Page 1 of Falling for a Grumpy Hero

PROLOGUE

FORD

The rhythmic thump-thump-thump of rotor blades from above signaled the arrival of our ride. I glanced up, squinting into the orange and crimson sky as the sun set behind the jagged Afghan mountains in the distance. Hand to my forehead, I shielded my eyes against the glare and watched for a moment as the chopper emerged through the thick cloud of dust in the air.

Heat shimmered off the tarmac it was aiming for, the thumping growing louder with every inch the helicopter descended. It blew up sand and grit in a stinging gust of wind as it touched down, but I didn’t flinch.

The only thing that might’ve worried me was getting some of that shit in my eyes right before a mission, but they were protected by my scratched ballistic lenses. I’d been here too long now to be bothered by a whirlwind of shrapnel-like grit blowing around. I was also long past the stab of fear that used to race through me when our transport arrived.

“God, I can’t wait to get out of here.” Luke, my best friend and fellow marine, adjusted the strap on his plate carrier and tossed me a grin, his teeth a striking white against his deeply tanned skin. “Only a few more weeks until we blow this popsicle stand. Can I get a hell yeah?”

“Nope. Can’t do it.” I double-checked my rifle before I glanced back at him, both of us standing under the mottled cover of a camouflage net. “Unlike the rest of you idiots, I’m not looking forward to returning to base. As far as I’m concerned, they can keep me here forever. What’s not to love?” I pumped my eyebrows at him and lifted my arms out to my sides to indicate our surroundings. “It’s always sunny in Afghanistan.”

“What?” Dappled shadows fell across his face as his head jerked back, his jaw slackening before his lips curved into a grin. “Oh, I get it. You’re messing with me.”

“I’m really not.” I glanced toward those mountaintops I’d woken up to for almost a year on this tour, unable to even imagine opening my eyes and seeing the ocean again. “The view is unparalleled, don’t you think?”

“Sure, if you’ve got a thing for deserts and death. Seriously, bro, are you feeling okay? Fever?”

I laughed. “I’m fine. Just happy exactly where I am, doing my job and serving my country while I’m at it. It seems more practical to enjoy where I’m at right now than to focus on what’s happening in a few weeks.”

“Practical schmactical.” He shook his head and pulled a soft, crinkled photograph out of his pocket. It was one of those passport-sized ones and I’d seen it many times before, but he showed it to me anyway. “As soon as my toes touch US soil, I’m asking her to marry me. I’ve got a ring and everything.”

I arched my eyebrows and smirked. “The only reason you want to get married is so that you can get out of the barracks and move into family housing.”

As I said it, my gaze dropped to the picture. Melissa, his high-school sweetheart, beamed at me from it, her eyes bright with happiness and her expression somehow coy and cute at the same time. I’d met her before we’d deployed. She was nice.

I wouldn’t marry her, but that didn’t mean much. I didn’t know if I’d ever want to marry anyone.

“Bullshit.” Luke laughed and snatched the photo back to slide it into the inner pocket of his shirt. It was always there, as close to his heart as he could carry her. “I want to marry her because I love her and because I’ve kept her waiting long enough.”

We headed over to go help the rest of our squad load up the remaining weapons and gear. “Mark my words, Ford. Eventually, some woman is going to sweep you off your ugly feet and you’ll be looking forward to getting back stateside too.”

I scoffed. “Lay off my feet.”

“Let’s go, boys!” Lieutenant Anderson shouted and Luke’s smile melted away.

The atmosphere between us all shifted instantly, the moment of departure having arrived. I looked at the guys standing in a loose semi-circle around me, giving them each a tight nod in turn. They did the same to me and to each other.

This was far from our first rodeo, but in these moments right before we headed out, the silence that fell between us was always heavy with the weight of the unknown. None of us knew whether the brother standing next to us now would be there when we got back. None of us knew if we’d be coming back in one piece or even coming back at all.

My jaw clenched with the intensity of it as we fell into tight formation and jogged toward the helicopter. I might not feel that fear anymore, not as deeply as I used to, anyway, but my senses always went on full alert at this point, my heart beating double time and the world around me in much sharper focus.

When we reached the chopper, the loadmaster waved us aboard with gloved hands, shouting above the ever-present thumping of those rotors. I swore, years from now when I was old and gray, I would still hear that thumping in my dreams. “Go, go, go!”

Our boots hit the metal of the steel ramp and my pulse spiked like it was ticking toward a countdown. I just didn’t know what it was counting down to, hence the weight of that uncertainty. In theory, we were only doing recon today, not going into battle or setting down into fire, but the reality was that every mission was a battle of some sort and the possibility of getting trapped under fire lurked around every corner.

I took my seat on the bench along the wall and strapped in, inhaling the familiar scent of stale sweat, gun oil, and scorched dust. It created a cocktail of adrenaline and duty that I found comforting—especially while I was in the presence of the low thrum of nerves that we were all trying to ignore.

There were no more jokes now, though. No chatter and no banter. Our game faces were on, all eyes forward as the ramp hissed and started lifting, sealing us into the beast we’d be flying in today. Possibly dying in today.

I shut my eyes and let my head drop back against the metal. The ground vibrated under my feet, the roar of the engines near deafening as the pilot prepared for takeoff. The familiar sounds, smells, and sensations lulled me into what I knew was a false sense of security, but I let it happen and my mind drifted toward Luke’s excitement to go home.

Most of the guys on this chopper were counting down the days. Some, like Luke, were eager to get back because they had big plans. Proposing. Taking a trip. The lieutenant’s grandma was sick and he was hoping to get to her in time to say goodbye. Others just wanted to get home to make love to their wives, or kiss their kids goodnight, or make it to a big music festival coming up.

For me, this was what I’d been looking forward to. Getting to be here. Becoming a marine. Serving my country. Once I’d outgrown the phase of wanting to be a race car driver, this was all I’d ever wanted to do.

And now that I was doing it? Fuck, yeah, it’d been worth all the work I’d put in. I’d stay forever if they’d let me.