing the wall. His shoulders were shaking. She sat next to him and put her arms around him.
“What’s gotten you so upset?”
“My touchdown. Mom missed it. It might be the only touchdown I ever make and she wasn’t here to see it. Is she ever coming home, Aunt Maddie?”
“Of course she’s coming home. Soon. She may even be home before the end of the season. And as fast as you ran that ball today, I have no doubt that’s only the first of many touchdowns. She’s going to be home before you know it.”
“You’ve been saying that since the day after she left. It’s been over a year. I’m afraid I won’t even remember what she looks like.”
“Andrew, honey, look at me. You will remember what she looks like. It’ll be like she never left, only better, because now you’ll know what it feels like to miss her and you’ll appreciate her more.”
“What if she doesn’t come home? Like that kid’s dad last month? He was only a couple of days from coming home and he died. What if that happens to Mom?”
“Your mom will come home safe and sound. I promise.”
“I sure hope you’re right,” Andrew said.
“Hey, I’ve got a great idea. Why don’t we start planning a welcome home party for her? Since we’ve got a few weeks, we’ll have time to plan everything perfectly. No rushing around at the last minute. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
“Sorta. Where would we have a party?”
“I don’t know. That’s why we need to start planning now. Come on, let’s go into the living room and get Coach Sterling to help us. I’ll bet he knows just what kind of party a soldier might like.”
David jumped into the project enthusiastically. He suggested they host the party at the house. He knew a couple of guys that had a pretty good garage band.
With the venue and entertainment decided, Andrew came up with an idea that would really personalize the party: a scrapbook that summarized everything that happened while Callie was away.
David praised the idea. “That would be awesome. You could print out a bunch of pictures from the time your mom’s been away and put them into a scrapbook. You could use Aunt Maddie’s computer to type out captions for them. Your mom would love that. Any soldier would.”
“You really think so, Coach?”
“Absolutely.”
The three of them got into the car and headed to the craft store to pick up the supplies Andrew might need for his project. They came home almost two hours later, arms full of construction paper, glue, markers, and rubber stamps. Andrew dragged the bags into his room and began to work on his project.
David was sitting on the back porch flipping through one of the novels she’d just checked out of the library.
“Wow. Do people really do this?” he asked, holding up the paperback.
“I think some of them must be acrobats or really into yoga.”
He put the book down and asked, “Is he feeling a little better?”
She nodded. “Thanks for being there for him today. He needs a man’s opinion sometimes and unfortunately, he’s never really had that.”
“I can’t imagine how I would have felt when I was his age if my mom had been gone for so long and I couldn’t see her or talk to her. He’s holding up remarkably well.”
“He’s done great, but I’m glad she’ll be home soon. I don’t think he can take much more.”
“We’ll just have to keep him busy for the next few weeks. I’ll help out in any way that I can. With any luck, he might be my nephew, too, someday.”
She decided to ignore the hint at marriage.
The wine and the lovemaking made me brave. I’m not sure I’m ready for something so real. A new relationship with David is all my brain can process at the moment.
“I’m excited about meeting Callie,” he said.
“You’ll love her. She’s so warm and compassionate. I just can’t wait to hug her and tell her how much I’ve missed her.”
“I’m sure I’ll love her, especially if she’s anything like her kid or her sister.”
David left shortly after dinner. Maddie put Andrew to bed and settled in on the sofa with the paperback he had been scanning earlier. She tried to focus on the pages, but her heart wasn’t in it. The last forty-eight hours had been so full of emotion and passion. It was like a pleasant hangover. She wished she could call Callie and tell her all of the juicy details. She vowed not to forget a single detail so she could share them with her sister over a pitcher of margaritas as soon as she got home.
For as long as she could remember she’d wished for a family of her own. She’d always wanted a house filled with kids and a wonderful husband to come home to in the evenings. And now, finally, after the loss of Frank, her first love, and the lonely years without anyone, her dreams just might come true.
She grabbed her football notebook from the coffee table and opened it to a blank page. She wrote her new name in print. Then in cursive. Maddie Sterling. Mrs. David Sterling. Lt. and Mrs. David Sterling. Then, on the next page, she wrote out her wedding announcement in her best block printing.
She fell asleep on the sofa in the middle of deciding on the color of her bridesmaids’ dresses.
