Undetected (24 page)

“You and I have different tempos as it relates to work. I can call the workday done, and when I walk away from the sub, I can relax, go be on the water or go play guitar with
the guys. You find it difficult to relax. Your head is always at some level at work—the job is always with you.”

She glanced at the desk full of notes and the terminal with multiple screens of code open. She'd been right here for most of the last five weeks. “I'm afraid you're right about that.”

“It's the nature of what you do, Gina, that new concepts come at any time of day or night. You should be grabbing a pad of paper and pen when the ideas are there. I might be able to help you, though, when it comes to leaving the desk and stepping away from it all for a while, to find the value in rest and play.”

“The last five weeks prove your premise. My life was more balanced when you were in Bangor than it was when you were in Connecticut. You're good for me, Daniel.”

He started to say something, then must have thought better of it. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his hands on his knee. “I thought up a few jokes to tell you while I was in Groton. Want to hear them?”

“Sure.”

“What color is red in the dark?”

“I don't know.”

“I don't know either.”

“That's awful.” But she couldn't help but laugh.

Daniel smiled. “What time does the sun come up?”

She shook her head.

“Sunrise.”

She laughed. “Awfully lame.”

“They get worse. What times does a bear get up?” He waited a beat. “Whenever his wife wants him to.”

She struggled to stop the laughter. “Please don't quit your day job. You must have had a lot of downtime out there.”

Daniel smiled, then leaned forward and gently kissed her. “I'm glad I'm back.”

“Wrapping up for the night?”

Gina turned, saw Mark walking down the hall toward her. “Yes. I just pulled the server. Connolly is securing it for me.” She glanced back toward her office, noticed the light was off. Daniel had gone downstairs with the box of books she'd asked him to carry out for her. She fell into step beside Mark when he gestured to the stairs.

“Thanks for sending Daniel over. He's been a help.”

Mark held out a bag of pretzels. “You're welcome. Did he make you laugh?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling as she pulled out a pretzel.

“Good.” They headed toward the entrance.

He really had stopped wearing his wedding ring. She had to be the most unobservant woman ever when it came to guys. Mark wasn't here by accident tonight; he'd come looking for her. She wasn't ready to deal with Mark and Daniel in the same evening. “I'll have this idea on video and ready to present in a few days.”

“You had a breakthrough?”

“A lot of small things that finally yielded the processing speed I need.” She'd pushed through work that should have taken five months in five weeks, and she was feeling it.

“Daniel is still here?”

“Yes. A friend dropped off his car. He's giving me a lift home.”

“Anything I can do for you?”

“Would you proofread the document for me this weekend?”

“Sure. Are you okay, Gina?”

“What . . . why do you ask?”

“You look somewhat overwhelmed.”

She didn't respond right away. “Yeah, I am.” She was having to make decisions about what to focus on when she was done here, where to work next, what the future was with Daniel, what to tell Mark.

He stopped walking, held her gaze. “I'm not apologizing for my part in your feeling overwhelmed. But the fact that you are bothers me.”

She half smiled. “I wouldn't know what to do with it if you did apologize,” she admitted. “Daniel said you picked him up at the airport. Why are you being helpful against your own interests, Mark?”

“Maybe I'm simply thinking of yours first.”

“Don't hurry me to make a decision.”

He smiled. “It's not in my interest to do so—you'd choose Daniel. The
Nevada
is back in port in two weeks, and I'm soon going to be as overwhelmed with work as you've been. But I'm in the office tomorrow with no meetings on the schedule. Want to stop by?”

She should tell him no. Only four hours before, Daniel had leaned over and kissed her. “I'll see,” she finally replied. She did like this man. She just didn't want to be involved with him until after she'd made a decision about Daniel. And she had no idea what that decision should be. She didn't even know what she wanted anymore.

“Quit worrying,” Mark said.

She glanced over at him.

“I can see your thoughts running in circles.”

Mark was beginning to understand her as well as Jeff did.
She'd always wanted someone who could see the real Gina. Through the outer door's glass she could see Daniel loading her box of books in his trunk. “I need to go.”

“You do.” Mark held the door for her. “Good night, Gina.”

“Good night, Mark.”

Gina wasn't surprised to find Jeff waiting for her. He'd been remarkably quiet about what was going on with Daniel and Mark, but she knew her brother hadn't missed much. At least he hadn't turned on the porch light when she'd arrived home with Daniel to see her share a good-night kiss. She set the books Daniel had carried to the door for her by the stairs, then went and found a soda. She settled on the chair across from the couch, and Jeff muted the show he was watching. “I'm going to Georgia with Daniel to meet his family,” she told him.

