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I was going to say soht I was almost married to Sue three years earlier – until Sue died while ere on vacation in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands off the coast of India

Stung by Synanceia horrida, the dreaded Stonefish Her death was one of those freak of nature accidents that you would never believe could happen A rogue wave threw Sue onto a bed of corals on which the stonefish was lurking, ca her on the chest, which is about the worst place to be stung if you hope to survive long enough to get anti-venom Stonefish are the most poisonous creatures on earth Sue died in the local hospital within a few hours and there was nothing I could do None ofin special operations forces helped The– the survival skills – evasion and resistance skills – they orthless

Casey was constantly buggingreal like I had with Sue, but I couldn’t Nothing felt real after her death

No one could replace her

I couldn’t connect oer Really connect They all see,real Sue, on the other hand, was as real as they got – a nurse I ot out of the service

Instead of trying toup my corporation I was a bona fide entrepreneur, with a y to assist the military After several tours of duty in a Marine Recon unit, then Marine Special Operations Forces, I had a pretty good idea of as needed, as lacking, and had watched h a nuoal was to provide superior communications tech for reconnaissance to better protect soldiers on the battlefield

Except you can’t coainst randoious sect, as Graham found out in Malaysia Or from poisonous fish that looked like innocent stones All you could do ear lots of body are

“I have lots of girl friends,” I said as we ive e Besides, I don’t have time for a real relationship”

“You don’t have tiave me the evil eye “You of all people should kno short life is and how unpredictable Fate can be I mean a real relationship with someone who’s your equal”

“You’re a lesbian,” I said and grinned widely

She laughed at that, but I ineer and the sotten as we both ran for twenty ht rooet some of the toxins out of ht, the stinky restrooraffiti-scrawled stall

Such a difference fro Miranda…

Maybe Casey was right It had been so long since I met a real woman, as Casey described it, that I frankly didn’t knohere to start

Miranda lived in North Carolina I had no idea where I could ever find someone else like her I worked with men all day at the corporation – former ineers orked on prototypes Besides lifting, and ratting onelse but work Running the business took up all my time

“So, how am I supposed to meet these real won up for classes at the co class?” I asked sarcastically