MEEKS

12

I placed my car keys and cell phone in the bin outside the room, typed in the four-digit passcode on the keypad on the door, and entered. Bailey was sitting at the round table in the center of the small room. The pleased look on her face meant she had been waiting for me.

“Hey, I hope you had lunch?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No, ma’am. I’ve been so busy trying to scrub the list before you got here that I didn’t get a chance to eat.”

“That’s unacceptable. Let’s go through the list and then I want you out the door.” Especially since I’d just had a two-piece from Popeye’s.

“Ma’am, we have customers coming over this afternoon. In fact, my calendar is full.”

“So what? I’ll watch the office while you’re gone.”

“But—”

I held up a hand, silencing her. “That’s a direct order.”

She smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

I walked over and put my hat and purse on the table in the corner that I used when I was in the building. The room was small. Four desks along the wall and a cubicle that belonged to Bailey since she was full-time. Naturally, she needed to feel at home. She also had a small fridge and a microwave. At the center was a conference table that was used mostly for small groups of deployers. Along the back far wall was the safe where we kept secure classified documents, and then there were the two classified computers. No windows. No electronic devices. Customers came in throughout the day and, being that it was drawing near the end of the month, units came more often to input statistical reporting for the wing.

“How are we looking for the exercise?” I asked.

“We are now at about seventy percent. There are still a few that I haven’t reviewed, but it’s better than our numbers last week.” Baily pushed over a C-code list, which is a list of members assigned to participate in the exercises. She had check marks along the left margin for all the electronic folders she had already signed off. I looked at the ones she had not. Maintenance.

“You speak to their UDM today?” I found my pulse racing at the thought of Chief Howard.

“Their UDM is out with the flu and the alternate UDM is pregnant, but the next in line, Washington, has been in contact. He’s working on getting his people taken care of.”

“Good.” My eyes scanned the list and there were still a few who hadn’t been cleared by medical. “What’s on the schedule for next UTA weekend? Is medical going to have everyone ready?”

“I spoke with Master Sergeant Carter and she has everyone schedule, but there are still a few with issues she’s trying to get cleared medically.”

“We are running out of time for swap outs.” Having to find replacements at the last moment and trying to get them cleared was even harder to accomplish.

Bailey nodded gloomily. “That’s what I told her.” She drew a sigh. “Ma’am, do I have permission to speak freely?”

“Proceed.”

“The problem with this wing is that we don’t take these exercises serious. Especially Ops and Maintenance. The pilots think they can do whatever they want to do, and maintenance personnel feel that since they have their fingers on the pulse and nothing happens without them, they can take their sweet time.”

I wanted to give her a high-five because she was right on point, but that would be inappropriate. Instead, I nodded and said, “Well, you and I are going to have to start working on change management. Because I want our numbers to look good.” Every year, a grade card was sent down from National Guard Bureau and the wing had to provide a justification for every discrepancy and the low score. It was an embarrassment to the wing commander and that trickled down to the units. Major Michaels and I would have to answer to my group commander. I was the new girl, and I did not want that kind of pressure. Not if I could help it.

I bit my lower lip before saying, “I think you and I need to meet every few days and see where we are with the progress.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I rose from the chair.

“I’m expecting a classified email regarding one of our taskings for the new FY. I’m going to fill in the names security forces provided while you go ahead and get some lunch.”

“Yes, ma’am. Both machines are already up. Updates pushed through the system this morning.”

“Good deal. Now go and enjoy your lunch and I don’t want to see you back here before fourteen-hundred.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I could see the sparkle in her eyes at being allowed an extended lunch. She worked hard and I believed in rewarding my people.

Bailey grabbed her hat and purse and headed out the room. When she shut the door, the sound echoed. The room was like a tomb with secure doors on both sides. Logistics Planning was on the other side of the wall. They took care of equipment and travel, while the IPR office focused on making sure our members were ready for the mission. Together, the two sections were called the Installation Deployment Readiness Cell. We were going to get everything done even if I had to do some hand holding.

I reached inside the safe and removed my SIPR token, which is used in the CAC reader to access classified documents. I logged onto the system and, while I waited for it to authenticate my access, I walked over to the refrigerator and smiled when I discovered a Mountain Dew. I popped the tab and took a seat at the computer. While I drank, I sifted through the emails. Taskings were already coming down from Bureau. We had a business year ahead of us.

I was responding to an email when I heard a knock at the door. I rose and walked across the room. When I looked through the peephole, my stomach rolled.

Chief Howard.

I took a deep breath trying to prepare myself. I rushed over to Bailey’s mirror beside her desk and glanced at my appearance, making sure everything was in place. After a five second assessment, I decided it would have to do. There was a second knock just as I opened the door. I saw the way his eyes lit up in surprise. His gaze was upon me, reaching for me like a man’s arms in the morning.

“Yes?”

“I have an appointment to use the machine.”

“Okay,” I said, hoping he hadn’t detected the shakiness in my voice. “Make sure to put your phone and any other electronic devices in the bin.”

“Already did.”

I looked down to see a cellphone and Fitbit in the box along with my phone. Nodding, I opened the door wide so he could enter. As he brushed past, I smelled masculinity.

“Please sign in on the clipboard.”

He nodded and put his notebook down while he signed.

