can love her. When you’re home, you’re with your family. When you’re gone, you touch base every second you can. It don’t matter if you had a shit day or saved the world, listen to her bitch about the dishwasher not working, her asshole boss, and the kids driving her crazy.”
Wise words. “What about how often we’re gone?”
“Make family a priority when you’re at home and it will make the months at sea easier to deal with. Oh, and let her be mad at you for being gone. Don’t try to defend it, just let her vent because it sucks for her.”
Sucks is right. His duty had never bothered him before. Not even when it interfered with a relationship. He always watched the girl walk away and figured she just wasn’t the right one. But Olivia was different. Olivia felt like the right one. What if she walked away?
“You better get up on deck, sir, or you’re going to miss her.”
Shit! Kane rushed out, heading toward the deck, impatient to see his lovely lady, and worried she wouldn’t show.
Squinting against the sun, he scanned the crowd of people being led around while a petty officer gave her spiel. Spotting Olivia, he maneuvered through the crowd until he was behind her.
“What’d I miss?” he whispered in her ear
Olivia gave a start and spun toward him. She looked good. Damn good. Dressed more casually than before, she wore jeans and a college sweatshirt. He wondered if she went to Ohio State or just liked the sweater. Her lustrous locks framed her face and ruffled in the slight breeze coming off the water.
“I’m sure nothing you haven’t seen before,” she whispered back.
“Did you find it okay?”
“The men and women in white uniforms helped me find the right area. It’s not what I expected,” she said the last part almost sheepishly.
“Only if you expected an aircraft carrier.” Kane was assigned to a warship, a destroyer.
Rolling her eyes and giving him a teasing smile, “What’s the difference?”
“They might not be as large, but they can maneuver better,” he whispered in her ear, enjoying her blush, “and my destroyer is cheaper to haul up here.”
He wandered through the tour of the flight deck where the helicopter sat on the helipad. Interrupting only to point to where he worked, he enjoyed her avid interest in all things Navy. As the tour wrapped up and they wandered to the gangplank, he pulled her aside and nodded at the tour guide that’d he take care of Olivia’s departure.
“So,” he said, rocking on his boots.
She tucked her hair behind her ear. “So. This is it.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
“I was talking about the tour,” she tried to lighten the mood.
“I’m not.” He wanted to grab her and give her a passionate kiss such that she’d agree to anything he said. But he couldn’t, he was in uniform on the ship. Still, it wouldn’t stop him from trying to persuade her. “I’ll call you before I head out. I don’t always know my schedule. We can write though, right?”
She looked around them, watched the activity on the ship, then finally back at him. “Kane, you can’t believe this will go anywhere. We live completely separate lives.”
“We weren’t separate this week,” he pointed out and watched another pretty blush bloom across her cheeks. “I’m just asking to e-mail you once in a while, maybe call now and then. Would that be okay?”
“I guess,” she gave in to him grudgingly.
Kane gave a stupid grin. Little by little, he’d wear her down. “I’d love to give you a good-bye kiss, but…” he looked around before giving her a little wink, “I’ll have to leave you with yesterday.”
There was that adorable blush again.
“It’s all right. Good-bye, Kane.” The hint of sadness in her smile made him wonder if she’d answer when he got the chance to call.
*****
“Hey Olivia, I’ve been thinking about you.”
*****
Olivia,
Memories of our time together are getting me through weeks of seeing nothing but water around. And being surrounded by stinky men.
Take care,
Kane
*****
“Hey Gorgeous. I’ll try to call again next week.”
*****
“I’m up for promotion. Ted thinks he’ll get it ahead of me, but come on,” David guffawed, “my portfolio’s way more impressive than his. I’ve brought in bigger contracts so I think as long as I nail the interview, the job is mine.”
David droned on about work. Again. Olivia struggled to remember why she had agreed to meet with him. She’d ignored his calls and returned none of his messages for three weeks.