Page 7 of Gage

“Samantha jumped to conclusions,” he explained with a chuckle. “I’d just gotten off the treadmill and was breathing hard when she showed up. The next thing I knew, I was talking to an EMT. I told them I was fine, but Sammy was crying so much I agreed to go to the hospital to calm her down.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” I said, my voice softening. I hesitated, debating whether to share what Samantha had told me. Finally, I added, “Sammy told me she caught her husband kissing another woman. I told her to divorce him. Hopefully, she doesn’t let him talk her out of it this time.”

“I should’ve kicked that bastard’s ass the first time he cheated on her,” Dad growled, anger bleeding into his tone. “She’d better divorce him, or I’ll give her an earful. I want him out of our lives.”

“Dad, don’t say anything,” I said gently. “Let her tell you herself.”

“Okay, I won’t. I love you, kiddo. Stay safe, and come home as soon as you can.”

“I will, Dad. I’ll see you in a few days.” I hung up, exhaling a long breath. When I turned around, Gage was watching me, his eyes filled with quiet curiosity.

“My dad’s fine,” I said, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “My sister, Samantha, panicked when she saw him breathing hard. Dad let her call an ambulance just to calm her down.”

“She’s married to the dickhead?” Gage asked bluntly.

“Yeah,” I sighed. “But she’s finally seeing a lawyer—an old friend of ours named Nathan. Let’s focus on fixing this plane so we can get these women home.”

Gage nodded and followed me to the plane’s nose, where we inspected the wiring together. The cool air nipped at my fingers as I pulled back the panel. Burned wires greeted me, their scorched edges curling inward.

“This won’t take long,” I said, peering into the compartment. “Maybe a couple of hours. I need a ladder.”

Gage fetched one from the cargo area, his footsteps crunching over the frosted ground. As I climbed up and got to work, my thoughts drifted. The first time I’d seen Gage Sparrow, he was playing basketball with kids in Afghanistan. The sound of their laughter had filled the dusty air, a stark contrast to the harsh reality of the base. After that, I couldn’t stop noticing him—his quiet intensity, the way he carried himself like a man who’d seen too much. I’d had the biggest crush on him.

“You amaze me,” Gage said suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts. “How do you even know how to wire a plane?”

“It’s just a matter of connecting the right wires with a wire nut,” I said with a shrug. “There’s usually a chart to follow, but if a mechanic needs the chart, maybe they shouldn’t be fixing your plane,” I added with a smirk.

Oliver approached, holding two sandwiches wrapped in foil. “I made you two a sandwich,” he said, handing one to each of us.

“Thanks, Oliver,” I said, accepting it. “What have you been up to?”

“I’ve been working with my team for the past two years since I retired from the service. When did you get out?”

“I left when my dad got sick,” I explained. “He didn’t want me to, but I was ready. I’d already started doing freelance journalism, and I’ve stuck with it ever since. I go overseas a lot for stories.”

“Really?” Gage asked, leaning against the ladder. “What kind of stories?”

“I tell the truth,” I said firmly, bracing myself for his reaction. “I tell the world about the Taliban stoning women for no reason, babies starving in Afghanistan, and old men forcing nine-year-old girls into marriage. People need to know.”

Gage’s expression turned sharp, his tone serious. “Please tell me your pen name isn’t Laura Lancaster.”

“Why?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Because if it is, there are a lot of dangerous people looking for you.”

“I don’t care,” I replied, my voice unwavering. “I tell the truth.”

“Don’t let anyone else know your pen name,” Gage warned.

Oliver nodded in agreement. “You were in the same city as us once. They were scouring the streets, hunting for you.”

“You’re the only ones who know my pen name,” I assured them. “Not even my family knows. I’m working on a different kind of military story now.”

“Tell me about it,” Gage said.

“Maybe I will,” I replied with a small smile. “It’s just some notes I’ve written down for now.”

5

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