SEALed With Love (DiCarlo Brides book 2) (The DiCarlo Brides) (16 page)

“Bull.”

Vince leaned on the counter. “Look, Joel didn’t like leaving you here without his protection. He asked me to pick up the slack until he gets back—for his peace of mind.”

“And mine,” Cami added.

“Everyone’s worried about you,” Vince said.

“Why you? Why not Blake or Harrison, my overprotective brother?” Sage held up a hand to ward off anything he might protest. “Nothing against you, Vince. You seem capable enough.”

“As far as I know, none of them has a concealed-carry permit. I do,” Vince said. “I’ll spend the night at your place and see that you get back to work safe in the morning.”

Cami’s eyes swiveled to her fiancé. “You’re carrying a gun? How often do you do that?”

Sage found that a little amusing. Cami didn’t know?

“No, hon.” Vince touched her nose. “I don’t usually carry, just when I have a need—which usually means when I’m going to the shooting range. Or when there are crazy psychos I might need to be ready for.”

Cami didn’t look overly comforted. Sage, on the other hand, had gotten used to the idea and was actually a little relieved despite her preference for peaceful solutions and discomfort with the idea of carrying a gun in her purse. “So you get temporary bodyguard duty? And I’m sure spending the night with Cami is going to be a real trial for you.” Her lips quirked.

“We all take your safety seriously.” His eyes danced as he slid his arm around Cami’s back. “Come on. We need to stop to buy dessert on the way to my parents’ place.”

Sage grabbed her shoulder bag, told Wendy she was in charge, and followed them out. Maybe the change of scene would do her good, but she couldn’t get Joel’s friend off her mind. She pulled out her phone to call him.

Trudy’s plane landed only fifteen minutes after Joel’s so he waited at her terminal. When she got off, her face was pale, her eyes red from crying, and her normally immaculate hair and clothes were rumpled. She caught sight of him the moment she exited the tunnel and hurried over, collapsing into his arms. “Joel. Thanks for waiting for me.”

“It’s no problem. I just got in myself. It took a while to get a flight.” She was such a tiny thing, not much bigger than Sage, and looked fragile, like she might break if he held her too tight. “Come on. Let’s go. I have a rental car reserved.”

Thankfully there wasn’t much of a line at the rental agency and they were on their way to the hospital quickly. Joel ignored the twisting in his gut while he peppered her with questions about her kids and news from the other team members’ wives. When she was a little calmer, he asked her again about what she’d been told of Wade’s condition.

Every few minutes his mind returned to Sage and what she was doing. He’d called and left a message on her phone while he’d waited for Trudy to get off of her plane. Not hearing from her made him nervous and he decided if she didn’t call back by the time they arrived at the hospital, he’d try again—her and as many other people as he needed to be sure she was safe.

Of course he was hassling with rush-hour traffic when his cell phone rang. He held back a curse at the sound of the ring tone—he didn’t generally answer his phone while driving, and especially not when traffic was like this. “Answer that for me, will you?” he asked Trudy. “It’s in my jacket pocket.”

She pulled it out and pushed a button. “Hello, this is Joel’s phone. Yes, he’s right here, but he’s driving.” She covered the microphone. “She says her name is Sage and to tell you she’s fine. She’s going to dinner with Vince and is under guard.” Her brows lifted at this last bit.

Relief swept through him. “Good. Tell her I’ll call again when I get a chance and thanks for calling.”

Trudy relayed the message and returned the phone to his pocket. “Now you have to tell me who Sage is, why you have her under guard, and why she sounded unhappy about me answering your phone.”

Joel kept his eyes on the road and his face as blank as possible. “I’m her bodyguard, she has a stalker, and Vince is her sister’s fiancé. I asked him to step in for a bit while I’m here.”

“I thought you were working in hotel security and you didn’t answer my last question.”

“Security is a way for me to watch out for her and her sisters if need be.”

“And the rest?” When he didn’t answer her, she pushed on, “I don’t remember the guys ever talking about you having a girlfriend. Dates, yes, but you’ve never gone out with anyone steady—as far as I know. She must be special.”

“Is now really the time for this discussion?” he asked.

“It’s distracting me from my worries for a few minutes. Humor me.”

He glanced over and saw the pinched look to her face, the worry in her eyes and had to capitulate. “There are a few women I’ve dated repeatedly.” Not that any of those relationships had been anything beyond the string of dates he’d worked into his schedule when it was convenient. Joel had never felt a connection with any of them. “And I’m not dating Sage. I’m protecting her.”

“But there are feelings—and I’m thinking not only on her side.”

Joel had never been one to talk about his feelings, and he had no one to discuss it with at all in Colorado. He trusted Trudy, she was family, so he decided to make an admission. “Sage is special, okay? She’s not like any other woman I’ve ever known. But we’re not involved like that.”

“Do you want to be?”

More than anything.
But he shook his head. “We’re from different worlds. It would never work, so we’ll remain friends.” Except the memory of her soft hand on his cheek, the brush of lips along his jaw made him ache for more. At first he’d thought the assignment would only last a month or two at most. He hadn’t expected to become enmeshed in her life. Then they moved to Colorado and the stalker had stayed away—but he’d known it wouldn’t last. As time passed, he’d been pulled closer to Sage, wrapped in her until part of him hoped the situation would never end, because if it did, he’d have to leave. On the other hand, he didn’t know if he could leave her. Being this far from her made him feel like he was suffocating—but maybe that was because of the stalker. If he told himself that, maybe it would make him feel better.

