Birch looked to Isaac. He held up his hands. “It’s in your file not to call unless you’re dead, somebody made a mistake.”
Birch rolled his eyes and said, “So what areyoudoing here?”
“The military told your mother you had medical leave. She wanted me to come get you for Christmas.”
“I’m not going to my mother’s for Christmas.”
“I know.” Bermuda’s blue eyes flashed with some of the rebellious spirit he used to love about her. “My friend Ally is flying in from Kauai on the redeye. She’ll get here early in the morning. I thought you’d want to be waiting for her.”
“Ally’s coming here?”
Bermuda nodded. “She called me from the airport. I told her about you getting hurt and that you were in California and I’d get you to her.”
“Bermuda, please, no lies. Is she with Jeremiah?”
“No.” Bermuda looked him straight in the eye. “Jeremiah hates you because I dumped him for you years ago.”
Birch’s eyes must have registered his confusion. That wasnothow things had gone down.
She nodded. “I regretted breaking up with you almost instantly. I went and told Jeremiah I wouldn’t date him, I didn’t care what roles he could secure for me.”
“Are you good with her then?” Isaac interrupted before Bermuda got too deep into the story. “I’d like to get to my wife.”
Birch had almost forgotten his captain was right there. “Yes, sir, sorry to keep you.”
“No worries. I’ll see you after the holidays.” Isaac shook his hand and was gone.
Bermuda continued her story. “I headed back to your house that night to tell you I’d made a horrible, selfish mistake and I was sorry. I wanted to work things out no matter the underhanded things we’d both said to each other.”
Birch shifted uncomfortably. He remembered the fight well and he definitely had gotten in his share of jabs, so hurt that the woman he thought he loved could’ve played him and lied to him.
Her blue eyes were sad as she reminisced. “Your mother let me in and I headed for your room but as I passed Blade’s door it was cracked slightly and I heard you talking. I heard you promise him you’d never date an actress. It hurt as I knew you were saying it because of me and I could just feel it. You meant it. You’d never date an actress again, you’d never trust me again. It was my fault, not yours as I’d been stupid and pulled in by Jeremiah’s lies, but all I could think to do was walk away. When you never contacted me again I knew that promise to Blade had stuck.”
Birch couldn’t think of a response. After Blade’s funeral, he’d returned to the Air Force Academy and rarely gone home. He ignored most social media so he had no clue if Bermuda had dated Jeremiah after all or if she was telling the truth.
“Anyway, Jeremiah already hated you for that and then when he found out you were dating Ally, who he’s always wanted because she dumped him when he tried to seduce her into sleeping with him, he got ticked and used some old pic he had from when they were dating to try to hurt you both.”
She took a deep breath and assured him. “She was wearing a suit. She’s as pure as you’d hope she is. I love Ally and respect her. I wish I was more like her. That was why I was trying to get that role withThe Crusadersto try to clean up my image, but Ally was the right fit for it.” She gave him a tight smile. “So should we head to the airport? We’ll be early but you can sleep in the car while we wait.”
Birch didn’t want to admit he was wrong but he had to. “You’re as good of a friend as Ally claimed you were. I thought wrong about you.”
Bermuda shrugged. “It’s been hard. The movie industry is cutthroat and I haven’t stayed strong, but I want to make a change and be a proponent for high-quality films without all the language, sex, and explicit violence.”
“Good for you.” Birch walked with her through the parking lot. They’d given him something for the pain but his head was still tender. Ally was the person he thought she was, that was all that mattered right now. He thought about his revelation from Blade hours before and wanted to know what his old friend thought. It gave him a warm feeling to think of Bermuda as a friend again. “Bermuda. Do you think I’m wrong not to honor that promise you heard me make to Blade the night he died?”
She glanced at him in the dying light. “I think Blade would love Ally and he would be the first one to tell you that promise was made when you were both in a dark spot. Amelia had just broken his heart and of course I’d just crushed yours.” She gave him a sarcastic smile.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Birch said, smiling at her. He thought she was right though, and this was his second confirmation. Bermuda had known Blade well and Birch felt a rightness wash over him from her words. Blade had given his approval and would love Ally. Of course he would. But no one would love Ally as much as Birch did.