Forget Me Not (Love in the Fleet) Read online

  Dr. Schneider walked him back to the recovery room where he found the cat asleep. Kneeling down, he opened the cage so he could pet her head as he murmured sweet nothings to her. “Aw, that’s my little girl. Sky’s here, baby. I’m gonna take you home tomorrow. You rest now, sugar.” He turned to Daisy. “Has she eaten?”

  “No, she’ll be fine until morning. The anesthesia is still wearing off. And we gave her plenty of fluids.”

  “Have you eaten?”

  “What?”

  “How about dinner? Let me take you somewhere nice. We could talk. You know, get to know each other a little better.”

  “I don’t want to get to know you a little better, Lieutenant.”

  “Okay, but you gotta eat. And you could tell me everything there is to know about cat care, since I have no freaking clue.”

  “The Internet can tell you all you need to know.”

  Sky pooled all energy into his best why-fight-it-you-know-you-want-to go-out-with-me look. “But I’m a kinesthetic learner. I have to touch and feel and hold things in order to understand them. And I need my info straight from the top. Best in the field. This cat is very important to me.”

  “She couldn’t be that important. She didn’t even have a name yesterday.”

  “And now she has the most beautiful name in the world. Daisy Mae.”

  Dr. Untouchable shook her head and glanced down at his hand petting the cat. “Is that regulation? Wearing the sleeves of your flight suit rolled up like that?”

  His eyes pierced hers and he flashed her a slow, cockeyed smile. “I’m hot.”

  Daisy looked away and fiddled with the cage door to close it. “I remember my husband saying he wasn’t allowed to roll his sleeves.”

  The smile died on Sky’s face. “You’re married?”

  “No. Not anymore.”

  What had she said yesterday? I don’t date military men, especially pilots. “And he wore a flight suit?”

  “Yes. Marines.”

  “That’s why you thought I was a captain yesterday.”

  “Yes. Sorry about that. I never really understood how a captain in one branch of the service was different in another.”

  Sky started to ask what kind of aircraft he flew, but what he really wanted to know was what kind of an idiot would let go of a woman like this. “So what kind—”

  “Look, I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” Daisy clicked the cage door shut and turned to leave. Then she blindsided him by adding, “Listen, if you want to get some dinner, that’s fine.” Her mouth curved into a teasing smile. “But I name the place.”

  Sky’s heart rate kicked up a notch. “You got it, Doc. Your wish is my command, but I have to change first. I’m not really supposed to run around town in a flight suit.”

  “Oh, no. You can wear it.” There was pure sex in her smile now. “Actually, it’s better if you do.”

  Whoa, was she talking about her place? No way. Not the Ice Queen. But Sky could dream, right? Even though he had a feeling she’d be thinking about the jarhead Marine pilot the entire time they were… Well, it wasn’t like he’d never had sex while fantasizing about someone else. Didn’t matter. He had a date with Dr. Untouchable.

  Score one for the Skylark.

  Daisy walked ahead of him down the hallway. “I need to get my dogs. Would you gather up some of the vases, please? The flowers will come in handy where we’re headed.” She turned and gave him a knowing smile. “Thanks for locking up, Lillian. Lieutenant Crawford and I are leaving now. To get some dinner.”

  Sky caught Daisy and Lillian winking at each other. Man, he was going to have to roll his sleeves up a little higher because it was getting mighty warm in here. Things were definitely heating up. And with any luck, he wasn’t going to be wearing his flight suit too much longer tonight.

  He helped her load the flowers and her dogs into the Jeep. Daisy climbed into the driver’s seat, her mouth curved into a slow and naughty smile. “Just follow me. Okay?”

  Sky sidled up to her open window and leaned in. “I’d follow you to the ends of the earth, but where are we going?”

  Daisy’s finger tapped him on the nose twice, causing electricity to shoot through his body. “Trust me.” She smiled coyly and put her car in reverse.

