Elizabeth hugged her friend in a crushing embrace and turned her head slightly to inhale his familiar woodsy scent.

"Come home," she whispered in his ear before giving him a swift kiss on the cheek and stepping back.

She saw the pain in Will's hazel eyes as he gazed back at her. They'd been friends for almost eight years and after all they'd weathered together, he was going off to the military. She tried not to let him see the tears as she gazed at him, his awkward nineteen year old frame tall and gawky as he stood in his military getup complete with an unloaded rifle.

She'd tried for four years to convince him to stay here and go to college, to make something of his life. Four very long, hard years and now it was too late. He hadn't listened to her.

Elizabeth watched as Will's girlfriend Jaime flung herself into his arms with more than a little envy. Will hugged her to him and planted an affectionate kiss on the top of her head. Elizabeth hugged herself and looked away when he caught her chin and captured her lips.

To be envious that Will was happy with Jaime was wrong. Will deserved all the happiness he could get considering the life he'd led. She stole a glance at his parents standing off to the side. His father had his hands in his pockets and was looking proudly at his son. Of course you bastard, she thought shrewdly, you're the one who brainwashed him.

Since Will was five years old the man had talked about nothing except his son joining the military or the navy or the marines. It made her sick to think that now, all these years later, Will had gotten the idea in his head that this was something he had to do. Without even really knowing the man, Elizabeth hated her friend's father.

His mother on the other hand was crying off to the side, her face covered by a handful of tissues. Her heart ached for the woman because she wanted to be doing the exact same thing. With puffy, red rimmed eyes and a blotchy complexion, she approached her son and collapsed in his arms. Elizabeth saw the answering sheen of tears in Will's eyes even if his mom didn't.

Jaime walked over to her, and Elizabeth slung a comforting arm across her shoulders. They'd become friends over the past year and she knew how much pain the girl was in. two years was a long time to be in a relationship with someone. Seeing them everyday, spending every waking minute with them until one day they suddenly weren't there anymore.

Four years he would be gone. Four years where she wouldn't talk to him every single night like she had throughout high school. There would be no more classes together, no more goofing around, no more midnight phone calls that would last for hours.

Elizabeth clenched her jaw and forced the tears clogging her throat back down. Jaime was now crying into her shoulder and his mother was being comforted by his father.

Will's eyes met hers. Something passed between them that she couldn't define for the briefest of moments. It was gone so fast she wasn't sure if she had imagined it or not. He crooked his goofy half grin at her before turning away. As she watched him get into the plane bound for Iraq, she sent a fervent prayer up to God that that wouldn't be the last time she saw him smile.

Four years later

Elizabeth shook tendrils of brown hair out of her face before turning to address her partner, her arms elbow deep in chocolate chip cookie dough. "Mrs. Hammond is going to be here in half an hour to pick up that three tiered cake for her daughter's birthday party, Kari. Make sure you wrap it with the white ribbon and not the pink. You know how that lady can't stand pink."

Kari chuckled and went about wrapping the magnificent cake that had taken a full two days to bake and decorate. Elizabeth sighed and went back to kneading the dough. The Herberts needed five dozen cookies by tomorrow morning and it was already six o'clock. If she didn't hurry, they'd never be ready in time.

Two years ago she had started her very own bakery with her best friend Kari and like a rocket; Bake N Shake had taken off. They'd encountered a staggering amount of success and had even had to expand to accommodate the amount of incoming costumers. Instead of just the two of them, they now had a staff of seven and continued to grow.

It was funny how just a few years ago she couldn't even cook mac n cheese and now she was the co-owner and head cook of an accomplished bakery. Elizabeth smiled to herself. Twenty two and she already had a career and not only a job. She counted herself extremely lucky that she wasn't waiting tables or employed in one of those dead end jobs kids-fresh-out-of-college usually landed.

Just as she turned to put the cookies she'd kneaded into small balls in the oven, the merry tinkle of the door chimed.

