Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
“I love you, Faith Anthony.” Another quick kiss, and he drops our joined hands and takes a step back. His eyes remain locked on mine with every step he takes away from me. Stopping, he picks up his bag and tosses it over his shoulder.
I wave as I lose my battle with my tears. I can’t hold them back a second longer. Chad notices and runs back to me. His hands cradle my cheeks, and he kisses me hard. “No tears, baby. I’m coming home to you.”
“I’ll be here,” I assure him.
“Love you.” He kisses my forehead, then turns and walks away. I’m immediately flanked by our families as we watch him stop at the door of the bus. He turns and waves, blowing me a kiss before disappearing onto the bus.
All too soon, all I’m able to see are blurry taillights as the bus disappears out of sight. I can hear our family asking me if I’m okay, but all I can do is stand here, letting the tears roll unchecked down my cheeks, wishing that the bus would come back. If I could get one more kiss, just one more hug.
“Come with me.” I recognize Shayne’s voice as she wraps her arms around me and leads me back to the car. The car my husband bought for me. A sob breaks free from my chest, and I know that this pain will linger until the day I can wrap my arms around him again.
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
Chad
That sucked.
I knew it was going to be hard to leave her, but damn, I didn’t know it would be that hard. Sitting in my seat on the bus, I tilt my head back and close my eyes. I can still see the tears in my wife’s eyes.
My. Wife.
She hasn’t even held the title for twenty-four hours, and I had to go. For the first time, I regret not hanging up my boots when Ford did. I could have stayed with her, and I wouldn’t have to pretend that our being married gave her a chance at her dream. I could have asked her to marry me because she owns my fucking heart. No pretending. No pretense. I could have and would have moved anywhere she needed to go to follow her dreams.
Instead, I re-signed, and I’m on this bus headed to God only knows where, while my new wife is left to pick up the pieces of my life. Thankfully, our families were able to make it on short notice, and I know they’ll take care of her, but fuck me, I want to be the man to take care of her.
She’s mine. My wife. That’s my job.
“How you holding up?” Erik asks me.
Lifting my head, I open my eyes to see him sitting next to me. Erik and I have gotten close since I moved here. Ford will always be my best friend, but Erik, he’s quickly sliding into that spot too. “Probably the same as you. This fucking sucks.”
“Yeah,” he agrees.
My mind keeps taking me back to our wedding. Faith looked gorgeous. It’s an image that will forever be engrained in my memory. “She was beautiful. I wish we had more time together before we had to go.”
Erik chuckles. “Man, I was there. I saw her. It’s good to see you like this. The love of a good woman helps with these deployments. It’s nice to know what we have at home waiting for us.”
Instantly, I can see what that would look like playing out in my mind. After a long day, Faith would be there waiting for me to get home. We could talk about our days, make dinner together, then I’d make love to her before falling asleep with her in my arms. Only to wake up and repeat that same process the next day, and the next.
I want that life. I want it to be more than just a fantasy in my mind.
“How do you not hate the job for taking you away from her?” I ask him. It’s just another thought that keeps racing through my mind.
“Sometimes I do,” Erik admits. “I’m torn between serving my country and being there for my wife. We’re going to try for a baby. When I get home,” he confesses. “I know it’s hard because we could get called out at any time, but she wants a piece of me, a piece of us, you know? I know she gets lonely and misses me, but man, a big part of me wants her to have a piece of the two of us in case something happens. If there ever comes a time I don’t get to come home to her, she’ll always have a piece of us and the love we shared.”
“Fuck off. Don’t talk like that.” My voice holds no malice, but the thought of not coming home to Faith feels like a knife twisting inside my chest. “We’re going home to our wives, and we’re making all the babies.” I know that’s his future, and I’m happy as hell for the two of them. As for me, the thought of Faith carrying our baby has my cock stirring, and this is not the time for that to happen.