Chapter 2

2

DEAN

E verywhere I looked, eager young cadets were embarking on their journey in the Air Force. I remembered my own days as a sparkly eyed cadet. It felt like just yesterday that I was in their shoes, filled with dreams of soaring through the skies.

I had wanted to be a pilot from a young age. In high school, I was the guy chasing down the recruiter and asking what I could do to get a jump start. I worked at a restaurant washing dishes and mowed lawns to pay for flight lessons before I was even eighteen. I wanted to hit the ground running. My flight instructor told me I was a natural. That I was born with wings.

I worked hard at it anyway, knowing that talent wasn't enough when lives were on the line. Flying was a thing of joy, but in a combat situation, it wasn't a game. Mistakes meant your friends didn't come home.

Speaking of things that were life-threatening, I glanced over at Sarah where she stood with her friends. She was beautiful, with a smile that could steal a man's soul. And her father was a longtime friend who would tear my balls off if he even caught me looking at her.

I had flown missions through enemy territory but falling for Sarah would be riskier. The best thing I could do was stay far away from her. That wouldn't be a problem since I was heading out across the Atlantic soon. I would be putting this place far behind me for a while.

The woman had a lot to admire though, and not just her stunning good looks. She had the same determination and the same passion for flying that I did. She was going to be a good pilot if she got into the program. She was a little on the petite side, but they made exceptions. With her dad's pull, I had a feeling that was not going to be an issue for her.

Mo, Sarah's father, put his hand on my shoulder and steered me away from the crowd. His furrowed brow and pinched lips told me that this was no casual conversation. Something was up. I desperately hoped he hadn't caught me staring.

We walked to the outskirts of the crowd. He looked around, making sure we were alone. "I wanted to let you know I've pulled some strings and delayed your transfer to the UK base."

"What? Why?"

"I need you at Columbus," he said, his eyes meeting mine.

"Columbus? Like Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi?"

Mo nodded. "That's the one."

My annoyance flared up instantly. This was my chance to escape and start fresh somewhere new. Columbus didn't fall into the new category at all. I had history there. Roots. None that had done me dirty, but after the year I'd had, I wanted off the damn continent. I'd already begun making my arrangements, and now Mo was throwing a wrench into my plans.

"Mo, I've had this transfer to the UK in the works for a while now," I said.

He still outranked me. Yes, we were friends, but he was also my boss. I couldn't just tell him no. I didn't get to stomp my feet and pout. I went where the Air Force sent me—period.

"I know, but you don't really want to go over there, do you?" he asked.

Yes. Yes, I absolutely do. I shifted my weight and considered my answer. "I was looking forward to putting some space between me and Margaret."

He knew about my divorce and the bullshit that had been plaguing me since it all unfolded. I was running from it, but I didn't care. I just wanted some room to breathe and lick my wounds.

"I understand that," he said. "But this will still give you a bit of space from her, and more importantly, I really need you for this job. You're one of the only people I trust to do it properly."

That piqued my curiosity. Maybe I was handling a classified mission. "What's going on in Mississippi?"

"I need someone I trust to teach my daughter how to fly," Mo said. "I need someone with experience and wisdom, not just a greenhorn fresh out of training. I also don't want some cowboy or guy that's only read the book and doesn't have any real experience."

He was fiercely protective of Sarah. I knew he would do anything to ensure her success, even if it meant sending me to humid ass Mississippi instead of the UK. But I had no obligation to be as protective over the general's daughter.

"There are some great instructors at Columbus," I said. "I trained a few of them myself. You're not giving them enough credit. She'll be in good hands. You don't need me."

The man shook his head. "Ryker, you're the only man for the job. Sarah is a great kid, but she is also a hot head and is prone to trouble. She takes the bull by the horns and won't let go. I want you to help focus that wild spirit and make her a pilot like you."

"I'm not sure I know how to teach that," I said.

"Lead by example," the general said. "I also want you to keep an eye on her. She doesn't understand how tough things are about to get." His gaze drifted over to where Sarah was talking and laughing with her friends. "For her, it's all an adventure. But things get real now."

I nodded in understanding. Survival training was looming on the horizon, and I knew exactly what Mo was worried about.

"She'll get through it," I reassured him.

"I have no doubt she will, but she'll need someone to properly prepare her. And to keep her out of trouble. Because she'll go looking for it. That girl is a live wire. I love her dearly, but I have zero control of her. I need someone that can look out for her that isn't her father. She needs a strong, guiding hand from someone she looks up to. You're the only man who fits the bill."

I sighed, knowing exactly what he was asking me to do. I had dealt with some of the unruliest young pilots throughout my career, and I had honed them into some of the best airmen in the service. My methods might have been a little harsh, but not as harsh as getting shot down over unfriendly territory. I gave my students the reality check they needed.

