Forget Me Not (Love in the Fleet) by Heather Ashby

“Although I gotta admit. Growing up does have its benefits.”
    “Are you sure you don’t want to feel the baby, Bri-an ?” Hallie asked. “She’s kicking right now.”
    Sky looked from one to the other, then sat down hesitantly next to Hallie and let her place his hand on her tummy. “Hey there, little girl. What’s happ’nin’?”
    Something rippled under his hand, and then he felt a tiny thud.
    He looked up in wonder. “Oh, my God. Was that her?”
    Hallie’s face lit with joy. “Pretty cool, don’t you think?”
    “Well, yeah.” Impulsively, he leaned down and kissed her belly, just as Philip had done. “Don’t worry, honey. Uncle Sky is gonna tell you all about men. You’ll never have to worry about a thing as long as I’m around, sunshine.”
    He caught Philip exchanging a secret, humorous look with his wife as they shook their heads at him.
    “Come on Bri-an. Beer’s getting warm,” Philip said.

    “No, you don’t understand. He said he would have married her. There is no way I can keep seeing this guy,” Daisy said to Lillian as they unpacked boxes of high-protein dog food and stacked them in the waiting room.
    “Don’t you think it’s time for you to move forward, Daisy? It’s been two years. Maybe you should start dating again,” Lillian suggested.
    “I don’t need to date and if I did, it certainly wouldn’t be someone like Brian Crawford.”  
    “I still say he’s cute. And he’s been nothing but a gentleman.
    “Ha!” Daisy exclaimed.
    “He’s done volunteer work with you. Didn’t you say he was helpful at all those places? You said the people loved him. And he’s definitely not hard on the eyes.” Lillian’s mouth tipped up in a sheepish grin. “You know what I think is particularly sexy about Cap’n Crawford?”
    Daisy covered her ears. “I do not want to hear this.”
    “His smile and that space between his teeth. It makes me want to, you know…” She smiled. “Explore it or something.”
    Daisy rolled her eyes, then bent to slit open another box. “Do not go there, Lillian.”
    “Oh, Daisy, I think he’d be good for you. Tell him about Jack. I bet he’ll understand. He’s a pilot.”
    “That’s exactly why I’m not interested. Just what I need. To get involved with another pilot. What if I...? What if he...? I can’t do it again. And I am not telling him about Jack so he can feel obligated to me for anything. And don’t you dare tell him either. Actually, I think it might be better for everyone if he finds himself another vet.”
    “But I’d miss him. He cheers me up every time he comes in.”
    “Well, then why don’t you go out with him? Take him off my hands. You go ahead and see if your tongue fits—never mind.”
    But Lillian was already laughing. “Ah, so we’ve tried it, have we? And does it? Fit?”
    “We did not have this conversation, Lillian.” But Daisy laughed as she stormed back to her surgery.

    Philip slid his wallet into his pocket after paying for two beers. “Holy shit, buddy, you got it bad.”
    “Got what bad?” Sky grabbed a handful of peanuts and started cracking them open.
    “You didn’t even check out that waitress, and she was a babe.”
    Sky glanced around the dimly lit, upscale bar. “What waitress?”
    “My point exactly.” Philip chuckled and twisted the cap off his beer. “You heard from Nick lately?”
    “No, but you know I’m flying with his brother, right?”
    “Yeah, how’s Mikey doing?”
    Sky chomped on a peanut. “Pretty good. The kid’s smart. He’s a trustworthy co-pilot, for a lieutenant j.g. I’m still amazed Nick would trust me with his baby brother though.”
    “Look, Sky, nobody questions your aviation skills. Just because no one would trust you with his sister. ” They both laughed. “What’s the Nickster up to?”
    “He’s still on the USS New York , but Mikey said Nick and Brooke broke up again. Sounds like it’s for good this time.”
    Philip grimaced.
    “I mean,