The pieces fell into place for her. “You want to live up to her heroic ideal of being a superhero Daddy who can save the world.”
His knuckles went white on the yoke. “Did you study how to go for the jugular or is it a natural instinct?”
Contrition nipped. “I’m sorry if I hurt you. I had a bigger point to make here if you would just—”
“Thanks, but no.”
Why couldn’t he see the heroism of his survival? Or that daddies were heroes to their little girls simply because they existed? “I would have given anything to have the chance to be a parent.”
He didn’t pull his gaze from the purpling horizon, but lifted one of his hands from the yoke and rested it on hers. “I’m so damn sorry you didn’t get to have your baby.”
She tapped the fuel gauge even though it was working just fine. “Aren’t you going to tell me how I should consider adoption?”
“It’s not my place to offer advice or platitudes.” And didn’t that comment speak volumes about how he would prefer to be treated?
The plane’s engines hummed in the stretching silence.>“You want the number?”
Lindsay’s shock was unmistakable.
“Yeah, what’s so strange about that?”
“I tried like hell for years to get you to call her more often.”
The censure bugged him more than a little. He knew he’d screwed up in being “Father of the Year” material, but he had made an effort. “I couldn’t help it that there were times I didn’t have telephone service. There were times I needed to go silent. Communication is better now with cell phones and e-mail.”
Not that any of it mattered since he was out of the service anyway, something he would be telling Lauren and Lindsay soon. And maybe he was getting wiser thanks to the insights of a certain pushy—hot—lady pilot.
“Sure, whatever. I’m just glad for Lauren’s sake. I don’t have the number handy, but I’ll text message the number to you after Ben and I finish up our lunch at his partner’s.”
Sounded like Lindsay had the life she’d always wanted. “That would be great. Thanks.” He hesitated, wishing the towering pines lining the road could offer up some help on what he should say to smooth the way with this woman he would be linked to forever through their kid. “And hey, Lindsay?”
“Yeah, Rick?”
“Congratulations. I hope this guy makes you happy.”
“Thank you, Rick, he does.” Her normally confident voice went tentative, soft. “He may not be an out-there, big personality like you, but life feels good now. I’m at peace.”
“I’m glad for you,” he said, and meant it.
He thumbed the Off button and clenched the phone for a long moment. His feelings for Lindsay had ended over eight years ago. They’d said their goodbyes. But this farewell brought a finality and—he searched for the word—a peace for him, too.
His past was finally just that, in the past.
Nodding to no one in particular, he tucked his phone in his pocket and tossed his best grin to the fascinating woman beside him, determined to make the most of the rest of this Thanksgiving. “So, lady, what do you have in store for us today?”
“Take that right turn up there and you’ll see.”
He saw the turn and the sign for…a small county airport? She couldn’t be planning what he thought.
A tentative smile lit her face even as he sensed a big-ass storm cloud heading toward his day. “Just because you’ve been retired on disability from the Air Force anymore doesn’t mean we can’t take to the skies.”
Chapter 10
Yoke in both hands, Nola guided the plane through the late-afternoon sky with none of her usual joy since she waited for Rick’s verdict on her gift. He hadn’t been rude, but his brooding silence worried her.
She’d been so sure he would enjoy this as she’d made her plans. She had her private pilot’s license as well as her military training, she’d asked a friend to let her use the small craft for a two-hour flight around Charleston airspace. Nothing fancy or hair-raising as they’d experienced on missions. Still, clear blue sky stretched out like a baby boy’s blanket to cushion them.
She’d expected Rick to absorb the experience, soak it up after so long without. Instead, he’d gone silent since the moment they’d pulled into the airport parking lot.