HOWARD

11

I stopped by the Base Exchange to grab another headset for my iPhone. During unit fitness training this morning it had stopped working, which pissed me off royally. Nothing worse than jogging and listening to the sound of your own breathing. I needed Travis Scott and the Migos rapping in my ear, schooling me all kind of bullshit while keeping me hyped and motivated. Friday, I planned to take the young airmen out along the flight-line and show them age was nothing but a number when I smoked them in a two-mile run.

I parked my SUV, put the hat on my head, and moved across the parking lot. I saluted two lieutenant colonels before I made it into the building.

As I made my way past Starbuck’s, heading in the direction of the Base Exchange, my eyes strayed over toward the food court where they landed on the woman who’d dominated my thoughts for the last few days.

Dayana Meeks.

I stumbled and had to catch myself. Luckily, no one was around to see me. I slowed and walked around a kiosk, pretending I was interested in shopping for a purse for my mother while I stared. My pulse had accelerated at once. Meeks was a beauty with an earth-shattering smile on her lips that was begging to be kissed. I got hard just looking at her mouth. Then there was that magnetic pull I was feeling, urging me to go over and speak to her. But this wasn’t the place and neither the time. Too many eyes and ears. And especially since she was sitting and eating with Rein, who would be a pain in my ass if she even suspected I was interested in Meeks. She and I were close, like brother and sister, knowing each other for most of my career at Weyland Air Force Base. Often, Rein gave relationship advice that I’d preferred not to receive, especially since most of the time it was after some female went running to her, crying of a broken heart. Rein also used to date my boy, Hooks. Now, I’ll admit the way he’d played her was dirty and so foul that after she ended their brief relationship, Rein had bad mouthed him so bad, good women shy away from him. Since then I decided to be private about my relationships and made it my mission not to share my business or the women I was interested in until I was ready for the world to know. And I wanted to know everything there was to know about Dayana Meeks. I hoped like hell she didn’t have a man at home waiting for her. Just the thought made my fists clench. No way, not when I wanted to get to know her and potentially make her mine.

Feeling like a stalker, I had to force myself to stop staring, a feat requiring the strength of a higher power. I hurried into the BX and headed straight for the electronics section. Apple products were on two shelves, so finding what I wanted was super easy. I grabbed one of those Sudoku puzzle thingamajigs that my daughter loved so much and then made my way to the front. Shit. The line at each register was way too long. I was hoping to catch another glimpse of the beauty and maybe even have a few moments to chat with her. That’s if Rein had left.

By the time I made my way toward the food court, both women were gone. I cussed under my breath for failing to seize the opportunity, but there would be plenty more opportunities, even if I had to create one.

As soon as I reached the vehicle, my cell phone rang. I started the engine and the Bluetooth connected.

“Hello?”

“Daddy?”

A smile curled my lips. “Yes, princess?”

“What are you doing?” Ava asked.

“Talking to you.”

“You are so corny.” We shared a laugh. My teenage daughter always knew how to brighten my evening. “Are you still at work?”

“No,” I began as I headed toward the main gate. “I decided to get off on time for once.”

“Good. You work too hard. You need to meet someone nice. Mommy’s happy so I want you to also be happy.”

My ex-wife was married to a physician who practiced family medicine. Ava liked Daddy Joe. When they’d first announced their engagement, jealousy brewed hot and heavy. I didn’t want another man spending more time with my daughter than I could, but over the years, I realized I was being ridiculous. I knew I couldn’t be the only man in Ava’s life forever. I just never considered that person would be another man she called Daddy.

“I’m sure I’ll meet someone when the time is right,” I replied although my thoughts were once again on Meeks. Could she be my Ms. Right?

Come on, Howard, get yourself together. You don’t even know the woman. She could be crazy like some of the others.

“Daddy, I need a new pair of sneakers,” Ava announced as I drove through the gate and headed off the base.

“I just bought you a pair.”

She giggled. “No, those were Converse. I can’t jog in them.”

“When did you start jogging?”

“Yesterday. Allison and I are planning to meet every day at the track until school starts and get in shape. We’ve decided to try out for cheerleading.”

“Cheerleading?” I didn’t like the image flashing in front of my face of my daughter in skimpy outfits shaking her behind in front of a bunch of horny teenage boys. I knew because I used to be one of them, and I knew what I had been trying to do when I was their age...every chance I could. “Sweetheart, you sure you want to be a cheerleader?”

“Yes, Daddy, more than anything. Tryouts are going to be the first week of school. I want to be ready,” she pointed out.

I counted from ten backwards. I knew the day would eventually come that my daughter would be interested in activities that didn’t involve me. I just hadn’t expected that to happen so soon.

“Sure, sweetheart. I’ll take you to get some new sneakers this weekend.”

“Thanks, Daddy. You’re the best,” she said in her soft daddy-girl voice. I couldn’t ask for a smarter or sweeter daughter. And that is the reason why I was going to die broke because Ava had her daddy’s heart. The best part though was that she was willing to share me with someone else. All I had to do was find that special woman. Something told me I might already have.