Waiting... On You (Force Recon Marines) (5 page)

The old acquaintances Nick had been
passing the time with drifted away after a while. Finally, Ashley did the same.
Hanna laughed to herself. She was their boss, and it was about time they all
got back to work, not that any of them were intimidated by her. She was simply
too courteous and quiet to intimidate anyone.

As if reading her thoughts, Nick said,
“So you’re the big boss around here now, huh, Doc? How long before you’re
running the whole hospital?”

Her smile widened. “I have no
aspirations for that much responsibility, and as you can see, I don’t frighten
anybody with my fierce leadership.”

He took her hands in his. “I’ve missed
you, Hanna! There’s just no one like you. No matter how smart and successful
you are, you’re still so unpretentious.”

She didn’t know quite what to make of
that comment, so she replied, “Just the same old ordinary girl you’ve always
known.”

“No, not ordinary.”

He wasn’t smiling. He was serious, and
that mystified her, but it also felt wonderful.

Finally releasing her hands, he
stepped back enough so that she could look at him― from head to toe. He
was wearing jeans, boots, a pale blue polo shirt that contoured his deeply
muscled chest, and a soft brown leather bomber jacket that emphasized his broad
linebacker shoulders. He took Hanna’s breath away, he was so incredibly good-looking.
She was five foot eight inches in bare feet, taller in heels, and she still had
to look up at him.

She noticed he was studying her, too.
Strangely, there was an unmistakable look of male appreciation in his eyes, as
if he liked what he saw. It bewildered her.

“Are you off duty?”

She glanced around her. “Yes, but I
better get out of here before we have any more emergencies. I just got through
sewing up a car accident victim, and on a Friday night, there’s usually more
than one.”

“You look like you’ve had a long day.”

She winced because she knew exactly
how she looked and wished it was otherwise. “It’s the end of a long week.”

They started for the ER doors that led
outside to the parking lot. “Mom said everyone’s getting together for dinner
tomorrow evening. You’re all going to get me caught up to speed on everything
that has happened. We’ll make some plans.” Hanna confirmed that with a nod as
Nick held the door open for her. On the other side, he stopped her with a
gentle hand on her forearm. “Hanna, I’m so damn sorry about Dylan. I wish I
could have been here for his funeral.” His somber expression was full of deep
regret and concern. “How are you holding up?”

She looked at him, unable to stop the
tears that suddenly filled her eyes. Mentioning her brother still produced
them. “I know you couldn’t get out of Afghanistan sooner. I’m just glad you’re
here now. Your poor mom is beside herself worrying about Lance. Your being here
will help her a lot.”

“I’m going to find out what happened
to both Lance and Dylan.”

Hanna’s mouth quirked in a grimace of
frustration. “I’ve had zero luck. I’m taking two weeks’ vacation in a week.
Maybe with more time, I’ll be able to find out something.”

“We’ll look together.”

“I wanted to start my vacation sooner,
but we have too many staff out this week and next.”

She reached her car, and noticed the
big shiny black motorcycle parked next to it. It was a brand new Harley. She’d
never seen one close up before. It looked huge.

Nick laughed at her awed expression.
“It’s a beauty, isn’t it? A present to myself for making Lieutenant Colonel and
hitting my twenty-year mark.”

“You got the promotion?”

“Yeah.” He was obviously elated about
his new rank. “My commander confirmed it right before I left.”

“Congratulations!” In spite of what
she knew it meant, she was genuinely pleased for him. “ Do you have your next
orders yet?”

“No, not yet.”

Relief flooded her. “This bike is a
nice present to yourself, although, as a doctor, I wish you would have bought
something safer, like an SUV or maybe a mini tank.”

Nick laughed. “I’ve always had
motorcycles. They’re easier to store when I go overseas. This is a special
limited edition.” He stroked it lovingly, his long fingers gliding over the
custom paint job, the long gooseneck handlebars, and the fancy, thickly
cushioned leather seat. “They’ve only made a few thousand models. I was lucky
to get one. When I saw it online, I fell in love with it. It’s fuel-injected with
a big bore engine that hits 3500RPM’s, chrome slotted wheels, a custom black leather
low profile seat, and a security system that’s state of the art.”

“Oh,” was all Hanna could say. “It
sounds impressive,” She didn’t understand any of the mechanical stuff he’d told
her, but she could see that he loved his new Harley. The shiny chrome pipes on
the sides looked like intestines in the overhead light.

Watching him, she was envious of the
way his long tanned fingers kept stroking his machine. She still remembered
what those hands looked like against her pale skin, only with him now standing
right next to her, the memory was more vivid than it had been in three years.
“Why did you come by the hospital? You’ve been home to see your mom, haven’t
you?”

