Finish the Course (The Barnes Family Book 1) (16 page)

“I can’t be your friend, Slater.”

“Why not?” he dropped his hands.

“Because I love you, and without the hope of something more,” she began to turn away, “I just can’t.”

He grabbed her shoulders and spun her back to him. She looked up at him, surprised by the near manhandling.

“Anna Barnes,” he pulled her closer, so their bodies were nearly touching, “I need you to be my friend, but I want more. I love you, and I wish I’d had the guts to tell you at Langley.”

She was about to question him on that, but his lips came crashing down on hers and she couldn’t speak. This was not like the kiss at Langley. That one had been tentative. This kiss was hungry. Slater’s fingers gripped her shoulders tightly as if he was worried she might try to escape.

Anna was vaguely aware of the hoots from the other side of the gym, but it was too difficult to focus on that with Slater kissing her.

Her arms slid around his middle forcing their bodies closer.

Slater broke the kiss and whispered in her ear, “It didn’t work, anyway.”

“What?” she was seriously confused.

He was breathing heavily, “I was distracted by you even though you weren’t here, weren’t talking to me. I still couldn’t stop thinking about you. It was even worse after I found out you were here.”

She glanced behind her to see the men leaving. She was glad for the privacy but a little sheepish about what they had already witnessed.

She tipped her head up to look at him, “When did you find out?”

“A few weeks ago. Harrison said he was watching a woman who could make any basket except a layup.”

She rolled her eyes, “The rat.”

He pushed a sweaty curl away from her forehead, “I thought you had been improving.”

“Apparently, I can only do them while you are watching.”

He looped his arms around her, “I’m sorry, Anna. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Now my secret is out,” she met his eyes.

“What’s that?”

“I’m emotional and do go off and cry when my feelings are hurt. I really am a girl.”

He grinned, “There was no doubt about that from the first moment, and, for the record, I like girls.”

“That’s good to know,” she ran her hands down his forearms and laced her fingers between his, “I was beginning to wonder with all the hugging you guys do. Every time you see each other, it’s a little bit –”

He shut her up effectively by kissing her again.

She didn’t complain.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Slater left her at her doorstep with a kiss.

She was on the phone with her mother within five minutes.

Esther listened patiently, “I knew there was something up when your father came home from Bragg and said Slater told him he didn’t have your number.”

“Dad talked to Slater?!”

How mortifying could this get?

“Slater told him not to interfere,” Esther laughed. “No wonder your father admires that boy.”

Anna chewed her lip. Maybe Slater had told him not to interfere, but was the younger man at all influenced by the awareness that it would be bad form to insult a general’s daughter?

She slept on the notion, determined to speak to Slater the following day. She called his cell, but didn’t receive an answer, so she left a message.

He found her in the hangar. She stood and saluted, causing the other pilots to do the same.

“Major Reed,” she saluted and addressed him as formally as she could manage, knowing they had an audience, “what a pleasant surprise.”

“Captain,” he glanced around, “may I have a word with you?”

“Of course, sir,” she began to walk toward the office, but she was stopped by Colonel Olson.

Both Anna and Slater saluted.

“I got the list today, Captain,” he was smiling.

She was eager to know if she was on the list, but she didn’t want to keep Slater.

“Annie,” a deep, familiar voice called from a distance, “I came to congratulate you.”

Anna, Slater, and the colonel turned to salute General Morris.

This is getting more and more ridiculous.
Anna wondered if the president would be next.

“None of that,” the general grabbed her into a hug, “have you told your dad you’ve made major? I never thought he would make major – much less general.”

Anna was a bit embarrassed by the attention.

“You made major?” Slater was grinning from ear to ear.

She shrugged, too confused to formulate an answer.

General Morris nodded, “I saw the list this morning.”

The colonel didn’t look the least bit put out at having the honor of telling her taken from him.

“Congratulations, Barnes,” he extended his hand.

She saw Slater glance down at his watch.

She needed to speak to him.

“Excuse me, Colonel,” she then looked at the man she used to call Uncle Morry, “General. I must speak with the major.”

