My heart stops mid-beat and every tiny, little hair at the base of my neck stands on end the moment the sound of his commanding voice reaches my ears. I have to remind myself to breathe as I watch him open a door not more than five feet away then duck inside the building. He called me by name. And I’m still deciding if that makes me feel at ease or chills me to the bone.
“Hey, you okay? You’re trembling,” Reid asks, interrupting my thoughts. “Maks? Baby, who was that guy?”
“I’m not sure. We should go,” I reply, getting my emotions under wraps.
He doesn’t argue, and I can’t say I think any less of him for it.
Once we’re home, and I hear the door close behind Reid, I brace myself for the impending conversation. My destination is the kitchen, but I’m pulled to the living room before I have a chance to make it there.
Reid discards his jacket and plops down on the sofa, dragging me onto his lap. “So, this guy in the baseball cap, how does he know your name?”
I stick my nose in the air and let my eyes wander around the room. “Is that jealousy I smell?”
“I don’t know. Is there something to be jealous of?” His tone is distant and steely.
“You’re kidding, right? Reid, I don’t know the guy. He must work in the back. I mean, he did go in the back door.” There’s no way I’m mentioning he could be the owner’s son.
“First the Christmas tree guy, whom I see you have revisited this year, and now the dishwasher. I can’t leave you alone for a minute, can I?” he jokes, and I’m relieved to see the tension disappear.
I’m pretty sure Reid isn’t allowed at a Christmas treefarm anywhere within fifty miles of New Orleans. Last year he all but castrated the guy who helped us choose our tree just because he made a comment about my eyes. Reid swore the guy said I have a beautiful ass, but I clearly heard him say eyes. The kid couldn’t have been out of high school yet, and my college boyfriend was threatening his anatomy. I felt so bad, I went back the next day and bought three more trees, then left them at the lot to be donated.
This year I brought my best friend, Brynn. Tree guy ended up with a date, and I got a discount. Score two for Makenna.
Reid’s comment gives me the perfect opportunity to bring up our earlier conversation. “Speaking of leaving me alone...”
“Shit.”
I continue to stare at him, waiting for an explanation.
“I cleaned up table one, got my rifle expert, and killed my PFT,” he says.
He is speaking a language I don’t understand, but he’s so obviously excited about it all that I can’t help but begin to feel excited for him, too.
“Wait, you killed who?” I didn’t think they went that far in boot camp.
He laughs and cradles my head in his hands.
“Physical Fitness Test, babygirl.” One look at his body, and I don’t doubt it. Reid Landry, United States Marine, is what every girl’s Man Crush Monday is made of. “They contracted me for Recon training.”
I get the feeling this is something we should both be happy about, but all I hear is goodbye.
“How long?” I ask, trying to keep the edge off my voice.
“Maybe two weeks. Maybe two months. Depends on when I class up. But it will be worth it, Maks. I promise.”
Great. So not only is he leaving, but he also has no idea when I’ll see him again. I find myself once again trying not to be selfish. “When do you leave?”
“After the holidays,” he replies, a hint of regret in his tone.
“Well then, we better make this a visit to remember.” I just got him back and my heart is not ready to discuss losing him again so soon. “Starting… now. We have a lot of lost nights to make up for.”