AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The captain actually cracked a slight smile, causing Ian to back away warily. Yeah, they weren’t besties by any means, and it was odd to see this man who’d screamed at him several times before being…nice.
“Thank you, sir,” he simply said, and saw Lewis look at him with wide eyes as if silently saying ‘What the heck?’ with that look alone.
“Lewis, I need that box and the bubble wrap,” Ian reminded him, because it sure was quiet in the exchange now as he was paying. Gathering his things, he headed to the small window down the way to mail the package. Standing there, he carefully slid the mirror into the box that had a piece of Styrofoam in it, wrapped it in bubble wrap. He used the scarf to ‘gift wrap’ it before putting it inside of another mailing box. It wasn’t a great packing job, and he hoped it made it to June in one piece… only to see Logan walking up to the counter – and tossed down something that clunked on the table.
“Drop one in,” Captain Logan ordered. “That’s my wife’s favorite candy, and your girl might like it too, Selkirk.”
“What is it?” he asked, picking up the thing that looked like a white brick with nuts in it. It was about the size of a deck of playing cards and cut into four pieces.
“Some pistachio nougat thing that is honey and rose flavored.”
“Oh, ah… thanks?”
“Girls like gifts… and candy,” Logan offered. “If you don’t know what to send them, then candy is usually a safe bet. Keep writing and encourage the others to do so, Selkirk.”
“Sir? Can I ask a weird question that I probably will regret?”
“Sure,” Logan chuckled, sealing his package to his wife and looking at him. “Ask away.”
“Why are you being… nice?” Ian hedged, and looked at the man’s surprised face. “I don’t mean it rudely, but you’ve really reamed me for talking back, and…”
“Selkirk,” Logan began quietly. “Work is work. Right now, we’re just two guys mailing packages back home, okay? I’m a normal person who is responsible for a lot of guys, and I have a job to do. If you want to send your girl something different, something from Afghanistan, I thought maybe you’d like one – but if you don’t? It’s okay. I’ll just put that chewy nougat stuff into Juliet’s box.”
“No… um, thank you. I’d like to send it to June and see what she thinks.”
“I’m just trying to keep everyone afloat right now, because I know it’s been a tough month or two. That’s why I told you to encourage the others to write their pen pals, because you talk to everyone - and they respond. Whereas with me? They freak out when I’m trying to be nice away from the office,” Logan smirked, and Ian’s mouth dropped open. “I’m kidding – relax, okay?”
Ian nodded and hesitated.
“Can we get beer here? It would be really cool to hang out and have a beer, you know? An ice breaker – and the guys would like it.”
“Nope. No beer – and I don’t think me getting drunk would go over well for anyone. It would only make my job harder… and no one wants a meaner version of myself. Do they?”
“Gotcha. We’ll skip the beer. Good call, sir.”
Logan laughed easily, and Ian found himself chuckling as he glanced at the other man nervously – especially when he patted him on the shoulder.
“You’re alright, Selkirk,” Logan uttered quietly. “No matter what Mitchell says about you.”
“Wait…what?”Ian sputtered. “What does Mitchell say about me? Captain Logan? Captain? What’s Mitchell telling people about me… Captain?Captain??”
Ian stood there as the other man walked off, whistling a filthy little ditty he recognized from basic training several years ago – surprising him once more as he processed the last ten minutes in his mind.
3
JUNE
Shocked,she read Ian’s email several times… and was unsure if she should laugh or cry. Did he not pick up on the subtle hints she was giving him? What kind of ‘clod’ actually told a strange woman ‘What a catch he was,’ insinuated they were going to go on a date, before claiming that he wasshy? And in the very same email, implied at the size of…
She shook her head and didn’t even finish the thought.
This man was anythingbutshy!
Ian Selkirk was outrageous, persistent, weird, and… funny. She liked a guy with humor, and really didn’t want to like this stranger. No, it was a lot easier to push him away, say ‘no’ repeatedly, and keep things politely distant, or close that ‘door’ altogether.
… Maybe he just didn’t realize that?
She could use a friend –but that was it.
