Tropesville

Chapter Two

Syverson POV

For the next few days I felt a little high, like nothing was going to bring me down. I was looking forward to the weekend I couldn't think of much else. The look on Mikaela's face when I said it was a date was enough to keep my thoughts positive as I pottered around, cleaning and airing out my abandoned house. The least Liza could have done was empty the fridge so I didn't have to come home to that putrid mess.

I figured it could have been worse. I could have come home to Liza herself, cold and distant like she had been for the year before I left. I should be grateful to her for having the balls to end the relationship considering I didn't. We both knew a year ago it was over, but we held on for some reason. I don't know why either of us had let it go on for as long as we had, we had both mentally checked out of the relationship not long after we moved so I could be closer to the base. Maybe misplaced loyalty or perhaps the dream of being high school sweethearts together forever was too romantic for either of us to give up on.

In some ways it was good that I had been away when Liza ended it. I think if I had been home I would have gone straight to Mikaela and asked her out without giving myself time to adjust to being without Liza. I had thought I'd give myself time while home too, but I couldn't stay away. It took everything I had not to knock on her door before I even walked into mine. I told myself, I'd wait a month to ask her out, maybe chat to her a few times, let her know I was home but wait a spell to make sure I hadn't built her up in my head as something she wasn't. I'd seen it happen before, guys meeting a girl just before they leave then spending months thinking about her, only to come home and realise she's not what they thought she was.

I was definitely still attracted to her, I hadn't made that up while I away. Her hair was just as beautiful, rich brown tones, blonde on the top where the sun kissed her head. Her almost too big eyes were still the colour of the Sea of Crete and her nose was still cute, scrunching up when she laughed. And she was as easy to get along with. Although there was a little awkwardness on Sunday, it was probably my fault because I don't know what I would have done if she had said no. Or if she had a boyfriend. She should have a boyfriend. Hell, by all rights, a girl like her should be married with babies.

Both fortunately and unfortunately, the wedding invitation on the fridge reminded me about this weekend and any chance I had of biding my time with Mika was thrown out the window. I'd forgotten all about the wedding, Liza normally would have reminded me, or at least she could have called my cousin and told him she wasn't going. I decided I wasn't going to go either, I didn't need that bullshit so close to coming home. I had a couple of weeks R & R then back on base, I didn't want to spend a whole weekend with family I hadn't seen in over five years. I called my cousin Matt to tell him I couldn't make it, but he freaked out saying Olivia would have kittens if I didn't come and bring Liza. I didn't bother letting them know Liza wouldn't be coming because my brain instantly said invite Mika. I thought about it the whole day and by Sunday morning I had convinced myself it was a good idea.

On Thursday morning I was pumped, ready for the weekend, but I also started to feel a bit weird. I started thinking about how this was the first date I'd been on in over a decade. I didn't feel nervous as such, but the thought of spending a weekend with Mika was making me feel all cut up. I wanted it to go smoothly, wanted her to have a good time with me, I wanted to tell her how I felt. Yeah, ok, I wanted fuck her too, but hell, I'd take a clothes on make-out session and be as happy as a pig in shit.

I knocked on Mikaela's door at five pm exactly, chuckling as I had to knock a few times before I heard her voice sing out that she had heard me. I had almost bought her a doorbell the other day, but she really wanted her cottage done exactly as she wanted it, so I didn't. When I heard the lock turn in the door, I found myself standing up straight, almost at attention, before forcing myself to be at ease.