smile | bradley bradshaw

CHAPTER FIVE

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"What the fuck was that about, Jake?" I asked in a harsh tone as I left the conference room, now fuming.

"What?" He asked, turning to face me as the elevator doors opened.

"That stupid speech. 'A man flys like Maverick or a man doesn't come home,' really?" I said, stepping into the elevator with him.

He rolled his eyes, pressing the ground floor button. "Maddy, that wasn't directed at you," he responded.

"No, just my gender, right?" I crossed my arms, leaning against the back wall as the elevator descended.

"You're overreacting," He said, dismissing my previous remark.

"Bullshit, Jake," I said as we reached the bottom floor, the elevator doors opening up. "If you don't think I can complete this mission because I'm not a man, you're mistaken."

I brushed past him, my eyes catching sight of three familiar figures. I took a few breaths, to calm myself down, before approaching the three.

"I need a drink," I said, slinging my arm around Bobs shoulders. "Care to join? On me," I added, looking down the row to Natasha and Bradshaw.

Nat laughed, nodding her head. "After the shit show in there, I think we all do."

Bob chuckled, nodding his head.

I followed the group out to the parking lot, and parted ways with Bob and Bradshaw, following Nat out to her car as I had rode here with her.

"Is that what's up with Captain Mitchell and Bradshaw?" I asked as we pulled the doors shut.

"A little bit," Natasha said, pulling her seat belt on and starting the car. "That's not the main problem between them." She backed up and began down a long road towards the town.

"His father was a WSO, Bradshaw knows that sometimes there's nothing the pilot can do," she shrugged, a solemn look falling over her face.

I fell silent, once again getting the hint to not push further. His business wasn't mine, and even though I was curious I knew I should respect that he's not comfortable with just anyone knowing.

After a few moments Nat quickly filled the air with conversation about the mission ahead of us, and in just a couple short minutes we were pulling into the parking lot of The Hard Deck.

We made our way inside the insanely packed building, and managed to find two open barstools. We each sat down in one and waited as Penny finished serving a guy across the bar.

"Madeleine, Natasha," Penny exclaimed as she turned towards us with a smile, "now this is bringing back old times," she said with a small chuckle. "Usuals?" She asked, grabbing a glass and a bottle.

"Whiskey," We both said at the same time, laughing a bit after. Penny's eyes widened as she chuckled, turning to grab another glass and a thing of whiskey.

"Uh-oh," she said, an amused smile on her face, "you two only order whiskey when it's been a rough day," she poured the liquor into the two glasses, then slid them over to us. "What happened?"