never know.”
She turned back and got washing, finishing the dishes quickly, and moving on to the bowl and measuring cup. “So, are you still in the service?”
“Yep, stationed right here at Nellis.”
“Are you a colonel?”
He laughed. “A captain. I’m only thirty-three.”
“What’s next?”
“I’m up for major.”
“Then colonel?”
He hesitated, and curious, she turned to look at him, but he wasn’t at the counter. Instead, he’d gone to the fridge and pulled out a beer. He glanced at her, but didn’t say anything until he’d gotten back on the stool and was able to take a swig off the bottle. Finally, he shrugged. “If I stay in long enough,”
“That was a joke, right?” She kept swirling the sponge in the batter bowl, but couldn’t stop looking at him. “I mean, you must be halfway to retirement by now, unless my math is wrong.”
“You’re right on both counts.”
She didn’t believe him. At least not about the joking part. Why make light of something like that? His family would, as he’d put it, have a strong opinion. “You must be on leave.”
“For another week.”
“And you stayed here? It’s broiling. Are you crazy?”
He leaned back, confidence oozing from his smile, his shoulders taking up so much room he looked as if he owned the place. “And aren’t you glad I did?”
Cassie gave him a long look. “The cockiness finally surfaces.”
“I meant that I’m here to help you study.” He was clearly annoyed with her comment. “Finally surfaces? What does that mean?”
“You pilots are a different breed.”
“I didn’t say I was a pilot.”
“But you are...” She grinned with her own brand of smug. “Aren’t you?”
John kept staring at her but he didn’t respond. Was he still pissed about her remark? That didn’t seem like him. He had a sense of humor and was a good sport. The kiss at the bar proved that.
“I should’ve taken Lisa’s bet.” Cassie stopped and thought a moment. “No, she wanted to bet on whether you’d leave after your first sip of scotch. She wouldn’t have put money on whether you were air force or a pilot. We both knew you were a flyboy the moment you walked in.”
“Is it the haircut?” His flat tone felt off.
“That might’ve had something to do with it, though your hair’s a bit longer than most airmen. I think mainly it’s the swagger.” She saw straight off that she’d used the wrong word. Or maybe he’d interpreted it as something negative, because the firm set of his mouth said he wasn’t pleased. “But not in a bad way. I’m not in any way dissing you. So you’re a pilot...I think that’s fine.”
He let out a short surprised laugh. “Huh,” he said. “I appreciate it.” He shook his head, his amused expression a relief. “Those men who sit in the corner with your pal Gordon. They say anything?”
“Not to me. Why?”
“I noticed a couple of retired lifers in the group. Those guys aren’t always happy to share their space with officers.”
“The retirees aren’t the problem,” she said. “It’s the others who came back wounded. Not all of them, just the guys looking for someone to blame. I can’t pretend I understand what they went through, but I get that it’s easier to be angry than frightened.”
“Including your brother?”
“He was wounded in Iraq,” she said quietly, and rinsed the last of the utensils.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s fine.” She unplugged the sink and turned around to wipe her hands. “You’ve probably heard Tommy’s story a hundred times. An IED took out half his unit and part of his leg. But he’s lucky. He has Lisa, who loves him even though he can be a complete ass, and he has the bar. It’s not exactly a gold mine, despite the name, but it generates a few bucks and allows him to be his own boss. Which, if you knew my brother, is a major advantage because his attitude sucks and he never shows up when he’s supposed to. He was fitted with a new prosthetic a few weeks ago—did I already tell you?”
She frowned, trying to remember. “No, when could I have done that...? Anyway, the first one had been a bear for him, he won’t even give this one a fair chance. He could have a pretty normal life. But nooo...he’d rather bitch and moan about how it doesn’t feel right. Now, when I see him coming through the door in his old wheelchair, I could just throw—”
She drew in a quick breath, startled at how she’d