Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 102282 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102282 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“Here we go!” Renzo yelled as he deployed the chute, which went without a hitch. It whipped them back, the recoil harder than Canaan had expected, but exhilarating too. The wind stopped rushing up, and they started a peaceful descent. The ground got closer and closer, houses and fields coming more into focus. The perspective he’d gained earlier sharpened now—it didn’t much matter where they landed as long as it was together. And since they were together, he was going to enjoy the ride down.
“Oh my God,” Canaan gasped with that realization, his first sound since they’d exited the plane.
“Still with me?” Renzo laughed. “You want to try steering the parachute like Roy showed you?”
“Yeah.” Canaan let him show him what to do as they floated down. He was able to move the parachute in subtle ways that delighted him, catching the current, trying to maximize their time in the air. The training video had said the average jump was seven minutes, but it felt more like twenty seconds, ground rushing up faster than he would have liked. Through it all, he was hyper aware of Renzo’s presence, of the way all Renzo’s focus seemed to be on him, on making sure he had a good jump.
The landing was soft and easy, not the harsh thud Canaan had expected, and they were both laughing as they touched down.
“We did it. Oh my God, we did it.” Canaan looked skyward as Renzo started the process of unclipping them.
“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“It was all right,” Canaan deadpanned, then started laughing again. “Damn. When can we do that again?”
Renzo audibly swallowed hard. “December. We’ll jump again in December for your graduation.”
“Yeah?” Canaan bit the corner of his lip.
“Promise. My vision has a lot more jumps together in it. A lot more of everything.”
“Mine too.” Canaan’s throat was tight, emotions packed in, one on top of the other. The jump had been everything, and he was more determined than ever to make their shared dreams a reality. It would be a lot like the jump—a steady climb where the future seemed further and further away, where they had to trust that the ride down would be worth it, that they’d land in one piece. And they would. Because they were together. Because they’d do the hard work, make the hard changes to make it happen. Because they both believed. Because they both trusted. Because they both loved, deep and true.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Nine months later
“Bianchi, could you look more ready to be stateside?” Alvarez, a stocky man with a great sense of humor, bumped his shoulder.
Renzo loved that he was Bianchi to these guys, having left Rooster behind in California. He’d earned these guys’ respect, jump after jump, day after day, and even the good-natured teasing made him feel welcome. “You know it.” He was up out of his seat before they even finished taxiing. “You tell your wife and kids hello for me.”
“Man, I can’t wait to see the kids.” Alvarez followed him down the aisle. They were unexpectedly ahead of schedule, so most of the families wouldn’t be on base to greet them, but Renzo sure wasn’t going to complain about a few extra hours. Finally getting a decent signal, he sent a few fast texts.
“Hey, Bianchi! Hold up.” Renzo’s new LT, Lieutenant Hwang, called out to him as they exited the plane.
Fuck. Last time he’d heard similar words, his whole life had changed, but he forced himself to calm his breathing.
“That was first-class work out there.” The LT nodded at him. “Rare to see jumps go so smoothly. You got it done.”
“Thank you, sir.” Renzo let the praise wash over him. It had been a long few weeks, but deeply satisfying too, the work he’d done to make their mission a success.
“I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to personally wish you good luck on the test. You’re going to pass regardless, but you’ve got the whole team pulling for you.”
“Thank you. That means a lot, sir.” Renzo would sit for his chief’s exam next week, something he’d been studying for even while deployed. The team was counting on him making rank, and he wasn’t going to let anyone down, including himself.
“Bianchi, you got a ride?” The senior chief came striding over to them. “And good luck. Enjoy your days off, but study hard.”
“I will, sir. And yes, I’m riding with Lewis.”
It still felt weird, not heading back to the barracks. Lewis, their medic, was waiting for him after he finished with the LT and senior chief. Lewis’s husband was a Realtor, and one of Renzo’s favorite people in the area.
“How many times did you check in about your truck?” Lewis joked as they walked to his little compact.
“It’s fine. I’ve got pictures to prove it.” Renzo wasn’t joking about that. The truck had had adventures while he’d been deployed—antique fairs and home improvement stores had factored prominently in the pictures he’d received of the truck in action.