“Wow,” Hannah says beside me, adjusting her sunglasses and fanning herself with a program as sweat drips down her temples.
“Exciting, isn’t it?” I shield my eyes with my hand and gaze ahead at the distant runway. Planes are lined up and ready to go.
“Exciting indeed,” she mutters.
I follow her gaze—and my breath catches.
Scott strides toward us in his crisp white Navy uniform, his medals gleaming in the sunlight. His broad shoulders fill out the sharp lines of his coat, and he carries his hat tucked neatly under one arm. His confident stride draws every nearby pair of eyes, especially the female kind. Beside him trots Denver, tail wagging in sync with Scott’s steady steps. Denver’s own medals of honor are displayed on his vest.
Hannah lets out a low whistle. “I mean. Come on.”
My stomach flutters. Wow.
“Ladies,” Scott greets us, his voice deep. His gaze lands on me. I’m standing there with my mouth half open. “Enjoying the show?”
“We are now,” Hannah quips. “You clean up pretty well, Rickter.”
Scott chuckles, the sound a low rumble in his chest. “Thanks. I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“You should,” she replies, elbowing me. “Don’t you agree, Maddie?”
I nod. My cheeks are already pink from the heat, but I feel them get hotter. “You look…” I pause, searching for the right word. “Distinguished.”
“Distinguished,” Scott repeats. He looks up like he’s giving my word some thought, his lips twitching. “I like that.” His voice is husky as his gaze flickers from my eyes to my tank top and short denim shorts, then back to my eyes. “You look nice too, sweetheart.” He inhales.
Denver nuzzles Scott’s leg. His expression turns to pride. “Denver’s been the big star today.”
“I believe it,” I reply, crouching to pet Denver. He leans into my touch, his black fur warm and soft beneath my fingers. “You’re my good boy, aren’t you?”
Denver wags his tail enthusiastically. I wipe away some of the sweat pooling on my forehead with my shirt and stand,taking Scott’s hand as he helps me up. He averts his gaze from my bare stomach and clears his throat.
“Hey.”
He leans in—stiff, his face all serious. Is he nervous?
“I’ll just spit it out.” He exhales. “Will you let me take you out tonight?”
“Yes,” I answer too quickly.
“Thank God…” He lowers his voice to a whisper. “You just made my day.”
Gently, he pushes his fingers through my hair, tilting my head back slightly before pressing a sweet kiss to my mouth, just the faintest trace of his tongue crossing my lips. Enough to tease me. My heart pounds.
Before I recover, Jamie and Liam approach, each precariously balancing a tray of food. Jamie holds out a hot dog smothered in mustard and onions. “Anyone hungry? We grabbed extras.”
Scott reluctantly leaves us to it, flashing me a private smile. The rest of us grab our food and sit, anxiously waiting for the show to start. Scott’s so handsome. What am I going to wear for our date? I want this to go somewhere. Is this what love feels like?
Stop it, Maddie.
You’re twenty-eight years old, and Scott’s in his thirties. This is what grown-ups do. They date and find out if they’re compatible. They don’t dream about love before they’ve even French kissed.
An eerie sensation washes over me. I’m being watched.
Scanning the crowd, I scold myself. There’s no threat here.
Then, I spot the woman from the general store.
She’s stunning, dressed in a simple white dress today. A little girl, maybe four or five years old, clutches her hand. She has big blond curls, just like her mom. The mother appears nervous,shifting on her feet and skittishly jumping away from anyone who gets too near her in the crowd. Something’s off. Her make-up’s too heavy, and there’s a dark shadow on her cheek.
