Operation Love Read online

  “Did you hear me? I got in?” He yanked off the tan camouflage hat and knotted it in his hands. It was new, she noted, the fabric design much different. The desert pattern of several shades was patterned in small squares, almost appearing digital. She licked her lips as he ran his hand over his head. For a moment, she longed to run her fingers across his short black hair, and feel it prickle against her skin.

  Sometimes, when she saw him in his uniform, she just couldn’t help herself. It was bad enough seeing him in regular clothes. His Lakota blood gave him deep, caramel colored tanned skin and sharp, angular features. His height barely touched six foot, but his body was strong and stocky. Everything about him appeared fierce and strong, like a warrior.

  Only his presence kept her from groaning. Why did everything about her life have to be such a paradox? She’d vowed with her sisters never to marry a military man, sworn to herself she’d never even consider a date with one. But fate, being its usual funny self, had given her a handsome best friend who was perfect for her in every way. Except that one.

  Fate. If only she could reach out and slap it.

  Speaking of which, her eyes narrowed. Cheese and crackers! She prayed he wasn’t talking about what she thought. Anything but that.

  But nothing else could possibly have made him so happy.

  “Got in?” Her voice squeaked as she spoke.

  “Baby, you’re looking at an astronaut. Well, soon to be. NASA has accepted me as an Educator Mission Specialist.” Pride radiated in his deep voice, his every word bursting. “I’m going into space!”

  “Holy crap,” she muttered. Her jaw started to shake. Immediately she started cracking at her knuckles. “What?” Her voice trembled. Her chest tightened. Oh, God. She couldn’t breathe … could she? “Wait. What?”

  She sucked in. Damn it. Of course she could.

  His hands went to her shoulders. “I’m…”

  She jerked back. “I heard you,” she snapped, immediately sorry for it. Cheese and crackers! What was she doing? This was his dream. As his best friend, she needed to be supportive. But she didn’t like it. Not one bit. She forced a smile. “Wow. Congratulations.”

  She meant it … really …though her voice was flat and forced. Damn.

  His dark eagle eyes narrowed as if he could see right through her. “You’re not happy.”

  She turned around, putting her back to him so he couldn’t see her eyes. The damn things tended to give away too much at times. “Of course I am. Don’t be silly.”

  “No, you’re not.” Disappointment smashed his tone.

  “Yes, I am.” But she knew there was no fooling him. Once again she started cracking her knuckles, each finger making a loud crunch in the silence around them. Crap, she couldn’t lie to him. “It’s just, well, I worry. That’s all. I mean … you’re going into space.” Before she could stop herself she was rambling. “I mean, we’ve all seen the crashes on TV. The Columbia. The Challenger. What if something happens? It’s like you’re a human guinea pig, for heaven’s sake. What if you die? What will you do then?”

  He nodded slowly. “Thanks, Lily.” He surprised her by giving a deep velvet chuckle. “You worry too much. Have some faith.”

  “I’m sorry. I’ll shut up now. I’m ruining it for you.” And she meant to, really. But the words kept coming, and her fingers kept right on cracking. “But…”

  “But what?”

  She was nervous as she spoke, but she just had to say it. Just once, then she’d pretend to be happy as hell for him. She had to. “I just hope you’ve done everything you ever wanted to in life, that’s all. Just in case.”

  Again he nodded, a look of disenchantment on his face. “I have.”

  She forced a bigger smile “Good.”

  “Good.” An odd feeling hovered around them, thick and uncomfortable. He stuffed his hat back on his head. “I’m going to go call Walking Bear now. Grandfather will fly right out of his moccasins when he hears.”

  “Say hi for me.”

  He turned and left, but the eerie awkwardness remained.

  Maybe Hunter had done everything in life he wanted, but she hadn't. No, she hadn’t. Not even close.

  * * * *

  Why the hell couldn’t she be happy for him? He’d had to get the hell out of there before they had their first fight.

  Hunter half stalked, half ran down the sidewalk toward his house. Gritting his teeth, he tried to shake away the sinking feeling in his gut. Lily had taken a little nip out of his elated mood, but he refused to be dragged down.

