Navy Woman. Debbie Macomber
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a true Navy wife, she’d silently endured the long years of the cruel unknowns, refusing to be defeated by the helplessness of frustration. When her husband’s remains had been returned to the States, she’d stood proud and strong as he was laid to rest with full military honors.
The only time Catherine could ever remember her mother weeping had been the day her father’s casket had arrived at the airport. With a gentleness and a sweetness that impressed Catherine still, her mother had walked over to the flag-draped casket, rested her gloved hand at the head and brokenly whispered, “Welcome home, my love.” Then she’d slumped to her knees and sobbed until she’d released a ten-year reservoir of submerged emotions.
Catherine had cried with her mother that day. But in death, as he had been in life, Andrew Warren Fredrickson remained a stranger.
In choosing to become a Navy attorney, Catherine had followed both her parents’ footsteps. Being a part of the military had brought her as close as she was likely to get to understanding the man who had given her life.
Lulled by her thoughts, Catherine ran the tip of her finger along the top of the gold frame. “I wonder if you ever had to work with someone like Royce Nyland,” she said softly.
She did that sometimes. Talked to the photograph as though she honestly expected her father to answer. She didn’t, of course, but carrying on a one-sided conversation with the man in the picture eased the ache in her heart at never having known him.
Sambo meowed loudly, announcing it was well past dinnertime, and Catherine had best do something quickly. The black feline waited impatiently in front of his bowl while Catherine brought out the pouch of soft cat food.
“Enjoy,” she muttered, wincing as she bent over to fill the food dish. Holding her hand at the small of her back, Catherine cautiously straightened. Her pride had cost her more than she’d first realized.
“But, Dad, I’ve just got to have that jacket,” Kelly announced as she carried her dinner plate over to the sink. She rinsed it off and set it in the dishwasher, a chore that went above and beyond her normal duties. As far as Royce was concerned, she was going to have to do a whole lot more than stack a few dishes to change his mind.
“You have a very nice jacket now,” he reminded her, standing to pour himself a cup of coffee. He supposed he should be grateful she’d chosen to overlook the fact he was forty minutes later than he’d told her he would be. After her initial protest she’d been suspiciously forgiving. Now he knew why.
“But my jacket’s from last year and it’s really old and the sleeve has a little tear in it and no one is wearing fluorescent green anymore. I’ll be the laughing stock of the entire school if I wear that old thing.”
“That ‘old thing’ as you put it, will do nicely. The subject is closed, Kelly Lynn.” Royce was determined not to give in this time. He was walking a fine line with his daughter as it was, and loomed dangerously close to overindulging her. It was easy to do. She was a sweet child, unselfish and gentle. Actually it was something of a wonder that Kelly should turn out to be such a considerate child. The ten-year-old had been raised by a succession of baby-sitters. From the time she was only a few weeks old, Kelly had been lackadaisically palmed off on others.
Sandy had only agreed to have one child, and she’d done so reluctantly six years into their marriage. Her career as a fashion buyer had dominated her life, so much so that Royce doubted that his wife had possessed a single mothering instinct. When she’d been killed in a freak auto accident, Royce had grieved for her loss, but their relationship had been dead for several years.
If Kelly had been shortchanged in the mother department, Royce wasn’t convinced she’d done much better with him as a father. Heaven knew Royce’s reputation was that of a hard-nosed bastard. But he was fair and everyone knew it. He did the best he could, but often wondered if that was good enough. He loved Kelly and he wanted to do right by her.
“All the other girls in school have new jackets,” she mumbled under her breath.
Royce ignored the comment and between sips of coffee placed the leftovers inside the refrigerator.
“I’ve already saved $6.53 from my allowance?” She made the statement into a question, seeking a response.
Royce returned the carton of milk to the shelf.
“Missy Gilbert said the jackets were going to be on sale at J. C. Penney and with next week’s allowance I’d have almost one fourth of the total cost. I’m trying real hard on my arithmetic this year, you know.”
“Good girl.” The two of them had suffered through more than one go-round with fractions.
Kelly turned her big baby blues full force on him. “What about the jacket, Dad?”
Royce could feel himself giving in. This wasn’t good. He should be a pillar of strength, a wall of granite. He’d already told her once the subject was closed. The jacket she had now was good enough. He remembered when they’d bought it last year. Royce had been appalled at the outrageous shade of putrid green, but Kelly had assured him it was perfect and she would wear it two or three years.
“Dad?” she asked ever so sweetly, the way she always did when she sensed he was weakening.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she cried, rushing across the room and hugging his waist. “You’re the greatest.”
An odd sense of self-consciousness attacked Catherine when she went down to the track the following evening. As she suspected, Royce was there ahead of her, running laps, as were several other men.
Royce hadn’t said more than a handful of words to her all day, which wasn’t unusual. He was as polite and as cool as always. When he came into the office that morning, he’d glanced her way, and Catherine could have sworn he was looking straight through her. His hard blue eyes had passed over her without so much as a flicker of friendliness. If she were to take the time to analyze his look, she suspected it had been one of cool indifference. It wasn’t that Catherine expected him to throw his arms around her and greet her like a long lost friend. On second thought, maybe that was the problem.
They’d shared something on that running track, a camaraderie, an understanding and appreciation for each other. Catherine didn’t expect warm embraces, but she hadn’t expected him to regard her so impersonally. Apparently she’d read more into their talk than he intended.
That was her first mistake, and Catherine feared she was ready to commit mistake number two.
Squaring her shoulders, she traipsed down the hillside to the running track. She was later this evening than she had been the night before. No thanks to Commander Nyland. For the past two hours she’d been reviewing files and charting progress as the substitute coordinator for the physical fitness program. Her eyes hurt, her shoulders ached and she was in no mood to lock horns with the executive officer, unless, of course, he started something first.
Catherine completed her warming-up exercises and joined the others circling the quarter-mile track. She needed to unwind, vent the frustration she felt over being assigned this extra duty, which was an imposition she didn’t need. It seemed that the commander had seen fit to delegate CDO duty that Friday night to someone else. Lucky for that someone.
Her first lap was relaxed. Catherine liked to ease herself into running, starting off slow and gradually gain her momentum, peaking at about the second mile and finishing off the third in a relaxed stride.
Royce passed her easily on the first go-round. Catherine fully expected that he would. Once again she was impressed with the power and strength she felt as he shot past her. His skin was tan and his muscles bronzed. It was as if he were a living, moving work of art, perfect, strong and male. Her heart raced much faster than it should. A rush of sensation so powerful it nearly knocked her off her feet took her by surprise. On the heels of that emotion came another, one more potent than the first. Anger. He zoomed past her again and it was all she could do to hold herself back from charging ahead.
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