...
His apartment felt so empty. After spending the night with Maddie and the afternoon with her and Andrew, the quiet of his place drove him bananas. He tried to watch television but he co
uldn’t get interested in anything, even football. He left it on for noise while he paced back and forth in front of the sliding glass door leading to his balcony.
At nine, he stopped wrestling with himself and called his parents.
“Hello?” His mom answered.
“Mama?”
“Hey, honey. Did you have a good weekend?”
“It was great. Remember the girl I was telling you about? I took her out to a really nice place last night and I think I’m pretty close to bringing her home to meet you guys.”
“Oh, honey, that’s wonderful.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “I can tell by the way you sound that you’re really happy. Have you told her how you feel?”
“I hope to be bringing her home as my fiancée, Mom.”
His mother gasped. “You already asked Maddie to marry you? We had no idea that you were this close, or we’d have—”
“Mom, relax. I haven’t officially asked her yet. But I intend to ask her as soon as I can find the right ring. I’m not letting her get away. She’s too perfect.”
“I’m so happy for you. I can’t wait to meet her. I’m sure she’s wonderful. I only hope she knows what a great catch you are.”
He laughed. “I’m sure you’ll tell her when you meet her.”
“You’re darned right I will. You’re welcome to your grandmother’s wedding ring. Your dad and I have always said that we wanted the first one of you to get married to have it. Since Robert…” Her voice trailed off and he heard the familiar choked sob. She recovered quickly. “I’m sorry, dear, I had something in my throat. If you think the ring might be the right one to give to Maddie, I’ll be happy to send it through the post.”
“I think she’d love Grandmother’s ring. But don’t mail it just yet. Maybe I can get down there for a weekend soon. I’ll call you when I figure out my schedule.”
“Okay. I can’t wait to tell your dad the good news. He should be home from his fishing trip tomorrow. He’ll be thrilled.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Mama.”
“Isn’t love wonderful? I know it’s cliché, but it’s still the best thing out there.”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s definitely the best thing out there. Mama, on second thought, would you go ahead and mail the ring? Just in case the perfect moment comes along?”
“I sure will, darling. I’ll get it in the mail soon. Love you.”
“I love you, too, Mama.”
Maddie was going to love the sentiment behind her engagement ring, and if he remembered correctly, his grandmother’s ring was quite a showpiece. He knew just how he was going to pop the question. He’d take her on a picnic, ply her with wine and kisses and then pull the ring out of the picnic basket.
They’d spend the afternoon on a blanket in the grass, holding hands and planning their life together. Sipping chilled white wine, they’d discuss what to name the kids, where they’d spend their honeymoon.
Now that he’d found Maddie, he was excited about his life for the first time since the day he got the news that Robert was dead. No one was going to take that away from him.
Even if it took him months of begging and cajoling, she was going to be his wife.
Sooner or later.
When he set his sights on something, he didn’t give up. Ever.
Chapter Eleven
Son of a bitch.
The Marine Corps wanted to give him a Bronze Star for his failure.
After all this time, they’d found a letter, buried deep in his file. His commanding officer at the time of Frank’s death had written it to recommend David for a Bronze Star, one of the most prestigious awards in the Armed Services. He wished the correspondence had been lost forever.
Heat crept up the back of his neck, all the way across his scalp.
The Bronze Star was supposed to be for heroism. Not a disaster.
Since the ambush that killed Frank, the Corps had always maintained that it wasn’t David’s fault. That he’d acted according to his orders and that no one could’ve predicted the outcome. That Frank’s death was just a part of the cost of war.
He had been a marine long enough to know that the Corps wasn’t above covering its own ass. So no matter how they chose to spin the incident, in his heart, he knew it was his fault. No one could convince him otherwise.
All he wanted was to get his walking papers and start a new life, on the civilian side of the fence.
He wasn’t going to accept the medal. He would refuse it.
He wanted no reminders of that day.
Maddie was also a reminder.
In his head, he told himself that he wanted no reminders, but there was something about her that he couldn’t let go, couldn’t let pass.
Was his attraction to her just another facet of his survivor’s guilt?
A run. He needed a long, punishing run to clear his head.
Three miles into his jog, he felt no better.
He’d made up his mind that he’d decline the award, but Maddie was another story altogether.
