Flat Line

by J. M. Madden

  Parker was used to seeing benches inside a gazebo but this one was different. There were benches on one side, but on the other were two divan, couch things. Like fainting couches. There was a desk along the backside and solar powered fairy lights hung from the rafters. This was probably a pretty cool place at night. There was an empty fire ring at the edge of the stream, directly in sight of the couches.

  Andy sat curled up on one of the long benches, arms around her drawn-up knees as she wept. She didn't startle when he reached out to stroke her back, just turned into his arms. Parker hesitated for only a moment, wishing he could be a better man for her.

  Andromeda knew he would come. He should have been flat on his back after being shot, but Parker Quinn didn't roll like that. He never had. He would overcome any obstacle put in front of him, sometimes at the expense of himself and others. It was one of the things she admired most about him. It was also what she hated the most.

  But as his strong arms wrapped around her back and his fingers grazed her cheeks, she forgot about all their old baggage. Parker had one of the most incredible hugs, warm and solid. Exactly what a woman emotionally well beyond her breaking point needed.

  He didn't ask her what was wrong or how he could fix it, he just held her. The position had to be a little awkward for him, but he didn't say a word.

  Andromeda knew she needed to get a hold of herself, but she'd just been so wrung out. It had been a traumatic day for her. Between the attack first thing this morning, and the shooting and the drive to West Virginia, she was at her wits’ end. And this was the perfect place to let down her guard, where no one could see the professional, controlled Andromeda Pierce lose her shit.

  Eventually, she reached the end of her tears and she pulled back to look up into Parker's face. He grinned down at her a little sleepily. "Better?"

  She nodded, wiping beneath her eyes for the last time. "I'm good. I'm sorry."

  "Don't be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong."

  She pulled away and straightened on the side of the bench. Parker straightened as well, stroking a hand down her back. "We all have a breaking point, Andy. You had a monster day today. No one will say a word. Including me. It's all good."

  She cleared her throat. "Thank you, Parker."

  "If they ask questions," he said, taking her hand in his own, "you can tell them we were having sex."

  Andromeda burst into startled laughter even as a flush of warmth rolled through her. "What?"

  "You heard me."

  She blinked into his grinning face and for a fleeting moment, thought about taking him up on his suggestion. Then she snatched her hand away. "You are so bad! Just like you used to be."

  "Well, we had a lot of good sex back then. It ruled my life for a while."

  Yeah, it had ruled hers too.

  "Still, we can't do that. You were shot just hours ago."

  Parker gave her a look. "Believe me, if you told me I could have you on this bench right this second, I would be man enough for the job."

  Laughing, Andromeda shook her head, feeling tickled and a little flushed. "You are incorrigible."

  That had been one of the things that had drawn her to Parker years ago, that playful irreverence. It was exactly opposite of her practical nature. But she was smart enough to know that that playfulness had been what had drawn her to him. Her life was planned down to the minute and the goal and the milestone. He made her forget all that. For two weeks they'd spent every spare minute together. It was the best time she'd ever had.

  That had been a long time ago, though. Years. And her life hadn't changed so much. She was still goal driven and determined to live a certain way.

  The lines on Parker's face and the way he moved told her that Parker had seen hard times, so she was glad he could still play around.

  "Maybe we should head back to the cabin."

  He sighed, looking out at the stream. "Mind if we sit here a bit? It's peaceful."

  Oh, yeah. He had just been shot.

  "That's fine."

  They sat for several long minutes not saying anything and it was actually nice.

  "How long have you known Roz? She seems like a firecracker."

  Andromeda laughed. "Oh, she is, believe me. But she's my best friend."

  "When did you meet her? I don't remember you talking about a Roz."

  "Mm. I just met her a few years ago. I prosecuted her case. She'd been horribly attacked while on duty at a hospital. She filed against the hospital because they were criminally liable for not having a place to house patients deemed mentally unstable in the ER. They actually had plans for a space, had promised it to the ER several times, but they'd pushed it off for a couple of years because the administrators thought they needed pay raises more. She walked into my office with all of the paperwork in hand and they came back with a settlement a week after I filed charges against them. They knew they were in the wrong and had been caught with their pants down."

  "Damn. She sounds like a powerhouse."

  Andromeda grinned. "She is. We clicked immediately because even though she portrays herself one way, she has the heart of a gummy bear. It took her a long time to recover after the attack. She stayed with me for a while because of the security at my condo. We drank a lot of wine together and commiserated on things we could and couldn't change. Part of her settlement was that the hospital had to get that protective space done within three months. And they did. It was down to the minute, but they got it done."

  "But she doesn't work there now?"

  Andromeda shook her head, her heart aching for her friend. "She couldn't go back to work there. She tried, but there were too many bad memories. The guy, well, he hurt her bad and even as strong as she is, her PTSD made it so she just couldn't handle it. After the settlement she resigned to take care of her son, but last year he headed off to college. I think she's been picking up a few hours here and there at some of the local clinics to keep her certifications up to date, but she doesn't need the job."

  "Sounds like she needs a purpose."