She hurried toward the office.

“You’re going to get us in trouble, doing things like that,” he joked.

“Did you just want to be with me because of who my father is?”

“What?!”

She glanced through the window to see if his eruption had been noticed.

“I can’t believe you would say that,” he lowered his voice.

“You didn’t bother finding me before you spoke to him,” she was not going to be intimidated.

He reached toward the window and pulled down the blind before coming to stand closer to her, “I didn’t bother immediately after either.”

“You didn’t?”

“He came for my promotion,” Slater sighed. “I wish you would have come.”

She quirked a wry grin, “And give away my location?”

“You know, the assumption that I would do something like that is insulting on so many levels. In the first place, I don’t need to have a connection with your father to get promoted. I can do that of my own accord.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand, “In the second place, I am not such a cad that I would do that. It would be. . . career prostitution.”

Anna looked down at the floor, “I’m sorry, Slater. I should have known better.”

He glanced at the door, but decided to risk it. He pulled her closer to himself and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

“I forgive you,” he pulled back, “Thanks for talking to me instead of changing your number.”

She laughed, “You forgive me for this, but not for changing my number.”

He shrugged, “I’m not holding a grudge, but it might be hard to forget.”

She opened the door, “Thank you for stopping by, Major Reed,” her voice was loud enough to carry to those nearest the office. “I appreciate your clarification.”

He saluted the general and colonel again before returning to his men.

“That’s a fine young man you have there, Annie,” the general stood next to her.

“I know it,” she didn’t insult his intelligence by denying the relationship.

He leaned a little closer, “Next time go into the supply room,” he pointed toward the office. “The shades there are a little more opaque.”

Anna laughed as she looked and realized the truth of the statement, “Thanks for the heads-up, Uncle Morry. Will do.”

Both Anna’s parents were present for her promotion ceremony. She spoke her oath, glancing occasionally between them and the handsome major standing nearby.

“Esther and I would like to take the two of you to dinner,” General Barnes spoke to Slater while Anna finished speaking to her CO.

Slater looked over at the woman in question. She saw him and smiled.

“I actually already made reservations for the four of us,” the young man responded.

The general nodded, “Sounds good, Major Reed. Thank you.”

“Please, call me ‘Slater,’ sir.”

“As long as you don’t do it in official settings, I’d like you to call me Tom.”

“Thank you, sir,” the words struggled to get out of his mouth.

Slater had no idea how he was going to accomplish what he hoped tonight, but he was going to give it his best shot.

“Slater,” Esther looked up at him, “I was thinking Anna and I would go in for facials this afternoon. What time is the reservation?”

Was this the opportunity he was looking for?

He answered them, “Seven.”

“I suppose this young man and I can find something to do,” the general nodded at his wife.

The men went to look at the new building going up on base.

              Slater waited until there was nobody standing around. He drew in a breath and let it out, “Sir, I would like to ask Anna to marry me.”

              The general turned slowly around, “Would you care to repeat that?”

              Slater cricked his neck, loosening the kink, “It was hard enough to say the first time.”

              The humor was evident in the older man’s eyes, “Are you asking my permission?”

              “I’m not sure,” Slater winced. “Are you going to withhold it?”

              General Barnes laughed, “It doesn’t seem like you to go in timidly, Reed.”

Slater straightened, “May I have your permission to ask your daughter to marry me?”

The general still did not agree, “How long have you known my daughter, Major?”

“Since June – six months.”

“And you think that is enough time to make a decision like this?”

“I’m not planning on asking her now, if that is what you are getting at. I just want your permission so I can do it when the time seems right.”

Thomas Barnes had prepared himself for this question – or, at least, he thought he had. Now, the idea of giving a man permission to take his daughter away seemed to fly in the face of all those years of protecting her.

“You hesitate.”

Tom had to give him credit. Slater didn’t sound angry or nervous with the delay.

“Is there something about my character that makes you uncomfortable?”

Tom shook his head, “I’m just wondering why you don’t ask me when you know you’re ready?”

