Chapter 12

"Joey?" Kayla's voice called across the open field. "Joey!" She called out louder as she walked towards the bunkers at the far side of the field. Announcing your arrival to a bunker had become standard ops after a few unfortunate accidents by some tightly wound individuals. Kayla squinted at the figure emerging from the back of the bunker and saw Joey's grinning face. He set his gun against the door and bounded the last few feet to her.

"Hey there little Einstein!" He said as he smashed her against him in a hug. "You come to relieve me?"

"You bet," she told him once he released her. Her stomach gave a little flip-flop as she looked up into his smiling face but she ruthlessly squashed the feeling. "My bunker buddies a few minutes behind but you can clear off yours if you wanna have a chit chat."

He nodded as they turned and started strolling to the bunker. "Hey Marc, you can head out if you want. Kay and I are gonna chat while we wait for her partner," Joey told the other man when they got inside.

Marc gave Kay an approving look. "Want me to tell Cody you'll be late again?" He said with a hint of a smile.

"What? No." He gave Marc a placating look, "I'm just gonna chat with my lil sis then I'll be home."

"Oh, cool. See you later," he said. Marc picked up his rifle, gave Kayla one last look, and left shaking his head slightly.

"So, how's training?" Joey, not missing a thing in Marc's behavior.

"Good," Kayla answered suspiciously. "Something you wanna tell me about?"

"Nope."

"M'kay..." she said, drawing him into silence.

Joey cocked his head at her. "Come on, don't give me that!" Kayla looked at him steadily. "Look, you know I had a little bit of a," he pause, searching, "reputation, before Cody and I got together. Guys like Marcus would love nothing more than to believe that it's all a façade and that I'm still tom catting around." Joey blew out a noisy breath, "I think he just wants to think I'm nailing you so he can live vicariously through me."

Kayla gave a halfhearted laugh. "Sure, playboy. And he couldn't possibly be hoping to nail you? Trust me, you're prettier!" She gave him a little self-deprecating smile.

Frowning slightly, he turned to a safer subject, "So, really, how's school?"

"Fine," she sighed and flopped against the bunker wall. "Don't you get all of this from Cody when he comes home?"

"Well, yeah when he's home and not passed out." Joey gave her a sardonic grin. "You know how it is, study until you fall asleep then sleep until the panic wakes you up!"

She nodded, "Supposedly, in exchange for all this fabulous time in the bunker they're going to bring in a few more trainers."

"Well, that's good, right?"

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, they were supposed to be here in a week, but the contract with the guys sent to DM got hosed, so it'll be next month now," she told him. Joey watched her face as she spoke, noting how she pursed her lips when she finished.

"So, why do you look like you just bit into a lemon, little Einstein?"

She glared at him for a good thirty seconds.

"Oooh, scary. You know, you are super sexy when you do that. I love the way your eyes narrow in a way that says 'I hate you but secretly want to sex you!' Makes my little heart go pitter-patter!"

Kayla's jaw dropped slightly before she realized he was mocking her. She shot him one last dirty look while ruthlessly squashing her emotions for a second time. "Well," she said with a hint of a sneer, "there are book smart aviators and there are stick monkeys. I'll give you one guess as to which I am and which type does best in the flight phase."

"So, Cody says. But, honestly hon, you'll be fine." She gave him an incredulous look. "Seriously, they picked you for a reason."

"Took their time about it," she muttered under her breath.

"But they did pick you. And for good fucking reason too, Kay!"

"I hope so."

"I know so!"

Kayla shot him another dirty look. Exasperated, he grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a gentle shake.

"Damn it, Kayla. You'll be fine. You'll finish and be top of your class. You'll get your precious fighter and go off gallivanting around, leaving us ground pounders behind."

Kayla stared up at him with wide eyes. She'd never heard him speak so passionately, even about Cody.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late," a voice called through the entryway. Joey gave Kayla's arms one last squeeze then released her.

"You'll be fine, stop worrying," his eyes burned into her. "Hey man, come on in, we've just been chit chatting and waiting for you" he called out. Kayla's bunker buddied strolled in just as Joey was gathering the last of his things. "I'm on the same shift tomorrow, you?" he asked Kayla.