She wanted to wrap this moment in a bubble and do everything she could not to have it pop around her.
Her eyes drifted shut when Linc brushed his lips across the back of her neck. “Morning, Tink.”
She smiled. He seemed to be using her nickname more and more lately.
Meredith couldn’t deny she liked it. “Morning.”
He nuzzled her neck and her stomach fluttered in anticipation of what could come next. “I could get used to waking up next to you.”
Considering their discussion the previous evening, his words shouldn’t scare her, but they did. Sure, their time in bed had been amazing, but the idea of living with Linc freaked her out a little. She and Mark had dated for two years and it wasn’t until after she’d broken up with him before leaving for Guatemala that he started talking about a permanent arrangement.
As if sensing her erratic thoughts, Linc moved away from her and slid out of bed. “How about I make breakfast?”
“Sounds good.”
She watched him walk away, her heart in her throat.
God, he’s such a good guy. I hope I don’t fuck this up.
*
Linc paced the training area with his new partner, Mack, beside him. While he’d been preparing breakfast, he’d received a text message from his new company asking him to come in today instead of Monday as arranged. Meredith had been okay with him leaving. Judging from her appearance and her reaction when they woke up, he figured she needed space to sort out her thoughts, but at the same time, he was annoyed. He’d thought they had taken some positive steps forward in their relationship. He’d taken a big leap himself and hoped he hadn’t made a mistake doing it.
“Heel,” he commanded Mack. Immediately, the Malanois fell back into step beside him. “Good boy,” he praised.
The tracking around the arena was mind-numbing but necessary to build the relationship between them. He wouldn’t be taking the dog home just yet. Kirk, the owner of the company, wanted to make sure Linc and Mack had made a strong connection. The trust between dog and handler was vital for their working relationship. Even though they’d been working only a little while, the dog’s instincts and ability to take instruction from him indicated he and Mack would be a good match.
For the next half hour, they went through some basic commands, and by the end, he and Mack were working well together.
He led the dog back to the kennels and spied Kirk waiting for him.
He nodded at his new boss. “What do you think?”
“I think you’ll make a good team. Your knowledge and experience with working dogs is going to make this transition a lot smoother than some I’ve seen.”
Linc’s chest puffed at Kirk’s praise. He had an idea the other man didn’t give it out often. Working with Mack had renewed his energy levels. It had been too long since he’d been with a dog.
“Thanks, but Mack’s an intuitive dog. He took to my commands readily. Believe me when I say I’ve seen some dogs that display all the right signs only to fail at the first real test. And other dogs who you think will never make the grade end up being the best dogs on the team.”
“True. But I don’t think that will be the case with Mack.”
Linc chuckled and looked at the kennel where Mack lay, head resting on his front paws, his eyes watchful. “No, I don’t think so. What do you do with dogs that don’t make the grade?”
Kirk smoothed his beard down. “We usually find homes for them. We work closely with a shelter.”
“Have you ever considered seeing if they could be turned into service animals? I know that some may not be suited for what we do, but could be good at providing comfort to those who need it.”
“Hmm, I hadn’t considered that before. But that’s something I could look into.”
“I know a guy who works with an organization that trains service dogs. They work closely with a veteran’s center and have had great results in helping vets cope with PTSD.”
“Give me his details and I’ll check him and the organization out.”
“Sure, but trust me when I say, Caleb knows what he’s doing. He’s a former K-9 handler and his fiancée’s dog is a service dog. Caleb had shut himself off from everyone after an accident in which his own working partner died. If it weren’t for Willow and Kerry, I don’t know what would’ve become of him.”
“Thanks. It’s always helpful when someone has inside information. Still, I’d like to do my own due diligence.” Kirk nodded, clearly satisfied with his own conclusion.
Linc could see a partnership between Caleb’s organization and his new employer working out well. “I can speak to Caleb and set up a meeting, if you like.”
“That works.”
Linc heard a faint buzz and Kirk reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. “I’ve got to take this, but if you see Anna, she’ll show you to your desk and you can get acquainted with some of our past cases. See what we do and how we do them.”
“Sounds great.”
Kirk walked away, connecting the call. Linc squatted in front of Mack’s kennel, pushing his hand through the metal bars. “See you soon, buddy. I think we’re going to have a great relationship.”
Mack gave his hand a lick as if agreeing with Linc’s assertion. For the first time since he’d found out the job in San Diego was a bust, confidence flowed through him that his career was on the right track.
As he walked toward the admin building, he pulled his phone out, keen to call Meredith and tell her how his morning went.
The phone rang a couple of times before it went to voicemail. He hung up without leaving a message. Probably best she hadn’t answered. It was his first day and while he didn’t think it was against company policy to make personal calls, he should keep them to a minimum for the time being. His phone chimed with an incoming text message.
“Hey, sorry I missed your call. I’m at an appointment. Hope your first day on the job is going well.
M xx”
Linc studied the text and indecision rode him. She sounded cheerful—he just wasn’t sure what to make of the news she was at an appointment. The fertility clinic? He thought they’d sorted all that out the previous evening.
His mind filled with possible outcomes and none of them made him happy.
