Perfect Soldier: The Complete Story (5-Part BBW Military Romance Novel) (6 page)

Chapter
Five

Catherine

I collapsed into bed alone that night, exhausted and
grateful for the simple pleasure of its warmth on this terribly cold night. Of
course, it would have been better to have Colt next to me, but it hardly
mattered since I fell asleep within minutes.

When I woke up after my long slumber, I realized it
was Monday. My only day off of the week. I might have spent my time missing
Colt, wondering where exactly he was in Vegas and what he was doing, but the
truth was I didn’t really have the time or the energy to waste on that. My two
finals were coming up this week and I needed to do all I could to make sure I
was prepared for them. After all, if I couldn’t pass my basic Bio and Chem
classes, I could say goodbye to the dream of going to vet school.

As luck would have it, I had back-to-back tests on
Friday. One from 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM, the other from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM. I made
a mental note to call Mike and let him know I couldn’t come in until around
7:00 PM this Friday night. But damn, Friday was going to be a brutal day. I lay
there in bed, trying to plan out a study schedule for the week ahead, but
realized I might as well get up and get to it. There surely was no time to be
wasted.

I felt pretty good about my Chemistry final; I’d
received good grades on the first couple of quizzes and the midterm. It was Bio
that I was worried about; this was the class I was always having to leave early
to get to work. My grades were OK, but not stellar. I’d have to do well on this
final if I wanted to boost them up to the appropriate level.

Within an hour of getting up, I was sitting down on
the couch in the living room, my bio books, notes, and lab reports spread out
across the coffee table in seeming disarray. But there was a method to my madness.
My plan was to read through all my lecture notes in chronological order, go
through textbooks if there were any points that were unclear, and then focus on
questions I missed on earlier exams.

***

Colton

I woke up right outside of Amarillo, TX. Garrett was
driving, while I had been dozing in the front seat, Tyson doing the same in the
back. It was around 10 AM and the sun was blazing. Truth be told, I don’t know
how I even managed to sleep this late. I felt a bit groggy, but there was
something nice about being back in Texas.

I looked over at the dash and saw we were low on
gas.

“Hey, next gas station, you wanna pull over and fill
up? Give me a chance to drive,” I said to Garrett, adjusting myself so that I
was now sitting straight up in the passenger seat.

“Sounds good to me. I’m looking to get some
breakfast, too. I’ve only had a coffee this morning and I’m close to starving.”

“Well, we’re near Amarillo, should be some place
around here.”

“Right.”

About thirty minutes later we came across a spot
that looked suitable to our needs. Garrett pulled into the small, dingy diner
and I turned around to shake Tyson awake.

“I’m up, I’m up dammit,” said Tyson groggily,
struggling to open his eyes in the brightness of the Texas sun. “We’re here
already?”

“No, we’re in Texas you dumbass,” said Garrett.

“Yeah, we’ve still got about eleven or so hours to
go, buddy,” I said, stepping out of the truck and onto the pavement of the
parking lot.

Tyson and I walked into the diner while Garrett went
over to a nearby gas station, telling us to order him an omelet in his absence.
I thought momentarily about texting Cat, just a small “hey, how are you?”

Part of me thought that there was no need to bother
her with something petty like that. But the truth was I liked having any
connection with her, no matter how small or insignificant. It was nice knowing
she was still there on the other side. I decided to send a text her way. It
would give me something to look forward to as we drove the long stretches of
highway the rest of the day.

***

Catherine

I got a text from Colt just before 11 AM. They were
apparently in Texas, grabbing a quick breakfast before heading out on the rest
of their trip. It looked like they would make it to Vegas in time to spend some
time out at the card tables that night. Though I wondered what the merits were
of playing cards on so little sleep after a twenty-two hour trip. They were
likely to be dead-tired, and it seemed to me that was a pretty good way to lose
a lot of money real quick.

I kept that thought to myself though, not wanting to
sound like some overly-concerned, nagging girlfriend. Besides, I knew Colt had
good judgment (not sure if the same could be said for Tyson and Garrett.)

I texted Colt back to tell him I was studying, that
I had finals later this week. The studying was going well so far, but it was
fairly early in the process. Just because I hadn’t stumbled on anything
unfamiliar yet didn’t mean that it wouldn’t happen. I also had my final two
classes later that day. Hopefully my professors would have some good hints
about what material to focus on as we prepared for finals.

