Tate felt the vibration of his phone in his pocket during the wedding ceremony, glad that he had turned it to silent. Ignoring the incoming call, he smiled as Drew and Babs exchanged their vows. He’d thought nothing would replace the closeness he felt with his SEAL brothers, but Mace had accomplished the same brotherhood and sense of family with the Keepers. Drew and Babs had been through a lot on their way to finding each other.
The sun was shining, sparkling off the water crashing below the lighthouse. Drew’s family was present, but the Keepers were all the family that Babs had or needed. Against her typical badass persona, she wore a beautiful gown and as she walked toward the front, he’d never seen Drew grin so widely. And if he wasn’t mistaken, a tear formed in Drew’s eye.
He’d been present for the weddings of Mace and Sylvie, Rank and Helena, Walker and Sara. But as he lifted his hand and pressed against his chest, he knew this wedding felt different. And it would be stupid to pretend he didn’t know why.
Nora.
If life had been different, Nora would already be his wife. They would’ve gotten married at the same little church his parents and grandparents had. Hell, we would have already had kids by now. That thought stung, and he pressed his fingertips against his chest a little harder. Not wanting to analyze his thoughts any more at the moment, he was relieved when the ceremony was over and Drew swooped Babs into his arms, giving Tate a chance to cheer loudly instead of think about his own missed opportunities.
Later, having made his way through the tables loaded with food in the large dining room, he looked for an empty place to sit. Moving to one of the tables, he smiled at those already there. “Hey, darlin’,” he greeted. He placed a kiss on Julie and Helena’s cheeks before offering a chin lift to Walker and Rank.
“So, when are we going to get to see you stand up there blubbering as your beloved walks to you?” Julie asked, her smile wide.
“Until I find a woman like you, probably never.” The quip fell easily from his lips, the twinge in his heart hidden behind his laughter. Feeling a light touch on his arm, he turned to the other side.
Sara, Blake’s fiancée, held his gaze with a concerned look on her face. Leaning closer, she whispered, “I worry about you, Tate. I can’t think of anyone who deserves a good woman more than you.”
He smiled, her concern warming. Having helped with Sara’s rescue—and having had his life saved by her when she grabbed a gun to shoot someone sneaking up on them—they shared a closeness. “Save your worry for that ornery cuss you’re engaged to.”
“Hey! I’m not ornery!” Blake argued. “Or at least I won’t be as soon as I get Sara to say ‘I do’.”
“How’s the wedding planning going?” Helena asked.
His phone vibrated again and saved him from having to listen to more wedding planning. He murmured his apologies as he slid from the table. He walked to the side and pulled it from his pocket. Seeing his mother’s message for him to call immediately, he dialed her number as he stepped away from the gathering.
“Mom? What’s up—”
“Oh, Frankie, it’s your father.”
His feet stumbled as he continued to make his way outside, his heart pounding. “Dad? What’s wrong with Dad?”
“We’re at the medical center. He was having chest pains and Thomas got us here faster than if we waited on an ambulance. The doctor says he’s going to be fine, Frankie. He says it wasn’t a heart attack, but he’s got some blockage and they’re going to put in a stent.”
“Mom, I’ll be there just as soon as I can. I gotta get home and grab a bag and get to the airport as soon as I get a flight. I’ll text you and let you know my flight number.”
“Oh, honey, you don’t have to rush here. I just wanted you to know—”
“I’m not about to wait here. I’ll be there just as soon as I can get there, and tell Thomas he doesn’t need to meet me. I’ll get a rental car and come directly to the medical center.”
He heard the sigh of relief and softened his voice. “Mom, he’s a fighter. He’s going to be fine.”
She sniffed and choked, “I… I know. I just… can’t…”
“Mom, he’s gonna be fine. Now, you go be strong for him until I get there, okay?” He knew his mom needed something to focus on and he was sure he’d said the right words when her voice grew stronger.