"I'll be with you in a moment," she said without turning around. She set the temperature and slid the tray into the large oven. Twenty minutes and she would smell that wonderful chocolate cookie aroma she adored so much. With a smile on her face, she turned to face the new costumer.

The greeting that sprang to her lips died. The friendly smile slid from her face as she faced the one person she never thought she'd see again. Shock and excitement and happiness collided inside of her until she thought she just might explode. And still her voice refused to surface.

William offered a small smile, his hazel eyes drinking in the appearance of his old friend. Elizabeth, who had once been a tall, gawky teenager with her nose constantly stuck in a book and glasses perched on her nose, her hair usually pinned up by her famous "chop sticks" looked nothing like the woman standing before him.

Her hair had grown and cascaded over her shoulders in an unruly mass of dark curls, the tall disproportioned frame had become tall and elegant with just the right amount of curves in just the right places. She must have men scrambling around her twenty four seven with a body like that. And her face…William breathed in deeply. That once childish face of a girl had transformed into a hauntingly beautiful face of a woman with bewitching brown eyes that spoke of their intelligence and ivory skin slightly flushed.

Lush lips parted as if she were about to say something, but no words came out. He smiled and moved towards her. "Hello to you too," he said in what he hoped was a steady voice.

Elizabeth felt her breath whoosh out of her lungs. It took her a moment before she realized she was staring. Blinking, she pinched her arm behind her back. Nope, she definitely wasn't dreaming.

"Aren't you going to say hello? Or maybe something along the lines of 'I'm happy to see you'?" William teased.

A smile burst forth like the sun suddenly coming out from behind a dark, ominous cloud. She rushed around the counter and threw herself at him. He caught her against his chest with just the slightest stagger. Happiness was bubbling up inside her, making her words come out faster than she thought. "When did you get home? How did you find me? I can't believe you're here! Who else knows you're home? I swear if I'm the last to know—"

William laughed and pulled back slightly. "I'm not home for more than two seconds and already you're threatening my life? It's like high school all over again."

Elizabeth smiled sheepishly, her arms still slung around his neck. "I'm so glad you're home Will." She held him at arms length and looked him over from head to toe. "Look at you," she said. Was her tone just a bit breathless? "You sure have grown up."

Elizabeth took in his broader, taller muscular form with frank appreciation. "You look good," she said. There was more power in this man's body than she'd ever seen. His shoulders were broader and led a path from a broad chest to a trim waist and muscled legs encased in his favorite blue jeans. His arms were larger, thicker than she remembered, and my God did he have biceps! Her gaze swept to his face, a little embarrassed by her appraisal of him. His tawny hair was longer, falling in rumpled waves to the collar of his shirt and his face was not that of a youth but of a man who'd seen too much. His hazel eyes, at once beautiful and haunting, held secrets she could only guess at. The stubble along his jaw only made him look manlier, if that was possible.

Elizabeth didn't miss the matching appreciation in his gaze as he looked at her. She smiled to hide her sudden nervousness. "So, how long are you in town for?"

He tipped her a goofy grin that did strange things to her stomach. "For good. I served my four years and now I'm back home. I always keep my promises, Elizabeth."

Suddenly they weren't standing there in her bakery. No, they were on the phone, Elizabeth lying on her bed staring up at the posters on her ceiling.

"Please don't go into the military, Will. Stay here. You could do so many things here, like become a cop or maybe a firefighter."

"It's something I have to do, you know that."

Elizabeth sighed. "Promise me something then."

"Anything," he replied.

"Promise you'll come back. Promise me you won't die over there."

There was a pause on the other end followed by, "I promise, Elizabeth."

She felt a nagging worry. "Do you always keep your promises, Will?"

"Always."

Elizabeth blinked herself back to the present. Will was staring at her with that knowing look in his eyes. "Yes, you did keep you're promise." Thank the Lord, she thought.

Kari came bustling out of the kitchen just then. "Will?" her blue eyes round with disbelief. "Will! Welcome home!" she came around the corner and hugged him briefly. "When did you get here?"

