SEALed at Midnight by Cat Johnson Page B

made it to their house.
    He walked around and opened Ginny’s door. “One more thing. I didn’t tell them about my car accident. I didn’t want them to worry. So if you could avoid that topic, I’d appreciate it.”
    “But wait, then how did we meet? What do I tell them?”
    “We met the last time I was here to visit.”  
    She frowned. “I don’t want to lie.”
    “It’s not a lie, is it?” He waited for her protest. None came, but he realized how bad it sounded.
    Normal people didn’t understand the half-truths he was forced to tell on a daily basis.
    “Look, Ginny, if you really want me to tell them that I drove nine hours in a snowstorm just to see them, totaled my car and hit my head so hard I had memory loss, before turning around and going back to base without even a whiff of the meal my mother had spent a week preparing for me, I will.”
    She drew in a breath that lifted her breasts high and had him wrestling his mind off naughty thoughts. “Okay. Fine.”
    “Thank you. Now, come on. They’re probably dying of curiosity.” He offered her his hand.
    She hesitated. “This still feels weird.”
    “Too bad. It’s necessary. I don’t want you to think I’m a liar.” When she made a face at his statement, he added, “I meant lying to you about my career. Lying to my parents is me being a good son. You’ve never lied to your parents?”
    That question seemed to take the wind out of her sails. “Okay, fine. Let’s go inside before I lose my nerve.”
    He grinned. Her walls were melting. He could feel it.
    His mother had the door open before they’d reached the house. “Thom, you should have called. I would have made something special for dinner.”
    “See,” Ginny hissed. “I told you that you should have called.”
    He shushed Ginny before taking the two steps that would bring him to the door and hugging his mother. “Everything you cook is special. Mom, I want you to meet a friend of mine. This is Ginny. Ginny, this is my mom, Mary Grande.”
    He realized he didn’t even know Ginny’s last name, but the way his mother looked, so happy just because he’d brought a girl home with him, he doubted she’d noticed.
    “Nice to meet you, Ginny. Come in. It’s cold outside.”
    “Thank you, Mrs. Grande. I’m so sorry to drop in unannounced like this.”
    “Don’t be silly. I’m thrilled he brought a friend home with him. We see Thom so seldom any visit is like a celebration. The more the merrier.”
    His father came into the room and the introductions began all over again.
    It wasn’t lost on Thom that the last girl he’d brought home to meet his parents had been his ex. Back then she’d been his pregnant girlfriend and soon to be wife.
    In hindsight, springing Ginny on his parents might have been a bit premature, but it was too late to second-guess his decision now.
    After pulling Ginny into a hug that had her looking surprised, Thom’s father came to him. “Son. I’m glad you’re home.”
    “Thanks, Dad. Me too.”
    “However I do wish I’d seen some good news on the television, if you know what I mean.” His father’s hints about Thom’s last mission were about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the head.
    “Yeah, I know. Me too.”
    “You’ll get him next time.”
    “I hope somebody does.” Thom couldn’t help but smile at his father’s enthusiasm.
    Even if Thom hadn’t been in Iraq planning a mission to Syria a week ago, his father still would have thought he had been. Just like his father was still convinced he’d been part of the Bin Laden raid, which he hadn’t.
    Sometimes it was just easier to agree with the man than fight it.
    A whistling from the kitchen interrupted the conversation.
    “I have the kettle on the stove. Would anyone like some hot tea?” Thom’s mother asked.
    Ginny glanced his direction before saying, “Actually, I’d love some, if it’s no trouble.”
    His mother waved away Ginny’s concern. “No trouble at all.”  
    Ginny took a