The Elite: The Complete Series of Boomer and Player (With Bonus) (31 page)

Rachel shot me a puzzled expression. “Holly?”

“We have to call Aaron.”

The crease between her furrowed brow deepened as she looked from the phone in my purse and then back to me. “Holly, what’s going on? Who was that on the phone?”

“It was Jack,” I said, my voice a thick whisper. “He’s okay!”

“What? Oh my gosh! That’s amazing!” Rachel jumped up from the seat she’d taken after coming back to the table. She threw her arms around me and jumped up and down. “Oh, honey, I’m so happy for you! Well, and him, obviously!”

“Me too.” I laughed into her wild, wind-blown hair and smiled. “Okay, let’s get back to the museum. Aaron might not have heard yet.”

“Right!” Rachel scrambled into action, gathering all of our belongings: two purses, two boxes containing our lunch leftovers, and an even larger box that held all the goodies from the dessert case.

We raced back up the hill to the museum and had barely got in the front doors, when Aaron’s voice cut through the small crowd of visitors. “Holly! Rachel!”

“Aaron, Jack called!” I shouted to him, not able to wait for him to get closer before sharing the news. It was bubbling up inside me and I couldn’t hold onto it for even one more moment.

“He did?” Aaron grinned broadly and ran across the space, not caring who was watching. “Did he tell you what he did?”

I shook my head. “No, we didn’t have long. What happened?”

Aaron chuckled. “That crazy bastard.”

“What?” Rachel said, cutting a glance at me.

“Come on, I’ll tell ya the whole story,” he said, gathering us out of the main warehouse where patrons were still wandering around, looking at the variety of planes on display. Aaron’s other staff members would see to them. He took us down the same hallway we’d gone down the first day we arrived, but we passed the break room, and went into the next room, which was his personal office.

Once inside, he shut the door and turned towards us. “It’s not on the news yet, but my buddy who’s been giving me updates called and told me Boomer was safe, in Turkey, and that he took out an entire underground base in the process.”

“He what?” I went slack jawed. Even without knowing the details, the amount of danger he’d put himself in hit me straight in the gut.

Aaron was still smiling, and shook his head in disbelief. As I watched him, I could almost see the movie he must have had constructed inside his own head. “Story is…after he landed, he took his ass up the mountain to get a better vantage point and keep out of sight. One day, he was hiking through the mountain, and saw an air strip at some rebel base. So, the next day—technically last night—he snuck down, knocked out the guard outside the base, took off in the plane, and dropped a bomb right on top of their head. The whole thing piled up in rocks and debris. Whoever was holed up in that mo-fo isn’t getting out anytime soon.”

Somewhere in the middle of the re-telling, my hand had flown up to cover my mouth. When Aaron finished, I pried it away long enough to ask, “Is he insane?”

Aaron dropped his head back and howled with laughter. “Hey, I told you that if anyone was getting out of that fuckin’ desert, it’d be Boomer!”

Rachel’s expression was a mix of horror and confusion. “That’s like something from a movie.”

“Better than a movie,” Aaron corrected. “Hey! Maybe when he gets back he can write a book about it and get a movie deal!”

I rolled my eyes. The shock of the tale had worn off, and all that was left was the urge to punch him in the face for doing something so risky. But, I knew the anger wouldn’t hold. As soon as I saw him again, I’d turn into a ball of mush and wouldn’t be able to stop kissing him long enough to act on my urge to teach him a lesson.

“So, he called you?”

I nodded. “Yeah, we were at Carly’s and Rachel was inside when my phone rang. I didn’t know who it was, but it was him. He said they were putting him on a plane back to California in the morning.”

Aaron shook his head. “God, I can’t believe it. My best friend is a war hero.”

“Well, I’m just glad he’s safe.” I didn’t have the same taste for fame and spotlight as Aaron apparently did. And I had a feeling Jack wouldn’t either.

“The real question is how on earth am I going to get any sleep tonight?”

Aaron winked in my direction. “Well ya better, cause as soon as he gets home I doubt you’ll be getting much of it.”

I blushed at Aaron’s blunt statement and Rachel laughed.

