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Dare:The guy’s a loser. The list rules from now on.
Jenny:Yes!
Dare:You might want to take a self-defense class.Just in case.
Jenny:I might.
Dare:Do and shake this off. You gave it a shot. That’s what matters. It’s not your fault the guy is a jerk and a drunk.
Jenny:Thanks.Any hot dates for you?
Dare:Not lately. Married to the job. Big trip coming up.
Jenny:Work won’t seem as important when you meet the right person.At least, that’s what my friends tell me.
Dare:These wouldn’t be the same friends who tossed bottles into the sea with you?
Jenny:Yes, they would be. A few have even fallen in love and gotten married to the guys who found their bottles.
Dare:Wow. That’s great.
Jenny:Very happy for them.
Dare:But poor you ended up with me.
Jenny:Not poor me. I have a new friend.
Dare:Hope this doesn’t sound weird, but I’m glad I found your bottle.
Jenny:Not weird, and so am I.
****
Gear packed and ready to go before sunrise, Dare sat on the floor with his back against the wall as rangers from his company gathered. He tried to shut out the conversations around him. He needed to write Jenny.
Just thinking her name made him smile.
They’d been texting almost every day, depending on what he had going on with the pre-deployment workup, and he wanted to tell her he was leaving on his “big trip.” Not a lie. A deploymentwasa big trip.
He hadn’t known what else to tell her. They hadn’t shared much personal information. He had no idea what she did for a living, where in Washington she lived, or how old she was. His curiosity grew by the day, but there was no rush in finding out more about her. He hoped she was careful if she got asked out again and remembered what he’d told her.
Dare typed an email. He had more to say than would work via text. He didn’t want Jenny to think he disappeared on her if he couldn’t get online.
“Wheels up at zero six thirty, O’Rourke,” Hamilton barked. “Is your squad ready?”
Dare’s guys had been ready three days ago. “Yes, Sergeant.”
“Don’t you have something else to do?”
“Just need to send an email first.”
“To your girl? Jenny?”
Dare nodded. He liked the idea of Jenny being his girl.
A corner of Hamilton’s mouth lifted into a smirk. “Carry on, O’Rourke, but make it quick. I’m counting on you to ensure a smooth departure.”