  Which, at this point, was close to impossible.

  Holy moly.

  This was all he had ever worked for his entire life. From the time he had been a boy, he’d strived toward his goals, believing it was what he was meant to do. It hadn’t been easy, no, but it had been worth it.

  He was Hunter Of The Stars.

  For the first time, that really meant something. Hell, as long as he could remember, he’d been obsessed with both space and the weather. His father had teased, his mother had never encouraged at the least. How many times had he heard it? There are somebodies and nobodies in this world, Hunter. Accept what you are. To them, he was as stuck on that reservation, stuck in that life, as they were. He came from alcohol and poverty. To rise to the stars would be impossible. His dream of being an astronaut, and even a teacher, had been a joke.

  Oddly enough, Grandfather Walking Bear, an old man set in the old ways, had been his only encourager. Of course, he had fooled him into it. When he was thirteen, Grandfather had insisted that he go on a vision quest. When he had come back to Grandfather and the shaman with a tall tale of an apparition of rising above thunderclouds, holding the hands of children as he flew amongst the stars, Grandfather had been caught like a fish on a hook. The shaman had given him the adult name of Hunter Of The Stars, and after that, at least Grandfather and the elders had given him a little credit.

  At times he still felt a little guilty for his fib. A vision quest was supposed to be a holy thing and he had flat out made it up. The truth was, the closest he’d come to a vision was a strange dream of a woman giving birth to a red-headed baby. Odd, to say the least, for a thirteen-year-old boy. Certainly not what he had desired. So he’d lied.

  But then, he’d been a child, and a desperate one. He’d needed to know his dreams were possible. That he didn’t have to be stuck on that reservation, to grow up to be an alcoholic, to work in some factory. That he could be somebody.

  Well, now he was.

  He reached his house, a nearly hundred-year-old farmhouse with a great big porch covered with lattice. White wooden siding covered it, accented by dark green shutters. Outside, marigolds and desert roses grew amongst bushes. Lily had just planted them. He smiled, smelling their sweet scent as he dashed up the stairs. Sweet Lily, she meant well. Deep down he knew that. Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but be disappointed and resentful that he couldn’t share this with her. This was the happiest time of his life.

  He threw open the heavy cherry front door, and went right to the portable phone on the redwood table in the foyer. A year’s worth of the selection process to become an astronaut flashed through his mind. He’d filled out the applications, gone through medical examinations, and a week’s worth of interviews. For months he’d been on his toes, waiting and wondering. Even doubting. It had all ended with a simple phone call. He would start training this summer, a little over a month and a half from now.

  Holy moly.

  Excitement made his fingers clumsy and he had to dial twice. Finally, the line began to ring. He waited impatiently for Grandfather to answer. It rang nearly ten times before he picked up.

  “Yeah?” His grandfather’s voice cracked with age.

  “Howdy, old man,” he teased.

  “Hunter? How you doin’?”

  “I’m an astronaut.”

  For a moment the line went silent. How it was possible, Hunter didn’t know, but his grin got bigger. He hoped he hadn’t
given the old man a heart attack. “Grandfather?”

  “You say you’re an astronaut?” His voice was low.

  “You heard me right.”

  A deep sigh sounded across the line, before it became a happy chuckle. “Well, hell… It’s about time boy. I was beginning to get impatient.”

  Again the line went quiet.

  “Grandfather?”

  “I’m a little shocked. Don’t know why, though. I always knew you would do it. Wasn’t anything going to stop you.” His voice started to break with emotion. “I’m … proud of you boy. You’re a warrior … a teacher. And now you’re a spaceman. I’m proud of you.”

  He couldn’t believe it, but he was sure his grandfather was crying. Over him. And it was the best feeling in the world, knowing how proud he had made the man.

  “Thanks, grandfather. But I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “Oh yes, you would have. You have my stubborn gene. You wouldn’t have ever let this life drag you down. You’re nothing like your father.” Immediate anger grumbled in his tone at the mention of his son.

