His mother knew that Vince’s call sign was Maine-iac, which she thought was a riot.
“Anyway,” she continued, “Obi-Wan and his wife, Zita, are looking for a place where they can stay and keep their helicopter?—”
“Helicopter?” Vince broke in curiously and excitedly, picking up an orange from the bowl on the table and peeling it.
“Oh. Did I forget to say? Tex says that Obi-Wan is a Night Stalker.”
Vincent laughed. Leave it to his mother.
Saying that a Night Stalker was a helicopter pilot, was like saying Beluga caviar was lunch food.
“Wow. That’s the best of the best, Mom,” he informed her.
Vince’s stomach growled as he ate a slice of orange.
His mother needed to hurry with that sandwich. Vince wasn’t sure putting citrus on top of the acid already roiling in his stomach was a smart idea. He needed some carbs, stat, to soak things up.
“Youdoknow a Night Stalker is a big deal, right?” he continued.
Ellen made a phht sound, placing his finished sandwich in front of him. “Really, Vince?” she scoffed. “Youwere a SEAL, Trask was a regimental commander, Jett was a PJ, and Buck was a demolitions expert. Do you think one Night Stalker is going to be the person who dazzles me?”
“Point taken,” Vince placated. “But Night Stalkersaresomething special.”
He’d had his ass saved a time or two by one of those pilots who weaved unimaginable magic while flying impossible missions. “When are they due in?”
“Sometime early next week. Once I told Tex that they could stay here,andthat we have a private airstrip out in back of the barns where they can land their helicopter—which of course he already knew—he said they’d be in touch this afternoon with their exact schedule. And I was thinking,” she added as if she hadn’t already made up her mind to something. “I wouldn’t mind it if you, your brothers, and their wives could show them the sights.”
“I’d be happy to participate in that,” Vince agreed.
It wouldn’t be a hardship to take a fellow servicemember around the area. They’d probably enjoy hiking Cadillac Mountain in Adacia National Park. And of course, no onewanted to miss the thirty-one-foot statue of Paul Bunyon. Maybe they’d even set up a private viewing of the Duck of Justice…
“What does Zita do?” he asked curiously, shutting down his mental travelogue. The ladies would most likely be setting the agenda.
“She’s a paramedic.”
His mother sat down opposite him, and popped a piece of his orange into her mouth as he devoured his sandwich.
“Cool. I like them both already,” he said with his mouth full.
Ellen smacked his hand in jest. “Manners, young man.”
Vince laughed after he swallowed. There weresomethings that never changed.
“It sounds like they’ll fit right in,” Vince mused. All his sisters-in-law were strong women, and Zita being a paramedic, meant she probably also kicked ass. They’d get along just fine.
“So…?” his mother posed again, and Vince knew exactly what she was getting at.
“So,” he repeated, “here’s my move-out agenda,” Vince apprised. “Tentative, of course, at least until I clear things with Lace.”
Ellen nodded.
“I’ll be working tomorrow, so I won’t have a chance to pack things up, but on Monday I’m sure I can be finished gathering my stuff together in less than an hour.”
He didn’t have many belongings. Being in base housing for his entire adult life meant that personal items had been at a minimum. He had clothes, toiletries, a few mementos he’d picked up in his travels, and pictures of his SEAL team of course, always front and center, but that was about it.
Ellen looked relieved. “That will work out perfectly.”
Vince grinned at her. “Now do you want to hear something else you’ll like?”