“I got in this afternoon. The dealer I
bought my bike from online didn’t have it ready until two days ago. It held me
up, or I would have been home sooner.”

He was standing very close to her,
close enough for her to catch the scent of his cologne. It was as exotic and
disarming as the man.

“I came over to follow you home,” he
told her. “As of now, you don’t go home by yourself anymore. I heard what
happened last week to you. Have you had any more incidents?”

“I’m not sure,” she evaded, avoiding
his intense stare.

“Dammit, Hanna!”

“Don’t worry about it,” she tried to
reassure him. “I can take care of myself. I’m a big girl now.”

“While I’m here, and until we get to
the bottom of all this, you’re going to and from work with me every day.” He
looked very determined, very tough, and very unmovable.

“Nick ….” she started to protest.

“Forget arguing, Hanna. I’m going to
protect you and the rest of our families. No one else is going to get hurt now
that I’m home. And I’m not leaving until all this is resolved and you are all
safe. My commander released me from duty for as long as I need.”

For the second time that evening, he
pulled her into his arms. His embrace was fierce. The top of her head was
tucked firmly under his chin, held there by his big, long-fingered hand.

Hanna didn’t know what to make of his
unexpected behavior. Was he just profoundly concerned for them all, her
included? Whatever the reason, she savored every second of being held so
tightly in his arms. His embrace made her feel safe and secure, in a way she
hadn’t felt in weeks. It chased away some of the grief and loneliness she’d
been living with. But it also filled her with hope she probably shouldn’t
indulge in.

When he released her, he stepped back
to give her an intensely serious look. “I’ll be right behind you all the way
home.” Once she unlocked it, he opened her car door for her and took her elbow
to help her slide inside. “Don’t lose me.”

Don’t lose him?
She’d keep him forever if she could.
“I’ll keep your headlights in my rearview mirror all the way,” she promised through
her open window, internally dazed and completely nonplussed by his unexpected ardent
attention.

CHAPTER 4

POSED IN FRONT OF THE FULL-LENGTH
MIRROR in her room later that evening, Hanna assessed her good and bad points.
She tried to see herself as Nick might. She was thirty-four. She wasn’t getting
any younger, but she didn’t have any wrinkles yet, and her skin was unblemished
and smooth.

The shape of her face was a softly
contoured oval, no sharp angles. She had good cheekbones. Her mouth was bow
shaped with a full bottom lip. The corners tilted upwards, and when she smiled,
there was a hint of the dimples she’d had as a child.

Her eyes were probably her best
feature. They were large, deeply green, and framed by thick curly black lashes,
below a slightly arched set of dark blonde eyebrows. She had a nondescript
nose, which turned up just enough to make her look cute. Overall, she had no
features that were unattractive, but she was no great beauty, either. As a
small child, she’d been cute. As a teen, she’d been awkward and gangly and
definitely geeky. As an adult, she was just ordinary, average, unexceptional.
But for Nick she wanted to be beautiful, sexy, gorgeous.

He’d said she wasn’t ordinary, but she
was sure he’d been talking about her mind. Everyone knew her mind wasn’t
ordinary. But it wasn’t her IQ that she wanted to impress Nick with. No matter
how much men protested it, looks were what really caught their attention, not
brains. Looks like Ashley Davis possessed.

She’d taken a shower and washed her
hair rather than soak in a bathtub when she’d gotten home. Her hair was loose
and dry now. It fell to her shoulders. The lighter blonde color of her youth
had changed to a dark, honey blonde. She thought the color was drab and
lifeless. The braid was convenient, but it probably didn’t do much to enhance
her facial features.

“Hey, Hanna, I didn’t hear you come
home? Have you eaten? Colleen made some great chicken fettuccini tonight.
There’s some left.”

Hanna turned to her sister-in-law,
Dylan’s widow. Christine had just turned thirty a month ago. She was
dark-haired, small, and beautiful. Hanna liked her immensely. Normally, she was
outgoing, full of fun and laughter. And she was a great mother to Hanna’s
niece, Katie, who was five months old.

The day after Dylan’s death Christine
and Katie had moved in with Hanna and Colleen. Dylan and Christine, with
Lance’s help, had just finished building a brand new house not too far away.
Dylan had been so proud of it, but Christine had been too devastated by her
husband’s sudden death to stay in their new home.

Sometimes life was so unfair, it broke
your heart. Christine and Dylan had been so perfect for one another; so much in
love. Her brother had waited a long time for the right woman. He’d been
thirty-five when he had finally chosen Christine to marry. They’d only had two
years together— just enough time to begin to build a future together and to
create a beautiful daughter.

