Patrick's swing creaked and swooshed in the silence.
How many times would Julia have to pass off the unclaimed tickets to the Bennetts so Ivy wouldn't be faced with those empty seats? God love him, Bronco had been a real trooper about sitting through two hours of Nutcracker excerpts and Santa's Elves Go Broadway last Christmas. "I'll leave the check on the table."
Ivy's grin crinkled her nose. "Thanks."
Shelby chucked Patrick's chin and puffed in his face until he giggled. "Well, Patrick, I sure hope the Bennetts like Swan Lake. '
Julia swatted the air behind her chair to wave Shelby quiet. "Thanks for all the pampering, girls. Why don't you call for the pizza while I finish dressing? I'll come out for a fashion show in a minute."
The door closed behind them, muffling arguments about pepperoni versus sausage. Julia tossed aside the toe separators, grateful for the modern miracle of quick-drying nail polish. She stepped into the bathroom and shrugged out of her robe.
She unhooked the dress off the back of the door, basic black velvet to the floor, but with a surprise slit up the leg, well past the knee. Zach liked her legs and she planned to drive the man as crazy with need as he'd made her a month ago. She eased into the dress, gliding it up her body and imagining how it would feel sliding down later.
As much as she wanted time alone with him, she was actually looking forward to the evening out, for more than just the chance to torment him a bit. Her circle of friends had widened into a community she'd never realized existed beyond the handful of crew members she'd known through Lance—like the families she'd met in the new base support group led by Rena Price, a loadmaster's wife.
Unfurling sheer black stockings, Julia rolled them over her legs. Her life was back on track. She'd made her peace with Lance's death, or as much as she believed she ever could. She intended to make the most of what life had to offer her now with Zach. For however long they were together.
Seize the moment.
And Zach.
Yeah, she definitely had plans for seizing Zach.
The doorbell pealed through the house. Julia glanced at the clock. Zach should be landing right about now. Her heart stuttered once. Most crashes occurred during takeoffs and landings.
No. She wouldn't go there. The twinge of fear was just that, only a twinge. She would probably never completely eradicate the fear of losing someone she...cared about. But she wouldn't let fear rob her of anything more. She'd faced the worst and survived. Whatever else was waiting for her behind that door, she could handle.
Julia scooped Patrick onto her hip and walked with sure steps to the hall just as Ivy jerked open the front door. Silhouetted in the entryway stood the last person Julia expected to see and the very person guaranteed to threaten what little peace they'd all found over the past months.
Pam.
The woman's perfume preceded her.
Sleek black hair swinging forward, the mother of Zach's children threw her arms wide. A Godiva bag dangled from her wrist as she gathered Ivy close. "Hey, sugar baby. Mama's home for your recital."
* * *
Almost home. The C-17 landing gear skimmed the runway just as the sun dipped into the horizon. Zach nailed the brakes, two days late and suffering from a near-lethal case of get-home-itis.
"Charleston control," he clipped into the headset mike, "Reach two-three-five-six is on the deck at fourteen past the hour. Duration, eight point nine. Fuel on board twelve thousand. Aircraft's code one." Nothing broken, not even another damned indicator light.
The maintenance debrief would be a speedy ten minutes in and out before he could sprint home to change for the squadron Valentine's function.
And to see his wife.
Anticipation fired through him.
Park the plane first, pal.
He guided the aircraft from the runway to the hammerhead and idled the engines.
"Tower, Reach two-three-five-six is clear of the active runway. Switching to ground control."
Zach nodded for the pilot sitting behind him in the instructor's seat to run the final checklist clean-up. Follow procedure. Keep everything reined in.
Captain Nola Seabrook behind him and Lieutenant Darcy Renshaw in the copilot's seat beside him exchanged the checklist call and response.
Multitasking was a must for any commander, and this TDY had offered the chance to address three concerns along with completing the core mission. He'd finished the requalification for veteran pilot Seabrook, ensuring she was back up to speed after her lengthy medical leave.