* * * *

Despite Aaron’s advice, it was impossible to sleep, and I finally gave up and rolled out of bed around four in the morning. Rachel was snoring softly beside me on the pull out bed, and I tiptoed from the living room and into the kitchen. It was still dark outside and I paced around the kitchen, unsure if I was hungry or just bored and antsy. The siren call of the leftover pastries got the best of me, and I settled in at the kitchen table with a cinnamon roll and a tall glass of milk.

Hopefully Jack wouldn’t mind the extra layer of padding around my middle from all the gourmet treats. Then again, since our last call, I hadn’t been able to eat much of anything. It was nice to have a normal appetite again.

I’d carried my phone with me into the kitchen, and as I was polishing off the last bite of the cinnamon roll, a text message came in.

It was from Jack.

Good morning, baby. I hope you’re ready to see me. I’m officially on US soil. Granted, I’m still entirely too far away from you. Just landed in New York
.

My stomach dropped and I fell to my knees. “Jack.”

I smiled and typed out a quick reply:

I must have known you were getting close. I haven’t been able to sleep. Just got out of bed.

His reply came seconds later:

Does that mean you’re sitting there, wearing nothing but my shirt and a smile right now?

I shook my head and laughed softly to myself. He was getting to know me all too well.

There’s a very good chance that’s true. Although, I think it’s officially my shirt now.

Is that so?

You want it, you’re gonna have to come and take it from me…

My heart fluttered and a heat stirred in my stomach at my words. I was craving his touch more than anything I’d ever wanted before. After everything we both had gone through in the last few days, we both deserved at least another two weeks of nothing but sun, sand, and sex.

Careful what you wish for there, baby girl. You think you can kick Player out of the house in the next few hours? As much as I love him, I can wait a day or two to see him again.

I laughed and shook my head, grinning down at the phone.

I’ll let you give him the boot. I’m not sure how good of a house guest I would be if I asked my host to leave his own house…

Oh, don’t you worry, baby. I’ll kick him out. Hey listen, the refuel is almost done, so I’m gonna have to cut this short. But, I’ll be there soon.

Can’t wait.

* * * *

It was impossible to keep myself together, knowing Jack was back in the United States, and that he’d be in California before noon. When Aaron and Rachel woke up, I let them know what Jack had said—including his wishes to kick Aaron out, to which Aaron just laughed—and we all did the best we could to pass the time. Rachel and I took the dogs down to the beach for a long walk, and although we didn’t talk much, mostly just burnt off our energy as well as the dogs, and ended up stopping at Carly’s for brunch.

“Good morning, you beautiful ladies!” Carly called, turning slightly to look over her shoulder as she worked at the espresso machine. The cafe was buzzing with activity—as it always was in the late morning—and there was a line of customers ahead of us.

“Morning, Carly!” I replied, and we each waved. I marveled at how she remembered us even though we’d only been in town for a short term vacation and then had gone nearly two months without stopping in.

When we got up to the front, we gave her our order and she sprang into action. “You two look to be in an especially good mood this morning!”

I smiled and nodded. “Jack’s on his way home.”

“Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome?”

“Yeah,” I replied, laughing. “That’s the one.”

“Get it girl!” Carly winked.

When we had our meals and cups of coffee, we went out to the patio, and found a recently vacated table to settle around. Halfway through the meal, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. My heart jolted as I reached for it, silently praying it would be Jack on the other line.

I smiled even wider as I saw the same number he’d used earlier in the day.

“Hey there, sailor,” I answered.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he said, his voice sending shivers over my skin. “Whatcha doing?”

“Stuffing my face at Carly’s.”

He laughed and I lavished in the easy vibrations. It filled me with pleasure to be able to make him laugh, a gift made even sweeter after everything he’d endured. “Well, you better wrap it up.”

My heart leaped even higher. “Is that so?”

“Uh-huh. Well, either that, or set another plate at the table.”

“Where are you?”

“Look up.”

I jerked my chin up and scanned the sky. I spotted a small plane coming from the north. I clapped a hand over my mouth. Rachel followed my eyes and mouthed, “Is that him?”

I nodded as tears sprang to my eyes. “Jack…”

“I’ll be landing in five, so get that sweet ass of yours back to Player’s.”

“Yes, sir!”