The rage and hurt he’d been carrying around since Robert’s death had worn him to the bone. The guilt he’d been carrying around since Frank’s death had blasted holes in his soul.
There was only one thing that helped him to forget: Maddie.
Every time he saw her he wanted her more. He was falling and he couldn’t stop himself. The attraction had begun with those perfect breasts and green eyes, but he’d come to realize over the past few days that it was much more than a physical thing. She was bright and picked up quickly on the smallest details. She gave her heart and soul to her clients, working to make sure they had a support system. Then there was her strong sense of commitment, to Andrew, Callie, and the Camp Wilson Pirates.
When he first offered to help with the team, he was afraid that he’d do most of the coaching, but he was pleased to see how hard she worked to mold herself into a good coach. Most people would have just thrown up their hands, but not her. She had grit and determination, two qualities he greatly admired.
Not that he had a chauvinistic bone in his body, but that woman could cook. Those pork chops were southern perfection. She was everything he’d ever hoped to find in a woman.
He settled into the run, kept pushing himself. He wound through the streets of Fort Wilson, soaked with sweat, embracing the endorphins pumping through his veins, hoping they’d clear his thinking.
His single-minded intent on exacting revenge had given him tunnel vision. While getting Robert’s murderer squarely in the cross-hairs had been his main focus, it had been a fool’s errand. An impossible goal. The loss of Frank Westerfield changed everything.
The day played over and over in his head like a film. The sun, the dust, the sharp smell of gunfire.
By the time he’d gotten to Frank, it was too late. The only thing he could do was bring him out, get his body back to the operating base. He’d thrown Frank on his back and half walked, half crawled back to the base.
Even in the warm sun, he shivered.
He had to make the movie stop. Once and for all.
It was time to build a new foundation. To start again.
He wasn’t sure he could make a new go of things with Maddie as his partner.
Which really sucked.
His heart squeezed at the thought of leaving her behind in order to have a new life.
When he’d been faced with choosing a professional football contract over exacting vengeance for his brother, he’d done what felt like the honorable thing. When he’d been faced with leaving Frank behind, he’d chosen to get his body back to the operating base no matter the cost.
He was sick and tired of making hard decisions.
Maddie was the kind of woman who came along once in a lifetime. She was the only woman he wanted in his life.
But now, the letter his commanding officer had written all those years ago was bringing back all the guilt. Block by block, he felt the wall rebuilding itself.
He hoped his shoes had
enough miles left to work out the tangle of knots in his head.
...
Maddie tried to call David on her way to pick up Andrew from school. When he didn’t answer, she left a message on his voicemail inviting him over for dinner. He didn’t call Monday night. And while she was peeved, she told herself that something had come up at work. She’d see him at practice tomorrow night.
On Tuesday morning, she went to the market and picked up several containers of ice cream, and threw some Gatorade bottles into her cart. She had no idea how she was going to run all those laps. Her only hope was that the boys might forget about it.
Fat chance.
“You’ve got some laps to run, Coach,” Henry said as soon as she blew the whistle to start the practice.
“So you didn’t forget?” she asked. “Here’s how we’re going to do this. As soon as Coach Sterling gets here, he’ll get everyone started on drills. At the end of practice, I’ll run my laps and y’all can eat the ice cream in the cooler.”
Unless her watch was running fast, David was already five minutes late. If he didn’t show up in a few more minutes, she’d call him. Maybe he’d just forgotten practice.
Three phone calls, two to his cell and one to his apartment, went unanswered.
Thirty minutes later, she had the boys practicing blocks.
“Is Coach Sterling coming to practice, or not?” one kid asked.
“I can’t get in touch with him, boys, so the laps will have to wait until the next practice.” She tried to keep the worry out of her voice.
“Awwww. No fair.”
“Then we’ll all run a few laps together.”
“Awww, Coach,” they complained.
She and the boys jogged around the track. After the fourth lap, she heard the boys near the back of the group complaining. Normally, she would have given them another lap, but she was too preoccupied, so she called an end to the practice and passed out the ice cream.
In the car on the way home, she dialed David’s number several times.
She was beginning to get worried. It had been two days since she’d heard from him.
If she didn’t hear from him tomorrow, she’d try to find his office on base.
He ought to know better than to make her worry like this.
Coach Maddie and the Marine Page 12