  What was going on here? Yesterday she was the Ice Queen personified and today she was smiling, touching him, and inviting him home? The fact that they weren’t riding together was a good thing because now that he was hopelessly aroused, he might be able to settle down before they arrived, depending on how far away she lived. But he wasn’t going to ask any more questions. Not after finding out she’d been married. He’d figured that “crashed and burned” comment yesterday meant some guy had broken her heart.

  What kind of a fool had walked away from Daisy Schneider?

  Regardless, it appeared SkyS was headed to veterinary paradise much sooner than expected. Maybe if he kept his mouth shut, he’d get there that much quicker. This was going to be easier than he’d anticipated and quite honestly, he found himself a little disappointed. The thrill of the hunt was half the fun. He’d looked forward to breaking her down a little more each day. Until she begged him to take her. But was he going to complain? Hell, no. So he obeyed her direct order.

  Follow me.

  Sky pulled up his favorite “I Am So Gonna Get Laid Tonight” playlist, envisioned her naked in a room full of daisies, and grinned all the way to—

  Wait a second. Why was Daisy turning in to Portside Manor?

  She lived in a nursing home?

  Chapter 4

  “Welcome to Portside Manor.” Daisy laughed at the look on Lieutenant Crawford’s face, too priceless for words. What had he thought? That she was going to take him home with her?

  He leaned out his window and bit back a smile. “Something you want to tell me, Daisy?”

  “Oh, did I forget to mention I volunteer here on Wednesday evenings? Come on, girls.” She opened the back door and her two Labs jumped out. “The residents love Belle and Godiva. Many of them had to leave their pets behind when they moved here.”

  Daisy assumed Brian Crawford was usually the purveyor of practical jokes. She’d been curious to see how he reacted when the joke was on him, and was impressed that he was a sport. “I’m sorry, did you have something else in mind?”

  He covered his laughter with a cough. “No.”

  “Don’t worry. They’ll feed us too. See, we get to go out to dinner together and it won’t cost you a thing. I’ll even buy you a drink for being such a good sport. Grab some flowers. We’re just in time for Assisted Living happy hour.”

  “There really is such a thing?” he asked.

  “These folks love their cocktails. And I love sharing my dogs with them. By the way, most of the residents are retired military officers and their wives. They’re going to love seeing you in uniform.”

  “Whatever you say, ma’am.” He was still shaking his head, but laughing nonetheless.

  She tapped the aviator call sign patch on his flight suit. “I can’t wait to see the big, bad Skylark doing community service. Doesn’t it give you a warm feeling helping the world, Lieutenant Crawford?” She was having way too much fun with this. It felt good to laugh again. She hadn’t done much of it in the past three years. And none in the past two.

  Now it was his turn to tap his name patch. “You can call me Sky if you want to. All my friends do.”

  Daisy pulled out two more vases. “Who said we were friends?” She smiled to soften it, but she did not want to encourage this man.

  “Ouch.” He took the vases from her and tucked them under his arm.

  “How ’bout I call you Brian, since it’s your name?”

  “Works for me, honey. Just call me. Anytime.” He helped her unload the flowers, the
n followed her and the dogs inside.

  As soon as they entered the lobby, hands reached out to them. Mixed in with the usual “Dr. Daisy” and “The dogs are here,” she also heard “Daisy brought a friend” and “Over here, son.”

  As she greeted her favorite dog lovers, Daisy noticed it didn’t take long for Brian to make himself at home with the men, many of them retired Naval officers who were falling over themselves to buy him drinks. They reached for him and called out to him, thrilled to have a real live young Naval officer visiting for the evening.

  When Daisy took her girls around to visit the ladies, she observed Brian on bended knee placing himself at eye level with Captain Cornelius in his wheelchair. When they finished talking, the captain thanked the young pilot for his service. Daisy choked up when she heard him respond, “And thank you for yours too, sir.” Brian stood and shook his hand.

  Who would have thought Brian Crawford—obviously a self-absorbed player—could be polite, considerate, and respectful? No way, shape, or form had she figured him for a gentleman.