  Honestly, Hunter didn’t even want to talk about him. He’d tried to help his parents. Every bit of help he’d ever sent they’d found a way to drink up, one way or the other. One day he decided the money was better sent to someone who really needed it. So, now he sent the money to the Circle of Children to help kids growing up just as he had on the reservation. The number of homes with no electricity, no plumbing, and empty cabinets was shocking.

  Hunter decided to change the subject. “How’s the heater I had installed for you working out?”

  “It’s too dry. Damn electric,” he grumbled.

  “You need it, Grandfather. You’ll get sick and die if you let the winter in.” Hunter shook his head. His Grandfather had lived his whole life with no power. Five years ago, Hunter had downright insisted on having it installed in his tiny cabin. Grandfather would never admit it, he knew, but Hunter was sure he loved it.

  “If it weren’t for the microwave, I’d rip those wires out,” he griped again.

  Hunter just laughed.

  “How’s your girl?”

  “She’s not my girl. She’s my friend.”

  “How’s your girl friend?”

  Hunter groaned. “Lily is okay.”

  “Just okay?”

  “She isn’t too happy about the whole astronaut thing.” He paused, wondering if it was worth bringing up. “She just worries. Too much.”

  “She should be proud.” Irritation bit at his grandfather’s old, creaky voice.

  “I’m sure she is, Grandfather. But you know how she fusses.” He paused, wondering if he should even go into it. But then, his grandfather would never let it go. He never let anything go. “She thinks I won’t come back. She told me to make sure I’ve done everything I wanted in life, just in case.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “I told her I had.”

  “For once I agree with a woman,” he huffed.

  “You’re kidding.” Hunter wrinkled his brows.

  “You forget, my son. You have made me so proud.” There was a deliberate pause, just long enough to make Hunter wince at what he though might come. “But you have not made me a great grandfather yet.”

  That again. Grandfather never missed an opportunity. He just shook his head. “Let me tell you about my NASA training some more.”

  “You won’t even talk about it will you?”

  “Nope.”

  Chapter Two

  He wouldn’t talk about it, but he sure did think about it. All night long.

  Hunter rubbed his eyes once again, and dragged his feet down the crowded hall. All around him teenage kids dressed in the school’s blue and gray uniforms pushed and shoved. Lockers slammed, girls laughed, boys hollered. They were rich kids, all a little spoiled, and a little too loud. Right now his head pounded, and tempted him to tell them all to shut up.

  Yet, they were the reason he had chosen to work here at Ashford. The way he saw it was they needed to learn too, maybe more so. Someone like him, he could touch them, show them a side of the world they normally would miss. Everyone heard about the diminishing ozone, the peril the environment was in. But sometimes a kid needed to reach out and touch it in order to know it. He could give them that. He could give them a slice of the real world.

  He couldn’t wait to announce his news. Keeping it a secret was downright torturous. But Principal Peterson had asked he keep quiet until the assembly this afternoon. It sure wasn’t easy, at any moment he was sure he’d burst. But the headache, and the nagging realization in his heart, helped a lot. It was one of those times when a person felt like swallowing too many aspirin and sitting in a corner, alone.

  He had begun to wonder if Grandfather hadn’t been right. He shook his head. Holy moly. He needed to have his brain scanned.

  He ran his fingers across his short, prickly hair. This was his planning period, but before he checked a single paper, he needed some strong black coffee. Taking a right towards the teachers’ lounge, he spotted Lily. She stood at her classroom door, greeting her home economics students. Holy moly. Dressed in her golden brown silk suit, her brilliant red hair pinned in a tight bun, with glasses perched in her nose, she looked like everything she was not. Lily was not prim or perfect. If Mrs. Peterson knew her true, wild side, she’d be fired on the spot.

  She dropped a pen, and bent to get it. Her full, round fanny stretched the trousers until he was sure they’d spilt.

  He stopped in his tracks. Holy moly. Holy moly. What the hell was this strange feeling? His heart tightened, his insides bubbled. A deep, strong longing overfilled him, and pulled at him as if he had suddenly become the rope in a game of tug-a-war.

