Forgive & Forget (Love in the Fleet) by Heather Ashby Page A

they were whispering in the female head just outside Public Affairs Friday morning.
    Hallie had conceded to letting Gina go down in the hole on the pretext of seeing where Trixie worked. Trixie was only too happy to give Gina a tour of the engineering spaces and an introduction to her geeky boss, Bill Gates.
    “She took me into his office and you were right. He did have his BCGs on, but I could tell he was gorgeous behind them. And God, what a build. So he stands up, takes his hard hat off, and shakes my hand. How nice was that? I mean, I’m just a peon second-class.”
    Gina planted her feet and smiled, just getting started with her report. “So he shook my hand and said, ‘Pleased to meet you, Miss Marini. Welcome to Shit Central.’ You know how guys look at you when they meet you? Basically look you up and down and check you out? They don’t know that we know it’s all in their eyes, even when their eyes aren’t moving. But he didn’t do that. He was very polite and decent. You’re right. He’s a gentleman.”
    Hallie nodded approvingly as Gina explained how Philip said Trixie could show her around, everywhere but the nuke spaces.
    “So Trixie says, ‘Well, I’m not allowed in those spaces anyway. Gee, I wonder why the Navy doesn’t want me around a fucking nuclear reactor.’ And he said, ‘Language, Williams,’ like you just knew he tells her that all the time. And she said, ‘Oh, sorry, sir. I forgot there was a fucking lady present.’ So he sat down and pulled off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, then the back of his neck, and said, ‘See what I endure all day long?’ Oh, Hallie, he was so hot when he took his glasses off. I totally know what you’re talking about now. I still say you need to tell him the truth before you get yourself in too deep.”
    Gina stopped, out of breath.
    “Thanks for the advice,” Hallie said, “but I’m still trying to figure out what to do. The UCMJ says he can’t get in trouble as long as he doesn’t know I’m enlisted, so at least he’s covered while I figure it out. I mean, there’s no way I’m going to try to fake it through the cruise. But we could have a month or so of bliss before we leave. Rebecca and her husband have been on me all week to tell him, too. They said they’re not going to cover for me. It’s just that every time I get ready to tell him, I picture him walking away and he is, like, the greatest guy I’ve ever met in my life.”
    “How have you avoided him so far on the ship?”
    “Well, first of all I’m hiding in plain sight. He’s not expecting me to be here, especially in the same uniform everyone else is wearing, and he’s not used to seeing me with my hair up. I’m always on the lookout when I’m in the passageways. And since snipes wear plain blue coveralls on board, he’d be easy to notice. Plus, they stay down in the hole and hardly ever travel higher than the mess decks. And I know his hours. He leaves really early in the morning and uses the Officers’ brow to get on the ship.”
    “Oh, man, this is like a spy movie or something.”
    “And I make sure I get to the ship after him and sneak on board right before muster. He usually works late, so I leave as soon as liberty is called. Even then, I don’t mess around going down the brow or hanging around the pier. I just get off the ship and book it for my car.”
    “What about on the other end? What if he changes his routine? I doubt you’d want him catching you in uniform in The Towers parking lot. What are you going to do? Start changing in a McDonald’s bathroom on the way home?”
    “Good idea.”
    “Hallie, no freaking way. You gotta tell him. He’s too nice.”
    “I know. I know.”
    “What are you doing about duty nights?” Gina asked.
    “I thought it was fortunate we’re on the same duty schedule. But even that’s a problem, because he asked me to dine with him in the wardroom when he had duty last night.”
    “So what did you tell