The texting continued on throughout the day, a
message here, a message there. It was kind of a nice rhythm actually. I’d study
for about thirty minutes, get a text from Colt, answer, and repeat. It was a
great way to break up the monotony of my attempt to commit the most obscure
biology terms to memory. I’d made flashcards for precisely that purpose, over
one hundred of them, and just going through the cycle once was really
mind-numbing.

Around three o’clock I had to give up the process,
since I needed to get ready and drive to class. I’d be so grateful for the
coming winter break. It dawned on me that Colt would be around for Christmas,
or in the U.S. at least. Was he going back to Texas to see family? He still
hadn’t told me what was waiting for him back there. I guess time would tell.

As for right now, I had class, then a night full of
studying. I’d be so damn happy once this week was over – for more reasons than
one.

Chapter
Six

Colton

We pulled into our hotel in Vegas after 10:00 PM.
Everyone was tired, burnt out from the long day on the road, the countless
stops at gas stations and fast food joints. Yet still, we were dead set on
hitting the town that night.

We headed up to our room, a large suite with a bed
for each. If we played our cards right, I mean literally
played our cards
right
, we would win enough money to pay for the whole damn thing. That was
the plan anyway; this trip was supposed to fund itself and send us home with a
little extra coin.

We took turns hopping in the shower. Tyson got out a
bottle of Jack, something to give us a bit of energy and loosen us up after the
trip before we headed downstairs. After a shower and a couple shots, I actually
did feel somewhat energized. Besides, there was something electrifying about
being in this city with its bright lights and constant activity – even on a
Monday night.

I didn’t want to go too hard tonight, we’d be here
all week after all. The trick was to cut our losses short if we were having a
bad night of it, and stay on the tables whenever we were making a run. Easier
said than done – it’s hard to be rational when you’re gambling. Losing money
can take a real toll on the psyche. Winning, on the other hand, can make you
too cocksure and get you into risky situations.

I figured I’d take it easy tonight. I did the best I
could to put Cat out of my mind as soon as I was at the poker table. I needed
full concentration, absolutely no outside distractions whatsoever. There would
be plenty of time to think about Cat as I drifted off to sleep later that
night, anyway.

I didn’t stay at the table long that night. I
started off with several bad hands and figured I’d get out of there before I
lost too much money. I didn’t want to destroy my confidence for the remainder
of the week. You need confidence to be a good card player.

I decided to walk around and find Garrett and Tyson.
I was down about $200 so far; maybe they were having better luck. A little
while later, I found them at a blackjack table and decided I’d join them.
Blackjack isn’t really my game, but I figured what the hell, I’d give it a
shot.

At first I wasn’t putting much money down. I don’t
have a ton of experience with blackjack, and by that I mean I don’t know how to
count cards or anything. So in a lot of ways I wasn’t really at an advantage.
But I ended up winning a few rounds and soon I was laying down some serious
money. I took a loss here and there, but on my final hand I ended up winning
big and cashed out. I had turned my $200 loss into a $500 gain for the night.

I knew to take the money and run. I was lucky just
to be back above even. Besides, it was past 2:00 AM and I knew I didn’t have
the focus to keep playing a serious game.

“Guys, I’m gonna call it quits for the night,” I
said, grabbing my chips so I could go cash out.

“Damn man, you serious? You’re up big, why not let
it ride?” asked Garrett.

“Because I know when I’m winning on luck and when
I’m winning on skill. Tonight is pure luck,” I said as I tapped my chips
against the felt of the table. “And luck can run out real quick.”

“He’s got a point,” said Tyson. “I’m cashing out,
too.”

“Damn, well I’m not sticking around here by myself,”
said Garrett. “What do you say we move this party to a strip club, eh? Who’s
with me?”

“I’m tired,” I said. “I’m heading to bed.”

“Aw c’mon, man. It’s Vegas.”

“It’s just not for me.”

“He’s thinking about that girl back home,” said
Tyson giving me a nudge. “Cat, the bartender.”

“You can’t be serious. You’re letting a girl ruin
out Vegas trip?” said Garrett. He seemed annoyed with me.

“You guys can go. It’s not my thing. Even if I
wasn’t with Cat, I didn’t come here for that type of debauchery. I came to win
money. Now, I’ve won some money tonight. I’m calling it quits before I lose
it.”

