The menu at the restaurant was a symphony of flavours, paying tribute to the diverse culinary preferences of soldiers hailing from around the world.The dishes ranged from familiar comfort foods to exotic delights.‘Soldier’s Stew’ promised a hearty blend of meats and vegetables, evoking memories of rations shared during campaigns.‘Sergeant’s Surf & Turf’ boasted succulent cuts of meat and fresh seafood.The lighting, subdued yet warm, cast a gentle glow reminiscent of soldiers finding solace around a flickering campfire after a long day.Soft chatter and laughter intertwined with the subtle background music, creating an ambience that resonated with both camaraderie and romance.‘It almost feels like I’m back at the academy,’ Callie said. ‘But with better-smelling food.’The waitstaff, dressed in uniforms that mirrored military attire from various eras, moved with disciplined grace.Their attentive service echoed the dedication and precision that defined soldiers in the field.Each d
Callie and Elias approached the stand and examined the array of pottery on display.Callie’s fingers trailed over the delicate edges of a vase, her touch as gentle as a whisper. ‘These pieces are so unique. Each one tells a story.’Elias nodded in agreement. ‘Yeah, they have a certain charm to them.’As Callie explored the different items, Elias’s phone buzzed in his pocket.He pulled it out to see it was a text message.[Harriet Daniels]: Just finished a mission. Got promoted to lieutenant colonel. Have a holiday coming up. Will come look for you at Valour Ridge.Elias’s brows furrowed slightly as he read the message.He didn’t reply, instead tucking the phone back into his pocket.Callie returned to his side, carrying a small handmade pottery piece shaped like a bunny and another shaped like a wolf.She held them up for him to see, her eyes dancing with mischief. ‘Look, Elias! A bunny and a wolf. Don’t they remind you of us?’Elias chuckled, his gaze moving from the pottery to Calli
‘I’m not on campus right now,’ Elias said.‘Oh. Too bad.’ Harriet shrugged off the disappointing news. ‘Never mind then. Is Lemuel on campus?’‘You’ll have to ask him. It’s a holiday, and most folks have cleared out.’‘I’ll call him, then.’Before Elias could respond, the line went dead, leaving him holding the phone to his ear.He shook his head with an amused smile and slid his phone back into his pocket.Harriet was as impulsive as ever, always charging ahead with a fire in her heart that few could match.General McCullough’s niece was a whirlwind of energy and spontaneity.Elias had lived with Harriet and Hershel for a while after his parents died.She was like a sister to him, which made the prospect of Hershel’s matchmaking all the more absurd.With Callie on his mind, Elias quickened his pace.The lift whisked him up to the suite.Callie greeted him with a sheepish smile.She was fully dressed now and no longer clad in the delicate lingerie that had set his libido in overdrive.
Elias yanked up the blanket to cover himself and gnashed his teeth in mock exasperation. ‘Just wait till your Aunt Flo leaves, let’s see if you’ll still be able to laugh then.’Callie stuck out her tongue. ‘Relax. It’s perfectly normal for a man to—’In a swift move that was all Elias, he caught her shoulders and pulled her down, their lips meeting in a passionate, searing kiss that left her breathless.Callie waved the white flag before things got out of control.After washing up, they went downstairs for breakfast.‘Where are we going?’ Callie asked as she climbed into the jeep.‘A little place I know,’ he said cryptically.The morning sun painted the town in warm hues as they drove out of the carpark.The scent of fresh dew hung in the air, mingling with the promise of the day ahead.As they drove on, the town of Wingston gradually faded in the rearview mirror, replaced by the embrace of nature’s splendour.A short while later, Elias parked the car at the edge of a gravel path, lea
Once inside The Sands Bunker, Harriet was greeted by a warm, dimly lit interior that exuded a sense of rugged elegance.The rich aroma of aged wood mingled with the tantalising scents of hearty meals and well-aged spirits.The main bar, an imposing structure hewn from dark oak, stretched along the length of the room, offering patrons a place to lean, to linger, and to trade war stories.The atmosphere was alive with camaraderie, and her eyes swept over the small group of cadets huddled together.Heads turned in her direction.Harriet was glad she wore civilian clothes, since most soldiers shied away once they realised who she was.One of them, a young man with sandy hair and a nervous smile, cleared his throat and offered her a seat. ‘Hey, welcome! You’re new around here?’Harriet’s lips curved into a confident grin, her voice light as she played along. ‘Just passing through, thought I’d join in on the fun.’‘Let me buy you a drink. What’s your poison?’***While Harriet was drinking
Elias knew there were two things his superior officer and adoptive father hated the most—betrayal and disobedience.He was about to say something to Harriet when Lemuel, his trusty aide, jogged past and pulled up short at the sight of him.‘Good to see you back, sir!’ Lemuel quipped.Elias nodded.The smile on Lemuel’s face evaporated when he recognised Harriet.‘Ah, Hasty Harry,’ he muttered, half to himself.The air force pilot’s presence here could only mean one thing—a storm was about to sweep through their training routines.Harriet crossed her arms. ‘Why, Lemuel, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.’Lemuel winced. ‘Not a ghost, just a woman who once broke two of my ribs.’A smirk tugged at Harriet’s lips. ‘Ah, those were the days. You always put up a good fight.’‘Good fight?’ Lemuel’s voice took on an incredulous note. ‘You wiped the floor with me, Harriet.’Harriet chuckled, her gaze flickering between Elias and Lemuel. ‘I do aim for perfection.’Elias checked his watch. ‘It’s
Wendy reached into the bag of sweets. ‘Tell me about the proposal. I want all the juicy details.’Callie’s voice turned tender as she recounted the memory. ‘Under a maple tree, the leaves painted in shades of autumn. He got down on one knee and asked me to be his forever.’Wendy’s mouth formed a perfect letter ‘O’. ‘That’s so romantic! I’m excited and envious all at once.’Callie’s curiosity shifted to her friend. ‘What about you?’‘What about me what?’‘You know, you and the dashing Captain Santana.’Wendy shrugged. ‘We’ve had a date or two. Lemuel’s a cautious one, takes things slow. We’ll see where it goes. No hurry.’Without Angelia there to rain on their parade, the two friends continued chatting well into the night after lights out.***At the crack of dawn, the sound of the army reveille sliced through the air, rousing Callie and Wendy from their slumber.Callie’s eyes snapped open, embracing the familiar rhythm of the academy’s routine.She rose from her bed, ready to greet th
Harriet sized up the small mountain of a man and nodded. ‘Bring it on.’‘Another bet?’ Elias said.Lemuel quickly shook his head. ‘No, sir.’Harriet faced off against the hulking, brawny sergeant, her body coiled like a spring ready to pounce.After making sure Sergeant Beard’s stance was ready, she launched forward in a blur of motion, her fist a bullet aimed straight at her opponent’s midsection.Beard’s instinctual parry deflected the blow, but he felt his bones rattle from the impact.Undeterred, Harriet followed with a swift leg sweep, aiming to unbalance her foe.But he sidestepped, avoiding the sweep with a deft shuffle that showed surprising agility for his size.The dust beneath their feet was kicked up in a frenzy of movement.Seizing the opportunity, Harriet surged into a series of rapid punches, each jab a calculated strike that sought out openings in her opponent’s defences.Beard countered with sheer power, his meaty fists blurring in the air as they repelled her assault