  And what could she have been thinking, calling him a captain yesterday? Daisy knew most of the men at Portside were retired Navy captains. It was big stuff, like a colonel in the other services. But when she’d seen the bars on Brian’s flight suit yesterday, all she could think of were the bars on Jack’s flight suit. And Jack had been a captain in the Marine Corps. Why couldn’t the services get together on this rank stuff? It was all very confusing. How could a lieutenant in one service be a captain in another?

  Daisy decided it was time to introduce Brian to Navy Captain George Duncan, who had been a helicopter pilot too.

  Leading Godiva, she took Brian’s arm, and guided them to her favorite resident. “Come with me a second. I’d like you to meet a friend of mine.”

  “I’ll follow you anywhere, Doc.”

  There was that smile again. Did he know how un-sexy that space between his two front teeth was? Yet, for one split second she imagined exploring it with her tongue and…

  What was wrong with her?

  Daisy pulled up two chairs to Captain Duncan’s table. “Good evening, George. Godiva is here to visit with you. And I brought someone with me too.”

  The retired aviator reached out to stroke the dog. “Hello, Daisy. Always a pleasure to have you here. Is your friend, by any chance, a handsome, young Navy pilot?”

  “He is.”

  Whoa, Daisy thought he was handsome? Sky offered his hand to the gentleman and introduced himself, “Sky Crawford, sir.”

  The gentleman looked up and stuck out his hand for shaking. “George Duncan. Pleased to meet you.”

  “Here you go, George.” Daisy guided his hand to Sky’s.

  “Sorry, son, I’m blind. No fun growing old. But, it’s always a pleasure to visit with you youngsters. We love it when Dr. Daisy comes by to light this place up and share her dogs with us.” He stroked the black dog’s head. “I listen pretty well these days. Did I overhear you say you fly out of Mayport?”

  Sky sat down. “Yes sir, I’m a Romeo pilot.”

  Daisy huffed out a breath in disbelief. “Oh, my God, if that isn’t the truth.”

  “No, Doc,” Sky tried to explain. “You don’t understand. Romeo is the name of the helo I fly. The MH-60R. The ‘R’ stands for Romeo.”

  “I’m sure it does.” Her mouth slipped into a grin beyond her control.

  “No, really. Romeo is the word for ‘R’ in the military alphabet. So that makes me a Romeo pilot.”

  “Trust me. You’ve made it perfectly clear what you are.” Daisy took a sip of her wine.

  Sky turned back to Captain Duncan. “I’m with HSM-23, sir. The Hellcats.”

  “Wait,” Daisy interrupted again. “So you’re a Romeo pilot and a Hellcat?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Gee, I never would have guessed.”

  Captain Duncan laughed with them. “It’s true, Daisy, I’ve heard about Romeos and I hear them flying over all the time. Brings back good memories hearing a helicopter overhead. Reminds me that you men and women are keeping us safe. How long have you been in the Navy, son?”

  “I graduated from the Naval Academy in 2006, sir.”

  George chuckled. “A mere baby. I’m from the class of 1956.”

  “Awesome. What was your designator, sir?”

  “1310. I flew helos too. The original Sea Bats and then Sea Kings in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.”

  “How cool is that?”

  Sky became so caught up sharing aviation adventures with Captain Duncan, he practically forgot about Daisy. Although he did notice her following their conversation, a gentle smile playing on her face.

  She stood. “Don’t let me interrupt, gentlemen. Godiva and I are going to make the rounds.” Then she turned to Sky, trying not to smile. “I’ll see you at dinner...Romeo.”

  “Wait, Daisy.” Sky got up to follow her, but George reached out to stop him.

  “Let her go. We have to share her with the others. Everyone loves Daisy. Why don’t the two of you join me for dinner tonight? I never get enough time with her and I’d love to hear more of your stories.”