  "Yes," she sighed. "I try to come down as much as I can. But I have a lot on my plate right now. I'm in line for a promotion. If I can tie this al Fareq case up, it would go a long way to cementing my career path."

  She turned to him on the bench, the light fading through the trees around them. "And what about you? I never heard anything out of you after you left." She tried to keep her words light, but they may have come out sounding a little accusatory.

  "I went back to my SEAL team. We shot up a lot of shit and saved a bunch of people."

  She frowned when he stopped because she knew there was more, but he was being difficult about this. In essence he was reminding her exactly what she hadn't missed about him. "Well, okay then. Guess we should be getting back to the cabin."

  Andromeda moved to push up off the bench, but Parker stopped her with a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, Andy. I'm not..."

  She waved a hand. "No worries. I'm good. I appreciate the reminder."

  He frowned. "What reminder?"

  "That you won't be around very long."

  Andromeda stepped down out of the gazebo, her gaze running up the bubbling stream. Her heart had been wrong when she'd heard that he was no longer a SEAL. For one tiny moment in time she'd thought maybe there was a chance for something between them.

  Which was crazy. He'd been back in her life exactly twelve hours.

  Parker Quinn would just have to continue being the one that got away.

  Chapter 10

  Mac walked into the house wondering what kind of reception he'd get. Roz seemed temperamental and wary of men, and he didn't want to spook her in any way. He made sure to shut the door loudly enough that she would surely hear.

  Roz peered around the doorway at him. "Hey. There's food if you're hungry."

  Then she ducked away. Mac took his shoes off and set them by the door, then hung his hat on one of the coat hooks. He smoothed his hair but he knew it had to be wild. It had been a
while since he'd bothered to get a haircut. He'd planned to do it before he went to testify in court.

  Mac walked into the kitchen and she shoved a plate at him as she walked past. "Help yourself to anything on the stove. Parker has already eaten. I'm going to make the bedrooms up."

  Mac watched her go, wondering what he'd done to piss her off. And if it was worth trying to change her mind.

  He helped himself to the chicken and vegetables she'd made. There were rolls on the table and he buttered one up, then groaned in pleasure as he began to chew. He'd never had better tasting bread. Setting the plate on the table, he wondered if it would be rude to eat just the bread for dinner. There was a jar of blackberry preserves on the table as well. That would be dessert.

  When he was done eating he pushed away from the table and crossed to the sink. Roz hadn't done the dishes yet and there was no washer, per se, so he would wash them. Maybe if he did that she would give him the recipe for the rolls and the jelly.

  Mac glanced up when she reentered the room and he offered her a smile. "The food was very good. Thank you. But the rolls were sublime. Did you make those?"

  He turned back to the sink, fearing that if he kept looking at her she wouldn't answer.

  "I did. It's an old family recipe."

  "Is it shareable? Or one of those things that you'll only pass on to a blood relative? Because I would be willing to swap some blood with you for it."

  She glanced at him sharply and he made sure to keep his expression eager and a little playful.

  "Do you cook?"

  "I try," he admitted. "Bread is one of the few things I've managed to become adept at." He reached into his left-hand pocket to show her the paperback he was carrying right then. "Gives me time to read in between the steps."

  Roz barked out a laugh and crossed her arms. "What's your best recipe?"

  Mac knew a challenge when he heard one, and he was ready for it. "Well, my Parker House rolls make your taste buds sing, but I prefer making baguettes. They're good with everything and they took me a long time to perfect."

  She frowned at him in consideration. "I'll think about it," she said eventually. "And thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed them. They are my son's favorite."

  "Mm. I can understand why. They melted in my mouth. And the jelly." He shook his head. "Ambrosia."

  Her eyes widened at that and her expression softened a little. "Thank you. It's been a while since anyone has appreciated my cooking. Those berries grow wild on the mountain."

  Knowing when he'd won a round, Mac turned back to the sink to finish the dishes. He was extremely surprised when she took up a dishtowel and started drying, but he tried not to let her see. Instead, he kept washing like he’d been doing and handing the dishes off to her. Within just a few minutes they were done. Mac wished he had more to wash.

  "I'll leave the food out for a few more minutes in case they come back," she murmured, "then I'll put it away."

  Mac crossed to the table and drank the last of his wine, then returned to the sink to rinse the glass. "I love your reading spot," he told her softly.

  She didn't say anything for a long time, so he wiped down the sink and the counter on his side, looking out at the darkening night or the kitchen, anywhere but at her. If he looked at her he knew instinctively that she would spook.

  "Thank you," she said finally. "It is my refuge."

  "I can understand why."

  Roz left the kitchen but returned a few minutes later. "I can show you where you'll sleep."

  The tiredness he'd been staving off hit him then and he followed her without a word. It looked like there were a few bedrooms back here.

  "The bathroom is here, and this room will be yours. Sorry you have to share."

  She motioned to the door but didn't step close enough to him to open it. Mac opened the door himself and stepped through. It wasn't a big room but each of the twin beds had homemade quilts across them. It looked comfortable enough. "Thank you."