“I ate already, thank you, Christine,”
she replied. “I was just standing here in front of the mirror wondering what to
do with my hair. I think I’m getting too old to wear it in a braid. And the
color.... It seems so mousy.”

Christine came up to stand beside her.
She looked at her sister-in-law’s reflection thoughtfully for a few moments. “I
don’t think you’re too old to wear it in a braid. I guess it could use some
highlights, though.” She paused for further reflection. “On second thought, how
about a haircut?” She pulled Hanna’s hair up until it fell to her jaw line.
“Oh, that’s nice! It frames and flatters the shape of your face. I’ll be right
back.” She hurried out of the bedroom. When she came back she was carrying a
magazine. She flipped through the pages until she found a photograph of a young
model. “Look at this hairstyle and color.” She held the magazine open for
Hanna. “I think it would look great on you. What do you think?”

Hanna studied the picture and tried to
imagine herself with the particular style of cut and hair color. “Yeah, I guess
so. I do like the color. It looks sun-streaked.”

“Let’s have it done, then,” Christine
suggested enthusiastically. “I could use a day at the salon, too; that and
maybe a little shopping. It might lift our spirits a little.”

“When? I have to work all next week.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? We’ll never get in that
soon anywhere, and tomorrow evening Nick, Jessie, and Christopher are coming
over for dinner.”

“Dotty will do us tomorrow if I call
her tonight. It’s not too late, and she’s off on Saturday, so she could do us
at her house. She’s a good enough friend that I can ask her for a favor. We’ll
go shopping after. We’ll be home by dinner. You can test out your new look on
Jessie and Nick.”

“Then let’s hope it’s a good look, not
a flop.”

HANNA WAS IN HER GRANDMOTHER’S KITCHEN
the next evening when she heard Jessie, Nick, and Christopher, Lance’s
ten-year-old son, enter the living room. Behind the closed door that led to the
next room, she could hear Nick’s deep husky voice and rich baritone laughter.
Butterflies swirled in her stomach. She touched her hair self-consciously.
Christine and Colleen loved the new length and light blonde highlights. But
what would Nick think?

Dotty had cut it to her jaw line and
the nape of her neck in back, then layered it and woven it with pale blonde
streaks. Afterwards, she had loosely curled it to give it more fullness and
height. Instead of being pulled back off her face, it now framed it in a lightly
curled style.

After the hair salon, she and her
sister-in-law had gone shopping. Each of them had bought a new outfit. Hanna
was wearing hers. It was a black silk sarong skirt, with tiny blue and green
flowers. It fell to her knees and tied at the side of her waist. Her blouse was
a sheer, sleeveless, green silk blouse, with a deep ruffled neckline that made
a perfect frame for the jade pendant Nick had sent her for her birthday last
year. She was also wearing the matching earrings that had come with it. She
treasured the set and wore them often.

Her grandmother came into the kitchen
and took the tray Hanna had in her hands away from her. “Get out of here young
lady,” she admonished. “You look much too fine to be in the kitchen.”

Colleen McHenry was dressed in a pair
of slacks and a pretty shirt, nothing special. “I overdressed, didn’t I?” Hanna
looked down at herself self-consciously.

“No,” the older woman replied
adamantly. “You look lovely, just as you should. Now, go greet our guests. And
take off that apron. It spoils the look. Go get that Marine’s attention.”

“Grandma!”

“I know you’re dying to see what
Nicholas thinks!” Gently, she pushed her toward the closed door. “Jessie can
come in if I need any help. In fact, send her in here. Is Christine still
upstairs feeding Katie?”

“Yes.” Hanna lingered uncertainly.

“Good.”

“What about Christopher? Where would
you like him, Grandma?” Hanna teased.

“Oh, I don’t think he’ll let us pry
him away from his Uncle Nick.” Colleen gave her granddaughter an appraising
look, smiled her approval, and made a shooing motion. “Now scoot.”

Nick was sitting on Colleen’s
overstuffed flower-print sofa. Christopher, who’d been his ever present shadow
since he’d come home, was sitting beside him, listening to a story he was
reading to him.

When Hanna walked into the living
room, both of them looked up at her. Christopher grinned, then went back to the
pictures in the book. Nick lost his place. The woman in front of him captured
his attention completely.

She’d changed her hair, and she looked
incredibly sexy in the skirt and blouse she was wearing. His eyes swept up her
long shapely legs, to her slender waist, to the deep vee of her blouse. He
noticed the jewelry he’d sent her for her last birthday. The set looked as
lovely on her as he had imagined it would.

She robbed him of speech, and he knew
she was waiting for him to greet her.