“Oh, so you’re
with
her now? When did this
happen?” asked Garret accusingly.

“I misspoke. I don’t know if we’re together. I guess
we sort of are. Anyway, what’s it to you? It’s not stopping you from going to a
strip club. Here,” I said, handing him a $100 bill. “Have a lap dance on me.”

“Alright, alright. I’m done hassling you, buddy.
Keep your money. I get it, man. She seems great. I’d probably do the same in
your position,” said Garrett.

“We
are
still going to a strip club, right?”
asked Tyson.

“Of course we are.”

“Alright, then. Enjoy it, boys. Don’t waste all your
money. It’s always better playing on the winnings of the night before,” I said
as we shook hands.

I left them there, walking out of the casino and
into the lobby where I took the elevator up to our room. I figured I’d watch a
little TV as I fell asleep. I never cashed out my chips, realizing I could just
use them tomorrow. I truly hoped that the guys would have fun tonight, but for
me that just wasn’t the life.

I didn’t know whether or not Cat and I were actually
together or what the future had in store for us, but I was willing to give it a
chance. As I lay there in bed I reached over for my phone on the nightstand to
text her. It was just something simple:
Hope your day went well. Goodnight
.
Just something to let her know I was still there.

Chapter
Seven

Catherine

I woke up Tuesday to a text from Colt, just him
saying goodnight and that he hopes I had a good day. The timestamp was past
2:30 AM. Of course, I’d fallen asleep long before them, completely wiped out
from my day of class and studying.

My last classes had been low key. The professors had
reviewed material and given us some good hints about what to expect for the
exam. They also gave us study guides that made my life supremely easier over
the days that followed. It’s not that it made the material simpler to grasp or
remember, but at least it allowed me to focus my efforts in the right places.

The next few days were a whirlwind. Nearly every
hour outside of work was spent studying for exams. The only time I relaxed was
when I allowed myself a solitary glass of wine each night, which I drank while
watching a bit of TV to unwind. Exhausted as I was, I found myself falling
asleep on the couch, TV on and glass of wine still half full. Whenever this
happened, I’d get up, move to the bed, and crash for the rest of the night.
Then I’d wake up and do it all over again.

Before I knew it, it was Friday, Exam day. This was
what I head been dreading all week, two finals and then the busiest night of
the week at work. I hadn’t heard much from Colt over the past few days. He
seemed more distant, preoccupied. I suppose that was natural enough, being in
Vegas as he was.

I tried not to dwell on it or let it distract me in
any way. I wasn’t sure where things stood with Colt, but that didn’t change any
of my plans regarding my own life. I was still focused on getting into Vet
school, and acing these exams was my top priority.

When I showed up for the first exam, I was completely
calm and prepared. I knew I’d put in the required time studying, now it was
just time to execute. It’s strange, I’ve never felt so confident about things
before. As I sat down at my desk and began the test, my mind was in exactly the
right place.

The hours went by quickly. When I was doing that
first exam, it was like I was in my own little world. Time seemed to stand
still for me, the answers to each question coming almost effortlessly. I
finished the last question and handed the exam in fifteen minutes early. This
gave me time to spare, time to get to my next exam, Biology, which was in a
different building all the way across campus.

The mid-December air was cold against the skin of my
face, but I hardly noticed. I was running on adrenaline, feeling even more
confident than before as I strode across the frigid campus. Chemistry had gone
well, I just knew it. But that was also my better subject. I knew Bio would be
a more difficult test.

A few days earlier, I might have been content with
just a passing grade in Biology. But now I was more optimistic. I wanted to
hold myself to a higher standard. I reminded myself on the walk over to remain
calm. I’d studied hard, probably harder than most of the students in my class.
It was time to put my newly acquired knowledge to good use.

Then I received a text:

                  
Good luck, Cat. You’re gonna ace it. I just know it.

That made me smile to myself. I put my phone back
into my purse, shutting it off beforehand, knowing the professor’s policy about
no phones during tests. I’d text Colt back after the exam to let him know how
it went.

***

Colton

I looked down at my watch as the dealer cut the deck
and continued shuffling the cards. Cat had her exams today. I wondered how they
were going. I wanted to call, ask her about them. Offer her a final wish of
good luck. But I thought that might be a distraction. Besides, I didn’t know if
maybe she was already in an exam and would get in trouble for answering her
phone. So I decided to send her a text.

