Page 114 of Not Faking it with the Colonel

“I offered to rent them a place to stay so we could be alone,” Graham said as they settled on the couch, “but there were only a handful of very pricey options on short notice.”

“I get you all to myself soon enough. Them being here supporting you—us—means everything.” There’d be some physical distance between them for a while, but Graham’s relationship with his children wouldn’t be negatively impacted.

Despite the rain, this was shaping up to be the perfect day: reunited with Graham and his family, and both of her daughters were on board. Maybe she had a fairy godmother after all.

ChapterForty-Eight

“Good afternoon, General.”Kearns’s voice carried into Graham’s office.

“Is Colonel Holmstrom in?”

It took Graham a moment to place the voice. He quickly got to his feet. “General Miller, come on in. What can I do for you?”

Miller closed the door behind him. “I wanted to let you know I was quite impressed with your report from your recent tour in Africa. And I agree with your assessment and analysis of the situation there.”

“Thank you, sir. That means a lot coming from you.”

“Have you ever thought about working with Swick?”

The Special Warfare Center here at Liberty? Graham’s stomach did a flip. He tried to draw a full breath. “I’d be lying if I said no.”

“Good. We could use someone with your kind of astute analysis and ability to think beyond what’s worked—or hasn’t—in the past. You know Colonel Adams of the 2ndSpecial Warfare Training Group?”

“Not well, but we’ve played golf together a few times.”

“He’s just been diagnosed with cancer. Fortunately, it’s in an early stage and is treatable. However, he’s decided to retire and concentrate on fighting that battle. Your name came up from multiple sources to fill his position.”

Was Graham being handed the golden ticket here? “Thank you, sir. I’m honored to be considered.”

“There is one thing I need to clear up. Mahinis filled me in on what happened at the ball. Was McKittrick going to let you go because you’re widowed?”

“He strongly suggested that I remarry for the good of the unit.”

“Or?” Miller waited.

“Or I’d be reassigned to another position—at another base.”

Miller gave a disbelieving grunt and shook his head. “I get the unit had some issues with past commanders. However, McKittrick shouldn’t projecttheiregregious behavior onto you. Though I can guess why he’d want to protect the unit—and himself.”

Graham cocked his head in agreement. “I love this command, and with my kids here, I was willing to do what it took to stay. But Erin, my date you met at the ball, hasn’t been divorced long, and it was important that, as much as we love each other, we not rush this relationship to meet McKittrick’s timeline. He wanted me married prior to Bryson’s team deploying, which was seven months from when—”

“Sevenmonths? I dated Becky for over sixyears. Started my senior year of high school. We managed to make it through four years long-distance while I was at West Point. Then basic training, AIT, Airborne, and Ranger School. I proposed before she pinned my Ranger tab on me. If I hadn’t, I’m pretty sure she would have pinned it through my flesh. I wouldn’t be wearing two stars today if it weren’t for her.”

Graham couldn’t ascertain if Miller meant his comment as a show of support of marriage in general or McKittrick’s pushing Graham in that direction. It was what Graham wanted too.

He’d gone with Erin to Charlotte last weekend and met Madison and Connor, who were in town for the wedding Madison was a bridesmaid in. Afterward, they’d gone to Kiawah, and his kids had joined them. The gathering had gone better than he hoped. Erin had also invited him to celebrate Thanksgiving with her extended family in Ohio in a few weeks.

The trip to Italy over Christmas had grown from him and Erin going to see Piper to all the kids and spouses vacationing together. They would spend three days in Rome, take the train to Naples, and end with a few days in Positano on the Amalfi Coast, staying at a villa that Chris Remington recommended to Erin. All indications pointed to Erin being ready to commit once he and Piper met in person.

“McKittrick also wanted Erin to walk away from her opportunity to work as a screenwriter for a new television series involving a Special Ops team. If her ties to the show take me out of consideration for Adams’s position, so be it. I’ve put in papers to transfer to Fort Collins with 10thGroup.” Graham decided his best strategy was to shoot it straight. He wouldn’t give up Erin, even for a position at the Special Warfare Center and School.

“Would her writing and this series expose any military secrets?”

“No. I’ve read the first several episodes. She’s done thorough research and made the action believable, but there’s nothing that would jeopardize our teams or missions.”

“Anything that would make the Army look bad?”

“Uh,” Graham hesitated. “Not the Army per se. She may contemplate using a military wife to add some drama on the home front.”

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