Jeff sat up straighter on the couch, leaned forward. “Okay.”

She half smiled. “It's just a visit.”

“Nothing is ‘just a visit' when it involves family, Gina, you know that. You've decided you're serious about him.”

“I might be. He's a wonderful guy.”

“Bishop is interested too.”

“I know.”

Jeff studied her, then said, “I like Daniel—I'm the one who introduced you, you'll remember. That said, even if there's nothing wrong with him, he still might not be the right choice for you.”

“You think Mark is a better option.”

“You'll have to decide that, Gina. Daniel is a great guy, but I had Bishop at the top of my list for a reason. Stay in Bangor
a while longer. Hang out with Bishop and get to know him. Give both men some time.”

She thought for a long moment before answering. “The
Nevada
returns in two weeks. The one thing Mark doesn't have is time. I'm going to Georgia with Daniel. That's what's in front of me at the moment. I'm not going to figure out the answer to the rest of it tonight. Where to head next for work is also in play.” She rubbed her forehead and the headache that was forming. She'd prayed for one good guy to be interested, and now she found herself struggling over what to do with two. At the moment, she had no idea.

“You're still thinking the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Pasadena?”

“Yes. You'll be glad to get your space back so you don't have to think twice before you invite Tiffany over.”

“I don't mind the company. The house has never been cleaner than it is now.”

She offered a smile. “Thanks. You've never got up the nerve to ask me, but just for the record—I like Tiffany a lot.”

“I think I love her,” Jeff admitted with a self-conscious smile.

“You've been pretty focused on her ever since I've been here. I've been wondering what you're thinking, and I'm glad. I'd like you to get married before I do.” She laughed at Jeff's expression. “Don't worry, I won't push.”

“Appreciate that,” Jeff said. “I got word the
Seawolf
is needed to backfill the USS
Jimmy
Carter
on a visit to Guam,” he mentioned. “I'll be away about 10 days. Unfortunately that may overlap with the commanders' meeting, depending on when you're ready to present your idea. I'm sorry about the timing.”

“It fits the way this month has been going. Daniel will be there, and Mark. I should be okay. When do you leave?”

“Probably three days. I'll know more tomorrow.”

“Let me know.” She got to her feet. “I'm beat, so I'm going to head up. Good night, Jeff.”

“G'night, Gina.”

Her thoughts didn't settle as she turned in for the night. She lay staring up at the ceiling, thinking about the turn life had taken, the guys now in her life.

Daniel Field. A wonderful man of faith, but one whose world was very different from hers—music, boating, a full schedule of people and friends. Actually the kind of guy she'd hoped to meet. No fatal flaws, just lots of good qualities in different measures. It would be so easy to fall in love with Daniel. When he smiled at her, she felt good about herself and life. She loved being considered his girlfriend.

She didn't know if she was what he needed in a wife. She didn't want to disappoint him. She wasn't at ease with people like he was, and she'd never kept a full social schedule. If Daniel fell in love with her, he would be compromising to accommodate such things as her fear of the water. But should she allow him to make those compromises?

“Lord, what do you want? What's best for Daniel? What's best for me?” she whispered, wishing that God would answer her out loud so she could have an immediate and certain reply. God had been helping her figure out puzzles since she was a little girl, and He would get her through this personal one. But she missed the certainty that came with a scientific discovery. In contrast, relationships were fluid and never ab
solute, just degrees of being the right decision. She wished with Daniel everything had been positive with no hesitation points. But she was wise enough to see she wasn't a perfect fit for him—she was merely a good one. So did that mean he wasn't the perfect fit for her?

A good marriage was her dream, and unless she turned both Daniel and her off the road they were on, he was going to ask her to marry him. This relationship could very well go the distance. She closed her eyes, seeing the day coming when Daniel would ask the question, show her the ring. She felt a stirring of joy at the idea. But also some stirrings of uncertainty rather than peace. She so feared making a mistake.

If only Mark hadn't said anything. She'd been clueless about his interest until he'd spoken up. She would have continued to see Daniel, only thinking about how to make it work with him. Now she was trying to weigh a second possibility that didn't fit into any of her assumptions.

Mark Bishop. An older man, a genuine Christian, married before, a friend of her brother—not what she had been visualizing. But maybe what she needed? She'd promised herself to consider anyone who was interested. She did like him. That was the emotion and thought that kept coming back to the surface.

Mark showed up, and she felt safe. He was a leader in charge of a crew, a man others looked up to. He'd also be able to take charge of things for her if she let him, be that buffer she needed, longed for. He treated her with gentleness and care, and she appreciated that more than she could put into words.