"Mo, you know I'll do anything for you," I told him. "If you need me to do this, I will. It's your daughter. I know how important she is to you."

"I appreciate it," he said. "She's my whole world."

"How long are you thinking?" I was already itching to resume my plans for a fresh start in the UK but I would do my duty first. Mo had bailed me out of a few jams over the years. If he asked me to do something, I was going to do it. Loyalty was important to me.

"I'll cut you loose and expedite your transfer as soon as I'm confident that Sarah can stand on her own two feet. I can't tell you how much this means to me. I know it's a big ask."

"Happy to help," I said.

We sealed the deal with a firm handshake. He gave me a grateful nod and then turned his gaze back to Sarah. She was standing on her toes, her laughter cutting through the noise of the crowd, her energy as electrifying as a lightning bolt. For a moment, I watched her, this spitfire girl who knew nothing about the storms that lay ahead.

She was clearly the life of the party among her friend group. I saw the guys and the way they looked at her. They all wanted her. It was evident on their faces. But she seemed to be uninterested or unaware. She was simply having fun.

A sense of responsibility settled over me. Her father was entrusting me with his most precious gift. That meant a lot. Out of all the people in the Air Force he knew, he trusted me. Of course, it also meant I would be spending a lot of time with Sarah, which would require me to be on my best behavior. Hooking up with her would be the opposite of protecting her, in her father's mind. Not only would I jeopardize my career. I would be betraying a friend.

"Mo!" someone shouted.

I touched his shoulder. "I'm going to go check out my old stomping grounds. We'll talk soon."

"Thanks again, Ryker," he said.

Before I could get far, I found myself bombarded by graduates eager for my signature on their caps. I obliged a few of them, scribbling my name quickly before slipping away, needing a moment of solitude to organize my jumbled thoughts. I was treated like a celebrity, but I didn't feel like one. I was just a guy doing a job he loved.

Wandering the familiar halls of the academy, I felt a pang of nostalgia. Display cases showcased the graduating classes of years past. My own graduating year stared back at me, frozen in time, the faces of my old friends etched into the history of the place.

I studied each photograph, lingering on the familiar faces. Good memories came rushing back, but they came with a twinge of sadness. So many of them were no longer here, their lives cut short by the unforgiving nature of our profession.

Some had been shot down in combat, others lost to tragic accidents—planes and cars alike. It was the harsh reality of living life on the edge, surrounded by adrenaline and danger at every turn. Pilots embraced the thrill of taking to the skies and pushing the limits of human endurance. It was that very adrenaline rush that had drawn them in, and it was also what had taken so many of them away.

Sliding my hands into my pockets, I couldn't shake the feeling of melancholy that settled over me. In those pictures, I saw the younger version of myself—a restless kid with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove.

I had gotten into my fair share of trouble back then, hurting myself and others in the process. I had a feeling Mo was looking at his daughter and seeing me through her. If I could help guide her, even just a little, then maybe I could make a difference in her life. Maybe she could learn from the mistakes I already made.

With a sigh, I tore my gaze away from the display case and continued down the hall. My plans to escape the country and live as far away from Margaret as possible were dashed. It wasn't that we saw each other, but I hated sharing the same sky with her. She hated me. She blamed me for our failed marriage and was hellbent on making my life miserable.

I managed to escape campus without anyone noticing. Unlike a lot of my fellow pilots, I wasn't a showboat. I didn't care for the attention. I didn't use my wings to get the ladies. I didn't screw my coworkers. Margaret could say a lot of things about me, but I wasn't a cheater.

I got into the rental car and headed for the hotel, still a little bitter about the idea of having to give up my plans. Back in my room, I took off my service dress uniform and hung it up neatly before zipping it in the protective bag.

I slid into a pair of worn jeans and an old Air Force tee that had seen better days. As I stared at my reflection in the mirror, I couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between the man in uniform and the man in civilian clothes. In uniform, you're a part of something bigger than yourself. Out of it, you're just another face in the crowd.

With a sigh, I grabbed my phone off the bedside table, scrolled through my contact list, and found the number for the real estate agency I'd been dealing with overseas. The conversation was brief, and within minutes, my future home and life were no longer waiting for me. I made a few more calls before heading downstairs to grab something to eat in the hotel restaurant.

I was flying out early in the morning back to Laughlin. Now I understood why Mo invited me to the graduation. Here I was thinking he wanted me to attend his daughter's graduation because he thought of me as an extension of his family.

He had an ulterior motive. Not that it was a bad thing. I supposed I should feel honored. I was honored.

But it would be a true test of willpower to keep things strictly professional between the general's daughter and me.