Looking Glass 4 - Claws That Catch by John Ringo Read Free Book Online

delicately.
    “Eric Bergstresser, I'm a good girl,” Brooke said playfully. “And good girls wait.”
    “Oh, you're more than good,” Eric said, brushing some hair out of Brooke's face. “You are amazing.”
    “So are you,” Brooke replied, snuggling into his shoulder.
    “Not all that amazing,” Berg said. “I'm sorry this was all I could swing for a honeymoon.”
    The Holiday Inn, Seaside, in Virginia Beach was not exactly a five star hotel in some exotic location. But it also wasn't as expensive and if they'd taken the travel time to go to someplace like Cancun, it would have cut time out of the honeymoon.
    “This is perfect,” Brooke replied, nibbling his ear. “Wherever thou goest. I'm glad you didn't do something expensive.”
    “We might as well have just gone to the apartment,” Eric argued. “Of course, the apartment doesn't have room service.”
    “Which we won't be using,” Brooke said firmly. “We can go out long enough to find something less expensive.”
    “If you say so,” Berg replied, puzzled.
    “I suppose I should have talked about this sooner,” Brooke said, sitting up. “But it's something Momma made me promise I'd do early. So here goes. Can you let me take over the family finances?”
    “Whatever you want, honey,” Berg said. “Right now, you could tell me to bark like a dog and I'd do it.”
    “I'm serious, Eric,” Brooke said, pulling his chin up so he was looking her in the eye. “It's something Momma did when she and Daddy first got married and she made sure I'd promise to do the same. You're a lieutenant. Yes, that makes more than a petty officer, but not by all that much. And we're going to have babies coming along, probably sooner rather than later. We're going to have to be careful with money.”
    “Agreed,” Berg said, shrugging. “Like I said, whatever you want. The only thing I spend money on, really, is my truck.”
    “Which may have to go,” Brooke said, sighing. “If you're not too reversed on the payments, we'll need to trade it in on a family car.”
    “Ouch,” Eric said. His truck was his one vanity. “If you say so.”
    “I'll make sure you have enough money to buy your rations in the officers' club,” Brooke said. “And an allowance. But I'll warn you, I'm a penny-pincher. I hope you're going to be able to handle that.”
    “Yes, Brooke, I can,” Eric said. “Now can we cuddle some more?”
    “Please,” Brooke said, sliding down into his arms. “Are we shiny?”
    “I hate trying to figure money out,” Berg said. “We're more than shiny. So we get a couple of family cars. I can handle that.”
    “One,” Brooke said. “You're going to be gone a lot; you won't need one.”
    “Shiny,” Eric said, blinking in surprise at the response. “One it is. You really are a penny-pincher, aren't you?”
    “Enough to make George Washington scream for mercy,” Brooke said, grinning. “When all the other girls would be buying stuff at the mall, I'd go along. But I never had the urge to get any of it. Way too expensive and you could find exactly the same stuff in thrift shops. Momma made most of my dresses and nobody could tell and I learned to sew early. It's just a matter of being really careful with money and you can look as if you're better off than other people while, in fact, not making nearly as much. You remember that conversation where Miriam was talking about your career?”
    “Vividly,” Eric said.
    “Then that's the rest of the story,” Brooke said. “I'm not willing to settle for second best. I want to be a wife first and I want you to be somebody. I'm more than willing to play the spouse game if you're willing to do what it takes to get stars. Are you?”
    Eric thought about that for a few seconds.
    “I don't mind doing the jobs,” he temporized. “I mean, that will mean lots of staff positions. But I can do those, I'm sure. I'll learn. But stars are a long way away.”
    “Every step of the way is going to matter,” Brooke