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“Apparently not. And while technically the Marine Corps is under the Navy, it’s not the same. And let me guess about Bennett. He wanted to fly.”
“Yes, like he couldn’t do that in the Navy, or at least, the plane he wanted.”
“What’s he fly?”
“That’s not important.”
“Not a fighter because those are in other services. Being a helicopter pilot…the best way to move up in rank and be an officer is in the Air Force. Let me guess on that, too. He’s with a rescue squad.”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“And your parents are coming here?”
“Yeah, my brothers are still in the military and moving around. Your father’s moving here because you and Ian are here.”
She nodded. “He had to have a kidney transplant last year. Thankfully, a close relative was a match, so he didn’t have to go on the register.”
“And he couldn’t stay there.”
She shook her head, her thoughts returning to how MI-6 wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“His old bosses would call him in to consult. And Sam, being who he is, wouldn’t tell them no. When Ian was there, he could keep them at bay, but once he moved here, they would call Sam all the time. His health is good, but the stress isn’t good on him, so Ian convinced him to move here.”
He nodded. It didn’t take long to finish her pancakes and order a slice of pie. Once they were back on the road, she turned to face Seth.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Just tell people you need a break. They won’t think less of you.”
She knew he was right, but the truth was, everything was coming to a head. Things were moving along. Joseph was outthere circling her, waiting for her to slip up. Autumn knew that the two of them would end up facing each other, and everything would change. As long as Joseph went down, that was all that mattered.
“Autumn?”
She blinked when she realized she had been staring at him like a goober. “Sorry. And yes, I will.”
He smiled, apparently satisfied with her comment. God, he was pretty. And in that one moment, she wished she were an ordinary woman. She would love to go on dates and have a relationship. Never before had she yearned for those ordinary things, but this man, with his quiet ways and easy smiles, had her thinking just how wonderful they would be.
But her life wasn’t her own, and fantasizing about what could be was a waste of time.
seven
By Friday,Autumn was still a little sore. She hadn’t worked on her upper body that much, and she understood now what a mistake that was. She had always concentrated on her cardio. Running and swimming. Swimming helped her arms a little bit, but they had not been prepared for the exercises they ran for carrying dead weight. Ugh.
Plus, she had to work with Seth in a few grappling sessions. The man was…okay, solid, clever, and hot AF—as the big boss said these days. Even as exhausted as she was, she hadn’t been sleeping well. Thankfully, this was the last day with Bravo. Monday, she would be back on Team Alpha. She would miss spending as much time with Seth’s team, but she was ready for a break. She trudged up the stairs to her apartment, ready for a hot shower and food. That’s when she realized she hadn’t shopped for food. Dammit.
“Hey, pretty Autumn,” Freddy called out. She stepped on the shared landing for their apartments.
“Hey, how are you doing?”
He shook his head. “Can’t complain. You look like a dead dog.”
“You see dead dogs walking around?”
He smiled, revealing those three missing teeth. Autumn’s heart hurt for him. A lifetime of addiction had left him with no family or real friends. His health was diminishing more and more each day.
“Not ones as pretty as you.”
