Fighting Redemption(74)

With another irritable tug at her pants and an audible growl, Fin pushed the trolley along rapidly, and the faster she moved, the more she felt herself beginning to waddle.

“Coco Pops? Really?”

Glancing sideways, Fin realised her mother was keeping pace beside her. “Yes. You got a problem with that?”

Her mother shrugged. “Not really. My thing when pregnant with you was double cheeseburgers. I haven’t been able to eat another one since.” She shuddered before stopping in front of the vitamins. “Oh, when we’re done here, we should go pick out some maternity clothes. You’re busting out of those pants, honey.”

Pressing her lips together, Fin focused with wild desperation on getting out of the supermarket alive.





Two days later

FOB Khost

Eastern Afghanistan



“How’s life at the barracks, Brooks?”

“Fucking boring,” came the moan in his ear, “and I’m busy pissing everyone off just to keep myself entertained because there’s nothing else to do. Although they do have a bunch of new recruits due in over the next two weeks. Giving them shit will keep me occupied until my arm heals.”

With elbows resting on his knees and phone to his ear, Ryan laughed. “How is the arm anyway?”

“It’s fine, but if one more * makes a joke about my inability to jack off, I’m going to shoot them. I could load and fire a rifle with my left hand while blindfolded and hit a moving target in the time it would take them to find their own dicks.”

Ryan chuckled. “Careful, Brooks. You’re sounding a bit frustrated there.”

Kyle cleared his throat.

“So is that why you’re ringing me at, what time is it there—three a.m.? To talk to me about your sexual frustration?”

“Bet it’s nowhere near as bad as yours is.”

Ryan’s entire body tensed, and it was Kyle’s turn to laugh. “Actually, there is something I’m ringing you about.”

“Yeah?” Tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder, Ryan clenched and unclenched his fists. “What?”

Silence.

“You there?”

“Yeah, I’m here.” Another pause. “It’s Fin.”

His fingers tightened on the phone. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, Kendall,” Kyle replied. “I, uh, ran into her at the supermarket the other day. She was there with Julie and Laura.”

“How is she?”

“Well, maybe that’s something you could ask her yourself, you know?”

Getting to his feet, Ryan started pacing in short spurts, back and forth, back and forth. Stopping, he scratched idly at the beard forming on his face from their patrol. He hated not shaving, but it wasn’t a high priority in the middle of a life and death operation. “Probably not a good idea.”

Kyle’s growl of anger came through the line.

“Brooks …”

“She told me she emailed you.”

Ryan closed his eyes. Finlay Tanner. The bold words. The empty subject line. It still taunted him.

“Have you even read it?”

His brows drew together in a sharp frown. “Why are you suddenly making this your business?” Ryan deflected angrily.

“Christ, Kendall. I wouldn’t have expected you of all people to forget how short life is.”

“Exactly. That’s why she’s moving to Sydney and studying at the Research Centre.”

“Hmmm.”

“Hmmm what? Fin is still going, isn’t she? She told me she accepted their invitation and that it was all set.”

“Look, Kendall. I’m not being the go between for the two of you. If you want to know anything about what she’s doing, you can bloody well ask her yourself.”

Ryan pinched the bridge of nose with his thumb and forefinger. Kyle was right. That was a shit thing to do. “Sorry,” he muttered and checked his watch. He was due for debrief in thirty minutes. “Look, I gotta go. Have a beer for me tonight, will you?”

There was zero alcohol tolerance for all soldiers on deployment. Knowing it was Friday morning there, Kyle would no doubt be hitting the piss that night.

“Will do,” Kyle murmured.

After hanging up the phone, Ryan turned to the computer. Switching it on, he logged into his email and stared at it again. Fuck, Kendall. Just grow some f*cking balls and open the email already.

Hovering the mouse over her name, Ryan double clicked before he could think about it any further.



Ryan,

It feels like I’ve started this email a thousand times because it’s so hard to know what to say.

Remember before you left, you told me to “go and make Jake proud”? I hope you are doing the same thing.

I miss you. So very much.



Exhaling deeply, Ryan tilted his head upwards, his eyes burning. God, he missed her too.



I know you have certain expectations about what I should be doing with my life, but you should know that life always gets in the way of plans.

Sorry. It’s not my intention to be cryptic, but I need to talk to you and some things are better discussed over the phone rather than email.

Ring me when you can. Please.