“You’re right. Yes… I’ll go sit with him for a while, and travel safe, Frankie. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Mom.”
Disconnecting, he stayed for a few seconds, letting the cool air blow over him as he gathered his wits. Mission planning fell into place, giving him something he could gratefully hang onto. Call the airline. Get home and pack. Get to the airport.
Turning, he headed inside and walked swiftly over to Blake and Sara. Seeing alertness in Blake’s eyes, he leaned in. “Got a call from my mom. She said my dad went into the hospital with chest pain. The docs told him that it’s not too bad, but he’s going to have a stent put in.”
Blake grabbed him by the shoulders and held his gaze. “What you need from us?”
Shrugging, he said, “I probably won’t be gone more than a couple of days. I’ll let Mace and Sylvie know, but I wanted to make sure to touch base with you as well.”
“Keep us up on what’s happening.”
Sara stepped closer, her arms encircling his waist to wrap him in a hug. “I’ll be praying for your family.”
His friends’ concern moved through him, and he offered a chin lift before turning toward Mace. With hasty explanations and goodbyes to the rest of the Keepers, he jogged to his truck parked in the front of the lighthouse.
5
Stepping off the elevator onto the third floor of the hospital, Tate’s gaze shot to the sign on the wall indicating room numbers. Turning to the left, he walked past a small waiting room and a nurses’ station before stopping outside of room 315. The door was open, but he hesitated, throwing his hand onto the cold metal doorframe, steeling himself. He’s fine. It was not a heart attack.
Straightening, he sucked in a ragged, cleansing breath before letting it out slowly. Squaring his shoulders, he lifted his chin, and with a purposeful stride, he walked into the room and smiled at the man in the hospital bed. Now, his big, robust father with a grumpy expression on his face sat wrapped in a light blue hospital gown. Nothing says I-am-no-longer-in-charge like a hospital gown.
As his father turned his sharp, hazel-eyed gaze up to Tate, it struck him once more how much he looked like his dad. His mother always said so, but children generally don’t see the resemblance until they get older. Now, at thirty-three, when Tate looked in the mirror, he could easily see his father staring back. “You’re looking good, Dad.”
His father grumbled, earning a reproachful glare from his mom before she beamed her smile toward Tate. “Sweetie, I’m so glad you’re here!”
“There was no reason for you to call him,” Frank groused. “It’s a procedure, not a heart attack.”
Susan drew Tate into a hug before twisting her head and staring at Frank. “If you don’t stop being such a grump, I’m going to ask the doctor to give you a happy shot while he’s got you in there doing the procedure.” She looked back up at Tate and shook her head. “Regardless of what your father says, I know he’s thrilled that you’re here.”
They had little time before the nurses came to take Frank for his procedure. Tate leaned over and clasped his father’s hand, bending to pull him in for a hug at the same time. “See you soon, Dad. Kick some ass… you’ve got more traveling to do,” he whispered. He felt his dad chuckle against his chest and smiled. His mom blew him a kiss as she walked along with the nurses when his dad was rolled down the hall toward the elevator.
Caroline had already been in to see their dad earlier that morning before she headed back to the ranch. Thomas was used to taking care of everything back home, so Tate knew the ranch was fine. As promised, he sent a text to Caroline letting her know that their dad had just be
en taken for his angioplasty. Promising to let her know as soon as he heard anything, he settled into the hospital chair in the corner, shifting around in an attempt to find a comfortable position. Finally giving up on that pursuit, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
The soft pad of rubber footsteps caused his eyes to jerk open, his SEAL training allowing him to sleep while still being aware of his surroundings. A nurse had walked into the room, her back to him, and moved directly to the whiteboard on the wall. Her dark blue scrub pants did little to hide the perfect ass presented to him. Her thick blonde hair, the color of wheat at harvest, was pulled back in a low ponytail, the ends curling as they reached the middle of her back. She lifted her hand and erased the previous nurse’s name on the assignment board. His heart pounded as he watched the letters now forming underneath her hand. Short. Simple. And oh, so fuckin’ familiar. Nora
Nora. Memories of high school kisses under the bleachers, whispered promises of forever in the back of his pickup truck, horseback rides over his family’s ranch as they talked of growing up, getting married, and one day owning the family land moved through his mind. She knew he wanted to be in the Navy, his goal to become a SEAL. She vowed to wait for him, and it seemed so easy at the time to let her make that promise, not knowing what his future held. Jesus… young fuckin’ fools.
