Chapter 8: Norfolk, Virginia - November 2013

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"I thought you had a date?"

Teylor considered the gum-smacking, anorexic twenty-year-old who was currently scrubbing at the lipstick on her teeth using her phone as a mirror. Caro was going to hate her on sight, and that's before she found out that Jones had known the girl for less than a month. Actually, a month might be generous, given that Doug couldn't remember the poor girl's name half the time. Unfortunately, Teylor had committed to giving his friend a ride so here he was, running the risk of being late and - more importantly - pissing Caro off.

"Because if you don't, my roommate would love to come. She was pretty bummed that I got invited and she didn't." From the triumphant look on Ashley's face, Teylor suspected that she more than a little pleased with the situation herself.

"Don't you worry about Cruz over there," Doug chimed in, finally emerging from the bathroom looking mostly presentable. "He has a date. She's making him pick her up at the hotel. High maintenance, that one."

Finally finishing with her teeth, Ashley frowned, no doubt due to the fact that she had not been offered the same door-to-door service. Teylor spoke quickly, not wanting to listen to her and Doug bicker. "Let's get a move on."

Thankfully the ride to Caro's hotel was quick, less than ten minutes, and relatively quiet. Unfortunately, the silence was shattered the moment that Ashley saw the flowers that Teylor had stashed in his trunk so the vase wouldn't fall over.

"Why didn't I get flowers?" she whined.

Before Teylor could respond, Doug showing no inclination to defend himself, another voice cut in. "I wasn't aware that we were attending as chaperones tonight."

Stifling a groan, Teylor turned, ready to defend himself but the words died in this throat. "You look beautiful."

Such an obvious word, one thrown around far too often, yet the only one that fit. Caro's black gown was the opposite of flashy, the high-cut neckline and full sleeves almost conservative, yet the simplicity of the dress highlighted her hourglass figure, the dark color accentuating the paleness of her skin and the deep brown of her eyes. Her curls were piled casually atop her head, the simple gold clip on the right side of her hair a match to the thick cuff on her left arm.

Her eyes fell to the lilies that he held. "Are those for me?"

"Of course."

Taking the flowers, Caro raised the blooms to her face. "They're lovely. I'll put them in my room and be right back."

The moment that Caro disappeared, Doug grabbed Teylor by the arm. "Are you totally insane? Caroline Green? I thought she hated you! And what about her brother?"

"Why are you going to the ball with someone who hates you?" Ashley asked, confused.

"Don't listen to Jones. He's kind of a drama queen," Teylor responded, before replying to Doug. "It's fine. All good. Just no pictures, just in case."

"What the fu..." Doug stopped himself, shaking his head. "I hope that you know what you are doing. I really do. Because if the guys at the door recognize her name and decide to preemptively kick your ass, you are on your own."

Despite Doug's concerns, their arrival at the ball went without a hitch, and an hour later Teylor was steering Caro and Ashley towards their table while Doug waited in line for drinks. As anticipated, Ashley was not endearing herself to Caro.

"I though that there would be famous people here," Ashley whined. "Who has even heard of William Shepard?"

"You mean the Navy SEAL turned astronaut who received a Congressional Space Medal of Honor?" Caro intoned. "I know what you mean. Such a lame speaker. There are just so many people who have served on the ISS."

"ISIS?" Ashley snapped. "He was in ISIS?"

"ISS is the International Space Station," Teylor corrected before Caro could, reluctantly impressed that she recognized the name, even if it was just because she looked the man up beforehand. For all of Caro's faults, ignorance was not one of them. Caro shot Teylor an amused smirk as Doug returned, setting four drinks down on the table. As Teylor picked up his Diet Pepsi, Caro drained a glass of champagne in a single sip before reaching over to collect a second glass.

"Hey!" Doug said, blocking her hand. "One each."

"Oh, please, as though Brittany there is actually twenty-one."

Doug narrowed his eyes at Caro, clearly leery of antagonizing her. "Her name is Ashley."

"How much money do you want to bet that her license says Brittany?" Caro queried.

There was a moment of silence before Doug shrugged, apparently indifferent to his date's fake license, allowing Caro to pick up the second glass. She took a sip, looking around. "I've never been to one of these. It's nicer than I expected. Less prom like."

"Really?" Teylor was surprised. Green was on his second enlistment, after all, and Caro spend enough time around the guys to be an obvious option for a date. "That why Benz is so scared of you? You turn him down one time too many?"

Caro fiddled with her glass before her gaze slid up to meet his. "Actually, you were the first to ask."

The answer was so surprising, her candor so unexpected that Teylor scrambled for a response, a dozen possibilities considered and instantly discarded as either too serious or too flippant. Fortunately Doug had no such problem. "He's a big boy. You don't have to lie to make him feel better about himself."

"Says the man who invited a dozen girls before one said yes," Teylor muttered, quietly so that only Doug and Caro could hear. No reason to hurt Ashley's feelings deliberately. She was nice enough, he supposed, if you were into somewhat self-adsorbed teenagers. Teylor offered his arm to Caro. "Since this is your first time, you need the full experience. Let me show you around."

"Wait!"

Teylor looked up just in time to see Doug raising his phone, the sudden flash a good indicator of what was happening. Caro scowled. "If I find that on Facebook..."

"You won't," Doug replied. "Scout's honor. One more? With your eyes open?"

If Teylor hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he never would have believed that Caro would fall for such a ploy. But apparently she was more concerned about the possibilities of a bad picture than a picture, standing by his side and even smiling as Doug snapped a dozen pictures in a row.

"Are you done?" she demanded.

"Yup, I'll send the best on to Cruz," Doug replied. He waited until Caro had turned before mouthing, You owe me.

Teylor shrugged. Doug would no doubt demand some completely unreasonable favor, he might even hold the pictures hostage until the favor was done, but Teylor didn't care. Tonight the only thing that mattered was that Caroline was here, with him, and, for a few hours anyway, he wasn't a secret.