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“Keep your eyes to yourself, dickhead,” I respond, but secretly I’m wondering how badly dreaming about Rylie is affecting my mind. I need to be able to do my job.
I think about the case. Then I reflect on my last physical training scores, better than most, but maybe I could improve? Getting Rylie out of my mind is harder than I thought because when I consider my workout routine, I realize the main benefit of having a fit body would be to share it with her.
I shift in my seat, again, open a book, but I can’t concentrate. Then I realize I’ve forgotten to straighten things out with Marta for the care of Caden while I’m gone. I know she’ll handle it, but I wish I’d made an effort to appear more responsible. If his mother weren't off in southeast Asia boning a stoner, our son's life would be more stable and secure.
I’m agitated, but at least reminders of my villainous ex-wife have eliminated my awkward stiffy. Thank God for small favors.
In spite of the uniforms, weapons, and military vehicles, my day-to-day job isn’t much different than an average civilian lawyer. My first responsibility is to be a soldier but my life is paperwork, filings, case studies, reports, and the interviews.
“Hey, Major Hayes,” one of the lieutenants whispers from across the aisle, “did you check out the ass on that She-Private?”
“What?” I say coming out of my mind fog.
“That ass,” he repeats.
“No,” I say sternly. “I did not. And try to remember that we take sexual harassment seriously these days.”
He lets out a derisive guffaw and someone else says, much too loudly, “I think the Major is in love. What else would cause a man to miss that piece that just walked by?”
“At ease, men,” I say taking charge. “We’re not in a locker room.”
“Fucking-A. You are in love,” someone says.
Another officer says, “That was some ass. Seriously, Major.”
“I agree,” my seatmate says. “You really didn’t notice?”
“No,” I admit.
“Damn,” he says, “you do have something going on.”
“I’m going back to my book,” I say, in a failed attempt to exit the conversation.
“So who is it?”
“Not having this discussion.”
“In that deep, huh?”
“Not your business.”
“Yes, sir,” he spits out.
The military is largely still a boys club. Once my love life gets into the rumor mill, I’ll be joshed all day long. To deny it will only make it worse. If anyone had an inkling I was even daydreaming about climbing into Rylie’s bed, that’s an instant fuck-up for my next promotion.
I want to avoid Frank’s wrath, but when I try to choose in my mind what is more important to me, advancing in rank or claiming Rylie, I’m conflicted. Life is too short to not find out if the woman you think is the one, really is.
I close my eyes and shut out the banter among the men around me.
The plane hits mild turbulence, and I think about how like life is like this. Bumps and challenges along the route, but in the end, we somehow end up on solid ground. One moment I'm sure that pursuing her will lead to disaster, but once those big brown eyes and her luscious round ass push into my head, I’m certain we can, and should, take a shot at happiness.
