Page 40 (1/2)
"So roainst his shoulder, toying with the chain on his dog tags until they slid free from under his T-shirt
"But froical, practical truth, just the way you like it" He clasped her hand and pressed it against his chest right over his pulse pounding for her "When I’m with you, I don’t fear the future anyether"
She started to answer but he needed to tell her everything He wanted her to understand how , I’ to revisit the issue of kids"
Her eyes ith shock, and she wasn’t blinking anything, "
This part was still tough for hi easier And he had faith now that he could be a part of a healthy relationship, with Stella "I would just ask that ait to have children until I’m out of the field so there would be less pressure on… our fa, or did some color flood back into her cheeks? She looked so daood" Her fingers caressed along his heart, grasping a handful of his shirt "After what I’ve been through with uh? I don’t want you to make spur-of-the-ht"
"It’s not spur-of-the-moment It’s been a slow and steady build to the realization that I’h the worst stress iht of taking a drink" He rubbed his cheek gently against the top of her head on the uninjured side "I’ve only thought of you and how to make you happy"
"You do make me happy, Jose" She looked up at him, and he kneanted to stare into those eyes forever "And I have total faith in you"
"Besides, any leftover doubts I had got kicked in the ass yesterday This has been the kind of time that makes a person reevaluate life I want to spendto ing hi their future together
Andue
Aswan, Egypt--Six Months Later
When Stella Carson was eight years old, shethe "perfect fa Reality was a thousand times better than any of her childhood fantasies
Never in athe Nile River Best of all, herwhite jas, loose hair Stella watched in the oval mirror, Annie’s face reflected beside hers like a picture in that long ago dream album
Her mother smiled "You look beautiful, sweetheart"
"Thanks, I’ht, to have been this lucky"
Peace flowed through her without even a hint of pre-wedding jitters She and Jose were ether and today was the fulfille from the Gulf of Aden
After their mission in Africa had wrapped up, she’d taken a leave of absence froia where he was stationed at Moody Air Force Base She’d struggled at first hat to do with her life and took a job at a local college to pay bills, only to find she enjoyed the hell out of the intellectual challenge Life was funny sometimes in the way she found her best answers in the surprises
Like her unexpected ht the day Jose had pulled hied her world forever
Stella passed another flower and bobby pin over her shoulder "I’lad you and Sam could be here with us today"
The couple would serve as their only witnesses, Sao
Annie clipped the final bloom in place "I wish I could have been there for so many other important moments in your life"
"You’re here now" Stella clasped her mother’s hand over her shoulder and turned to face her