  "I, uh, know you don't have clothes to change into and I'm sorry I don't have anything, but I did have spare toothbrushes. There are three new ones on the sink."

  Mac was touched. That was more consideration than he'd gotten for a long time.

  "Thank you, Roz. I really appreciate you opening up your home to us."

  Without a word she headed down the hallway to the bedroom door on the end. He assumed that was her room. When she let herself inside her gaze connected to his for a split second before she closed the door and he heard a deadbolt slide home.

  A deadbolt? On a bedroom door?

  Shaking his head, he went down the hallway to brush his teeth. He was too tired to think.

  Parker gritted his teeth as he stepped upon another stone. It was maybe the size of a nickel, but to a guy with the old injuries that he had it was enough to knock him off balance, which meant pain. If he'd been smart he would have put on his boots before he came after Andy, but he doubted he would have been able to reach over to tie them.

  "Come on."

  Parker looked down at Andy. She'd stomped off without him earlier, but she'd come back. She motioned for him to drape his arm over her shoulders.

  "No, I'm fine."

  "Bullshit. You're in pain and slowing down. If you go any slower, you'll be going backwards."

  Grinning at her acerbic comment he draped his left arm over her narrow shoulders. Then, as they headed up the path he found himself very thankful for her help. There were a couple of times he almost tripped. He hated not being as mobile as he used to be. It had been shocking to realize how fucked up his body was. The man who had tortured him had been a master. He would never regain what he once had.

  It was also darker than sin out here. They knew they were heading in the right direction, though, because they could see the glow from the cabin.

  "So, are you attached?"

  He could have shot himself all over again for asking that stupid question. He knew she didn't have anyone. She never would have let him hold her if she did.

  "Sorry, none of my business."

  She sighed as they headed up the slope. "No. No one. Not even a cat."

  Parker snorted in spite of himself. "Seems like I said something about a cat as I left, huh?"

  "You did."

  "I'm sorry about that, Andy. All I can say is, I was hurt and I lashed out. I'd never been in a relationship like ours and I definitely hadn't been dumped that hard before. It was a learning experience."

  "I'm sorry I was so blunt," she said quietly. "I should have taken more care with my words."

  "You killed me that night. Whether you realized it or not, I was never the same."

  She sniffed and he wondered if she was crying. "I'm sorry. I had to protect my heart."

  Yes, she was definitely crying. A long time ago, he would have loved to make her cry, to give her back some of the hurt she'd given him, but not anymore. He pulled her to a stop and cupped her face in the dim light. "It was a long time ago, Andy. I eventually understood why you did what you did, but the scar is still there. Honestly, I never expected to see you again. When my old commander called and told me you were in danger, I had this fear in my heart and I knew I had to come."

  Leaning forward he pressed a kiss to her forehead, then wrapped her into his arms. For a moment she stayed firm, then she sagged into him. "I'm glad you did, Parker. Once you're rested up we'll talk about that night. I've carried a lot of guilt about it and it'll be good to clear the air. Come on, you big lug."

  They completed the slow trip back to the cabin in silence. The steps took a lot out of him, but he made it. Roz looked up at them as they walked through the door. "I was about to go looking for you."

  He grinned and hugged Andy to him. "I was safe."

  "You better get to bed. You need to sleep to heal. I put you in the middle bedroom with the two twin beds. Mac is already in there."

  Parker gave Roz a mock salute, then reluctantly pulled away from Andromeda. With another kiss to the top of her
head he headed toward the hallway. "Thank you, Roz, for everything you've done."

  "Yeah, yeah," she said. "Here are a couple of pain pills for when you wake up in the night."

  She crossed the room and dropped two pills into his open hand. "There's a bottle of water on your bedside table."

  Grinning, he blew her a kiss, though she stood only a couple of feet before him.

  Parker felt fine. He'd been shot before, and the pain was excruciating but manageable. The thought of laying down was almost orgasmic.

  And when he lowered himself to the narrow mattress a few minutes later, it was as good as he expected. He was asleep within seconds.

  Roz caught her eye. "Why don't you get a drink and join me for a minute?"

  Without a word Andromeda went into the kitchen, found a wine glass and poured herself a glass of red. Then she returned to the living room and sat down on the couch with Roz, knee bent up on the cushion. "What's up?"

  "Nothing in particular. I just wanted to check on you, and your frame of mind."

  Andromeda sighed. "I'm okay. I'm not gonna lie, that woman attacking me as I got off the elevator was shocking. I can't remember ever being in any kind of altercation like that. And she had a knife. I think she would have killed me and not thought a thing about it."

  Roz nodded. "I have a feeling you're right. I'm glad you kicked her ass."

  They sat for a few minutes, just drinking wine and talking about small things. "I need to run somewhere tomorrow and get some clothes and things."

  "I'll go with you. Actually, we'll take my car just in case. Did you see the bullet holes in the back of yours?"

  Andromeda looked at her sharply. "Really?"

  "Yup."

  That aggravated her and made her sad. She'd spent a lot of money on that car and she wasn’t sure her insurance covered perforation. "It was kind of crazy in that park. I didn't even notice."