Men of Courage II Read Online Free PDF Page A

Liv.”
    She whipped around to face him, her eyes no longer sad but filled with fury. “Then stop making me sorry. Stop making me want things I can’t have.”
    His heart skipped a beat. Anticipation tightened his muscles. Holding her gaze with his, he ordered, “Tell me what you want.”
    She punched him in the shoulder—the equivalent of a fly landing. But what she lacked in physical force she made up for with antagonism. “You know damn good and well what I’m talking about.”
    He caught her upper arms, overcome with a turbulent combination of fury, hope…desperate need. “Tell me anyway.”
    Going on tiptoe, she said, “Yes, sir, Colonel Wulf.”
    Her sarcasm pricked his frayed mood and his spine stiffened. “Liv…”
    “First and foremost, I want a life free from worry.”
    Leave it to Liv to want the impossible.
    Shaking his head, Hamilton said, “Ain’t gonna happen, Liv, no matter how you dodge me. Everyone has worries, about money, about family, about job security. It comes with being alive, with being cognizant of our surroundings and our own mortality.” Ham caressed her shoulder. “I know how hard it is. Wives worry about their husbands—and husbands worry about their wives. But the military does the best it can to ensure everyone can at least feel safe from the violence that plagues a lot of other countries.”
    He didn’t mean to preach, but for as long as he could remember, he felt unwavering pride in his country and the armed forces that kept it strong and kept it free. In his younger days, he’d thought about joining the army or the marines. Then, when he was fourteen, he joined the Civil Air Patrol and got his first chance to fly an airplane.
    Instantly hooked, he changed his focus to the air force.
    When he met Weston, he also met Liv. In time, his love of the air force grew, as did his love for Liv. Now at thirty-seven, nothing had changed. He still wanted them both. He’d never stop wanting them.
    With bitterness reeking in her tone, Liv said, “I know all about the military, but my perspective is just a little different from yours. I know about wishing my dad could be home on my birthday, or when I was sick, or when I just missed him and didn’t want to be alone.”
    “He should have been there.” But a variety of missions had kept Weston away. Since he often couldn’t be there in person, he should have at least been there in spirit. A card, a gift…
    He’d never made Liv a priority. He’d never attempted to make his time away easier on her. He’d never let his daughter know that he cared, that he thought of her and worried and wanted what was best for her.
    Liv made a rude sound of disagreement. “Air Force Intelligence had more important duties for Dad than placating a whiny little girl.” Duties that put him at an awful risk. “Some of the places he went to were terrifying, and he stayed there for so long that there were times when I went to bed at night that I wouldn’t know if he was dead or alive.”
    “That was Weston’s choice, honey, not a code of military conduct.”
    An angry laugh preceded angrier words. “When I asked him about it, when I told him I missed him, he accused me of being selfish.” Big tears swam in her eyes and she furiously blinked them away. “He made me feel so…so…” When her voice broke, so did Ham’s heart. “I felt guilty for wanting him to spend time with me.”
    “Shh.” Ham desperately wanted to ease her pain. But all he could do was reassure her, as many times as it took. “I’m not him, Liv. I’m not Weston, not OSI, and I would never let you worry if I could help it.”
    Incredulous, her mouth fell open, then snapped shut. “You wouldn’t let me worry? That’s rich.” She swiped at her cheeks, dashing away the tears. “Do you have any idea what it did to me when you went into Kosovo? Or what about Afghanistan? And oh, God, I can’t even think about Iraq without shaking and feeling ill and…” Her loss of