Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 143728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
“John’s in the military now. He just left after spending a week with his mom and sister.”
“Army?”
“Navy. I know. Don’t make that face at me. Rangers might lead the way, but he wanted to follow in his old man’s footsteps.”
“Then he’s walking in good ones.”
The man laughed. “You always did know how to kiss my ass when you wanted a favor. What is it this time?”
“It’s a big one.”
“Tell me what it is, then I’ll decide if I can do it.”
“Fair enough.”
Her shoe slipped in the pile of dirt, nearly making her slip out of the swing, when Hammer nodded his head in her direction.
The man called Hunter walked over to stand over her, his face becoming clearer from the light shining down from the light poles that surrounded the playground.
“Hello, little lady. What’s your name?”
She gave Hammer a quick glance before answering. “I’m Ginny.”
“She’s the favor I need from you.”
Hunter didn’t look back at Hammer, continuing to stare down at her. His kind eyes took in the crooked ponytail that Hammer had tried to fix and the clothes that were so big he had to roll the bottom of her jeans up so she wouldn’t trip over them. “My name is Will.”
Evangeline took the large hand that he held out to her. At the warmth of his hand, she suddenly wanted to burst into tears. His eyes turned even softer when she didn’t let his hand go. Turning his hand over, he clasped hers comfortingly.
“You don’t look like you’re feeling good. Are you all right?”
“My stomach hurts,” she said tearfully.
“She got carsick on the drive,” Hammer explained. “I tried to get her to eat, but she didn’t want anything. I managed to get her to drink some Gatorade.”
“Poor baby.”
Evangeline found herself lifted into his arms. Then he rested her on his hip with one arm while he dug into a pocket with the other hand to take out a piece of candy to give to her.
“It’s peppermint candy. I always keep a piece on me. My wife also gets carsick.”
She looked down at the candy in her hand before unwrapping it and popping it into her mouth. Then she put her arm around his shoulders and relaxed against him.
“Feel better?”
Evangeline nodded against his shoulder.
“She’s cute as a button,” Hunter said as he turned back to Hammer. “She’s not yours, so how’d you end up with her?”
Hammer tilted his head to the side. “How do you know she’s not mine?”
“Other than she doesn’t look a thing like you? The clothes don’t fit, and you wouldn’t have her out in the dead of night unless you had to. She’s the favor you’re needing from me?”
“Yes.”
“What do you need?”
For the first time in a long time, Evangeline felt everything was going to be okay. She felt safe with Hammer, but the man holding her was soothing her like she had always wanted her father to do when she was scared.
“I need her to disappear.”
“You going to tell me why? Or for how long?”
“I can’t tell you much.”
“Jonas can’t help you out?”
“Jonas and I are around each other too much. Cooper retired. I’ve been assigned as commander as his replacement. I need Jonas on the team. He should have already been, but Cooper wouldn’t approve it.”
“The major probably didn’t want Jonas snooping around—he’s one of the best I ever trained. But when I retired, I didn’t recommend Cooper to fill my command. He could be a sneaky son of a bitch when it suited him, which is why I warned you before I left.”
“If you didn’t recommend him, how did Copper get command of the team?”
“Cooper’s been a bootlicker long before you entered the service. As much as I had my suspicions about him, he’s brilliant and deserved the promotion. It might have been a harder choice if your ears hadn’t been too wet to take over, but you only made the team a year before I left. If Jonas hadn’t been finishing his training as a computer specialist, I would have been able to request him for the team. I wish now I had just waited to leave.”
“Why would you wish that? You only met Jonas a couple times when you went out drinking with us.”
“I recognize talent when I see it. Besides, I wanted someone who I knew would have your back. A man is only as good as the men you surround yourself with; that’s the lesson I’ve been teaching John since he was a kid. And, Cooper was becoming too jealous of your accomplishments. A leader isn’t envious of someone else’s achievements; you use them to benefit the team.”
“I agree.”
“That’s why you’ll make a better commander than Cooper, especially if you can get Jonas on your team.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“It wasn’t a compliment; it’s a fact. Just don’t prove me wrong.”