MacKenzie nods once and then walks toward her plane. She doesn’t look back again. This time, she’s in full work mode, and it’s sexy as hell to see how confident she is as she checks over her plane one last time and climbs in.
Some of the wives cry and sniffle; some are seasoned pros and stand sad but stoic as they watch their partners leave one more time. I grip the chain link in my hands and watch with them as the hatches close, and one by one they start their engines and take off.
When the last plane is out of sight, I let go of the fence and make my way back to my truck. I climb in and head to the airport to catch my flight to the east coast. I have a lot of work to do to establish our dual-coast life over the next nine months. And I do it all with a nervous pit in my stomach that I’ve never felt before. Sure, I know it’s a dangerous job; I had one of the most dangerous that the armed forces offer, and it never bothered me. But there’s something about knowing that if shit happens, this could have been the very last time I’ll ever see her alive.
She was right. Being on this side of the leaving is a lot harder than it looks. But I got this. We’ve got this. I know it.
Chapter Twelve
MacKenzie
Payphone
I’m tired, I’m sweaty, and there’s more sand in places on my body than if I’d spent a week camping at the beach. But when the video chat connects, there’s a wide smile on my exhausted face. And a little sand in my teeth.
“Hey, baby,” Kyle says when his end connects.
“Hey,” I reply shyly. I tuck a strand of hair that’s fallen from my French braid behind my ear.
“You look beautiful,” he tells me, and I can hear the snickers of the guys in his office. My blush heats my cheeks.
“No I don’t.” I laugh. I’m in a khaki PT shirt and shorts. I just finished working out with Cinco and Hooter when my time slot was called. I’m sweaty and disgusting. It’s anything but beautiful.
“You look beautiful to me.”
“Thanks,” I tell him as I brush a messy lock of hair back from my face. It’s being unruly. The dry heat is doing weird things to my skin and hair.
Catcalls and whistles sound somewhere behind him out of view of the camera, and I laugh while Kyle rolls his eyes. They may not be military men anymore, but they have the same old die hard habits. I know that the guys will be waiting to give me shit about my skype date when I meet them in the chow hall later.
“I take it you’re still at work.”
“Yeah.” He laughs. “You mean you could hear the Neanderthals in the background?”
“Hey, Mack!” Sean says, popping up from behind him, and waving like a lunatic over Kyle’s shoulder.
“Hi!” I laugh. I miss these guys. The friendship between Kyle and Sean is ridiculous and I love it.
“Would you get out of here so I can talk to my girl?” Kyle chuckles as he shoves the big teddy bear out of the way.
“No,” the gentle giant denies happily.
“I miss you guys already,” I say, smiling at their antics.
“That better be me you’re talking about,” Kyle says, still struggling with his friend. They’re like a couple of overgrown schoolboys.
“No way, you know she knows she should have picked me!” Sean snarks as Kyle finally gets the upper hand, taking him off his feet when he sweeps his legs out from underneath him with his free leg. There’s a lot of wrestling happening in an office building somewhere in Virginia Beach. Who in their right mind would hire these knuckleheads, I don’t know.
“I miss all of you,” I answer. “But I miss you a lot, Kyle.”
“I miss you too, baby,” he says quietly. “So damn much.”
“Hurry up and come home!” Sean shouts from the distance. “He’s turning a little too Gray Gardens for my liking! Next thing we know, he’ll have eighty cats in that house with him.”
“Fuck off, asshole.” Kyle laughs again but he also doesn’t deny that he’s keeping to himself while I’ve been gone.
“I’ll do my best.”
“How’s it going?” Kyle asks, suddenly serious.