“I’m surprised to see you over here,” he said glancing over at me.

“Why is that? Bailey reports to me.”

“Maybe so, but I’ve never seen you over here before.”

I wanted to say, Get used to seeing a lot of me because I’m going to be in your ass until your unit is green and ready to go. Instead, I shrugged and said, “I try to come over when I can to help. We’re busy. Especially with this exercise coming up.”

He nodded. “I did speak with my UDM and he’s working to get everything done. Like I said, I’ll have updates for you before COB on Friday.”

“I appreciate that.” I pointed to the machine I wasn’t using. “You can use that one.”

With a nod, Howard walked toward the desk, and I couldn’t help but admire the air of confidence that he presented. Damn, he was just too fine. He removed the card from his pocket and straddled the chair.

The phone rang, startling me out of my ridiculous thoughts. I went back to work, answering questions for a member who was getting ready to deploy and was glad for the distraction. I hoped Howard would be done by the time I finished the call. But he was still there. I was starting to wish I hadn’t given Bailey orders not to return before two o’clock. There was still forty minutes left.

“So how do you like being in this area?” I heard him say.

My back was to him, but I could feel the heat of his gaze. I didn’t dare turn around. Not yet. “It’s okay. I’m trying to learn my way around the area. It’s a big difference from Knob Noster.”

That brought a hearty laugh from him. “There isn’t a damn thing in Warrensburg.”

I swirled around in my chair. “You been there?”

“Whiteman?” he nodded. “My Mom’s from Sedalia.”

My brow arched. “I wouldn’t tell anyone that.”

Howard chuckled heartily. “I know. Small town. I still have family there and try to get home whenever I can.”

“Well, I’m from Kansas City.”

He looked away from the computer, brow lifted, and said, “Now I wouldn’t tell anyone that. At least we have an excuse for being country. Kansas City on the other hand is just slow.”

Kansas City, Missouri residents didn’t want to be associated with Kansas City, Kansas folks and vice versa. I had to laugh at that because, as far as I was concerned, they were all the same. I suddenly realized I was the only one laughing. Howard was staring.

“You have such a beautiful smile.”

I had a pretty good idea I was blushing at this moment. “Thank you,” I replied tightly, pretending to be unmoved by his compliment.

“Are you married?” he asked.

The question caught me off guard. I held up my hand. “No rings.”

“That means nothing these days.”

He was right about that.

This conversation was getting way too personal. Clearing my throat, I said, “How are you doing with your reporting?”

“I’m just about done.”

I was relieved when he refocused his attention on the screen in front of him and not on me. I logged into the MILPDS—military personnel data system—and began running a mobilization report. Anything to shift my focus away from Howard. Only that was almost impossible to do. Just his presence in the small space was enough to have my entire body on high alert.

I heard someone outside the door followed by the sound of the passcode being entered on the keypad. I breathed a sigh of relief when Bailey pushed the door open and stepped inside. She was early and I was glad.

“I know you told me to take my time, but I forgot my textbook so I could get some reading done while I ate.” She was pursuing a degree in communications. “I figured I’d bring my lunch back and sit here and read for the next half hour. That’s if you don’t mind.”

“No worries.” I rose from the chair. “As soon as Chief Howard leaves, I’ll be out of your way.”

“Ma’am feel free to go back to the office. I can study while Chief Howard finishes his reporting.”

“Excellent.” I quickly grabbed my purse, anxious to escape.

“Actually, I’m done,” Howard said and rose. “I’ll walk down with you.” There was that predatory look again.

All I could do was nod as I followed him out the room and shut the door behind us. He removed our things from the bin and held my phone out to me.

“Thank you.” I tried to walk off, but he fell into step beside me.

“Where are you headed?”

“Back to the office. Why? You need something?” I sure hope not.

“I was thinking I’d come by and we go through the electronic mobility folders together.”

Together? I was trying to get away from him. I headed for the stairs and glanced down at my phone. “Actually...” Think, Dayana, think! “I have a meeting in about thirty minutes. That gives me just enough time to run to the shoppette and grab a diet soda.”

“Diet?” Howard stopped at the bottom of the stairs, cocked his head, and crossed his arms over his chest, causing his impressive biceps to bulge and strain against the sleeves of his ABU shirt. I quivered at the sight and found myself wondering what it would feel like to have them wrapped around me. “You know that stuff isn’t good for you, right?”

“I like the way it tastes,” I replied.

“Taste, huh?” There was that sexy grin again.

Was he flirting with me?

“Chief Howard?”

We both turned to see Rein standing at the end of the hall.

“Can you come see me before you leave?” she asked.

That was the excuse I needed to get away. “You better go see what she wants.” I reached inside my pocket for my hat.

“I’ll be in touch,” he told me.

I turned and stepped out the door. I waited until I was almost to my car before I allowed myself to breathe. Goodness. I’m a grown woman but I handled that like I was an inexperienced teenager instead of someone who’d been dealing with boys since I was sixteen and had my first date.

Taste, huh?

Goodness, he was really flirting with me, and I was a stuttering fool. My mind had drawn a blank. What in the world would have happened if Rein hadn’t shown up when she had? I swallowed and acknowledged that I probably would have invited him back to the office with me. As I drove away, my mind began to spin erotic images of where that time together would have led me.

Down a path I had no intention of going.