Three men in uniform. Three spunky ladies. Three fairy tale-themed happily ever afters. 1. My Little Rock Airman Jessie: As a strange silence settles in the car, I find myself increasingly unsettled by the man beside me. Which is stupid. Derrick torments me for half of our relationship and spends the other half begging me to help him avoid his boss. Besides, I don't date airmen. So why do I feel like I'm just now meeting him for the first time? And why does it suddenly feel like maybe...maybe it's time to rethink my dating rules after all? Derrick: It has to be the uniform. Women are weird about uniforms. It's just something I wear every day. It has function and utility. Usually, when Jessie sees me, she meets me with a scowl. But today, she doesn't look annoyed. She looks...intrigued. And though that would have concerned me two months ago, now I can't help but think that I like it. 2. My Carolina Airman Alexander: Once upon a time, Carly smiled a lot. Even in her pain now, I can see hints of that girl I loved so much. She was smart, adventurous, and had the snarkiest sense of humor. And, based on the way she nearly grinned at me earlier, I can only guess...or hope, rather, that all of that is still inside. As I leave the base to head to the nearest pharmacy, a plan begins to form. It's perfect, really. I could nurse Carly back to health. She’d get insurance. She’d be independent of her relatives’ care, and I could spend the rest of our lives making up for my mistakes. My heart begins to hammer in my chest, and with each passing second, I can see it unfolding perfectly in my head. The only problem will be convincing Carly. Saying she can be stubborn is like saying winter is chilly. But I can be stubborn, too. Especially when it comes to the girl I love. Carly: I don’t know what I expected from the kiss, but it wasn’t this. My eyes are closed, but colors flash behind my eyelids like fireworks. In this kiss, I see glimpses of two kids who fell in love and all the dreams they’d painted in those bright Carolina sunsets. Then he's gone. I open my eyes in confusion to see him pulling back as the crowd bursts into cheers and whistles. “I present Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Calero,” the judge announces. Alexander's eyes smolder as they meet mine, and we both know something has changed. If only I knew what it is. This is supposed to be a fake marriage, just a way to get me the medical care I need until Grandpa comes back. So why does kissing Alexander feel like waking up? 3. My Las Vegas Airman Chris: I play life safe. Order, determination, and hard work serve me well, and I'm about to take the next step toward my dream: becoming an Air Force officer. Unfortunately, the experimental officer training program I've been accepted to is at a university in Las Vegas. Even worse, the college student I've been assigned as a “university guide” might be charming and adorable, but she’s also the most scatterbrained person I've ever had the misfortune of working with. The more I get to know misadventurous, bubbly Skylar, however, the more I realize that there might be more than my strict adherence to rules on the line. I might be in danger of losing my heart. Skylar: I don't mean to get into scrapes. But thanks to my unfortunate...tendencies, I'm about to flunk out of one of my foundational hospitality courses. So when I'm offered the chance to earn extra credit by helping a new student for a semester, I jump. I quickly realize, however, that Sergeant Chris Brooking, while absurdly handsome, is one of the biggest squares I've ever met. In my attempt to unlock his secrets, however, I end up discovering my own truths that I’d rather not face. So when the broody airman offers to help, I must decide whether I can bear to let him see the insecurities I try so hard to hide...or push him away forever.
