"That's your idea of a Valentine's Day gift?"
Lee just about jumped out of his skin, startled by the unexpected voice at his elbow and slammed the lid over the box. He'd been so deep in thought trying to picture the reaction he was going to get from this gift that he had actually managed to forget for a moment that his uncle was even in the apartment. That adventure the other week had cleared Colonel Clayton's name, but he'd had to stay on to continue to testify at the Pentagon, in congressional committees, you name it – Lee had lost track of all the organizations that wanted to associate themselves with the newly exonerated Air Force hero. All he knew was that the Colonel was still sleeping on his pull-out couch – over Lee's protests as he continued to offer him the bedroom - but was gone at the crack of dawn most mornings and appeared every evening just long enough for some dinner before setting himself up at the desk to get the daily debrief from his subordinates out west.
It had been surprising for both of them, Lee thought, at how easily they'd fallen into a routine of simply moving around each other in the small space. Mind you, he'd also realized, they'd had to do that for all the years he'd been under his uncle's care. Even with a small boy in tow, his uncle had never bothered to try and get living quarters that were anything but utilitarian. Two bedrooms, shared bathroom, a kitchen table where Lee did his homework and a television set where the weekly episode of Gunsmoke had been one of the few things he and the Colonel agreed on. Family housing always had much too long of a wait list and his uncle never bothered to try for it – they'd be moved on soon and besides, there were actual families that required them.
"Actual family" was not a phrase that had ever been applied to him and his uncle – their co-existence in small spaces had been like a state of truce most of the time with the occasional skirmish. But these weeks living at close quarters again had been remarkably skirmish-free – both of them out all day, both of them too tired to do anything in the evening except take turns making meals and endless pots of coffee as they both worked in opposite corners. It had – almost – been nice to come home to the occasional cooked meal or even to make a meal for more than just himself.
The closest they'd come to an argument, in fact, was this week when Amanda had come by, ready to head out to that party at Judge Moreland's.
"You look lovely, Amanda," Colonel Clayton had said with an admiring look.
"Thank you, Colonel," she'd smiled.
"Doesn't she, Skip?"
"Hmm?" Lee had been staring into a mirror, fighting with his bow tie which kept coming out uneven. He was growling with frustration as it ended up lopsided again when his uncle distracted him.
"Oh for heaven's sake, son, c'mere." His uncle had turned Lee to face him, then rapidly untied and retied Lee's tie while Lee gave a pained look and Amanda tried - not very hard - to hide her smile at his discomfort.
"There," said the Colonel. "You're presentable. Now, as I was saying, doesn't Amanda look lovely?"
Lee looked at her properly for the first time and smiled approvingly. "Well, of course – as always. That dress is amazing."
Amanda blushed and ducked her head. "Oh Lee, thank you. But not always. Remember the first party you ever invited me to?" Her eyes met his, sparkling with amusement as she teased him. She reached up to fiddle with his tie slightly. "You were wearing a tux that evening too. But I was definitely underdressed."
It was Lee's turn to blush. "Ah now, you see, as I remember it, I'm certain it was everyone else who was overdressed," he said gallantly. "And you were certainly the most memorable person there."
"Nice save, Skip," interjected his uncle with a chuckle. "Now explain to me why this lovely woman doesn't deserve to get picked up for a date like a proper lady. Thought I'd raised you better than that."
"Oh you did, Colonel," said Amanda, laying her hand on Lee's arm before he could rise to that bait. "But this isn't a date and Lee can't be seen by my family because of all that need to know and national security stuff and it's just simpler for us to meet here and go on in his car."
"I still can't believe he's dragged you into all this with him," grumbled the Colonel.
"Oh he didn't drag me," replied Amanda, darting a grin at Lee. "I kind of weaseled my way in against his wishes." Lee smiled back, grateful for the defense. "He's always been very clear on that."
"So you're saying he complains about having you around?" asked the Colonel, lifting a brow and glaring at Lee. "Really, Skip? If I had a lady as lovely as this on my arm at an event, I'd be the envy of every man there."
"I-I-I," spluttered Lee, taken aback by the new line of attack. "I don't complain! Not anymore," he finished faintly when his uncle's raised brow was joined by one of Amanda's. "Much."
"You can stop teasing him now, Colonel," Amanda reprimanded his uncle, even as her smile lit up her face as she linked her arm with Lee's and moved him toward the front door. "It's not nice to rile him up and distract him when he's got to work."
The Colonel gave her a broad wink. "You and I both know he gets riled up if I say the sky is blue, Amanda. And just because a man's got to work, that doesn't mean he shouldn't appreciate the fact that he's got the prettiest girl in the room on his arm. You be careful with her tonight, Skip."
"Don't worry, Colonel, Lee knows my curfew is midnight." As Amanda looked back to wave goodbye at his uncle and wink back at him, Lee heard the Colonel give off a snort of laughter and realized he'd been enjoying teasing him –not trying to annoy him, just enjoying getting the rise out of him.
"That's on a school night," Lee shot back. "And it's Friday. So, Colonel? Don't wait up."
That had been a few days ago and now his uncle was obviously trying to provoke him again.
"You call that a Valentine's present?"
"No, as it happens." He quickly tied a bow on the box and stood back to admire his handiwork.
"At least tell me it's not for Amanda."
"Yes and no," replied Lee.
"Yes and no? How does that work?"
"It's for another woman, but also for Amanda. It's complicated."
Colonel Clayton eyed the box, then clapped Lee on the shoulder and said in a voice tinged with doubt, "I really hope you know what you're doing, Skip, because having one woman mad at you is not a good place to be, let alone two."
"I'll be fine." Lee picked up the box with a grin and headed to the door. He'd been so caught up in this case, he'd actually forgotten Valentine's Day was this week but that fact was going to make this gift so much better. He paused and did a quick mental inventory of all the girls he might owe something to, before deciding he was safe.
Nope, only one woman was going to get a present from him this week, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd looked forward to giving one this much. As he headed down the hall to the elevator, he laughed out loud, already anticipating the look on Francine's face when she opened the box and found the feather duster. And then he laughed again as he pictured how hard it would make Amanda laugh.
"Who says we never have any fun?" he congratulated himself.