Free Always Ready by Susan Page Davis Page A

seemed to have come to a standstill, so he gingerly put the phone back to his ear. “Uh. . .yeah, I guess you could say any one of the above.”
    “Who is she? Is she Coast Guard? Or a townie? Tell me she’s not someone you arrested.”
    Aven chuckled. “No way. She’s a BM3. Stationed here. Serves on another ship.”
    “Oh, wow. That’s perfect. She’s a pay grade behind you. You can socialize, but she doesn’t outrank you. Ave, that’s fantastic. I want to meet her. When can you bring her? Can I tell Mom and Grandpa?”
    “Slow down!” Aven couldn’t stop grinning. “Yeah, I guess you can tell them. Don’t make too big a deal of it yet, though, okay? We’ve only gone out a couple of times. I like her a lot, but things are still in the early stages.”
    “So tell me everything.”
    “Naw, I don’t think so.”
    “Is she pretty?”
    “Yes. And smart.”
    “Ha! I figured that. You wouldn’t like her if she weren’t. Is she a Christian?”
    “Definitely.”
    Robyn sighed. “I’m so happy that you’ve found someone.”
    “Well, like I said, it’s not officially. . .anything. . .yet. I wanted to tell you so you wouldn’t be shocked later on, if it works out. But if it doesn’t. . .”
    “You always amaze me.”
    That didn’t seem to fit the conversation, or at least not the direction he’d been steering it, and Aven scowled. “How do you mean?”
    “You’re so sure of yourself when you’re working. You’re comfortable with yourself physically. Spiritually, too, I think. But when the emotions enter the picture, you hem and haw and won’t commit to a ray of hope, let alone a long-term relationship.”
    “What do you know about it? You’re no closer to finding a husband than I am a wife. Further away by a long shot, I’d say.”
    “And I’m four years younger than you are.” Robyn chuckled. “Besides, I don’t tell you everything.”
    Aven picked up on her teasing tone. “Oh? Something I should know?”
    “Not really, but when there is I’ll tell you.”
    “Okay. And if things progress with Caddie, I’ll keep you posted.”
    “Caddie? Her name is Caddie? Like a golf minion?”
    Aven choked on a laugh. “Her real name is Clarissa, but that’s her nickname, okay? I’ve never seen her carrying a golf bag.”
    “Got it. Sounds to me like you’d better latch on to her fast. Nice girls are hard to come by in Alaska, you know.”
    “Watch it!”
    “What’s her last name?” Robyn asked with a chuckle.
    “You want a lot, don’t you? It’s Lyle.”
    “Lyle?”
    “That’s right.”
    “Why is that name familiar?”
    “I don’t know.”
    After a couple of seconds’ silence, Robyn said, “Oh, that captain.”
    “Huh?”
    “You know. The man who tried to save Daddy and Jim Haskell.”
    Aven’s stomach dropped.
    “That was the man’s name, remember?” Robyn persisted. “The one who died in Puget Sound when Daddy’s plane crashed.”
    Aven found it hard to breathe past the huge lump in his throat. “You’re right. That was his name.” How could he not have realized? Caddie had told him that her father was stationed in Seattle at the time of his death. He could only conclude that he’d been so distracted by his feelings for her that he’d allowed his brain to take an unscheduled furlough.
    “Aven?”
    “Yeah?”
    “We love you. Come home again soon.”
    “I will if I can.”
    “And bring the Caddie girl.”
    He hung up with a smile, imagining Caddie, in uniform, holding a golf club out to her captain. Nope. He liked the mental image of her in the green dress she’d worn to church last month far better.
    He sobered as he mulled over his conversation with Robyn about Caddie’s father. It had to be the same man. But did that matter? Caddie obviously didn’t know. Would it disturb her if she found out? He tried to imagine how he would feel if their roles were reversed. Not good.
    He checked the time. Still too early to call her. He ought to catch a nap, but he