Something came up and we need to move immediately,” he explained. His distracted tone and papers rustling in the background communicated clearly to Jasmine that she didn’t warrant his full attention.
“How hard is it to call me? A text maybe? How about an e-mail?” She flipped her brown hair over her shoulder.
“Calm down. I didn’t have time to give you an update,” Dad elaborated.
“Why are we moving again?” she whined, sagging onto the bed and wishing for a different life.
“Jasmine, this is classified. You know I can’t talk about it,” Dad rescinded, hiding behind bureaucracy to avoid offering an explanation for his negligence.
“Whatever Dad,” Jasmine huffed as she flopped onto her back.
“Young lady, fix your tone immediately. We will discuss this when you arrive,” Dad shot, switching into his voice of unquestionable authority.
“Where? Where are you?” Jasmine pried, sitting up, trained to respond like a good soldier although she despised her own reaction. She was pressing her luck.
“ Omaha. Look, I have a meeting. I’ll see you at Offutt Air Force Base. A car will be by to pick you up at o-eight-hundred,” Dad said coldly then hung up the phone.
The click in her ear startled Jasmine and she looked at the screen on the phone in disbelief. The words Call Ended flashed thereupon, mocking her. Dad’s brisk responses had thwarted her righteous anger again. Even though Jasmine’s dad was the one who was in the wrong, she would end up having to apologize. A subordinate was not allowed to question a commanding officer.
Jasmine braced herself against the tears seeking escape her brown eyes. She refused to cry. She closed her eyes as her world closed in on her. Her chest ached. She struggled to continue breathing, forcing the air in and out in gasps. She understood why someone would want to die after suffering a broken heart. Anyone would want to escape the pain and loneliness she lived everyday.
Jasmine collapsed on her bed, stared at the swirls in her ceiling continued to deny her tears the exodus they sought. She rolled into a ball on her side and willed herself to fall asleep so she could escape into a dream where people who loved her would surround her in warm embraces.
Sleep refused to come. She sat up and reached for her only friend. The old Martin acoustic guitar stood in its stand, stoically waiting for Jasmine’s gentle fingers. Jasmine nestled the guitar to her body and slowly strummed several minor chords. Switching to an E chord, she began to sing.
“Happy birthday to me . . . Happy birthday to me . . .”
Jasmine’s sixteenth birthday passed in tears and boxes.
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***
Chapter One
Brinker pushed away from his massive desk and rose from the dark leather executive chair. Stretching to his full imposing height he walked to his built-in bar, flexing his muscles as though they were tight.
Kelly allowed her eyes to follow. He hadn't lost any of his granite toning from his days on the gridiron. She appreciated Brinker's interesting packaging with its many promises, although he was too easy to read: one of her easiest reads since she started her career.
Nice packaging, nonetheless . In his case, though, the contents didn't stand up to the asking price.
A dark brown lock fell across his brow as he tipped a glass at her. " Wanna drink?"
She dragged her gaze from his wavy tress to glare into his large, hazel eyes. He shrugged and turned to pour from a crystal bottle.
Yeah, he's going to need the artificial boost, Kelly thought with pity for his crutch.
Beside him, a glass case running the width of the wall held mementos of his days gone by. Even though the shelves showcased large football awards, he kept his favorite trophies in a little black book. He looked into the mirrored