I didn’t even know it existed. I don’t get it. Why wouldn’t he bring it up in conversation? Why wouldn’t he ask? He went behind my back and faked my signature. How can I ever trust him again?”
Garrick put his hand over hers. “Breathe.”
“I’m breathing.” Sort of. She pressed her free hand against her chest and consciously tried to relax. “Where did this come from and why didn’t he talk to me? I know I keep saying that, but it’s a real question. Why not discuss it the way we talk about everything else?”
“Do you have any opinions on the military? Anyone in your family a former sailor, Marine, whatever?”
“What? I don’t know. It was just my mom and me. I never knew any extended family, so I have no idea if anyone ever served.” She paused, trying to formulate an answer to the question. “I support the military. I appreciate those who serve. We need a strong defense.”
His gaze was steady. “‘But not my kid?’”
The question was a kick in the gut. She withdrew her hand. “I never said that.”
“I know. I’m asking if you think it. Do you make it clear to Hunter that’s not an option? Not overtly but in subtle ways? JROTC isn’t a direct line to joining one of the branches, but it would expose him to the idea of it. Would you be okay with that?” He shook his head. “No, would he think you’re okay with it?”
She wanted to say she’d never even hinted that he shouldn’t consider the military, but stopped herself. Was that true? While she knew she’d never said anything directly, she wondered if somehow she’d had a bias.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I might have said something. I wouldn’t have meant it in a bad way. I’d be worried about his safety, and I have no real experience with the concept. It’s just not part of my world. It’s not like we’re near a military base or anything.” She clutched her coffee. “Does it matter? At the end of the day, he went behind my back and he was dishonest.”
“I agree that’s the bigger issue. I was just trying to find out if there was an obvious reason.”
“Not one I can see. I’m going to have to talk to him,” she said. “He is going to be in such trouble. I don’t even know where to begin with the punishment. And when we—”
She stared at Garrick as an awful truth popped into her head. “Oh, no. He lied on his application. He wanted to join and by lying, he’s violated the honor code or whatever it is.” She dropped her head to her hands, then straightened. “Great, now it’s on me. I either keep quiet about the lie so he can be a part of JROTC, or I tell the truth and he doesn’t get in. If I don’t say anything, then I’m teaching him the wrong lesson, and if I rat him out, I’m the bad guy.”
“You wouldn’t be ratting him out.”
“You’re objecting to the word choice, but not the reality. This puts me in a horrible situation.” She slapped her hands on the table. “Why did he have to do this?”
“I don’t know. I’m sorry you have to deal with it.”
“Me, too. I don’t want to be the grown-up. I’m not the right person to be doing this. I can’t do this.”
He leaned toward her. “Wynn, you’re the strongest person I know. You’ll figure it out. Trust your instincts.”
“I can’t. I have crappy instincts sometimes. I’ve done horrible things in my life. Maybe this is a payback for that.”
“Life isn’t that tidy. Besides, I don’t believe you’ve done terrible things.”
“You’re wrong. I have.”
“Shoplifting when you were seven?” he asked, his voice teasing.
“No. I never did anything like that.”
“You’re a good person. This is not some karmic justice. Hunter messed up. That’s all.”
She knew in her head he was right, but in her gut she was less certain. She looked at him.
“When I was nineteen, I fell wildly in love with a guy named Chas.” Despite everything, she smiled. “Not short for Charles or anything so mundane. Just Chas. He was blond and gorgeous and everything I’d ever wanted.”
Garrick’s gaze narrowed. “Are we talking about Hunter’s father?”
“We are. He was a professional surfer, waiting for the season to start up. Our meeting was so random, it shouldn’t have happened, but it did and I fell for him. I knew he was going to leave and I didn’t want