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

that’s what? The third time since graduation?” Sky reached for more peanuts. “Same old. Same old. He wants to get married. She keeps saying ‘soon.’ I know I shouldn’t say anything bad about Brooke, ’cuz she’s an Academy classmate, but I’ve always felt her Navy career was more important to her than Nick ever was. Anyway, Mikey told me Nick put in for an exchange program with the British Royal Navy.”
    “Because he’s interested in diplomatic relations?” Philip asked.
    “Naw, I think he just wants to get away from Brooke. The New York ’s moving to Mayport and she’s headed there too. Anyway, if he gets accepted for the program, maybe he’ll have better luck with— ahem —international affairs.”
    Philip sipped his beer. “Speaking of affairs, what’s with this Daisy? Oh, right. Guess it can’t be called an affair if there’s no sex. What’s up with that?”
    Sky dumped his peanut shells into the bowl. “I’ve only known her a week.”
    “My point exactly. What’s wrong with you? You haven’t been vitamin-S deprived since Plebe summer.”
    “Come on, Bill. It’s not like I jump into bed with every woman I meet.” Philip leveled him with a look. “Hey, what do you think I am?”
    “That’s just it. I’ve known Sky a long time. So I’m wondering what you’ve done with him.”
    Sky leaned back in the booth and smiled. “I kind of like how Daisy calls me Brian. Makes me feel grown up.” He reached for another peanut. “Shit, I was hoping that would never happen. But it’s kind of cool.”
    Philip set his beer down, placed his forearms on the table, and looked seriously at his alpha male wingman. “Maybe growing up isn’t such a bad idea. Look at your squadron CO. He’s what? A commander? Married with a couple of kids, right? People admire him and you know he’s going to make captain. It’s very likely he behaved like you did in his twenties, but what if he was still out drinking every night and chasing skirts? One, he wouldn’t have made CO, and two, would you respect a boss who acted that way? You keep behaving the way you do and you’re going to end up like Mick Jagger. Pushing seventy and still acting like you’re twenty.”
    “Okay, you made your point. No, I swear, watching you and Hallie just now. I think maybe I want what you have. You know, wife, kids. Well, not like tomorrow.”
    “The way you were talking, it sounds like this Daisy could be The One . ”
    “Maybe. She’s an amazing woman and I respect the hell out of her.”
    Philip’s mouth tipped up in a smile. “Sounds serious. I’ve never heard you use the words woman and respect in the same sentence before. So have you told her you’re in love with her?”
    “Nah. I’m not that far gone.” Sky picked at the label on his beer bottle and gave it a pensive look, while chewing on the inside of his cheek. “I’m not sure I ever will be.”
    “Why not? You told me a minute ago you’re thinking about maybe settling down.”
    “I don’t know.” Sky glanced around the bar, took in the other patrons, the bartender drying a glass with a green dishtowel, the waitress he would have noticed a week ago, and then back at Philip. “What if I, like, got married some day and…what if I died and left her behind? I don’t understand how a guy can do a dangerous job with a family waiting back home.”
    Philip set his beer down on the coaster and settled back into the red leather seat. “This is about Daniel, isn’t it?”
    Sky didn’t respond right away. He was too focused on rearranging peanut shells in the bowl.
    “You ever feel responsible for your guys who died in the attack on the Blanchard ? Like, maybe there was something you could have done to save them?”
    “Every day—and every night—for a while,” Philip said. “I had some pretty bad dreams that first year. I mean, Bulldog was like my right-hand man. I kept trying to rescue him and Harris, but I was paralyzed. I couldn’t do a damn