This is the second half of the day that began in Chapter 17. I don't normally split a day up into two chapters, but I ran off at the mouth (fingers?) a little bit on this day, and I didn't feel like editing it down. So, I split it in two.
Ch. 17 was a big tease, a big setup for this chapter, so if you don't read it, this one won't make any sense. This is where all the sex Brad was working for in Chapter 17 actually happens.
There should only be two (maybe three if the diarrhea of the fingers continues) chapters after this one. It's been damn near 10 years, but I'm hoping it's finally coming to an end.
As always, thanks to my editor, AnInsatiableReader, for helping me clean this thing up. When I send it to her, it looks nothing like the finished product you're about to read.
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"Tom!" I shouted, standing up and waving my arm. He'd been looking around and scanning the crowd, and his head snapped directly toward me when he heard my voice.
Chris Cagle had finished his set a little while ago, and he was the final opener before Lynyrd Skynyrd. We probably still had a few minutes before the legendary southern rock band came out, though. I'd gone down to the stream, leaned up against a tree and had actually fallen asleep for about 20 minutes. Since I'd woken up, I'd been texting back and forth with Kelly. I told her about everything I'd done to Sara (and what little I'd done with Liz), and she'd wished that she could handle business again, but she was at a restaurant with her family and spending 10 minutes in the bathroom would be extremely difficult to explain. She told me about what she'd been up to today. She was fairly stingy with the details because she was much more interested in what I was doing, but I gathered that she'd spent some time exploring caves and generally tolerating her dad's large extended family.
It was time for her to head back home, so I'd had to let her go, and that's when I looked up and saw Tom approaching. He was in standard civilian clothes now, but he was still easy to identify as a Marine.
"Hey, Brad," he said, making his way over to the group. "You sure you have room for one more?"
"Absolutely, man," I said. The gaggle of college girls sharing the same blanket giggled and nodded, too, rearranging themselves so he could sit down.
"Hey, Tom," Janine said. We had three blankets spread out on the grass, and she and Chad were cuddled up together on the one in the middle. Russ sat behind them with two girls he'd apparently picked up during the day.
"Sgt. Andrews," he said, nodding at her. He seemed a little confused by her current companion. It was pretty obvious that Janine and I were planning to hook up when I'd first met him last night, and I'd basically confirmed that we had when I talked to him earlier in the morning. I was guessing she hadn't told him anything about Chad while they were working the booth together, and it wasn't my place to tell.
"Tom, we're off the clock," she said. "It's Janine."
He simply nodded at her, clearly waiting for her to introduce her new friend. I handled it so she didn't have to. "Guys, this is Tom Callahan, another of the Marine recruiters out here this weekend. Tom, this is Chad, and the guy behind him is Russ, along with a couple of his friends that I haven't met. Chad and Russ served with me in San Antonio."
Everyone said hi, and Russ even introduced the two women with him. I was impressed he knew their names. Tom grinned when Chad shook his hand then wrapped it back around Janine's waist, but he seemed to take it in stride. He turned his attention to the girls on my blanket. We both sat down, me on the edge and him to my left.
"And these girls are all students at Mesa State here in town," I said. "I apologize for not remembering a lot of names, but this is Lindsay," I added, motioning to the brunette sitting on Tom's left. She introduced the rest of her friends, then they all went back to giggling about whatever 18- and 19-year-old girls giggle about.
"So, Tom," I said. "Who handles your recruiting duties when you're off playing soccer?"
"Sgt. Andrews, mostly," he said. "Gunny knew about my travel schedule before he assigned me to this office. There might be a couple other recruiters in and out to help out, but I'll only be gone three business days, so it won't be too bad."
"When does the tournament start?"
"Thursday afternoon," he said. "I fly out Wednesday night, then spend pretty much the next four days playing soccer. I'll fly back early Monday."
"Where are you playing?" came a voice from his left. I'd hoped we'd have an eavesdropper, which is why I started talking soccer even though my interest level in the sport was zilch. And Lindsay didn't disappoint me.
"Oh, I play for the Marine Corps' soccer team," he said, turning toward her. "We're playing a tournament in Washington D.C. next weekend."
"Wow," she said. "I guess you're pretty good, huh?"
"I can play a little," he said. "What about you?"
She straightened up so he could get a better look at her top, a maroon T-shirt with the Mesa State soccer logo on in it. "I'm on the college soccer team."
"So I guess you're pretty good, too?" he said. "What position?"
They went back and forth about soccer for another few moments, and I quickly realized that I wasn't needed anymore. I smiled to myself and started to get up.
"Aren't you just the little match maker?" That was Janine, loudly enough to get my attention but not so loud that Tom or Lindsay heard her. "Two days in a row, huh?"
"Hey, I wasn't trying to make any matches last night," I said, matching her volume so as not to broadcast our business to all of western Colorado. "I was just trying to scratch a couple things off your list. Whatever this is," I said, motioning to the two of them still cuddled together, "you guys did that totally on your own."
"Yeah, but you made the introduction," Chad said. "Got one more match to make, huh?" He added, motioning his head toward Sara, who for now was sitting alone on the third blanket. She'd changed into a tiny red halter top and baggy blue shorts with a white Air Force logo on them. Liz had gone to get more beer.
"Ooh, that's right," Janine said. She whispered something in Chad's ear.
"I don't think he really needs that," Chad said aloud, but she then whispered something else, and Chad's face lit up like a fucking Christmas tree.
"Oh, yeah!" he exclaimed. "I DO remember that. Thank God I took the boy under my wing when I did."
"It's late June, Chad," I said, my eyes rolling back in my head. "A little hot to pack the hiking boots, so stop with the bullshit, OK?"
He laughed and look past me. "Hey, Winters! Come here a second."
