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

him?”
    “That I have to study. Which isn’t a lie. I’ve never outright lied to him.”
    “Just by omission.”
    “Oh, and I forgot. He invited me to a party at the Captain’s house tomorrow night.”
    “No way.”
    “Way. Course I’m not going, but I may see him after the party if it isn’t too late. Then we’re going sailing Sunday.”
    “And then what? Come on, you gotta tell him. Look I hate to burst your bubble, but this whole thing is just a fairy tale if you can’t tell him the truth.”
    “Yeah, thanks for reminding me, Fairy Godmother.”
    “I say you tell him and let the chips fall where they may. Because Cinderella, if you don’t tell him soon, you’re going to turn back into a pumpkin and break Prince Charming’s heart.”
    Chapter 6

      
    Hallie closed her computer and checked her watch again. Nine thirty. Guess Philip wasn’t going to call or come by. Probably for the best. She had no business visiting his apartment anyway. How much she’d wanted to go up there the other night after dinner at Rebecca’s. They’d been like a couple of high school kids necking on the couch. She’d wanted him to kiss her all night and take away all her responsibilities.
    But she couldn’t quiet the little voices in her head that kept whispering about what she’d read.
     
    “ …personal relationships including dating, cohabitation, and any sexual relationship between officers and enlisted personnel are strictly forbidden .”
     
    So Hallie came to a decision. She would tell him the truth after sailing tomorrow and if he bolted, as she expected him to do, then so be it. If he wanted to continue secretly off base? That would be gravy. They’d figure out how to handle the cruise later. But somehow she doubted he’d break the rules. That was one of the reasons she liked him so much.
    The ring tone of her phone pulled her out of her reverie.
    Philip invited her up to watch a movie and have that glass of wine. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought of seeing him tonight. She thought long and hard before accepting, but what could a glass of wine hurt?
    After she arrived, he debriefed about the party while she sipped her pinot grigio. She listened carefully when he shared stories of his fellow officers, because she knew some of them. Fortunately he didn’t mention her boss.
    “Actually, the party pretty much sucked because you weren’t there.” His brown eyes were so focused on her she hoped he couldn’t see into her deceitful soul.
    He picked up his phone and asked if he could take her picture, since she was looking so cute in braids tonight. Hallie’s heart raced. She reached out and covered the phone. “I’d rather you didn’t, Philip. I don’t like my picture taken.”
    He cocked his head, questions in his eyes.
    “Sorry,” she said. “It’s just that somebody took pictures of me in high school and Photoshopped them and they circulated through the school. People called me…‘Babe McCabe’ and…‘The McBabe.’ Guys had called me that in middle school, but it was worse after those pictures went around. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but it makes me feel uncomfortable.” Not a lie.
    Just what she needed. Her picture on his desk in Engineering. Wouldn’t Trixie get a kick out of that? The fact that he might mention Hallie’s name to the wrong person—especially Trixie—was bad enough. Hallie swore to herself that she would tell him tomorrow after sailing. Period.

      
    “That’s awful.” Philip reached for her. “I just wanted to capture how cute you look in those braids. Trust me. I’d never do anything like that.”
    “I know. But we’ve only known each other a week—”
    “Best week of my life.” He tried to smile but couldn’t move past the concern for her.
    “I have some weird trust issues. Okay, Philip? Please be patient with me.”
    Weird trust issues? No photographs? Bullied in high school? No parents? The woman had some baggage. There were landmines