  “Sure, sir.” Sky sat down reluctantly. The old man was interesting, but Sky would rather spend time with Daisy. He’d never met a woman quite like her. There was something different about her. Well, for starters he’d never done volunteer work on a date before—if this counted as a date. And he had to admit he was having a pretty good time.

  George pulled him out of his reverie. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

  “How did you know that, sir?” Sky asked not taking his eyes off Daisy across the room.

  “The only good thing about being blind is you learn to not judge a book by its cover. You’d be surprised what you miss about people because you’re so hung up on their physical appearance. I have the benefit of seeing what’s beneath the surface. Looks can be deceiving, you know.”

  “Trust me. Daisy is beautiful inside and out.” Sky watched her smile at a woman who was petting the dog. It lit up his world. She needed to do it more often. Smile, that is. And he wouldn’t mind her lighting up his world a time or two either.

  George sipped his drink, then continued. “What I know about Daisy is she takes the time to visit a bunch of old geezers. She brings her dogs for those of us who miss our pets. And, she really listens when we talk. She has a beautiful laugh and a fine sense of humor. And I gotta tell you…” He leaned in close. “She smells damn good too.” That brought a laugh from Sky. “So tell me. Man to man. What does she look like?”

  Daisy threw back her head and laughed at something a resident had said. There was something clean and fresh and natural about Daisy Schneider. He sighed. “Aw, geez, she’s gorgeous. She’s got these bluey-green eyes. Sometimes they’re blue and sometimes they’re green. It depends on what color she’s wearing. And a sweet face. She looks like an angel. But don’t let that fool you. You can’t pull anything over on her. She’s one smart cookie who doesn’t put up with any bull. I know that for a fact,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh. “And she’s got this silky blond hair that she wears up in a barrette or something. I don’t know how long it is. I’ve never seen it down.”

  George looked confused. “You’ve never seen her hair down?”

  Sky had almost forgotten George was there. He turned to him. “No, she’s always wearing scrubs. You know, like being in uniform. She’s always working and—”

  “You’ve never seen Daisy in street clothes?” George asked.

  “I only met her yesterday.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “No, see I found this cat and I took it to her clinic and—”

  “From the reverence I heard in your voice, I would have guessed you were in love with her.”

&
nbsp; “No way, sir. I don’t even know her.” Sky picked up his drink and sipped, eyes back on Daisy.

  A smile blossomed on Captain Duncan’s face. “You can’t fool me. I say you’re in love with her. I’d bet the rent on it. Do you know her story?”

  “What story, sir?”

  “I guess if you have to ask, then you don’t know it. I’m sure she’ll tell you when she’s good and ready.”

  What the hell? Daisy had a story?

  And Sky would bet his rent it had to do with the ex-husband.

  Dinner in the formal dining room was a surprisingly civilized affair. Sky was certain there would be droolers and shakers and people being fed, but that wasn’t the case. Apparently these people just needed a little help getting around and remembering their medications. Waiters took everyone’s orders and then served them a four-course meal from soup to dessert.

  Besides Daisy and Captain Duncan at the table, there was a retired Army colonel and his wife and a kind woman who quietly guided George as to what was on his plate. It was interesting how she used the face of a clock as a reference point, like aviators did. Sky hadn’t known blind people did that too and was dying to say, “Hey, George, peas at twelve o’clock high.”

  Sky shared sea stories and flying adventures with Captain Duncan as they dined. Daisy chatted up the others at the table and several times when Sky looked over at her, he caught her watching him with an approving smile on her face.

  Oh, yeah. He was getting big points for this community service stuff. But wait a second, he wasn’t doing this for points. He got to chat with a helo pilot who had graduated from the Naval Academy fifty years before he had. He was in awe of this old man. Not only had he flown helos, but he’d played football at Annapolis like Sky had. So they didn’t just share sea stories, but gridiron tales as well. George Duncan had been stationed in Key West during the tense weeks leading up to the Bay of Pigs incident with Cuba and told harrowing stories about flying in Vietnam.