Silver Spoon
A Silver Publishing Book
Silver Spoon
Copyright © 2013 by Cheyenne Meadows
E-book ISBN: 9781614958949
First E-book Publication: March 2013
Cover design by Lee Tiffin
Editor: Jason Huffman
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Silver Publishing
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All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
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This book is written in US English.
PUBLISHER
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Note from the Publisher
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Silver Publishing
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Dedication
In memory of Cuddles, my constant companion, the best furry friend a person could have. Writing won't be the same without you lying across the computer desk asking for belly rubs, sitting in front of the monitor to snare my attention, or simply resting on the heating vent to soak up the warmth while I worked. You always knew when it was time to quit work for the day, to receive your dinner, and snuggle for the rest of the evening.
You were with me through this whole journey; I just wish you were still here to see the rest. I miss you more than I can say. Rest in peace little girl.
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Styrofoam
: Dow Chemical Company
Jell-O
: Kraft Foods, Inc.
Grammy
: National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc.
Three Stooges
: C3 Entertainment, Inc.
Desert Eagle
: Magnum Research, Inc.
Chapter 1
Spoon punched his cell phone off with a muttered curse. He knew better than to speak with his father, especially lately.
"Is he hassling you again?" Loco asked from across the weight bench where the men currently lifted arm weights.
Spoon glanced up at the sandy-haired Marine who matched him in height and build. "Unfortunately."
Supposedly, the world's resources of diamonds were drying up, leading to a highly competitive market for the few remaining newly dug rocks worth reaching the retail setting. His father had scrambled, pulled every string, and outwardly bribed mine owners to give him first selection. This painstaking process had made him realize he needed a right hand man. He'd chosen Spoon.
"You don't owe him anything. Hell, a Komodo dragon would have made a better father than he did."
Counting under his breath with each curl, Spoon nodded in muted agreement. All of the Wind Warriors knew of his background and had never failed to provide support and understanding, much more appreciated than the taunting and blatant harassment he endured early in his military career. Just because his parents were wealthy didn't mean he benefited from free access to their monetary funds.
The subject of his childhood had come up more than once, with more frequency now that his father threw all his weight into forcing Spoon into the family business. A place the retired Green Beret refused to go. Ever.
Taking a breath, he replaced the free weight back on the rack. "I just wish he would learn to take 'no' for an answer. Pending that, another lingering mission comes up where I'll be incommunicado for the next three months."
Loco picked up the recently deposited dumbbell, letting it fall to his side before lifting up once more. "I'm with you on the 'no' business, but a three month assignment would suck."
"Afraid Oakley would find a replacement?"
"Nah. She loves me. Besides, she's become quite spoiled with my special talents. No other man could stack up," he boasted, puffing out his chest and waggling his eyebrows even as he finished the set and relaxed both arms straight for a moment, shaking them to work out the kinks.
Spoon grinned at his best friend. "You're one lucky dog, I'll give you that." He had met Loco's fiancée on several occasions, even before the pair became an item. She made the sun rise and set with her compassion, caring, and upbeat attitude. A man could do worse, much worse, than have her at his side for a lifetime.
"Believe me, I know it." Loco threw a quick smile over his shoulder as he moved to the other side of the free weight area to the pull-up bar.
Spoon applauded the other Wind Warrior team members in finding their other halves and remained envious of the sheer happiness he spied on their faces these days. In all honesty, he never expected to find the perfect woman, to marry, and raise a family. None of the guys did. Their jobs inherently included too much danger not only to themselves but to anyone close to them. However, that fact didn't stop any of the others who found strong females willing to not only stand but fight alongside them if necessary.
The only single one left, Spoon felt a new burden upon his shoulders. He wanted what they had. A beautiful woman to come home to, who loved him for who he was, and wasn't afraid to deal with any backlash from his current occupation. Seeing how contented the others were pushed his shoulders down in resignation. Never before had loneliness planted itself at his doorstep and refused to move on.
Damn, soldier. Snap out of it.
Spoon mentally shook himself, trying to dislodge the melancholy from his system. He needed to get past this funk that had hung over him like a persistent rain cloud for the past couple of weeks.
Normally, he lived in the present, never focusing on what he lacked or measuring his life against others. His childhood taught him that comparing himself to peers led down a road of frustration and pipe dreams, and proved an illusion that, while right for another, didn't fit him like the glove he envisioned.
Maybe he just needed a vacation? Get away from everything for a week or two, find an escape with no stress, just good old fashioned R and R. He snorted. Who was he kidding? His job and now his persistent father would either prevent or continually pester him the entire time.
Barring a fluke, his next best idea would just have to work, his trusty stand-by. Hit up one of the local dance bars, find a hot and willing woman, and spend the night releasing pent up stress in the time honored method preferred by men. He worked off some steam, she enjoyed her night, they both went separate ways the following morning. The best situation of all.
"Spoon? Earth to Spoon."
Loco's voice broke through his thoughts. "What?" He used the end of a towel to wipe his perspiring face.
"I asked if you wanted to come to dinner with Oakley and me."
He stood and grabbed another set of weights. "Nah. I don't want to intrude."
"You wouldn't be. She likes you, you know." Loco plopped down on the vacated bench.
"Still. No thanks." He lifted both arms over his head, using upper body strength to push the dumbbells to a full arm extension each time. When finished, he puffed out a tired breath. "I think I'll hit the dance bar tonight, instead."
Loco's eyebrows shot up as the corners of his mouth curled upward. "Tomcatting, huh?"
"You know it," Spoon replied with a grin before repeating the exercise once more.
"One of these days you'll find a woman worth coming home to."
Softly replacing the dumbbells, Spoon shot his best friend a glance. "I don't know about that. Right now there is half a world full of women that I haven't yet sampled. That should be enough to keep me busy for a couple more years anyway."
"I used to think that, too."
Spoon shrugged. "So many women, so little time. Besides, I doubt there is a single woman around that can hold my attention for an entire month, let alone a lifetime."
Chapter 2
Riley checked her watch for the tenth time since leaving for lunch as she maneuvered around slower moving vehicles on one of the major roads in the city. Nothing like lunch hour traffic to make one late to work.
Dang it.
She chastised herself once more for being too lazy to fix a lunch that morning, instead relying on a local restaurant for her meal. Along with half the city. After standing in line for twenty minutes, she finally collected her sandwich and soup in just enough time to inhale the meal before rushing back to work on an overcrowded street.