Loree Lough - Once a Marine

But he didn’t have to like it.

CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE CHAPTER THIRTY CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX EPILOGUE Copyright

ROSE HELPED HERSELF to a chocolate-chip cookie then perched on a kitchen stool. “I should hang out here more often. Maybe your homemaker skills will rub off on me.”

The place did look good, if Summer said so herself. But then, why wouldn’t it, when she had little else to do but decorate and keep things tidy?

“Once I’ve done my exercises, I have nothing but time on my hands. And a person can only read and watch TV so many hours a day.”

Her friend stared at her long and hard, and Summer braced herself for another lecture about getting out of the house.

Instead, Rose polished off the cookie. “How many of these fattening, addictive things did you make this time?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Six, maybe eight dozen.”

“Keep that up, and this—” Rose crossed her long legs “—will be impossible.”

Summer laughed, hoping she’d escaped the spiel.

“So what’s this I hear about you signing up for self-defense classes with Zach Marshall?”

Summer had thought the blabbermouth gene had skipped a generation, but clearly, Alex had inherited it. Summer ran a hand through her hair. “I probably will, but I’m not sure yet.”

“I hope you’re joking, because Alex is feeling pretty good about himself for talking you into it.”

If she signed up, it would be because of Zach, not Alex. But if she admitted that to Rose, she’d tell Alex and hurt his feelings.

Summer flipped through her recipe file and plucked out the card for veggie lasagna. “My parents’ plane will land soon, and I’m sure they’ll be hungry when they get here.”

“Where are they flying in from this time?”

“Malta.”

“ Malta? I don’t even know where that is!”

When Summer entered high school, her folks thought it best that she stay in one place to attend school and live a more stable life than their own, and she’d kept track of their whereabouts on the big world map that now hung above her living room sofa. Knowing Rose would cry tears of boredom if she recited the precise location at 35.9̊ N and 14.5̊ E, she said, “It’s in the Mediterranean, near Italy and Libya.”

Rose nodded, squinting as if trying to picture the region. “Hmm. And where to next?”

“Who knows? They’re nomads.”

“It sounds like such a fascinating life.” Rose sighed wistfully.

Summer knew better than to agree. “Would you and Alex like to join us for supper?” she said instead. “I’m sure they’d love to see you guys and share pictures and stories about the island and the movie, with all its pirates and scallywags and doubloons.”

Rose glanced at the ingredients on the recipe card and wrinkled her nose. “Tofu?”

“’Fraid so.”

She shoved the card closer to Summer. “Thanks, but I think I’d rather see that annoying superheroes movie Alex has been raving about.”

Summer put a pot of water on to boil. “Tofu isn’t all that horrible.”

“Not all that horrible? Gee, there’s a convincing argument.” Rose laughed. “And speaking of arguments, help me understand why you’re on the fence about these self-defense lessons.”

Rose held her gaze then said, “I know you. In for a penny, in for a pound. Or in your case, it’s all-in, or 100 percent out .”

Much as Summer hated to admit it, Rose was right.

“How much do you know about the instructor?” she asked.

“Zach? Well, he’s single, if that’s what you mean.”

No, it wasn’t, but for a reason Summer couldn’t explain, that came as good news.

“He’s also a man of his word. Honest to a fault. If anything ever happened to me, I’d like nothing better than for him to finish raising Alex.” She sighed. “Only reason I can’t name him as legal guardian is because it would break my brother’s heart. He thinks the world of my kid.”

“A whole lot of people think the world of Alex.”

Rose waved away the compliment. “I have an uncle who was a marine. Never shuts up about his time in ’Nam. But Zach? He won’t talk about his years in the military. I’m guessing that means he saw some pretty ugly stuff over there.”

Summer added wide, whole wheat noodles to the boiling water and recalled the strange expression that had come over Zach’s face when she’d said, “Once a marine, always a marine.” Something between distress and dissatisfaction. Maybe what he’d survived explained the sadness that tinged his green eyes.

“If I’d been over there, they’d have to outfit me with a straitjacket and lock me in a padded room. I don’t have the backbone to face danger and hardship, especially not all at the same time.”

Rose’s husband had been a logger, and died on the job when Alex was just a few months old. His insurance helped get her through those first rough months. Teaching third grade at Red Sandstone Elementary kept the wolf from the door during the school year. Only recently, after inheriting her unmarried aunt’s estate, had she been able to give up her second job, waitressing weekends and summers. But as far as Summer knew, no one had helped Rose through the emotional hardships of widowhood and raising a kid alone.

“You’re tougher than you let on,” Summer said. “I wish I could be more like you.”

“Whatever,” Rose said, glossing over the comment. “So? What did you think of him?”

“The Amazing Zach, you mean?”

“You say that like you think he isn’t amazing . Are you dippy, girl? The man is positively dreamy !”

“Oh, yeah? Well, if he’s so great, then why is he still single at his age?”

“Listen to you.” Rose chuckled. “Talking about him as if he’s some doddering old man. I happen to know he’ll turn thirty-five on his next birthday.”

Summer glanced at the clock. Unless her parents’ plane got in late, they’d arrive in an hour or so. She turned on the oven and opened a jar of pasta sauce as Rose counted off Zach’s qualities on her fingers.

“He loves his family. He served his country. He moved into his sister, Libby’s, condo after her attack and nursed her back to health. He owns his own business. He’s great with kids. He’s strong and handsome and decent and—”

“Why aren’t you dating him?”

Rose’s blue eyes widened. “Zach? And me ? Oh, you’re a regular comedian, aren’t you? For one thing, he’s too young for me.”

“You talk about yourself as if you’re a doddering old woman. You’re only forty.”

“Oh, like I needed the reminder.” Rose grabbed another cookie. “Truth is, I couldn’t date Zach. It would be like...like dating my brother!”

“Yeah, I guess I understand that. You and Zach have been friends a long time. I’d feel the same way if someone suggested I start dating Justin.” Summer began assembling the pasta dish. “You’re sure you won’t join us for supper? I’m serving minestrone, salad and garlic bread, too—and chocolate mousse for dessert—so I guarantee you and Alex won’t go home hungry, even if you don’t want the lasagna.”

“You haven’t seen your folks in months. I think you need some family time. How long will they be in town?”