Before he had a chance to speak, she turned and gasped as her dark brown eyes landed on him, her hand now jerking over her heart. Her mouth opened and closed several times, but no words came forth.
He took to his feet, observing her head tilt back as he now towered over her and her eyes stayed pinned to his, a myriad of emotions pouring over her face. Shock. Surprise. Maybe a flash of anger. And if he was not mistaken… pain. He stepped forward a foot, her eyes still wide. “Nora.”
She blinked and whatever emotions she had felt and shown were shuttered as a curtain dropped. Now, in their place was a professionally cool nurse. “Oh… I… I didn’t realize any family was in here.” Her hands fluttered before clasping together in front of her. “Um… hello.”
Thrilled that she had not fled the room, he smiled. “I’m glad to have a chance to see you. You look wonderful.”
Her gaze shot to the side, and she swallowed heavily several times. “Yes… well, um… I’ll be back to check on your father later.”
He glanced at the clock on the wall. “I don’t know when he’ll get back down here. Can you stay for a few minutes?”
Giving her head a quick shake, she lifted her gaze to him. “I have other patients to check on. But he should be in recovery soon and once they bring him down, I’ll come back in.”
He took another step forward, but she skirted around him and out the door faster than he thought she could move. A heavy sigh billowed from his lungs, and with his hands on his hips, he dropped his head to stare at his boots.
And just like that, she walked away. Fuckin’ hell. Just like I did ten years ago.
Nora Stiles escaped to the small staff restroom behind the nurses’ station. She grabbed hold of the sink, her knuckles white. With her eyes squeezed shut, she fought to catch her breath. A grimace crossed her face, and she jerked her head up to stare at her reflection in the mirror. Get a grip! You knew this was going to happen sometime. It’s been years… he moved on. There’s nothing special about him. He’s just a relative of a patient. Just a man.
Unfortunately, her self-talk did little to make her feel better. After all, lying to herself rarely did. Okay, so he’s not just a man. He’s Tate.
She had seen him a few times over the past ten years but always at a distance. Coming out of the feed store with his dad. Balancing one of Caroline’s kids on his shoulders at the 4th of July parade. Carrying some of his mom’s prize-winning pies to the fair. And each time, she watched him from afar. People coming up to shake his hand, congratulating him on his military service. It still sliced through her that Nathan was not with him, accepting the same congratulations. How often did I think I could do that too? Walk up, smile, say hello. But each time, her heart had ached at the very sight of him, and she scurried away like a frightened mouse.
A noise from the hall caught her attention and she jerked her body into action, now embarrassed that she had fled the room. Grabbing several paper towels, she held them under the water and then patted her neck. The cold on her skin shocked her back into focus. Sucking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly, determined to go back out and finish her shift.
With renewed determination, she threw open the door and walked out, nearly running into one of the doctors. Coming to a quick halt, she slapped a smile on her face before heading to the nurses’ station. An hour later, she watched as Frank was rolled down the hall toward his room. She rushed over and greeted him, pulling Susan in for a hug. “I’m so glad I got to see you.”
“I hoped you were going to be Frank’s nurse today,” Susan said.
It did not escape Nora’s notice that Susan was staring intently at her. Offering a slight smile which she hoped hid her churning emotions, she said, “Everything went fine with his procedure, but the doctor wants to keep him overnight just to make sure. Let’s get him settled.”