Chill, dude, you’re making it out to be more than it needs to be. Just concentrate on the job.
Meredith could be at the doctor’s for a follow-up. Or she could be at the hairdresser. At this very second, he had more important things to think about.
He fired off a quick response. “Job is going great. TTYL.”
Sliding the phone back into his pocket, Linc strode into the building and headed for where Anna sat so he could get himself settled. Yes, he was going to be very happy working here.
*
Linc inserted the key into the lock of his front door, mentally exhausted after spending the afternoon reading case files of various searches the company had conducted over the last two years. Some of the cases didn’t end happily. They were hard to read, but he needed to so he could appreciate their procedures and methods.
Hell, he should know that not everything turned out the way people hoped. He’d seen his fair share of horror situations while deployed.
Tossing his keys on the hall table, he wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator.
His phone buzzed as he swallowed his first mouthful. He smiled. Ethan.
“Hey dude, how are your gorgeous girls?”
“They’re doing great. What’s this I hear about you starting a new job today?”
Linc chuckled, there was only one way Ethan knew about his new job.
Meredith.
“I take it your wife has been chatting to her best friend.”
“You guessed it. But that doesn’t matter. Tell me about it, how’d it go?”
Linc spent the next ten minutes filling Ethan in on his new working partner and the workings of the company.
“Sounds like
a good move for you.” There was an edge to Ethan’s voice, almost a nervousness that seemed out of character for his friend.
In the pause, Linc prepared himself for what was going to come next.
“I want to know if you can come over for dinner tonight.”
Linc looked at the clock; it was close to six already. By the time he showered, he wouldn’t get there for at least another hour. “Isn’t it a bit late to be asking this? I figured you and Isabella would’ve already had dinner.”
Ethan sighed. “Yeah, we normally eat early, but I got notice I’m going to be deployed again in a couple months, the first time since Marnie was born. It was tough to read and, well, Izzy could use some friends when I tell her.”
Knowing a little about Isabella’s past, the loss she’d suffered in her first marriage, Ethan’s dinner plans made sense. The only thing that didn’t was why Linc was invited. It would make more sense to have Eric, her father, there. Or Meredith.
Meredith.
He still hadn’t spoken to her since he’d left her place this morning; they’d only exchanged a couple of texts. He didn’t know what sort of response he’d get if he did call. Which, after the night they spent in each other’s arms, made no sense. However, tension had been growing between them ever since he uttered the words he could get used to waking up beside her. He’d freaked her out. Hell, he’d freaked himself out.
When he’d been based overseas and then deployed, long-term relationships hadn’t been on his radar. He’d had flings while he was back stateside. Short-term arrangements that suited him and the girls he dated. That was what his life had been all about.
He hadn’t expected to enjoy waking up with her as much as he did.
“Linc, you still there?”
“Yeah, I’m still here. And are you sure you want me to come for dinner? Seems like I’d be quite low on Isabella’s support crew list.”
Ethan chuckled. “How about I need a friend? This is going to be hard for me, too. I’m in a completely different situation than the last time I went away. I’ve got a wife and daughter now. My last deployment, all I had was a girl who’d declared her love for me as I was about to get on a plane.”
How would he feel if he were still in the army and had to walk away from Meredith? What if the pregnancy had been viable? How would he have felt knowing he was leaving them for months on end?
Worried.
Yeah, he’d feel worried that something would happen to them and he wouldn’t be able to protect them. To honor his role as husband and father.
“I need to shower, so I’ll be there in just under an hour.” He paused and cleared his throat, a sudden attack of nerves hitting him. “I take it Meredith will be there?”
“She’s already here. When I got home, she and Izzy were out back, deep in discussion.”
Maybe that explained why she hadn’t picked up earlier. But hopefully, the girl talk wasn’t about how to let him down gently.
“You know what they could be taking about?” Speculation was rife in Ethan’s voice.
“If you want me there, you need to stop asking questions.”
Ethan laughed down the line. “Okay, but I’ll expect an answer when you get here.”
“I swear since you’ve gotten married, all you want to do is gossip,” Linc grumbled good-naturedly.
“Shut up, you’re the guy who likes to match people. If anyone likes to gossip, it’s you.”
His friend had a very valid point. “Whatever, I’ll see you soon.”
He disconnected the call on Ethan’s farewell and took another long swallow of his beer. Facing Meredith with his friends watching was going to be interesting. He’d have to make sure he didn’t give himself away. No way did he want Ethan and Isabella to know he was falling for Meredith.
Chapter Fifteen
Meredith glanced through the glass doors and spied Ethan pacing while on the phone. Something was going on. He’d been tense the second he’d walked through the door. Even Buster had noticed it and stayed by her side.
“Who do you suppose Ethan’s talking to?” Isabella asked.
“No idea.” Meredith kept her voice upbeat so as not to betray her thoughts.
“Something’s going on. When he comes home, the first thing he does after changing out of his clothes is grab Marnie and spend time with her. He didn’t do that today.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing, Iz.” She reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand fisted on the glass table. “Maybe he’s organizing a special surprise for you.”
