Tori Carrington - Distinguished Service

There was something strangely … intimate about sitting, just the two of them, in an empty retro diner, ‘50s music playing on a jukebox, the street beyond the front windows quiet and dark.

Even as they talked, he watched her eat, something he found strangely erotic. He couldn’t remember enjoying watching a woman eat. Then again, he could barely recall a woman eating in his presence, unless she was a colleague or a friend.

But watching Geneva savor the blueberry pie didn’t qualify as either.

“Which branch?” she asked after he’d fallen silent for a moment, reflecting on what he’d said; reflecting on her.

“What?”

“Which branch did you choose?”

“Marines.”

“Same as your father?”

He paused. “No.”

Curious, he’d forgotten having chosen a different path than his parent.

Funny how things worked out.

“I can relate.” She got up. “I could go for a glass of milk. How about you?”

Surprisingly, the idea appealed to him. “Sure.”

She poured them two large glasses then sat down again.

“I take it that means you’re from around here in a manner of speaking, as well?” he asked.

She nodded, then licked a milk mustache from her upper lip. Mace felt his pants tighten at the innocent move.

“I followed … someone here five years ago. I’ve been looking for a way out ever since.”

“He still around?”

She smiled. “Who said it was a guy?”

“I did.”

Her smile widened. “No, he was history two months in.”

For reasons he couldn’t be sure of, he was glad that not only was the guy part of her past, but she didn’t seem to have a problem with leaving him there. “Where are you from originally?”

“Ohio. Toledo. Whipped cream?”

She shook the can and then held it above the pies.

Mace felt the urge to reposition the tip above her lips so he might kiss it from them.

“Sure,” he said instead.

“Tell me when …”

She began spraying …

And spraying …

Covering what remained in all of the pie pans.

“When?” she asked.

“Huh?”

She stopped spraying and laughed. The sound was deep and husky … and made him want to kiss her all the more.

“I was waiting for you tell me when.”

He chuckled and switched his attention to the cherry pie, taking an extra-big bite to assuage the growing desire to run his fingers up her knee, which was left nicely bare by her skirt.

“So tell me about the other guy,” he said.

She held a hand under her cream-dripping fork as she moved it toward his mouth. “What guy?”

He began to refuse the bite of chocolate marshmallow pie, or rather her offering of it, then did the opposite by opening his mouth instead.

“The one at the counter panting after you all night,” he said with his mouth half full.

“Dustin? Dustin doesn’t pant. He moons.” The smile eased from her face and she suddenly avoided his gaze.

Then she appeared to make her mind up about something and her expression opened up again.

She brushed her hands together then went to the register, taking out a handful of change. The jukebox had gone silent while they talked.

“Any requests?”

“B-17.”

She laughed.

He liked that she got the reference.

“Who sang that song?” she asked. “No, wait … don’t tell me. I’ll get it.”

“I’d tell you if I knew. Female, I know that.”

“Olivia Newton-John.”

“Yeah … yeah. I think you’re right.”

She made her selections then came to sit down again. “I know I’m right. B-17 is the song.”

They shared a laugh as she picked up her fork again.

God, but he couldn’t remember a time he’d enjoyed an evening more. Her easygoing demeanor, sexy smile and revitalizing openness made Geneva great company.

And, he hoped, great in bed.

“So, does it always get that insane in this place?” he asked.

“You’d be surprised by how popular Meat loaf Mondays are.” She smiled and licked her fork. “It’s usually pretty busy all the time, but right now the flu is knocking down a few more staff than usual.” She sipped her milk, reminding him of a kitten lapping cream. “Well, that and blind dates.”

“Excuse me?”

“One of the missing waitresses had a blind date, I guess. At least that’s the rumor.” She toyed with a bit of crust. “I hope it’s not true or Trudy might fire her.”

“Can she afford to?”

“Afford to or not, she will. Trudy’s funny that way. You could break every glass in the place, but if you’re honest and here on time, she’ll keep you on.”

“I’m thinking honesty is important in a business of this nature.”

“Yeah.” The song changed from an upbeat to a slow tune on the jukebox. “So how long are you in town?”

“A week.”

The reminder of why he was back here was enough to loosen the fit of his pants a bit, but not much.

“You staying with family?”

He shook his head. “Nah. Bunking at the motel on University. You?”

“I live here.”

He chuckled. “Right. Sorry.”

“My mom and I did live together for a while, though …”

Something in her voice captured his attention.

She cleared her throat. “She passed a little over two months ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear it.” Damn. Talk about a pants-loosening change in conversation.

“Thanks. She was sick for a long time. Lymphoma. She was diagnosed shortly after she moved here.”

He didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing.

They ate in silence for a while.

Then she leaned back and groaned. “God, I can’t believe I ate so much of this. I feel like I’m going to burst.”

Mace looked at where they’d nearly polished off all four pies. “I can’t believe it, either. Although I think I have a ways to go before I reach bursting stage.”

She smiled. “I may have room for a bite or two more.”

Geneva Davis was unlike any woman he’d met in a good long while. By now, most of the women he usually dated would have checked their lipstick at least twice and made one run to the ladies’ room to check on the rest of their appearance.

Of course, he allowed that this wasn’t much like a date, either.

Still …

“Are you career?” she asked.

“Military? Nah. Six months to go.”

He found it interesting he’d answered in the negative. When had he made the decision not to sign up for another tour?

Just then, he realized. No matter what happened at Lazarus this week, he knew he didn’t want to exchange active duty for a desk job in Washington.

“Thank you,” he said.

“For what?”

“For asking me that. I didn’t know what my answer would be until you did.”

“You were considering staying longer?”

“I was.”

“But not anymore.”

He took in her pretty face. “Not anymore.”

His cell phone vibrated at the same time hers rang.

They laughed. Mace took his out of his pocket even as she consulted hers.

Janine.

Damn.

He refused the late-hour call and put the cell back into his pocket, watching as she pretty much did the same thing.

Then she began toying with the crust again.

“Someone you don’t want to hear from?” he asked.

She nodded. “You?”

“Yeah.”

Then, surprisingly, he found himself telling her all about Janine and what had gone down eight months earlier.

He couldn’t be sure how long he’d talked, or exactly how much he’d revealed, but she’d patiently listened, nodding when the situation called for it, making encouraging sounds when he needed them.

“So … just to be sure I’m following you,” she said once he finally stopped talking and teetered on the verge of regret for having said too much. “She not only left you for someone else because you were gone too long … She was messing around with him while you were still a couple, even introducing him as a friend to you during your last leave and including him in things you did together…. And now that you’re back, she wants to see you again?”