had a degree to finish. Here at the Gold Strike her world was safe and predictable. Being a bartender gave her what passed for a social life and put money in her pocket. It was all good.
* * *
YAWNING, JOHN FLIPPED the switch on the coffeemaker. It was programmed to start brewing at five-thirty. That usually worked fine...when he didn’t sleep until noon. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done that. But then he hadn’t gone to bed until nearly 4:00 a.m.
He got out a mug, then left it on the counter and forced himself out of the kitchen. Staring at the drips would only make him crazy while he waited for the first cup to brew. The notebook sat on the glass coffee table where he’d left it, open to the columns of pros and cons he’d started around midnight.
Hell, his grocery list had been longer. He rubbed his bare chest, then scraped the back of his knuckles along his stubbled chin and jaw. Maybe he wouldn’t shave for ten days. Be a bum, see what it felt like not to have to shine his boots, or to leave the condo. He had a pile of books he’d been meaning to read, a couple issues of AirForces Monthly to catch up on and if he wanted to just veg out, there were enough sports channels to keep him sprawled on the couch until it was time to make another turkey sandwich.
Sounded okay in theory. But last night had felt like being stuck forever in a cockpit waiting for a runway. Watching baseball on TV wasn’t his thing. Going to a game was okay. If his mood hadn’t gone sideways after seeing those vets, he would’ve stayed at the Gold Strike, eaten stale pretzels and watched the cute bartender.
With her wild chestnut hair and quick wit, he’d thought about her an awful lot. She didn’t fit his image of a woman who’d work in a dive bar. Not when she could be doing so much better bartending on the Strip. The tourists would like her trivia gimmick and her attitude. But she seemed awfully comfortable in the Gold Strike. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed right that she owned the place. She acted like she was at home there. He understood that. The air force had always been home for him, which made this...whatever the hell it was, all the more frustrating.
His coffee lured him in with its seductive aroma at the same time his cell phone buzzed. He grabbed it on his way to the kitchen and when he saw it was Sam, his pace slowed. The guy was his best friend. And the last person he’d talk to about his predicament. In fact, he hadn’t even told Sam he was on leave.
John thought about letting it go to voice mail, but he’d have to eventually return the call, so what was the point? Besides, Sam normally didn’t call in the middle of the day. Since he couldn’t fly anymore, maybe he was also having second thoughts about staying in another ten years.
Grabbing the carafe, John poured himself a cup as he answered. “Well, if it ain’t Captain Sam Brody. What’s up, Jaws?”
“I was expecting your voice mail,” Sam said, then paused. “Where are you?”
Hell, he wasn’t going to lie. “Home. I just rolled out of bed.”
“Alone?”
“Uh, yeah...as far as I know.”
Sam laughed. “Must’ve had a hell of a night. Isn’t it noon there?”
“Wait.” Coffee sloshed over the rim onto the counter. Cursing, John ripped off a paper towel from the roll suspended underneath the upper cabinet. “Just spilled my first cup of joe. Not a good start.”
“Want to call me back later?”
“No, I’m good.” He disposed of the towel and carried his cup to the living room. He stationed himself at the window and stared at the distant clear blue sky over Nellis. “What’s going on?”
“I got my new orders today. They’re sending me to Holloman. I’ll be teaching newbies how to pilot MQ-9 Reapers.”
“Now? Why didn’t they wait until you re-upped?”
“What? I signed last week.” Silence lapsed long enough for John to realize he’d stuck his foot in it, then Sam asked, “I gather you haven’t.”
“Nah, not yet. I’m on a short leave to take care of some loose ends. So how you feeling about being an instructor?”
“It’s fine. It’ll be good.”
John had a lot of things he could have said about that, but he didn’t. If Sam was cool with teaching,