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at me. In a watchful way … a guarded way.
    I sit straighter when his eyes narrow. He shifts to face the wardroom entrance.
    Commander Claggett storms into the room like an ice pick in a sea of floating balloons. He dispenses with all pleasantries, not even acknowledging the others. “There you are,” he says. “I wondered where you’d disappeared to.” His tone is insolent and rude, like I’ve purposely been avoiding him. And I’ve heard this before, unfortunately.
    â€œWe need to send out the Hazard Report,” he says. “Come on. We’re going to Radio.”
    Keep your cool, Sara. Just keep your cool.
    â€œI’m sorry, Brian,” I say. “I have to go. Thanks for the coffee.”
    â€œYou’re welcome,” he says. He then looks to Commander Claggett. “We’ve called a detachment meeting in the hangar in thirty minutes to plan for tomorrow and see what we can do to help. Maybe you can stop by after you finish.”
    Commander Claggett nods and motions for me to leave. I follow him to the wardroom door where he stops before opening it. “And what’s with the hair? You need to put that up.”
    The blood rushes to my face and I grind my teeth. Hard. What an ass. What a complete ass. Everyone in the room just heard what he said, too. If I pride myself in one thing, it’s my professional comportment, in both manner and dress. I can’t believe he’s zeroing in on this when we’re in such a unique situation.
    I take another breath—a deep, composing one—gather my hair, and tuck it down the back of my flight suit before starting forward.
    Fortunately, the crafting of the message is quick, so we return to the aircraft hangar, where the Shadow Hunters’ meeting is still in progress. Maintenance personnel are squeezed into nooks and crannies around their two aircraft, listening to Brian, who stands in the door of the maintenance office on the opposite side of the hangar. He motions for Commander Claggett to join him.
    I stay where I’m standing, and thirty pairs of eyes remain on me—I suppose I am a bit of a novelty on this ship—but when Brian gives the floor to Commander Claggett to report on the planned schedule of events, everyone’s attention shifts to him. Everyone’s attention except one. Eric’s eyes haven’t moved from my position. I hold his gaze for a moment before returning my focus to the front.
    When the meeting wraps, I make my way toward Commander Claggett. I don’t want him to complain about not being able to find me. By the time I reach him, he has already ducked into the maintenance office, huddled with Brian and the maintenance crew of the Shadow Hunters.
    I slip into the corner to wait and Eric quietly moves to my side. He holds out his hand to give me something. A rubber band.
    I stare at it, taken completely off guard. Day to day, the navy throws its share of curve balls, but I’m rarely surprised and almost always prepared. But this small act of kindness stuns me.
    I shift my eyes from the rubber band to him, at a loss for what to say. I’m so dreadfully embarrassed about the whole episode, I was hoping everyone would have forgotten. But someone obviously didn’t. It takes me several seconds to recover before I mouth the word “Thanks.”
    I pull my hair back, wrap it tightly in a bun, and fasten the rubber band around it as the rest of the Shadow Hunter pilots file into the office.
    â€œOkay, guys,” Brian says, “since flight ops will be on hold the next couple of days, this is going to be a great time for knocking out some training. Grady, do you have your lecture ready on Russian sub profiles?”
    â€œYep, all set. But be forewarned,” he says. “It’s Russian subs like you’ve never heard it before.”
    The group laughs and Brian joins them. “I don’t doubt it,” Brian says. “Let’s plan