“This is something else. They’ve even got balloon animals happening.” Sabrina gestured at a kids’ area set up in the far corner with crafts and a couple of costumed entertainers.
“Yup. When I was little, they had face painting.”
“Tell me you asked for something embarrassing that made your big brothers cringe.” Sabrina bumped my shoulder.
“I asked for a three-fourth scale viola. I got two music notes and a heart instead.”
“You? Ask for something obscure? Never.” Her laugh echoed in the large space, mingling with all the other conversations swirling around us. Outside the large picture windows, a row of buses awaited the signal to load up.
“Quit laughing at me,” I grumbled as I glanced around to see if any of the uniformed event coordinators were herding people toward the buses yet.
“It’s all love, baby.” She gave me an air kiss.
In my pocket, my phone vibrated, and I shifted around my armful of stuff so I could fish it out of my skinny jeans. I was waiting to hear about a big freelance job, so I was more eager to check the messages than I might otherwise have been.
But I should have saved my enthusiasm.
Guess what? We caught an earlier flight! We’ll probably miss the buses, but we should see you at the docks. Can’t wait to see Calder. And you, of course.
And me. Of course. Calder got the bulk of my mom’s enthusiasm, as always. And damn it, this was a complication I hadn’t counted on. All I’d told Mom was that I was going to greet Calder and Derrick. Calder had sworn me to secrecy on the fake homecoming plan, not that I would have fessed up to Mom under any circumstances. Telling Sabrina didn’t count in my estimation because we operated in a judgment-free zone of total honesty. Unlike my parents.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
“What?” Sabrina deftly saved the balloons as I juggled things to pocket my phone.
“My parents are gonna be here.”
“Oh.” She blinked her thick lashes a few times. “This should be interesting.”
“Very.” There was nothing I could do other than hope they missed the whole playacting-with-Derrick thing. I stepped aside as a pack of dressed-up kids zoomed between us. Then one of the personnel from the community liaison office signaled that it was time to load the first bus. I hurried to make sure Sabrina and I were in that line. Any distance from my parents would help.
“So… Derrick?” Sabrina waited to speak again until we were seated on the navy bus, which was essentially a school bus made over for military use. “Tell me what he looks like so I can help you spot him. Is he gorgeous? Why is it that all the gorgeous guys are the ones who get cheated on? You’d think they’d have better luck.”
“Quit trying to write a romance novel, Sabrina.” I moved my sign to let a family pass as more people filled the bus. “He’s quiet, but when he does talk, people tend to listen. That sort of commanding voice. Tall. Not as tall as you in your heels, but taller than me. Big shoulders. Dark brown hair. And a face like one of those old Hollywood heroes. So, yeah, he’s hot. But this is a favor. Nothing more. Honestly, I’m not sure he even noticed my existence previously.”
“Aw.” She patted my shoulder. “The big bad sailor squashed your tender feelings.”
“Save it for your fan fic. I was a kid last time I saw him in person. And even if I wasn’t, I don’t do military.”
“And yet here you are.” Gesturing at my sign and balloons, she gave me a pointed look.
“Here I am.” I adjusted my balloons so a teen girl with an even bigger bunch could settle in behind us. “As a favor to my brother.”
Who had loaned me money on more than one occasion while I’d been in school and broke, but even Sabrina didn’t need to know everything.
“Uh-huh. And this hot, older, silent man whom you might get to plant one on.” Sabrina braced a hand on the seat in front of us as the bus got moving.
“I feel sorry for the guy, that’s all.” Sure, teenage me had found Derrick beyond attractive, but even then I’d known better than to get a crush on a man in uniform. “He got a bum deal with his ex. I met the guy once when they first started dating. The sort of high-maintenance dude who tries too hard to be hot and comes off fake instead. Terrible voice.”
“You can’t keep picking men simply because they have the right pitch of baritone.”
“You never know when a musical number might come up.” I laughed.