One of the Boys by Merline Lovelace Page A

Replete, she sat back to enjoy the noisy throng and the country music from a local trio coming over the loudspeakers. Some moments later, a tall, sandy-haired youth appeared beside their table.
    â€œHi, Lisa.”
    A blush crept up Lisa’s cheeks. “Hi, Tony. Um, you know my dad, don’t you? And this is my friend, Maura Phillips.”
    â€œYeah, hi, Colonel McAllister. Ms. Phillips.”
    The boy gave them each a polite nod, and Maura caught the flash of a small metal stud in one ear.
    Uh-oh. The hood.
    But despite the earring, Tony gave the appearance of a neat, gregarious young man. And he certainly had his eye on Lisa.
    â€œNiceville High School has a booth with some of the students’ artwork on display. I’ve got a couple of pieces there. Would you like to go see them with me?”
    â€œWell…” She looked at Jake uncertainly.
    â€œDidn’t you mention something about a hose-laying contest?” Maura asked him casually. “I’d like to watch it, but I doubt Lisa is all that interested. Why don’t she and Tony meet us later?”
    Jake gave her a dry look, but acquiesced with good grace. After setting a time to join them, the teenagers disappeared into the throng.
    â€œI wonder if any father ever thinks a boy is good enough for his daughter,” Maura teased as a slight scowl settled over Jake’s face.
    â€œIt’s just that Tony’s hormones seem to do double time whenever he gets in Lisa’s vicinity. Didn’t you see the look in his eye?”
    â€œYes, and I don’t think you have anything to worry about. She’s a smart girl. She can handle Tony and his hormones.”
    â€œIs that so?”
    â€œYes. Just stop worrying! That’s an order, Colonel.”
    Jake gave her a mock salute and unfolded his long frame from the picnic table. “Yes, ma’am. Whatever you say! Let me help you up.”
    â€œWhy? It’s comfortable here in the shade.”
    â€œAs I recall, you expressed an overwhelming desire to see the hose-laying. We’d better head over there or we’ll miss it.”
    â€œJust what is this contest, anyway?”
    â€œYou’ll see.”
    It turned out to be a friendly test of skills between the various fire departments in the local area. Eglin had two teams entered. With three active airfields and more than five hundred square miles of wooded terrain to protect, the base had one of the largest fire-protection branches in the air force. And one of the best trained.
    Maura found herself caught up in the excitement and cheered as loudly as any of the onlookers when the teams raced out onto the field, laid out the heavy hoses and aimed pressurized streams at targets well down the field. Vehicle maneuvering followed the hose-laying contest, then pole climbing. Swelteringin their protective gear and laden with ropes and axes and oxygen bottles, the firefighters scrambled up poles in the ninety-degree heat. Watching them gave Maura a new appreciation of the rigorous training these men and women had to endure.
    Recalling the image of two heavily suited rescue personnel climbing up to release Jake from the Stealth canopy, she shivered and hoped she never had to see these fire-protection personnel in anything other than a friendly contest again.
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    At midafternoon they wandered back to the center of the festival grounds. Jake stopped at a booth and insisted on making a purchase.
    â€œYour nose is getting red.”
    He leaned down to give the body part under discussion a quick kiss, then settled a gray-blue visor on her forehead. The logo depicted a large, dancing fish with knife and fork in one fin and a pennant proclaiming this year’s Mullet Festival the best ever in the other.
    â€œThank you. I’ll treasure this forever.” Laughing, Maura surveyed the souvenir booth. “You could use a little cover yourself. Here, try this one.”
    The straw Stetson fit perfectly. It