1145 ZULU
Mac's Apartment
Georgetown
Valentine's Day. Often a black holiday in the MacKenzie household. Not so, this year. Harmon Rabb, Jr. is my valentine this hyperglycemic holiday, and that alone sends me bouncing out of my apartment and into my car better than any five-pound box of chocolates would.
That and the surprise I cooked up for Harm this morning as I was blow-drying my hair. I snicker. This is going to be good. I just hope I can maintain my poker face.
Harm and I have shared dinner a couple of times this week since our first date, going over cases mostly, but we did manage to catch a TV-movie of the week. Not that big of a deal, but it was a couple hours of just enjoying each other's company, with a concerted effort made at ignoring all work matters.
Our burgeoning relationship is still a new and delicate thing, so neither of us have made much mention of this candy hearts-filled holiday, though it would surprise me if Harm didn't have something up his sleeve. We're both trying not to make too big a deal out of…anything.
But this, this is just too good to pass up.
*********
At 1045 I see Harriet and a young (and kind of cute) delivery boy exchange pleasantries and directions. Her brow furrows in unbridled curiosity as she takes the two-dozen red roses from him. I know she's itching to see who they're from. I bite down a laugh.
Harm, with perfect if clueless timing, takes that moment to step out of his office.
"Commander—"
He stops and looks at Harriet. "Wow. Those are beautiful, Harriet."
"Thank you, sir—"
"Bud must have a special evening planned." He winks. Harriet smiles and tries again.
"Ac—"
"Yes, the Lieutenant has excellent taste," Sturgis offers his two cents.
It's Lieutenant Colonel, actually, and thanks Sturgis.
"Lt. Sims, I see Mr. Roberts is giving you his due," the Admiral remarks.
"Well, sir—"
Showtime.
"Harriet, those are gorgeous," I croon.
"Harriet, where did you get those?" Four heads turn towards Bud.
"Actually, they're for Commander Rabb," Harriet finally manages to get out.
Four heads turn back to Harm who looks as surprised as everyone else—well, most everyone else, I amend.
Sturgis and the Admiral raise an eyebrow while Bud and Harriet bubble in curiosity. I just hope I look as incredulous as the rest. I'm having a hard time not blowing the whole thing by laughing out loud.
Harriet presents the flowers to Harm who takes them in an effort to avoid everyone's stares. He looks a little flustered.
I can see the gears turning as he tries to figure out who sent him roses. He risks one cautious, suspicious glance in my direction, but Harriet distracts him by saying, "There's a card."
Harm risks another glance at everyone and realizes he's not going to avoid a public reading of its contents.
I love it when a plan comes together.
He hands the flowers back to Harriet and plucks the envelope out of the bunch.
Harm frowns a little as he skims the contents, then his face takes on a slightly pink tint, and he coughs nervously. He gives us an apologetic smile, and I know he's about to conjure an escape.
"So who are they from, Sir?" Bud asks excitedly, as clueless as Harm was a few moments ago. I love Bud.
"I don't know," Harm replies, letting out a nervous chuckle. "It doesn't say."
"Oooh, a secret admirer," Harriet squeals. "How romantic." Tears prick my eyes and I know I'm not going to make it.
"Maybe that girl in Vermont sent them. You two seemed to hit it off," Sturgis offers. Harm shoots Sturgis a death glare.
On second thought, I don't really feel all that much like laughing now. What?!
"I barely even know her. Besides all we did is exchange some polite chit-chat at the coffee bar—we never exchanged phone numbers or addresses or anything like that."
"Well, you told her you worked at JAG HQ, right?"
"Yeah," Harm admits reluctantly.
"Well, it's not too hard to find that address, and send flowers to a Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. I just didn't think you were really all that interested in her."
"I wasn't. I'm not," he states emphatically, mostly for my benefit, I surmise. I raise an eyebrow. So does the Admiral.
"Sounds like you might have made another friend," I remark.
"I hardly know her. Besides, she isn't my type." What not blonde, leggy and big-breasted?
"Well, you said there's no signature right?" Harriet cuts in. "So it could be anyone."
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Sturgis watching Harm and I carefully. I take a conscious effort to relax.
"Well, what does the card say?" I ask innocently. "Maybe we can reason out who may have sent it."
The Admiral shifts expectantly. I return Harm's glare with a beatific smile. He clears his throat,
"'To my favorite Flyboy,
Last time we crashed and burned.
But I think our luck has changed for the better.
Maybe this time we can try our hand at the 'Mile High and Mach 2 Club'
Your Valentine.'"
I feel much better as I watch Harm croak out the last few words, his face now a definitive shade of red. He doesn't dare look at the Admiral, but the rest of us are writhing in an effort to control our amusement. I risk a glance at the Admiral and see his eyes glinting and his lips twitch several times.
I have to cover my mouth and cough when I hear Bud murmur, "Hmmm."
"Who calls you flyboy?" he asks.
"Everybody," Harm replies.
"The Colonel," Sturgis adds. Harm, Sturgis, the Admiral, and Harriet level their gaze at me. The Admiral raises his eyebrow again, Sturgis smirks, Harriet pierces me with a thoughtful expression, and Harm eyes me with suspicious consideration.
"Renee called you flyboy, too," I point out. I just hope it isn't too obvious that I'm trying to deflect the heat off me. Harm grimaces slightly at the reminder. I remind myself to feel victorious at a later, more private date.
"It also says 'we crashed and burned before,'" Bud continues. "Maybe a former girlfriend?"
"If we go through that list, we'll be here all day," the Admiral mutters. Harm gives him a wounded look. "Okay, people, back to work. Rabb, take those things from the Lieutenant and get them out of the way of JAG Ops."
"Yes, sir." He retrieves his bouquet and escapes to his office.
"'Mile high and Mach 2 club'?" Bud splutters, trying to maintain some control.
I burst out laughing. Sturgis and Bud follow suit.
Somewhere, over the din, I hear Harm's door slam shut.
Well, I'll see how long it takes him to figure it out.