“Hanna...You look…good.”
Good? What
an idiot he was!
Hell, she looked more than
good
, but words weren’t
forming in his brain.

“You, too.”

He was wearing dress slacks and a long-sleeved
shirt that was folded up onto his muscular forearms. He loved what her smile
did to his insides.

“Sit, Auntie Hanna,” Christopher
called to her. “Uncle Nick reading a story.”

Hanna resisted the urge to correct
Christopher’s grammar. He’d talked so late, and then so unclearly, that
whatever he said now was a miracle and a delight. She joined him and Nick on
the sofa to sit on the little boy’s other side.

Her split skirt fell away from her
thigh. She hurried to cover it, caught Nick watching the display of skin, and
blushed. “What are you reading?” she asked.

“‘Bout tanks and hel’copters,”
Christopher announced.

“Oh, military stuff.” She smiled and
looked at the pictures the child was pointing to.

“Christopher has a lot of military
books,” Nick observed.

“I know,” she said. “They’re his
favorites. They remind him of his Uncle Nick, whom he’s very proud of.” She
smiled at the man over the boy’s head. “Read to us, Uncle Nick.”

Nick’s voice was deep and soothing.
Hanna was as enthralled as Christopher was. He was finishing up the description
of military vehicles when Christine came into the living room with the baby.
Little Katie lay contentedly in her mother’s arms, fed and happy. Hanna rose to
take the little girl from her.

“Christine, I don’t think you’ve met
Nick.” She turned to him, with the baby now over her shoulder. “Nick, this is
Dylan’s wife, Christine, and their baby girl, Katie.”

Nick rose and extended his hand to
Dylan’s wife. “Dylan sent me photographs of you and the baby. It’s a pleasure to
finally meet you. It would have been sooner if I had been able to come home for
your wedding.”

Christine smiled and shook his hand.
“Dylan talked a lot about you.” Her smile belied her sad wounded blue eyes as
she sat down in an armchair across from the sofa. “I wish you were home under
better circumstances. I hear congratulations are in order, Colonel.”

“Thank you.” Nick turned to Hanna.
“Can I hold her?”

Surprised that he’d want to, she put
the cooing baby into his arms. “She’s five months old this week.”

He rested one big hand on the baby’s
back and touched her cheek with a single curled finger. “Beautiful, like her
mother,” he said, lifting his eyes to smile at Christine.

Hanna felt terrible about the little
twinge of jealousy that stabbed at her.
Beautiful
was a much better word
than
good
.

Since Christopher was beginning to
look a little put out that his idol was giving all his attention to a baby,
Hanna asked him to help her set the table for dinner. He went reluctantly,
looking at Nick over his thin shoulders.

Colleen and Jessie had prepared a huge
meal; a roast and all the side dishes, including three salads and two big peach
pies, Nick’s favorite. When it was ready, the two families sat down at the big
oval oak table. Nick took a seat next to Hanna, leaving the ends of the table
to Colleen and his mother.

As he watched the four women pass the
food around and help Christopher take what he wanted, he was touched by their
resiliency in the face of such tragedy and mishap. Two children were
fatherless, and Christine widowed. Hanna had lost a brother, and Colleen a
grandson. Then there was his mother, who was beside herself worrying about his
younger brother.

Nick knew they all needed his help.
That’s what he was home for, to help them find out what had happened to the men
in their lives. And what the hell had happened? He didn’t have a clue at this
point. His gut told him Lance wasn’t dead. But Dylan was, and he didn’t believe
his childhood friend had fallen off his patrol boat drunk, any more than his family
did.

He couldn’t bring Dylan back, but he
could help Hanna clear her brother’s name and find out what really happened to
him. He was sure the police chief, whom he’d gone to high school with, and the
sheriff, whom he didn’t know at all, were dead wrong about Dylan. It wasn’t
right to label a man a drunk on the job, and leave that taint on his wife and
baby.

He was certain the two law enforcement
men in the community were giving the families the run around about Lance’s
disappearance. His brother was too good a diver to have drowned. If Lance had
drowned, his equipment would have been discovered at the bottom of the bay and
at some point, his body probably would have surfaced.

Apparently, a diver from the sheriff’s
department had gone into the lower end of Discovery Bay to look for Lance’s
body near the place Dylan had disappeared, but nothing had been found. Nick
intended to do a more thorough search as soon as he could get the proper
equipment together. Lance’s body could have been caught on an underwater snag,
though that seemed unlikely according to what his mother had reported. And why
no sign of Lance’s rubber dinghy? That really bothered him. That alone made
Nick suspect foul play. He really needed more information, and he hoped someone
had something enlightening to tell him.