Page 61 of The Matchmaker and the Marine

“Help yourself. There are frosted mugs in the freezer, and would you grab a beer for me too?”

Adam opened the freezer drawer and pulled out the frosted mugs and then took two bottles of pale ale from the fridge. He slowly poured the beer into the mugs.

Teasing, she said, “You’re really concentrating on those glasses.”

“Well, I want to keep it from overflowing onto the counter. That would be a waste of good beer.”

Melinda slid the bowl of chopped vegetables into the refrigerator and picked up a mug. “I’m all set. Let’s go out back and talk. You can tell me whatever it is that’s distracting you.”

Adam’s head snapped up. “What makes you say that?”

“You’re quiet and distant today, and usually you’re smiling or teasing me.” Melinda pushed open the door and held it for Adam.

He didn’t say anything until they were both settled. Seeming to stall, he took a long drink of his beer. He set the mug down. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since you told me about John.”

Melinda averted her eyes. She knew it had been way too much information to share.

He laid a hand on the arm of her chair. “I’m humbled by your strength.”

She felt tears prick her eyes, but she blinked them away. “From the hospital to the day after the funeral, every day was horrific. I’m not sure how I made it through.”

“I would guess between the support of your family and John’s brothers in blue, you took it one day at a time.”

“His squad members were amazing. Even after the funeral and right up until I moved. They were there for every rough day. Donating his clothes, sorting and packing his fitness gear for the local Y. You know, weights, golf clubs, stuff like that.”

Adam leaned forward in his chair. “You were lucky to have them.”

“I know. When life-changing events occur, not everyone has people to support them. Sometimes you just need a friend willing to be in the same room while you process whatever emotions your feeling, never pushing, just offering support.”

“Exactly.” He wrung his hands. “Which is what I wanted to talk to you about. I’d like to tell you why I broke it off with my ex, Anita.”

Chapter 23

Adam swallowed hard. “Where to begin.” He looked across the yard. This was going to be tough. He had decided not to tell her about his leg. It would be too much to dump on her at once. Who was he kidding? It was too much for him. What if she felt sorry for him? He couldn’t bear to see the pity in her eyes.

Melinda watched him. Patiently waiting. She wasn’t at all like Anita.

“I’ll do my best to skip the gory details.”

Softly she said, “I’m a good listener.” She scooted her chair closer.

“I went into the service with a plan. I’d retire sometime around forty. I had been in for about five years when I met Anita. In the beginning she didn’t seem to mind that I was gone for six months or more at a time. She lived close to where I was stationed in San Diego and we stayed in touch when I was deployed, but when I was stateside we spent all our time together. Hiking, biking, climbing, surfing, you name it. We did it all. She loved going full throttle, all the time. We traveled extensively. All good times.”

“You loved her.”

“I did.” He took a sip of his beer. “I was going to ask her to marry me.”

Melinda’s eyes grew wide but she remained quiet.

Adam’s voice dropped. “Nothing can prepare you for when you’re shipped to the sandbox.” Mel’s eyes drew together, confused. “That’s how the military personnel deployed with me referred to the desert. It’s like a never-ending sandbox. Only in the war zone instead of ants and bugs crawling around, the bastards sink IEDs into roadways.”

He kept his voice steady. “In the military you train, train and train some more. We’re willing to fight for our country. You can never fully be prepared for what the enemy is going to do. As an officer my primary job is to always protect my men. I will take whatever comes our way as long as they’re okay I was good. It’s our mentality and it’s difficult to explain that connection of brotherhood.”

Adam felt his gut tighten. He pushed himself to keep talking. “We were on a routine patrol. My men and I were driving behind the lead vehicle. They hit an IED. They died instantly. Three men and one woman. Good Marines. Gone.” His voice cracked. “Before I could register what happened to the Humvee in front of us, we hit another IED.”

He dropped his head into his hands. He felt Mel come to his side and slide her arms around him. She held him close. This small act comforted him.

He choked on the next few sentences. Gulping to take in oxygen. He felt as if there was a vise constricting the air from his lungs. Beads of sweat covered his forehead. His heart began to pound. He forced himself to keep going. “My driver and I were injured in the next blast. I never felt such pain. I could see him screaming. I was temporarily deaf. His arm was gone.” He shuddered. “After that, time stopped. Everything seemed to happen in ultra-slow motion. I have no idea how long it took until we were airlifted out. I had several surgeries to put me back together and a pretty bad concussion.” He paused. Mel didn’t ask any questions. She waited for him to continue. “A lot of lives changed that day. Mine included.”

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