Will smiled at her friend. "I only got in last night. Elizabeth was the second person I saw besides my parents."

Kari looked slightly confused for a moment. "What about Jaime?"

Elizabeth saw something spark in his eyes. Pain? Anger? "No, she doesn't know I'm home yet.

Kari seemed oblivious to the fact that she'd just hit a nerve. "Well I'll just go call her," she went on blithely. "Actually I'll call a few people to let them know you're home ok? Everyone's going to be so excited! We should throw a welcome home party!" already hatching plans, Kari practically skipped back into the kitchen.

When she was sure her friend couldn't overhear them, Elizabeth turned back to Will. "What happened with Jaime?"

Will smiled sadly. "You always were too perceptive for your own good." Elizabeth arched an eyebrow at him. "Alright," he relented. "I'll tell you. God knows I could never keep secrets from you for long anyway." He leaned his solid frame against the counter in a nonchalant stance. "She didn't wait."

Elizabeth heard the undertone of pain in his voice and laid a comforting hand on his thick forearm. "I'm sorry, Will."

He shrugged as if he were indifferent to it. "It actually took longer than I had expected. It was a bit disappointed when three years, seven months, and two days into my four year service I received a letter stating that she was leaving me because she'd found someone else. My bet had been two years max."

Although his voice was calm and detached, as if he were speaking about the weather or some other unimportant thing, Elizabeth could feel the bitterness and pain in his form, the hurt in his eyes. She ached to comfort him, but without knowing how or what he needed she was helpless. The door chimed again and they both turned to see who the new comer was.

Will watched the surprise and happiness that entered Elizabeth's eyes as she beckoned the man standing in the doorway over to them. He was maybe a few inches taller than Elizabeth herself and a good head shorter than Will. The man had kind blue eyes and a crew cut with a form that had seen better days.

Something inside Will stiffened as he slung an arm around Elizabeth's waist and pulled her to him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as something slithered down his back. Despite the outwardly friendly nature and kindness Will recognized in this man's eyes, his gut was telling him something different.

Elizabeth bestowed a dazzling smile on the man before turning her attention back to Will. "Will, this is my boyfriend Dave. Dave, this is Will. He's a good friend of mine from back in high school and he was just discharged from the military. He's home to stay. Isn't that great?"

Dave assessed Will with shrewd eyes and a friendly smile that were at odds with each other. He stuck out a hand. "Nice to meet you."

Will grasped the man's hand in a bone crushing grip and shook it. "Likewise," he replied, letting only a trace of the iciness he felt slip into his voice. Dave tried to squeeze back and for a moment the two men stood looking at each other, a silent challenge.

Elizabeth cleared her throat and tried to dispel the sudden tension in the room. The men let go of each other's hand and both of them turned to her, smiles pasted on their faces. She tried not to notice the vast difference in appearance between the two men and instead smiled placidly. "Why don't we all have dinner tonight? Can you guys be at my house by seven?"

Dave nodded. "Of course, sweetheart. Shall I bring anything?" Elizabeth arched a brow at his sudden use of endearment and the formal sound of his voice.

"Uh…sure," she said slowly. She turned her eyes on Will. "Can you make it?"

Will nodded curtly, his stance somehow more guarded now that Dave was there. Something told her he didn't like her boyfriend very much. "Shall I bring anything?" he said in an imitation of Dave's formal speech.

She gave him the same answer she'd given Dave. He nodded and bid her good bye. She watched his handsome form walk out her bakery's front door. Dave scowled at her.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"I don't like him," he said directly, if a bit harshly.

Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "I can tell, but it doesn't matter because he's a good friend of mine and I haven't seen him in four years. Suck it up for one night and deal with it."

She felt a momentary flash of fear when his blue eyes darkened with rage, but she quickly buried that under rising indignation. "We'll see about that," he said in a low, icy voice meant only for her ears.

Elizabeth watched as he stormed out the door. What had she gotten herself into?