Read Online Hostile Home Front [Black Ops Brotherhood 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Bella Juarez - Free Book Online

Gavin asked.

Chapter 5
     
    Texas Seafood
    Victoria, Texas
    November 16, 2007/0026 Zulu
     
    Gavin had picked the dinner spot. It was a seafood restaurant near the house. The movie theater was also in the same general area. They waited at the bar for their seating. He asked Amy if she wanted anything to drink, but she was very quiet. This wasn’t like the other night when they seemed to just hit it off.
    “How was work?” Gavin asked.
    “Good.” Amy nodded.
    Gavin was stumped for a moment. He was expecting her to elaborate a little more. He tried a different tactic.
    “I promised David before I went to the gala that I would get a library card. What do I need to do?” Gavin asked.
    “We just need proof of your address. We’ll get you a card before you leave. What kind of books do you like?”
    Gavin had to think a minute. He hadn’t really cracked a book since he had left the Navy. His job as a SEAL required him to travel, so he always carried a book because it passed the time on really long flights. Truthfully, he read more periodicals than anything else right now.
    “I don’t know…thrillers. You know, military stuff, the world’s coming to an end and they only have five minutes to save it.”
    “Have you ever read Rob Morgan? You’d probably like him. He writes a lot of stuff like that. His hero is a CIA agent,” Amy offered.
    “I’ve heard of him. One of my buddies was always trying to get me to read one of his books,” Gavin replied
    They were called to their seat and perused the menu. The previous date they had talked about David and Irene, the police department, and Victoria in general. They placed their order and awkwardly glanced at each other a few times. Amy cleared her throat.
    “Gavin? You’re not from here, are you? Texas, I mean. I got that impression the other night.”
    “Nope, I was born and raised in Bangor, Maine.”
    “Wow! Maine? You’re a long way from home, aren’t you? What brings you here? Work?” Amy asked.
    “Kind of, I haven’t lived in Maine since I was eighteen. I joined the military right out of high school and pretty much lived where they sent me,” Gavin explained.
    “I lived in Syracuse, New York, for a while. I went to school there.”
    “Really? How long?” Gavin asked, surprised.
    “About seven years. I got my bachelor’s and my master’s degrees from Syracuse University.”
    “Did you like it?”
    “I loved it.” Amy beamed.
    “Why didn’t you stay?”
    “I really wanted to get my doctorate and I was running a little low on funds, so I came back to Texas. I went to Austin, got picked up on a professorship at the University of Texas and later their doctoral program.”
    “You were a professor, Amy?”
    Gavin was beginning to feel a little out of his league with her.
    “Yes. I taught American literature.” Amy beamed.
    Amy seemed genuinely happy talking about her days as a professor. But something didn’t sit right with Gavin. She was a highly accomplished lady running a small-town library.
    “Amy, you’ve done some pretty impressive things. Why did you come back here?” Gavin asked.
    Amy seemed to deflate. She smiled weakly.
    “It’s a long story for another day.”
    “So, what movie would you like to see?” Gavin asked, changing the subject.
    “It really doesn’t matter,” Amy said as the food was being served.
    Gavin decided to take a gamble and open up to her. Despite the intense physical reaction he seemed to have every time he was around her, he realized it was much more. They seemed to be able to talk so easily. Amy’s gentle voice seemed to calm the demons inside him. He could feel himself relax. The jittery restlessness and nervous suspicion that ruled his life seemed faded when she was around. He felt for the first time in a very long time he could trust a woman.
    “Amy, I’ll tell you a little secret about me.”
    “Oh?”
    “I’ve got this really strange sense of humor. I like really silly comedies. You know