It seemed suddenly that Sully was a million miles away, separated from them by a gulf of cold wariness.
Was it a mistake to have asked him to talk to Craig? Had she crossed a line? But she knew…the boy would be eighteen soon, and then he could make his own decisions. He was almost a man now, and pretending otherwise was the worst they could do.
Someone needed to say something, and it fell to her. “I thought Tom…you know, Sully…could tell Craig about the service. ”
She was probably making an enemy of Tina, but this wasn’t about her daughter-in-law. Craig was stubborn, and she wanted to make sure he was informed and thoughtful about the very life-chang
ing choices he was facing.
“We don’t want him to go,” Tina said, shutting her down.
Jack’s hand snaked across the table, finding his wife’s. He nodded his agreement. “The boy’s too young, Mom. ”
She could tell her son was trying, and she appreciated it. But she had the wisdom of her years to tell her, the boy would do what the boy would do. And all they could do was love him and guide him as best they could.
She doubled her resolve and turned to Sully. “How old were you? When you enlisted, I mean. ”
“I didn’t enlist. I was a West Point man. ”
“You were?” Marlene felt her eyes widen. It sounded so…masculine. Like something from a movie.
Sully looked amused. “Yes, ma’am. ”
Marlene put a hand on his arm to interrupt. The gesture surprised both of them. “Good God, do not call me ma’am. You make me feel positively elderly. ” She felt his arm tense. Hard ropes beneath wiry muscle. Tom Sullivan stayed in shape.
She pulled her hand back and touched it to her temple. Why did Bear insist on keeping the tavern so warm?
“Fine. Marlene. ” He gave her one of his rare smiles, and it was like the sun broke out and warmed something in her chest.
What was wrong with her? She hadn’t had a hot flash in years.
Sully turned his attention back to Craig. “Have you thought about college? It’s a good way to go. ”
The boy slumped back in his chair and scowled at his folks. “Not if there’s no money, I can’t. ”
“First thing you’ll learn in the service is not to talk to your parents that way. ” Sully’s tone was one Marlene didn’t often hear. It was more than simply strict, it was commanding, and yet he hadn’t needed to raise his voice to get there. It was an officer’s voice.
Craig’s eyes widened.
“You’ll sit up like a gentleman, too,” Sully added quietly. “Elbows off the table. ”
Damned if the boy didn’t sit bolt upright and put his hands in his lap.
Jack and Tina gaped, and Marlene bit her cheek not to smile.
“If money’s tight, you could do ROTC like Bear Junior did. ” Sully pronounced it rot-see.
Tina looked like she’d swallowed a lemon. “Only kids with decent grades get scholarships. ”
Jack shot his wife a quelling look before calmly adding, “You can join the construction business with me and your uncle. Nothing to be ashamed of in that. ”
“It’s not like I don’t want to go to college,” Craig grumbled. His eyes were flat, staring at the table. “I just want to enlist first. ”
Tina sat so rigidly, she looked ready to snap in half. “I don’t want my boy to get killed. ”
“He doesn’t have to see combat,” Sully said, with understanding in his voice. “There are lots of jobs where—”
“I want to see combat. ” Craig glared defiantly at the table.