Jennifer LaBrecque - In the Line of Fire

H ED DAMN WELL RATHER face a firing squad than escort Andromeda Andi Mitchell down the aisle at her wedding and give her away to another man. U.S. Army Major Colton Sawyer propped his booted feet on the edge of the makeshift table in his barracks in Afghanistan. Thats not going to work, he said over the dismal phone connection to his buddy Rion Mitchell.

Rion, also stationed in Afghanistan but at a different base, said, Colton, my leaves been denied. You know how the army can be. Theres no rhyme or reason to some of these decisions. There truly was no rationale sometimes behind whether one soldier was denied leave and another granted his or hers. Rion and Colton had both applied for leave to attend Rions sisters wedding and catch up. I cant walk her down the aisle if Im not there so youre the next best thing, bro. Youve gotta stand in for me.

Colton rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand. Dammit. He and Rion had grown up next door to one another. Not only were their mothers best friends, he and Rion had been best friends since diaperdom. They were closer than brothers. Growing up, Colton had spent as much time at the Mitchell house as his own, and vice versa.

When Rions father was killed in a car crash in Florida en route to a conference, fifteen-year-old Colton had grieved as deeply as the Mitchell family over the loss. The entire Sawyer family had been bereft over the loss of their dear friend. Gerald Mitchell, an astronomy professor, had named his children Andromeda and Orion and even given Colton his own honorary constellation name of Pyxis. Hed claimed Colton should be known as the compass because a person could always count on Coltons course to be steady. But this was one time he simply couldnt stay the course.

He grasped at another solution. What about your cousin Eli? It should be a family member.

Eli lives in some remote town in Alaska, Rion countered. Im sure he wont be flying in from Good Riddance or wherever the hell he lives just for Andis wedding. And youre like family. Cmon, Pyxis, he said. If Dad could handpick someone to replace him and me in this role, you know hed say you.

Damn, Rion. He could sell an Eskimo an icemaker in December. Yeah, well, hows your mother going to feel about this?

No one ever called it a nervous breakdown, but in retrospect thats exactly what had happened to Daisy Mitchell following her husbands death. Shed gotten better, but shed never, ever been the same. She had an almost obsessive compulsion to not let Andi and Rion out of her sight. The family vacations the Mitchells and Sawyers had taken together became a thing of the past. Obviously her fears were driven by Geralds death while he was travelingin Daisys world, the only safe place was Savannah.

Colton had known from the time he was a boy he wanted a military career. Hed known his calling was to serve and protect. Hed never made any secret of it and had joined ROTC the minute he could sign up for it in school. Rion had joined as well but had never seemed particularly interested in making the military his career. However, during his senior year that all shifted and he had decided the army was the route he wanted to take, as well. Sure, as best friends he and Rion had discussed Rions options and his decision, but Colton hadnt swayed him one way or the other. However, when Rion announced his decision to leave Savannah and join the army after college, Daisy had suffered another minibreakdown. And somewhere along the way shed figured Colton was to blame for what she saw as her sons desertion. Shed never come right out and said it, but shed implied it to him more than once and hed never quite felt welcome in her home again. He couldnt imagine shed want him walking Andi down the aisle.

Momll be fine with it. Colton could almost see Rions nonchalant shrug. I keep thinking Andi will change her mind.

Something inside him suspended at Rions declaration even though it wouldnt change Coltons situation. Why would you think that?

I just dont think hes the right guy for her. I dont know that he appreciates her fun-loving spirit. Hell, I dont think Andis really in love with him. I think shes settling for someone she likes well enough but then what the hell do I know, I only met the dude once.

Colton felt twisted inside. He wanted Andi to be happy. You picked a helluva time to bring it up now when shes getting married in two weeks. And in part that was because Colton went out of his way not to discuss Andi with Rion. Rion knew him too well. For years now, Andi had been a topic best avoided, in Coltons opinion.

Yeah, well, Andis got to make her own choices. We all have to make our own choices, dont we, and then live with the consequences? Rion was known to make the cryptic comment now and then. So, cmon, Pyxis, as an honorary member of the Mitchell family, say youll fill in for me and walk Andi down the aisle to give her away to rising junior bank executive Blanton Prichard.