Blurb:
Stephanie Tyler’s sole job is to fly
overseas to war torn areas of the world to retrieve and escort the bodies of
fallen soldiers back home to the United States. It is a tough and emotional job
but she is honored for the privilege. Her duty also helps her to escape her
past and her failed marriage.
But those flights have become
increasingly more dangerous and she is forced to have a partner accompany her.
Much to Stephanie’s surprise and dismay, she is partnered up with her
ex-husband, Captain “D.A.” Douglas Aston.
From the moment Captain D.A.
enters the scene, he irritates her. It could have something to do with the fact
he slept with her best friend while they were married. As they go on several
missions together, Stephanie is forced to be courteous and professional with
D.A. even though the very sight of him irritates her beyond comprehension.
Then, Stephanie’s cheating, husband
stealing, ex-best friend is killed in Afghanistan and Stephanie and D.A. must
escort her body home. While executing this difficult duty, a myriad of
conflicting emotions makes Stephanie ponder how short life really is . . . and
to question her own ability to forgive.
Excerpt:
The phone intercom buzzed and Pam came
over the speaker. “Sorry to interrupt, Colonel, but you wanted me to let you
know when Captain Aston was here.”
I stared at the Colonel wide-eyed.
He merely smiled and said, “Thanks,
Pam. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“He’s here now?” I asked,
incredulously.
“Didn’t I mention that?” He rose from
his chair and walked to the door as I stood and straightened my uniform.
The Colonel stood with his hand on the
doorknob, watching me fuss. “You look tremendous, Captain.”
“What? Oh I don’t care what I look like
for him,” I immediately protested, waving my hand in the air.
“Of course.” He was still smiling as he
opened the door. “Captain Aston, please come in.”
I heard his voice first. “Thank you,
Colonel.”
I glanced down at my uniform to make
sure everything was in place before he came into the room. When I looked back
up, Captain Aston was walking through the door.
To the female eye, he was a very
attractive man. He stood at six-four and was well built, but not so much that
muscles and tendons were popping out everywhere. He had a strong jaw and black
hair just long enough to run your fingers through. Dressed in full uniform, his
handsome features were even more prominent.
Not that I noticed.
“Please come in and we can discuss your
new role.”
“Yes, Sir.” Captain DA put out his hand
for me to shake, flashing his killer smile that started in his bright blue eyes
and ended in a set of mouth-framing dimples. “Good to see you again, Captain.”
I returned his smile and handshake,
determined to be professional in front of the Colonel even if it killed me.
Colonel Madison resumed his place
behind his desk. “Please sit. This is a quick, informal meeting to get
reacquainted with each other.”
I remained on my feet which kept both
men standing. “Sir, with all due respect,” I began, facing the Colonel, “I
cannot work with Captain Aston.” Apparently, my mouth wasn’t on board with
being professional.
“Why not?” DA asked, sounding offended.
I ignored his question and kept my attention
on the Colonel, who looked as if he were about to laugh. “We used to be
married.”
“I know that.” He smiled.
“Our marriage did not end on a positive
note,” I continued, “and I don’t think I can work with him on a day to day
basis. In fact, I left Virginia to get away from him.”
“You know, I’m standing right here,” DA
chimed in.
“Captain Tyler, are you telling me you
can’t put your differences aside to work together as a team? Even though I
asked you as a personal favor?” The Colonel’s smile had vanished and there was
now a warning in his tone.
“No, Sir.” I heard the warning and
decided it was time to back off the fight. “I’ll try putting our differences
aside to work together, but I can’t promise I won’t kill him in the process.”
The Colonel coughed out a chuckle.
“That’s all I can ask for. Now, you—hopefully—have some time off before another
call comes in. Why don’t you show Captain DA around?”
The Colonel spoke as I reached for the
door handle. “I’m curious, off the record, of course. How did your marriage not
continue on a positive note? I remember the wedding. You two seemed so
compatible and so in love. What happened?”
DA and I looked at each other for the
first time since his arrival.
“He cheated on me with a friend of
mine,” I replied baldly.
“I did not cheat on you! How many times
do I have to say it before you believe me?” he retorted, all vestiges of
professionalism gone.
“Oh, here we go again!” I shouted back.
“I came home early, I walked into the kitchen and there was Alex on top of you
on the kitchen floor.”
“I told you it wasn’t what it looked
like. I have said over and over again that I did not sleep with Alex!” His tone
increased until he was shouting, too.
“You’re telling me that you two never
slept together?” I demanded an answer.
“Well . . .” He looked away from me.
“Not while we were married.”
“I knew it!”
“It was after we were separated and you
had moved here! What did you want me to do? Never sleep with anyone again?”
“You can sleep with whomever or whatever
you want for all I care—”
“Ahem.” The Colonel cut in. I jerked
back, startled; in the heat of arguing with my frustrating ex, I had forgotten
my boss was there.
“Sorry, Sir. Do you see why I can’t
work with him?”
The Colonel regarded us both. “Alex?”
he questioned DA.
“Alexandra Keating, Sir. She was
Stephanie’s best friend.”
“Best friend, my left toe! She’s a
traitorous, backstabbing, two-faced, lying, husband stealing bitch.”
“Wow, that’s quite descriptive,
Captain. Why don’t you tell us your true feelings about her?” Both of the
Colonel’s eyebrows rose in shock.
“I’m only speaking the truth, Sir.” I
addressed the Colonel but glared at DA.
“Well.” He clapped his hands together
to signal the end of our bickering. “I know you two can be respectful when
escorting a fallen soldier home and I know you will be professional during the
dignified transfer ceremonies. However, please try and be professional at other
times as well or at least civil to each other.” He waved us toward the door.
DA and I both nodded and exited the
office. Before we could leave the reception area, the Colonel poked his head
out of his office door.
“And, Captain Tyler-”
“Sir?”
“Try not to kill him, please. He just
arrived at our base and it wouldn’t look good in the press.”
Knowing the Colonel had a wicked sense
of humor, I still couldn’t find my own jocularity. “No promises, Sir, But I’ll
give it my best shot.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Bio:
Angela lives in Ontario, Canada sharing
her home with her father and her two much-loved pups (and one evil cat).
She currently works for the Board of Education behind the scenes supporting and
analyzing student data, however, in her spare time, apart from her avid love of
storytelling, she likes to read, spend time with family and friends and concoct
dairy free recipes from scratch. Sometimes she wins some and sometimes she
loses some – tofu, banana and peanut butter pudding we are looking at you.
Links:
Twitter https://twitter.com/busterwhyte
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/busterwhyte/
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