“Here we are.” Joel was relieved when he pulled into the military hospital parking lot. He didn’t want to discuss this anymore, and there were more urgent things to worry about.

“You’re off the hook—for now.” Trudy had gotten some of her color back while she was teasing Joel, but it leeched out again.

“Hey, chin up. No news is good news. If something bad had happened, someone would have called.” He got out and came around to her door, holding it for her before locking the car and hurrying her to the entrance.

Wade was still in surgery when they arrived and the other SEAL team members were gathered in the waiting room. “Hey, It’s Watts and Trudy!” Greg said, standing and raising a hand in greeting. “I didn’t think you’d make it. We’re still waiting for word from the doc.”

Joel took his hand and pounded the guy on the back with his other one. “Haven’t seen you in ages. Looks like you’ve got a new scar in your pretty face.” The guys always teased Greg about his more refined features blaming it for his luck with women.

Greg rubbed the pink scar that ran through his left eyebrow. “The chicks dig it, man. You’re just jealous.”

“He still thinks he’s God’s gift,” Riley said, coming over to exchange back slaps. He had several inches on Joel and was built like a tank. “They never stay long after he opens his mouth though. He just scares them away.”

“Just because you’ve been practically married to your girl since you were five, doesn’t mean the rest of us have to settle.” Greg shot back.

“You’re looking a little soft there,” Terry greeted Joel. “Enjoying the easy life? Found yourself a girl yet?”

“It’s champagne bunches and pate every night,” Joel said with a roll of his eyes. “I could still take you, anytime.”

“But apparently the girl is F I N E fine,” Trudy interjected from where she was embracing Riley.

“How would you know?” Joel asked her as he shook hands with a couple of other guys who had joined the team after Joel was discharged, so he didn’t know them well.

“I can tell from the way you talk about her. Or the way you
don’t
talk about her.” Trudy winked at him, though worry still gilded her face.

“Nah, he never talks about women at all—he’s no fun. Is this one serious?” Riley asked Trudy.

Joel rolled his eyes and changed the subject by asking what they’d been up to. He knew he would only get generic details, but it felt good to melt back into the familiar camaraderie he had missed so much.

It seemed to take forever before the doctor pulled Trudy aside to tell her the surgery was successful. It was hours later before they allowed anyone but her to visit Wade. She stayed in there with him, but the others were allowed a couple of minutes each, one at a time after Wade awoke.

The walk down the hall to Wade’s room was insanely long. Joel forced a smile before entering the room and managed not to blanch when he saw Wade’s face. It looked like he’d gotten in the way of a bomb—shrapnel of some kind. Wade would never be able to talk about the mission or what happened, but Joel knew the signs.

“Look at you—decided to take a break and got yourself injured so you could have your woman fuss over you for a while?” Joel patted Wade on the shoulder.

“I’d been gone too long. We’ve been out three months and I missed her.” Wade winked at Trudy. “What brings you out here? I thought you were working in some hoity-toity hotel and golfing every day.”

“I thought I’d take a break from my life of leisure to check on you. I wouldn’t want you wearing out Trudy with your ridiculous requests.” Joel took the seat across the bed from Trudy. “I’ve seen you look better. Don’t you know you’re supposed to be the one pulling the others out of trouble, not the one landing in the hospital?”

“I thought it was my turn. I never get a rest.” Wade’s smile was weak. “Trudy says you have a woman.”

“Trudy has an active imagination. Or have you forgotten that?”

Wade’s smile turned into a smirk. “I like her imagination.”

“Hush.” Trudy tapped his shoulder in reprimand. “And Joel’s girl is not my imagination.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t have time to discuss my theoretical love life,” Joel said. “They’re going to kick me out again in a few seconds, but I had to check on you.”

“It’s just a flesh wound, and a few major organs and a couple of bones.” Wade’s fingers lifted and dropped on the blankets in a dismissive gesture. “I’ll be out of here in no time.”

Joel was no stranger to bravado, so he merely nodded. “Right. Well try to get some sleep and I’ll catch up with you later.”

The nurse came to the door and motioned for Joel to leave; he complied. It was late, but he’d told Sage he would call after he had a chance to talk to Wade. He walked down the hall to where he could use his cell phone without interfering with life support machines.

 “Hello?” Her voice was soft and a little sleepy. “Joel, is everything all right?”

“That’s my line. But yes, I think everything is going to be fine. Wade’s chances of recovery are improving, but it’s going to be a long process.” And according to the doctor, with the damage to the man’s joints and leg, it was possible he may never walk again without the aid of a cane. But that was negative thinking—Joel wouldn’t say it aloud.

“I’m glad he’s going to make it. How are you holding up?”

“I’m fine.” Joel was tired, but he’d dealt with worse. “How was dinner at Etta’s?” He still remembered the Fourth of July barbecue. It was exactly what he’d always imagined a small town gathering to be like.

“How did you know I went there?”

“Vince sent me a text.”

“You can’t let go, can you?” Her voice was teasing, belying the irritation in the words.

“You’re number one with me, Sage. If I can’t follow up with the guy who’s supposed to protect you while I’m gone, then I can’t leave.”

“You never get a break, do you?” Her voice softened. “Don’t you ever get sick of following me around? You haven’t had a day off in months. You don’t even have a life of your own.”

 Since he enjoyed spending time with her and didn’t have much along the line of hobbies, he wasn’t about to complain. “There are perks to following you around.”

“As much of Rosemary’s food as you can stand to eat?”