Once in the hospital room, her professionalism kicked in, and she checked his stats and performed the tasks necessary to make sure Frank was comfortable while she did her best to ignore Tate’s presence—unsuccessfully. How can Tate’s presence fill the entire room? As though the years of separation had never occurred, she could feel his presence even when she was not looking at him. A tangible thread had always connected them.
“Frank,” Susan said as she leaned over her husband. “Look at who your nurse is.”
Turning toward his bed, she smiled as his eyes blinked open and confusion morphed into recognition.
“Nora, good to see you.”
“And you too, Frank. Everything went fine, and you’re just in the hospital overnight for observation. I think the doctor is going to have you and Susan ready for your next cruise soon.”
She continued small talk as she completed her duties, then, as soon as she could, she escaped out the door once more, avoiding eye contact with Tate.
An hour later, finished with her rounds and charts, she walked down the stairs to the cafeteria. She had caught a glimpse of Tate leaving his dad’s room a few minutes earlier and heaved a sigh of relief. Good, that’s good. Of course, it’s good. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, glad no one was around so that she could lean her head against the door and tap her forehead on the wood without being seen. Standing straight, she mentally dislodged the past from her mind and strode into the hall.
The hospital was new, and while small, it offered an excellent cafeteria. Choosing her food, she opted for a quiet booth in the corner. Sliding as far as she could go, wanting a few quiet moments to herself, she pulled out her phone to continue reading the latest e-book she had downloaded.
A tray suddenly plopped onto the table next to hers, and she jumped in surprise. Her gaze jerked up just as a large body settled next to hers, effectively trapping her in the booth. Her breath heaved as she stared agog when Tate offered her a wide smile.
“Wh… what are you doing?”
“What a coincidence, finding you having lunch at the same time I was hungry. And in a nice little corner booth where we can chat, won’t be disturbed, and you can’t escape.”
“You can’t just sit here like this and trap me in the booth! Are you crazy?”
“Nora, I’ve been called many things in my life. Probably most of them I deserved. But so far, crazy is not one of them.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but he continued talking, his voice now softer. “Nora, you avoid me every time I visit, and I get it, I really do. I’d just love to have a chance to talk.”
She made the mistake of twisting slightly in her seat and now faced him fully as he turned her way. His eyes drew her in, achingly mesmerizing. She felt the familiar pain in her chest and knew that heartache was real. Why? Why does it s
till hurt so bad? And why is he doing this now?
“Come on, Nora. It’s been ten years. Surely we can talk by now.”
Sitting up straighter, she forced her lips into a tight smile, refusing to let him see the pain that she’d buried for so long. “You’re right. It has been ten years. Quite honestly, it’s been so long and our lives are so separate, I can’t imagine that we have anything to talk about.” She turned back to her sandwich, determined to force down a bite.
“We used to have a lot to talk about. As I remember, we talked about anything and everything.”
“Yes, Tate. Used to. Talked. Past tense. Years ago.” She noticed he had not picked up his sandwich, his attention focused on her. Just keep chewing. Just chew, swallow, and for goodness’ sake, don’t choke.
“If you hadn’t avoided me every time I came home, it wouldn’t have been so many years ago.”
“You made that choice, Tate.”
“I didn’t make the choice to avoid each other forever,” he argued in return.
“Why are you doing this?” she huffed. “I’m sure anything important that’s happened in the last ten years, Caroline’s already told you.”
He twisted further, his arm now resting on the back of the booth behind her, his torso fully facing her. “I’d rather hear about you from you.”
She closed her eyes for a few seconds, her mind in turmoil. Done. I’m so fuckin’ done with avoiding. Plopping her sandwich unceremoniously back into her plate, she turned to hold his gaze once again, this time lifting her eyebrows. “So, what shall we talk about? Caroline has mentioned you’re no longer a SEAL.”
Tate (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 6) Page 4