Page 129 of Forged By Sacrifice

I didn’t have to ask who “her” was. Dani was flying in for the wedding tomorrow, and I knew my sister would be on my team. Maybe between the two of us, we could get Georgie to see the light.

ME: Why the hell would I have told her about him?

BRAT: He fought for the Confederacy. He wanted to keep slavery. We have our own skeletons.

ME: I don’t think she’s going to care about a relative who lived almost two centuries ago.

BRAT: Did you tell her about the time you got caught streaking?

ME: I’ve never been caught streaking.

BRAT: Oh. Right. That was Bee.

ME: WHAT?! Bee was caught streaking?

BRAT: Oops. I don’t think I was supposed to tell you that.

ME: ** laughing, falling off chair GIF**

ME: I can’t wait to give her shit about that.

BRAT: You’d rat me out?

ME: Sister dear, you rat me out all the time.

BRAT: But I’m trying to help you win the love of your life back.

ME: True story. I apologize. Your secret is safe with me.

I hadn’t checked my bag, and after grabbing my duffel from the overhead compartment, I almost sprinted off the plane, out the gate, and out of the terminal. I had more energy than I’d had in several weeks, the weight on my shoulders lifting slightly. Hope filling me for the first time in days. I texted Eli as I went, letting him know I was there.

He pulled up with Truck in the passenger seat. I flung my bag into the bed and crammed my large frame into the backseat. I punched each of them in the shoulder and kissed Truck on the side of his head.

“Gah, get off me,” he said, wiping at his face with a smile.

“Is she here?” I asked as Eli took off.

“Hello. Nice to see you, too.” Eli snorted.

“Hello, my douchebag friends. Is Georgie here?”

Truck smirked at me. “She arrived this morning, but the women aren’t at the house. They’re staying at the Lighthouse Hotel.”

“Fuck,” I said, falling back and strapping on my seat belt, which I’d almost forgotten in my desire to learn more about Georgie.

“Dude, you have it bad,” Truck said, grinning.

I flicked the back of his head, and he flipped me off. I loved these two men almost as much as I loved my sisters. I thanked God that neither of them had been on the squad I’d lost. The Coast Guard had its own elite team, but Truck hadn’t ever shown interest in it, and Eli was now out of the military all together.

“How was SOCOM?” Eli asked almost as if he’d read my mind.

“Shitstorm. But I’m going back to D.C. now. I have to testify in front of Congress next month.”

For a moment, we were all quiet, the loss of military men settling down between us. Respect. Sorrow. Eli was the first to break the silence.

“Truck’s going to work at the academy in New London.”

“No way!” I said, truly happy for him. “They’re going to let you train future Coasties? Whose ass did you kiss for that job?”

---