  All night long, his grandfather’s words had haunted him. They had played and replayed in his mind. Grandfather wanted to be a great grandfather.

  And, holy moly, he wanted to be a father.

  His cock surprised him by starting to twitch. He couldn’t get this damned strange feeling to go away. The sight of her only intensified it.

  Lily was his best friend. His friend.

  He picked up the pace, prepared to breeze right past her. He didn’t need coffee. He needed a head check. His strides were stretched to their limits, his pace as fast as he could make it.

  “Hunter.” Her sweet melodic voice caught him anyway. He slowed, and turned to her.

  A smile lit her face, and the color of her suit electrified the golden daggers in her hazel eyes. They pierced his heart, like two knives slicing through his chest and carving out his decision.

  The feeling overcame him and he took several steps back. “Can’t talk now. I’ll see you at the assembly.” He turned on his heels and set off in a light jog.

  It took all of ten seconds to reach the lounge. Yet, by the time he got there he was panting, not from exertion, but from this weird, intense feeling. He burst through the door and leaned on one of the round, orange tables. Drawing several deep breaths, his mind spun.

  He’d never believed in love at first sight. The whole concept was silly. Ridiculous. Besides, he’d seen, talked to, and hung out with Lily a million times.

  It wasn’t love at first sight, and yet, it was. Today he was looking at her in a whole new light. Today he was looking at her as the mother of his children.

  He looked up to see Tom, a fellow teacher, staring him down. Tall and thin, he wore wire-frame glasses. His brownish hair was just beginning to gray and recede. He was, by all accounts, a textbook algebra teacher. Hunter considered him a close friend, as their classrooms were directly next to each other. Like Lily, they both collected antiques. Of course, he had a penchant for anything Native American. Tom was a Civil War buff. And Lily loved children’s toys. All three of them went out to dinner occasionally, and did this and that, here and there.

  “You all right?” Tom asked in his typically nasal voice.

  “No.”

  “No?”

  �
�No.” Jaw shaking, he looked into his friend’s mousy-brown eyes. “As it is, I’m in love.”

  The nerve of Tom, he laughed.

  “Did you just realize that?”

  “All of a sudden.” He cleared his throat. “But Lily will never have anything to do with me. She has that whole thing against men in the military.”

  “Lily?” Amazement struck Tom’s voice. “You’re in love with Lily?”

  Hunter nodded and slammed his fist into the table. “Lily.”

  Tom turned around and poured himself a cup of coffee. “I have to admit, Lily is quite a woman. I was slightly interested myself.”

  The jealousy that snipped at him shocked Hunter. “You never made a move.”

  “No, of course not. Why bother? She’s attracted to you.” He turned, stirring his coffee with the clank-clank of a spoon. “We went out one night while you were away on a reserve weekend. You know Lily, she always realizes her limit after she has one drink too many. She told me she secretly wanted you. That you looked … what did she say? Ah, yes, delicious in your uniform. Delicious.”

  “Delicious…?”

  “Delicious.”

  In that moment, Hunter knew. As sure as was of anything, ever. He had not done everything in his life he wanted to.

  He hadn’t done Lily.

  Quite literally, he had to have her in every way a man could. He wanted her body, he wanted her as his wife, and he wanted her to have his children. And he needed it all before he took off in any shuttle.

  That gave him, what, a year, give or take? Lily’s mind could be changed. She had the hots for him, now all he needed to do was turn up the heat.

  He’d best start throwing wood into the fire. A year could close in fast.

  * * * *

  Lily fidgeted in her seat, trying to pay attention to the ongoing assembly. This morning she’d decided on thongs so her underwear line wouldn’t show through the thin fabric of her silk suit. The rear was getting a little tighter now, thanks to her penchant for chocolate. Regular underwear would have shown right through.

  But she should have just skipped the suit. Thongs were always a bad choice for her. She couldn’t stay still in them. Like visions of candy dancing in a child’s head, she imagined tearing them off and going free.