I couldn’t wait to see Cat, especially given how
this week had gone. We hadn’t talked much lately. She was busy with her life,
and I with mine. It’s not that we didn’t want to, it just didn’t seem
necessary. Talking on the phone was a poor substitute for being together in
person. Besides, right now we had our own things to concentrate on. Chemistry
and Biology for her, and poker for me.

I’d been winning all night, all week, actually.
Sure, I lost a hand now and again, folded countless times. But I always seemed
to stay in when the big money was around. I met so many different people that
week, some real stellar players, others quite amateur. Lots of interesting
people from all over the country came to this place in the desert, this place
of lax laws and the potential for big winnings.

But the truth was that most of them went home with
less money than they came there with. The house always wins, or so they say. I
was beating the odds, one of the few people taking the casinos for what they
were worth. After a while, the dealers at one casino wouldn’t deal to me, so
I’d uproot and head to another. Each time I put on an act, as if I was just
some lucky fool from the Midwest, but it didn’t take them long to realize I was
ruthless as a card player.

I went to casino after casino, my winnings
multiplying all along the way. I had a big hand right now. It was my final
night in Vegas. It was then that I realized that sometimes it makes sense to
take big risks in a card game, just as it made sense to take big risks in life.
I was going for it all.

“All in,” I said.

It went around table, each player folding in turn.
This was the biggest pot I’d won all week. It wasn’t just luck, it was skill.
I’d spent the whole night earning my reputation at the poker table, and now I
was coming away with the spoils. But I was smart, I knew when to quit. This
would be my last game of the entire trip.

“Thank you, gentlemen. Enjoy the evening.”

I flipped a few chips to the dealer – what amounted
to $300 worth. Not a bad tip, not bad at all. That was chump change right now.
I didn’t know exactly how much I’d won until I cashed out. Seeing those numbers
on the receipt sent my heart racing. Was this a mistake?

I brought it back to the window and asked the
attendant if there had been some sort of error, if he’d accidentally given me
someone else’s receipt.

“No, sir that’s yours. You’ve had a good night,
don’t question it,” said the man with a wry smile.

He gave off the impression that he didn’t often get
to say that to most of the patrons at the casino.

“Sound advice,” I said.

Garrett and Tyson were in another casino a few
blocks down and I headed out to meet up with them. I was anxious to get home. I
wanted to see Cat, to have her share my happiness with me, the happiness borne
out of the incredible events of this week. I was going to see if Garrett and
Tyson would be interested in heading back one day early. It was only around
8:00 PM. If we drove through the night, on those empty desert highways, we
might be able to make it back sometime tomorrow afternoon.

***

Catherine

Dammit. This test was impossible, absolutely
impossible. At first it had seemed like a breeze, but the last few questions
appeared to cover material that hadn’t even been on the study guide. They might
as well have been written in Greek or Latin for all I knew.

Still, I did my best to power through. I read and
re-read them, searching for some sort of meaning or understanding that would
allow me to answer them correctly. The only thing I really had going for me was
that they were multiple choice. I could at least rule out the answers that
seemed obviously wrong. If I could get it down to the choice between two
answers, at least I’d have a 50-50 shot.

I’d finished the rest of the test quickly, so I had
time to ponder these last several questions awhile. I searched my memory,
trying to find some hint, some recognition from the past that would point me in
the right direction. Ultimately, I had nothing.

It was nearing the end of the test and coming up on
the time when I would have to leave for work. I jotted down my last few
answers, making an educated guess of things. There was no point in sticking
around and going over my answers again and again. If I didn’t know them now, I
wouldn’t know them five minutes from now, or ten minutes from now, etc.

I walked to the front of the classroom and handed in
my test. The professor took it directly from me and gave it a cursory look,
flipping between the pages to look at my answers. He looked up at me, a small
smile crossing his face. He seemed satisfied. I decided to take that as a
positive sign.

As I walked out to my car, I felt my mood start to
change for the better. Sure, I had several hours of work ahead, but I was also
about to start my winter break. No more school for the next month. With the crazy
schedule I’d been running the past several months, I could certainly handle one
where I only had my job at the bar. Hell, I might even pick up an extra shift
or two to earn a little more cash. I had the energy. And I certainly needed the
money.