“I know I’m ready now, sir. I’m just not sure she is.”

Tom smiled at the eagerness.

“So, why not ask me then?”

“I wanted to do it in person.”

The general nodded and looked back at the building, “You’re a good man, Slater Reed. I know you’ll do right by my little girl.”

Slater looked as if he had just received a treasure, which, in truth, he had, “Thank you, sir.”

General Barnes nodded in response.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“All I’m saying is we don’t have to go out just because it is Valentine’s Day, Anna.”

Slater followed her through the building where he was working for the day, confused as to why this was such a big deal.

She spun around, “You’re right, of course.”

He didn’t trust those words when they came with that tone.

“Nobody should make a big deal about romance. It would be so much better if we were sensible all the time.”

She stormed out the door, and he let her go.

“Major Reed?” a voice came from behind him.

“Lieutenant?” he knew his irritation showed.

“Major Barnes left her phone, sir.”

Slater took it, “Thanks, Lieutenant.”

He opened the door and felt the cold wind blow on his face. He saw the familiar figure disappear around a corner. He jogged after her.

“Major,” Colonel Olson stopped him up short as he neared his destination.

Slater saluted, “Sir. I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t see you”

The colonel laughed, “Could that be because you have only eyes for my best trainer?”

Slater knew better than to discuss Anna’s private affairs with her boss.

“I beg your pardon, sir. Did you need something?”

The colonel eyed him, “No, but you might.”

“Sir?” Slater hated to delay. Anna would want her phone, and he was going to lose her if he didn’t get after her now.

“I’m not sure what you did, but I suggest you make it up to her with a nice dinner and some flowers.”

Slater’s eyebrows rose.

“A little jewelry might be helpful too – depending on how bad it was.”

Slater forced the frown off his face, “It?”

“Whatever you did.”

“Anna – Major Barnes is not exactly the wine and roses type, sir. She’d usually prefer a basketball game to a night at a fancy restaurant.”

The colonel laughed, “Usually is not always, is it?”

Slater walked back toward his own office. He knew he had no chance of catching up with Anna  anyway.

“You find her?” the Lieutenant asked.

He shook his head and threw the phone on the desk, “We’re going for a run this afternoon. If she stops in, give it back to her.”

“Sergeant Hall called to tell you Chung has pneumonia.”

Slater grunted, “So bad he can’t run?”

The lieutenant bit his lips and Slater could tell he was trying not to smile, “I’m not sure, sir, but he’s in the hospital right now.”

Slater grumbled at his bad luck. Chung was the one who usually paced them.

              His phone rang.

              “Reed,” he barked.

              “Are you going over to the hospital to see Chung?”

              Slater felt a small twinge of annoyance that Anna even knew about Chung, “How did you hear about that?”

              “I just got a call from Hall,” she sounded like it was the most natural thing in the world.

              “You left your phone here.”

              “Oh, that’s where it is.”

              “Listen, Anna,” he started but she interrupted him.

“I just called to see if you need a ride over to the hospital. I’m going this afternoon.”

              “I have a run at thirteen hundred.”

              She sighed, “Fine. I’ll see you later,” and she hung up.

              Slater considered calling her, but he wasn’t sure where she was calling from since the id marked it as restricted.

              He decided to leave it alone and go get a light lunch before he led the men on their fifteen mile run.

              As luck would have it, the heavens opened while the men were out. Not only did they not have Chung with them to set the pace, Harrison slipped down an embankment and ended up near the creek with a sprained ankle.

              “It’s good practice,” Slater pointed to the two medical officers standing nearby. “Go get him.”

              Hall stood next to Slater, “You want me to go help them?”

              Slater shook his head, “Those two are so green they can’t tie a tourniquet between the two of them. Let them practice on Harrison.”

              “Poor Harrison,” Turner commented.

              “Serves him right for falling down there,” Slater felt little compassion for the man.

              Porter came to watch the show, “What do you reckon Harrison weighs? Two-forty?”

              Hall glanced back at Slater, “You sure you don’t want me to go help? They’re never gonna get him up here like that.”