“No, it’s not that. If he were organizing a surprise for me, he would’ve walked in the door buzzing.” Isabella looked at the stroller where Marnie lay playing with her feet, chattering in her own baby language. “He’s getting deployed,” she whispered.
Meredith was up and out of her chair in double quick time and squatted beside her friend’s chair. “You don’t know that, Iz. Maybe it’s something else.”
Before her eyes, Isabella shook off her despondency and straightened her shoulders, determination glinting in her gaze. “No. It’s probably time he went away again. I can do this.”
Meredith smiled. “Of course you can, and you know you’re not alone. I’ll be here this time. Not to mention all the other wives. Your dad. You don’t have to do this by yourself. Plus Ethan’s in a different job now, he won’t have to go into the hot spots anymore.”
The doors slid open and the man in question walked out. Meredith looked up and, maybe it was something in her eyes or the way she was gripping Isabella’s shoulder, but she saw the minute Ethan worked out that Isabella had discovered something was going on.
In two strides, he was at Isabella’s side and pulled her into a loving embrace.
“You’re being deployed, aren’t you?” The words were muffled against Ethan’s chest, but Meredith heard them all the same.
“It’s gonna be fine, Izzy. I love you, and I’m going to do my best not to lose what I’ve got.”
Meredith turned away and walked back into the house to give the couple some privacy. They would probably want to be alone, as they had a lot to discuss and the last thing she wanted to be was a third wheel.
She clicked her fingers and Buster came scampering from where he’d been sniffing around the potted plants.
“I think it’s time you and I went home, buddy. You ready to go?” The little dog jumped up on his hind legs and she picked him up, laughing as he scampered higher on her shoulder like he always did.
Isabella and Ethan leaned on each other. She and Linc? Not so much. He’d seemed so excited when he announced he was going to his new job earlier than planned. It had broken the tension that had popped up between them after she’d woken in his arms. A tension that had been with her until she’d received his call while getting a pedicure.
Everything appeared to be good between them, but the insecure part of her wondered if he’d get bored with her now that he gotten her into bed again.
“Dammit, you’re so not doing this,” she mumbled to herself as she picked up Buster’s harness and lead from the laundry room.
Linc wasn’t a user. He had told her he wanted to see her. Start a relationship with her. Hell, be the father to her child. Why would he then decide to go back on his word and just use her for a quick roll in the hay?
Meredith strolled back into the kitchen and found both Isabella and Ethan standing there.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Isabella demanded, her fear seeming to have disappeared with a kiss and hug from her husband—as it should.
“Home. I thought you guys would want to be alone.”
Isabella shook her head and smiled up at her husband. “You’re not going anywhere. Ethan’s invited Dad and Linc over for dinner.”
Meredith’s heart skipped a beat. Now she knew why Ethan appeared pleased to see her when he’d walked in. “Well, I guess I can stay then.”
“Thanks, Mere. It means a lot to me to have you here for Izzy.”
Mer
edith nodded, but looked away as the sensation of tears welling in her eyes threatened to overwhelm her. Goddammit, she’d thought her runaway hormones were finally under control.
A doorbell echoed through the house, and as Ethan and Isabella walked down the hallway, arm in arm, she used the interruption to get herself under control.
Marnie gave a little cry from her stroller so Meredith pulled her out, cuddling her close. A rather unpleasant aroma overpowered the usually sweet-smelling child. “Geez, you stink, baby girl. When your mommy comes back, I’m handing you over. My godmotherly duties only kick in when I’m on babysitting duty, not when she’s nearby.”
“Well, I’m glad you weren’t telling me I smell, because I swear I had a shower.”
Despite the unpleasant aroma, Meredith tightened her hold on Marnie and whirled around. Linc’s teasing smile was the first thing she saw.
All the worries that had been flowing through her since he’d walked out of her house dissipated like a bubble bursting. If she didn’t have Marnie in her arms, she would’ve rushed over and hugged him tight. As it was, Buster started doing the little tap dancing routine he did when he was excited to see someone.
“How did your day go?” Meredith asked.
“It was fantastic.” Linc smiled and walked toward her, stopping when he got close. “Oh boy, you were right when you said someone is not as fresh as a daisy.”
“Are you saying my daughter stinks, Lincoln Forrest?” Isabella asked with mock severity.
“Well, I was just agreeing with Meredith. She was the one who said it first.”
Meredith shook her head. “Thanks.” She turned to her friend, holding the little girl not quite as close as she normally did. “And yeah, sorry, Iz, but, yeah, your baby girl does.”
“Then let me attend to her. Ethan is just getting some drinks together. Why don’t you two go outside?”
Isabella plucked her daughter from Meredith’s arms and wandered down the hallway, leaving her with Linc.
She started when his fingers stroked down her cheek.
“Did you have a good day?”
“It was okay. I’m sure it wasn’t as good as yours. Tell me how it went.” Without conscious thought, she leaned into him and sighed when his arms closed around her. She breathed in his musky scent, unleashing memories of his lips caressing her neck. His strong body taking possession of hers. No way could she stop the shudder that swept over her.
The Matchmaker’s Match Page 14