drips takes practice when you’re only three. So who was the officer?”
“An old friend who handles Titus, a German shorthaired pointer.”
“Doesn’t sound like an attack breed,” Zoe said.
“Titus isn’t. He’s been used for patrol and is a great cadaver dog. Ethan’s back from combat and due for some R & R. Unfortunately, he may be sent to Baylor Marine Base because of possible sightings of...”
“Oh, brother.” She made a face. “Literally. I hope your friend gets his time off soon. I’m sure he deserves it. That sounds like an awful job to train for.”
“I wouldn’t want it,” Linc admitted. He smiled down on her and she warmed considerably. “Now, for our ice-cream cones. What flavor for you?”
“One scoop of cherry chocolate walnut, thanks. What are you having?”
“Plain vanilla. I don’t like to ruin good ice cream by loading it up with other flavors.”
Freddy clapped his sticky hands. “I love ’nilla.”
“You and me both, kid,” Linc said with a grin before walking away. Zoe was positive she’d glimpsed a tenderness in his eyes when he’d smiled down at her son. And, truth be told, she sometimes imagined the same fond expression settling on her. Whether that was true or not, she felt good when Linc smiled at her. More than good, actually. His approval, spoken or implied, gave her spirits a boost like the afterburner on a jet. Being around him was so wonderful, so sweet, so...
“Fool,” Zoe muttered to herself, pulling a face. She was doing it again. Kidding herself by imagining a happy future with the wrong man.
But was he wrong? Never mind his insistence that he intended to stay single. What if he was considering changing his mind? What if he was starting to feel as much affection toward her as she was feeling for him?
“That’ll be the day,” she mumbled, using a glass of water to dampen a fresh napkin and wipe Freddy’s hands some more.
The deep voice behind her made her jump so badly she nearly tipped over the glass. “What will be the day?”
Linc was back with their cones. In a flash, Zoe tried to recall how much she had actually uttered aloud and how much had been silent thought. She looked up to study him. Since he didn’t seem upset, she figured she was safe.
“Um, when my son can eat without taking a bath in it.”
“He does pretty well on pizza.”
“Only because I cut it up for him.” She reached for her treat. “Is this mine?”
“Yup. And this is mine.” As he began to lick the cone, Zoe decided it was best if she looked away. Everything Linc did, every word he spoke, every shadow of a smile he displayed sent her heart racing and made her hands tremble. Had he asked what was bothering her, she intended to blame her unrest on her stalker. That would be partially true. But it wasn’t an adversary who had her nerves in knots and filled her stomach with butterflies. It was her new friend. Her protector. The one man she had finally decided wasn’t half bad.
That conclusion made her grin. Rather than giggle, she started to eat. The ice cream was delicious. “Mmm.”
“Glad you like it,” Linc said. “For a minute there, you looked so strange I was afraid I’d got the wrong flavor.”
Zoe hid behind the cone and bided her time by systematically licking all the way around. “No problem. It’s wonderful.”
What drew her attention back to Linc was not his words or actions; it was the lack of either. Instead of continuing to eat, he had stopped and was staring across the table at her. There was the tender look again. She wasn’t imagining it. She couldn’t be. He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t frowning. But his concentration was so complete, so absolute, she almost shivered.
“Yeah,” he finally said, continuing to have eyes only for her, while patrons of the ice-cream parlor came and went past their table and Freddy slapped his hands on it as if playing a drum.
Zoe held her breath, hoping against hope that Linc was ready to express his personal feelings, to perhaps say something romantic. Judging by his fond expression, it was certainly a possibility.
She was left guessing what he had meant when he stared into her wide eyes, smiled and quietly said, “Wonderful.”
If they had not been surrounded by a crowd and accompanied by her lovable but nosy child, she might have asked for clarification.
Oh, sure, and have Linc tell me he was talking about the ice cream? No way. There was no reason to chance making a fool of herself. There would be plenty of time to stick her foot in her mouth again, as she had when she’d mentioned marriage and scared him silly. After all, they hadn’t even dated, let alone admitted serious intentions.
Except that we’ve already spent more hours together than some couples have managed after months of dating, particularly those in the military, she added to herself. It was possible to fall in love, even when a significant other was stationed half a world away, wasn’t it?
Suppose that was Linc’s problem? Suppose the beautiful woman who he’d admitted had betrayed him still held a place in his heart? Could his reticence be caused by that? Did Zoe have a rival who had achieved special status merely because she was unattainable?
Further thought led her to decide against that theory. Linc was a patriot, a straight shooter, an honorable man who would never be able to forgive someone who had betrayed his comrades-in-arms and threatened the well-being of his homeland.
That thought led her directly to John Flint. She had revealed his treason as soon as she’d learned of it. Was that enough for Linc to see her as the red-blooded American that she was? Or did he paint her with the same brush of evil that some of her fellow airmen had?
Chagrined, Zoe almost wished Linc’s hang-up, if he had one, would be her first marriage, because that was over. John Flint was no more. Her familial connection to her brother, however, would never go away, and she wondered if her reputation would always be tied to his, however tenuously.
Deciding to redirect her own thoughts and Linc’s, Zoe asked a question she thought was fairly innocuous. “What’s the latest on that pesky blogger? Any success finding him?”
Her companion’s negative expression surprised her. She frowned. “What are you not telling me?”
Linc shook his head. “Not important.”
“It is if it bothers you,” she countered.
“I take it you haven’t looked.” Using his phone to open to the web, Linc passed it to her. “See for yourself.”
Zoe peered at the small screen. “This blames everything Boyd did on me. How dare they!”
“Doesn’t matter. We know you’re innocent.”
“We? You and I, maybe, but not the rest of the base.” She passed the phone back to Linc. “I’ve seen enough.”
“Okay. Sorry,