“That’s my girl.”

Chapter Eighteen

Holly

The plane was just landing when Rachel and I finally got to the hangar. I trembled as I watched it taxi down the runway and then glide near the open hangar where Aaron, Rachel, and I were all standing. For a panicked moment, I thought I was about to faint, but I took deep breaths and kept myself from going to pieces.

My eyes were glued to the door of the small plane, desperate for it to pop open. As soon as it did, I kicked out of my sandals and tore off across the hangar and out onto the runway. I launched myself into Jack’s waiting arms and he grabbed me so tight that it crushed out any last remaining puff of breath in my lungs.

“God, Holly, I missed you so much.” He set my feet back on the ground, but didn’t release me, keeping me clutched to his chest.

I sucked in a breath and nodded against him. “I thought I lost you, Jack.”

“Don’t worry, baby, I’m never going to put you through that again.”

I looked up at him and searched his eyes. They were set with the fierceness of his words and a blanket of comfort and security wrapped around me. I didn’t know what the future had in store, but in that moment, I knew that I never wanted to be away from him again.

“You crazy fucker,” Aaron’s voice interrupted our moment.

Jack’s laugh vibrated through me as I stayed wrapped around him. “Good to see you too, Player.”

He let go of me just long enough to embrace his friend and then wrapped an arm around my waist. I placed my hand on his chest, memorizing the feel of his heart beating under my palm.

A loud crash rang out across the hangar and we all jerked around to look at the source of the clanging echo. “Oh my—” I started to laugh as Hunter raced into the hangar, leading the charge, with Princess right on his heels. They’d been out back playing in the yard, but had managed to bust in the side door of the hangar, sending a stack of cartons flying over the floor.

Princess set her sights on Jack, and easily amped up her speed to fly past Hunter, like a streaking bullet. I released Jack just in time to get out of the way before the sixty-pound yellow lab barreled into his chest. Jack laughed as he wrapped her up in his arms and knelt down to hold her and pet her. “Hey, girl. You don’t think I forgot about you, did ya?”

I teared up watching Jack and Princess together. Hunter and I had gone through our own ups and downs lately, but having both him and Princess by my side during the past few days had been priceless and shown me just how sweet that bond could be. “She’s been my shadow since I got here,” I said, reached down to pat her head. Hunter budged in and stole my attention. I laughed softly. “You too, buddy.”

Jack smiled up at me. “I’m glad she was taking care of you when I couldn’t.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.

When Princess was finally satisfied that Jack’s face didn’t need any more licking, she let him go and went back to playing with Hunter, both of them eager to explore the hangar. Aaron shooed them out and we all went up to Aaron’s house. When we got inside, Aaron went to the kitchen and came back with a bag of meat that was still wrapped in paper from the butcher’s shop. “I figured you could use a good old fashioned American BBQ after living on MRE’s in the desert.”

Jack laughed. “The sad thing is some of those meals taste better than the stuff on the ship.”

Aaron grinned. “I’ll get these grilling up.”

Rachel jumped up from her perch on the end of the couch and went to follow after him. “I’ll help him get everything ready. You two need anything to drink?”

“A beer would hit the spot,” Jack replied.

“Lemonade?” I asked.

She nodded to both requests and disappeared. She came back moments later, handed off the beverages, and then was gone once again. I wasn’t sure if she was just trying to give us some privacy, or if she wanted to spend, what was likely her last day in Holiday Cove, with Aaron. She’d developed a little crush on him, but I knew if anything happened between them, it would be short lived. Aaron and Rachel had almost nothing in common and while Aaron was a nice enough guy, he was a little rougher around the edges than Rachel usually liked.

“Man, this feels good,” Jack said, sinking into a comfortable place on the couch. He pat his hand on the spot beside him and I curled up next to him, lying my head on his shoulder.

“Pretty perfect if you ask me.”

* * * *

We all sat around and stuffed ourselves with good food and drinks, talking the afternoon away, and I think all of us were a little surprised when the sun started to dip down over the ocean. After the dishes were done and put away, Aaron and Rachel let us know their plans. Aaron was going to take Rachel back to Newport Beach and drive back up in the morning. Leaving Jack and me with the house to ourselves for the night.