Read Online Hold On (Delos Series Book 5) by Lindsay McKenna - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lindsay McKenna
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sweet potato pie you’ve ever eaten. She puts thick marshmallow cream on it and sprinkles pecans through it.”
“That sounds delicious. My mother taught us how to cook and bake. Dara was actually a lot better at it than I was, though.”
“So,” he said as he parked in the lot, turning off the engine, “what are you especially good at?”
“I make a pretty mean apple pie. And I’m really good with piecrusts. The secret is not to knead it too much. Otherwise, it gets tough and won’t melt in your mouth.”
“Remind me to invite myself over to your house for dessert some time.” He grinned, climbing out of the vehicle.
Before Callie could open the door, he’d come around and opened it for her. The night was blustery, the wind cutting, but there was no rain. Just heavy humidity in the air. She appreciated Beau’s sheltering her with his body as they walked up to the busy restaurant. Once inside, Beau found the hostess, who guided them to the rear of the establishment.
They were given the last booth, which was very intimate compared to the others. She looked over at him as she slid into the booth. “Okay, how did you score this booth?” she asked, grinning.
Beau handed her the menu and said, “I got lucky when I called over for a reservation.” His eyes sparkled. “What? You think I paid someone off to get this booth because it’s private?”
She had to smile as she looked over the menu. “The thought crossed my mind.” She shook her head wonderingly. “You’re always planning, aren’t you? I guess that’s the mark of a good military man.”
“Hoping is more like it,” Beau admitted, losing his smile. “I think we have something good between us, Callie. I’m hoping you’ll want to keep exploring like I do.”
She saw that need deep in his shadowed eyes, heard the sincerity in his low voice as he folded his hands on the table. “I wasn’t looking for a relationship, Beau.”
“Neither was I.”
“How can this go anywhere?” she demanded. “You’re black ops. I know how you guys appear and disappear. And women never know where their men are, what’s happening, or if they’ll ever return alive.”
“Sure, it can be hard on a woman,” he agreed. “But don’t you think it’s tough on the guy involved, too? He’s out on an op, doesn’t have a clue as to what’s happening to the woman he loves, if she’s doing okay or not, or a thousand other things that life can throw at her while he’s away.”
“You’ve got a point, Beau, but I don’t want to live that way. I tried before, and my heart just can’t take another broken relationship again. It hurts too much.”
He felt the anguish beneath her words. “Did you lose someone who was in black ops, Callie? I feel a lot of pain around you. I see it in your eyes, and I hear it in your voice.”
The waitress came and Callie held back on her response, ordering a hamburger and french fries. Beau ordered the same thing, only with sweet potato fries instead. She wanted to distance herself from him, because every time she was near him, she felt her resolve crumbling. Sure, Beau was a great guy—honest, kind to children, respectful to women.
But he was black ops.
The waitress left their drinks and took their menus, leaving them alone.
Callie took a deep breath and then began, “In my first tour at Bagram, I fell in love with a Special Forces sergeant. I was pretty green, young and starry-eyed. Chet was black ops. He and his team were always going out with the Delta boys and disappearing for weeks, sometimes months at a time. He’d show up at my B-hut at all hours of the night, often after coming back to Bagram. I couldn’t handle it, Beau. The danger he was in, my imagination taking off and thinking the worst . . . And I knew he loved what he did. Finally, at the end of my six months here with the orphanage, we split up, and I went home with a broken heart. I honestly don’t think he ever loved me. I was someone to have
“That sounds delicious. My mother taught us how to cook and bake. Dara was actually a lot better at it than I was, though.”
“So,” he said as he parked in the lot, turning off the engine, “what are you especially good at?”
“I make a pretty mean apple pie. And I’m really good with piecrusts. The secret is not to knead it too much. Otherwise, it gets tough and won’t melt in your mouth.”
“Remind me to invite myself over to your house for dessert some time.” He grinned, climbing out of the vehicle.
Before Callie could open the door, he’d come around and opened it for her. The night was blustery, the wind cutting, but there was no rain. Just heavy humidity in the air. She appreciated Beau’s sheltering her with his body as they walked up to the busy restaurant. Once inside, Beau found the hostess, who guided them to the rear of the establishment.
They were given the last booth, which was very intimate compared to the others. She looked over at him as she slid into the booth. “Okay, how did you score this booth?” she asked, grinning.
Beau handed her the menu and said, “I got lucky when I called over for a reservation.” His eyes sparkled. “What? You think I paid someone off to get this booth because it’s private?”
She had to smile as she looked over the menu. “The thought crossed my mind.” She shook her head wonderingly. “You’re always planning, aren’t you? I guess that’s the mark of a good military man.”
“Hoping is more like it,” Beau admitted, losing his smile. “I think we have something good between us, Callie. I’m hoping you’ll want to keep exploring like I do.”
She saw that need deep in his shadowed eyes, heard the sincerity in his low voice as he folded his hands on the table. “I wasn’t looking for a relationship, Beau.”
“Neither was I.”
“How can this go anywhere?” she demanded. “You’re black ops. I know how you guys appear and disappear. And women never know where their men are, what’s happening, or if they’ll ever return alive.”
“Sure, it can be hard on a woman,” he agreed. “But don’t you think it’s tough on the guy involved, too? He’s out on an op, doesn’t have a clue as to what’s happening to the woman he loves, if she’s doing okay or not, or a thousand other things that life can throw at her while he’s away.”
“You’ve got a point, Beau, but I don’t want to live that way. I tried before, and my heart just can’t take another broken relationship again. It hurts too much.”
He felt the anguish beneath her words. “Did you lose someone who was in black ops, Callie? I feel a lot of pain around you. I see it in your eyes, and I hear it in your voice.”
The waitress came and Callie held back on her response, ordering a hamburger and french fries. Beau ordered the same thing, only with sweet potato fries instead. She wanted to distance herself from him, because every time she was near him, she felt her resolve crumbling. Sure, Beau was a great guy—honest, kind to children, respectful to women.
But he was black ops.
The waitress left their drinks and took their menus, leaving them alone.
Callie took a deep breath and then began, “In my first tour at Bagram, I fell in love with a Special Forces sergeant. I was pretty green, young and starry-eyed. Chet was black ops. He and his team were always going out with the Delta boys and disappearing for weeks, sometimes months at a time. He’d show up at my B-hut at all hours of the night, often after coming back to Bagram. I couldn’t handle it, Beau. The danger he was in, my imagination taking off and thinking the worst . . . And I knew he loved what he did. Finally, at the end of my six months here with the orphanage, we split up, and I went home with a broken heart. I honestly don’t think he ever loved me. I was someone to have
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