“Are you sure?”
“Positive. He might not look it, but he’s a pushover for a needy animal.”
“And hungry sergeants?”
Linc laughed as he grabbed the sack of burgers and fries. “Those, too. Come on.”
Following closely and bearing their drinks, Zoe couldn’t help smiling with satisfaction and gratitude. This was the first time in almost a month that she remembered feeling both happy and safe. It was difficult to even recall how comfortingly dull her former air force life had been since she’d been on her own. Even when Freddy had been born a few months after John’s untimely death, she hadn’t worried. Her son was the good part of her late husband, the one thing he had given her that she wouldn’t have traded for the world. God had taken those unexpected events and brought great joy and perfect companionship out of her loss and sorrow.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose, she silently quoted from memory. Despite every obstacle that had risen against her, she had come through to the other side intact. More than intact if she counted Freddy, and she certainly did. Her son was the light of her life.
And, she realized, the stalwart man marching into the veterinary hospital ahead of her was running a close second. Being with Linc, particularly when she was off duty and out of uniform, felt so good, so perfect, she was astounded.
And grateful. Very, very grateful.
* * *
Star rested beneath the small out-of-the-way table Linc had chosen for their meal. Her muzzle lay atop his boots as if to make sure he would not move without her knowledge.
Napkin in hand, Linc started to reach toward Zoe’s cheek, then pulled back. Unfortunately, she looked up just in time to notice. “Something wrong?”
He knew he was blushing. That or the temperature in the room had suddenly risen dramatically. “Mustard. You’ve got a little dab right...”
She quickly wiped her face. “Did I get it?”
“Yes.” Averting his gaze, he focused on the pad of writing paper on the table between them. “How about students you washed out? Have you listed all those, too?”
“I think so. At least the ones who stayed in the air force. I’m more likely to remember them than the ones like Boyd who failed altogether and were discharged.”
“Okay.” Linc started to read the names. “I think we can eliminate most of the women, because the sightings we’ve had were men. Just out of curiosity though, what’s your connection to Lieutenant Heidi Jenks?”
“She interviewed me once for the newspaper. I thought she embellished important details, so I complained. She was not pleased to be criticized by a mere sergeant when she’s a first lieutenant.”
He read names from the list of former flight school trainees whom she’d had to fail. “What about Jones and Carpenter?”
“Gone, I believe. You can check, but I think both are stationed overseas.”
“Okay.” His index finger moved down the column of names. “Michael Orleck?”
“Last I heard, he’d become an aircraft mechanic, and a good one, too. That was his niche.”
“Is he still at Canyon?”
“Far as I know. I think he works with Ahern.”
“The same Jim Ahern who visited your brother in prison?”
Linc watched Zoe’s hazel eyes narrow. “Hmm. Interesting.”
“I thought so. What do you say we put Star back to bed and drive over to the airfield?”
“Suits me. You know I love watching flying, from the ground or air. It makes me feel amazingly free.”
“Then you should try parachuting,” Linc teased. “It’s a real rush.” Waiting for her reaction, he was not disappointed when he saw her eyebrows arch dramatically.
“Tried it because I had to. Wasn’t thrilled, thank you.”
“Why not? You like freedom.”
“I also like survival. As far as I’m concerned, there are very few reasons to leave a perfectly good aircraft to go hurtling through space like a duck with a broken wing.”
“You should be the writer, not Heidi,” Linc said, laughing. “You have quite a way with words.”
Zoe, too, chuckled. “I suspect that may have more to do with not having to put on such a perfect front when I’m off duty. It’s nice to let my hair down once in a while.”
“I noticed. It’s pretty when it’s loose like that.”
“I meant figuratively.” She pulled an elastic band from her jeans pocket and gathered her long light brown tresses behind her head before securing them there. “The warm Texas weather makes it hard to leave it down. Nice when winter comes, though. It helps keep my neck and ears warm.”
Linc ran a hand over his shaved nape. “I wouldn’t know.”
“You never had long hair? Not even in your teenage rebel years?”
He shook his head as he gathered up their paper trash while Zoe grabbed the empty drink cups. “I had no time to be a rebel. With my dad AWOL, I felt like the man of the house and tried to act it. As soon as Mom would sign for me, I joined the air force.”
“It was a good choice,” Zoe told him. “I’m proud you made it work. A lot of fatherless boys don’t.” She was following Linc and Star out the door leading to the kennels when she added, “I hope and pray my son turns out half as well as you have.”
Linc was speechless. Was she serious? She’d sure sounded that way. Wow. He bit back an inappropriate quip he might otherwise have used to keep from accepting such high praise. It was one thing to do his job well and serve his country—that was the norm—but to be held up as the perfect adult male example for the little boy Zoe loved with all her heart was something else. Something far beyond regular service.
He busied himself settling Star in her kennel rather than respond to Zoe’s statement. No matter what he said in response, it was bound to sound like either bragging or begging for further praise.
Truth to tell, she had just given him the best compliment of his entire life and he didn’t know what to do or say, other than to let it pass without comment. He wanted to thank her somehow, to admit how deeply touched he was, yet he refused to reveal that much raw emotion for fear of disgracing himself.
Whether Zoe knew it or not, she had just put a crack in the thick stony wall he’d trusted to keep his heart and his warrior spirit intact.
Now he’d have to make sure he didn’t permit her to widen that gap enough to step through or he might never recover.
Wind was gusting off the surrounding hills, lifting fine dust and sand that stung Zoe’s cheeks as they crossed the tarmac toward an open hangar. North of the airfield, rows of fighters stood in neat lines, forming their own ready ranks.
Linc touched her arm to get her attention and pointed to a sleek aircraft doing touch-and-go landings. “Your student?”
“Maybe. After basic, they’re assigned to one of four advanced-training tracks—bomber and fighter, airlift and tanker, advanced turboprop or helicopters.”
“That makes sense, I guess.”
“It does, particularly when a pilot