Don't Say Goodbye (Navy Book 2)

Chapter 12

"I swear that man's muscles grow every time I see him," Blanche sighed. "I wonder who Miss Priss is?" Blanche didn't dwell on the question for too long as she looked back down at her phone and began texting again.

All thoughts of embarrassment fled as jealously rose within her. Kellan had made it very clear that whatever was going on between them that it was in no way a permanent thing. But if she was realistic the chances of Kellan inviting Laura to a class were almost nil. Which meant that she had invited herself, and Kellan could hardly say no since her father was an admiral. In fact, if she looked closely, Kellan looked a little tense, as if his thoughts were not on the conversation that seemed to be a little one sided.

"She's a chatty little thing isn't she?" Blanche said, putting her phone away.

It was so close to Charlie's own thoughts that she couldn't help the smile.

"Oh my God! I just made you smile!" Blanche all but shouted, causing several people to turn and look in their direction. Kellan and Laura included.

Kellan looked from her to Blanche with no expression then back to Laura.

Laura met Charlie's eye then looked away with absolutely no acknowledgement, other than showing some surprise which Charlie guessed had something to do with her choice of dress, but Charlie would have been shocked if she had acknowledged her in any other way.

"It's a first, next thing I know you'll actually be joining me for a drink." Blanche leaned back expelling her breath as if she had just run a marathon. "It only took me two years!"

Charlie looked away from Kellan and down at her notes shaking her head.

"So tell me, what was so funny? I doubt it was my quick wit."

Charlie smiled again.

"Twice in one day, it's a record."

"I was thinking the exact same thing that you were actually. She hasn't stopped talking since the minute the door opened." Charlie looked over at Blanche their eyes meeting and Charlie recognized it as one of those rare moments that one realizes that one actually made a friend.

"Now we have to go out for a drink even if it is a coke for you and a beer for me." Blanche grinned.

Charlie shook her head and looked back at Laura. It wasn't like her stepsister to be so chatty, normally she was a reserved person like Charlie.

*******

Kellan had been on the phone in his office when there had been a knock at the door, and when he had looked up it was to see Laura Wren standing there with an overly bright and forced smile on her face. He had to force himself to return her smile with a polite one of his own instead of a scowl. What he really wanted to do was groan. Why on this day, of all days, did she have to show up?

It had taken all of his attention, since Charlie had left him that morning, to prepare of the day's class. His mind kept wandering to memories of the weekend and other thoughts he should not be having about one of his students. It was going to be hard enough to walk into that classroom and ignore Charlie's presence. He felt drawn to her in every way possible, especially now.

He was by no means as innocent as Charlie was but their time together had been one of the most amazing experiences of his life. A fact that he was not willing to look too deeply into since he was leaving shortly for a year and a half.

Laura had made herself comfortable in his office guest chair and begun to talk, and she hadn't stopped. She was anxious about something but he wasn't sure what. When he had interrupted to say he had a class to teach she had insisted on joining him.