He leaned back in his seat, staring sightlessly around the room. This was all a wake-up call. Between Hannah breaking a dish and Charlie’s phone call last night, he wondered if the universe was trying to get his attention, almost as if Harry himself was telling him to stop wallowing in his pain and grief.
His eyes caught on that Spiider Sleeve Hannah had brought out earlier. She’d told him that if he didn’t like his prosthetic to invent something better. The leg he’d gotten from this engineering team was good. He’d be a fool not to see that—hardly anyone had the advantages of a Ewing Surgery where the prosthetic actually responded to impulses from the brain to move—but now his mind began to tinker with the possibilities. What if those same impulses could animate something that didn’t resemble a human leg at all? Something that was solely made for climbing?
He shot to his feet in his excitement, almost forgetting that he couldn’t walk, almost not caring as he stumbled to the Spiider Sleeve, using the furniture until he knocked into his crutch. Grasping the invention, he thrust the crutch under his armpit, hobbled down the hallway into a room he’d thought he’d never enter, and dug through his old inventions—prototypes he’d discarded before coming up with the Spiider Sleeve because they weren’t practical for human use. The research was already done. He’d studied every animal that ever climbed tree and ice and sheer rock to find the best possibilities, but now … what if he used the best of their strengths and put them together?
A bark interrupted the directions of his thoughts. Huxley wagged his tail from side to side, and Jett grabbed the Irish wolfhound around the soft furry ears and kissed its wet nose. “This is going to work,” he said.
He got a rough tongue across his face in response. Jett straightened and went back to the boxes, tugging out a boot. He pushed a button on the side, and claws flew out the side like the legs of a spider.
What if he could grip with his toes like a sloth, or even put bear claws on a manufactured knee … and why just have one knee when he could have multiple joints like a snake? No longer did he need to be tied to just one knee and one ankle—these joints could be omnidirectional like a squirrel’s, attached to a magnetic ball joint that he could tear off when he saw fit.
Now his every disadvantage became an advantage. His leg didn’t feel like a part of him—that meant no pain when he pulled off a bionic socket at a joint and put in another when faced with different terrain. He could climb sheer walls with his gecko attachment, scramble through broken rock with something that resembled the leg of a baboon, navigate narrow ledges like a mountain goat. He was tied down by nothing—he could change the shape, the length, and flexibility of his prosthetic in an instant.
The box upended and Jett stumbled over the contents. Seeing the scaled material he’d designed before dropping that in favor of the Spiider Sleeve, he dragged out the sample piece to test the consistency in his hand.
The traction of these scales could be used on the main body of the prosthesis. The possibilities were endless. He could somehow duplicate the suction of disk-winged bats. Now what would he use for balance? As if his body could read the direction of his thoughts, he stumbled over his crutch and crouched low to the ground to catch himself.
Huxley leaped forward, his tail beating against his face. Ah yes. Tail attachments on the leg would work great for keeping three points of contact on the mountain at all times, keeping him close to the center of gravity. Like Hannah said, this prosthesis was his tool, one he’d use to get him climbing again—better than anyone. And after that? All climbers could use this advanced human machinery to defeat the impossible. His biggest obstacle was learning how to control it.
“Veronica?” He rushed to the door and shouted down the hall. “Veronica, get me Hannah!”
“What on earth?” Veronica turned the corner, her heels sliding over the polished floor.
He couldn’t keep back his excitement. “I need Hannah now.”
Veronica did not look happy about complying, but she switched directions and did what he asked. A full half an hour later, Hannah knocked timidly on his door.
He put down the magnetic ball joint on his desk. “Don’t knock. Just come in.”
Hannah walked in, her head down.
He pushed back the whiteboard where he’d made his notes to see her better. “What took you so long?”
Her face shot up. He noticed the tense creases lining her eyes. Oh no. She thought she was getting canned. “Veronica told me to pack my things,” she said.
“You’re not getting off that easy.” He tried to reassure her that wasn’t the case, though they hardly had time for it. He should’ve gotten serious about this project months ago. “I need you to push me through my physical therapy … oh, thank you for doing that earlier,” he added as an afterthought. “Let’s get this walking thing over with, because I need to be the test specimen for this climbing device I’m making.”
Her face cleared of anxiety. Confusion took its place. She took a moment to formulate a reply. “You’re going all in, then?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m a butterfly and all that.” He chuckled. “You realize you totally cheated, right? The only reason you’re winning this bet is that you got me interested in a project. And this climbing device? It’s going to be superior to any leg that ever existed. No one will want to go up against it. But hey, that’s the thing—if just one kid is happy about having an amputated leg, then I’ve done my job.”
“You’re really going all in.”
“I like to push technology as far as it will go.” The heat spreading through his body was too much in this crowded room, and he peeled off his shirt. The clothing was only in the way of his creative process. Hannah’s eyes bulged, and his lips tugged up as he remembered her fascination with his muscles. It was all he could do not to lift her in his arms and show off how strong he was, but he resisted. It was time to get serious. “You know what I’m calling it?” he asked.
“Calling what?”
He rolled his eyes at himself. He always skipped giving context when he was giddy about a project. It was worse than usual, and he needed her to take this seriously. “The prosthetic climbing leg,” he clarified. “It’s going to be a hybrid of body parts from every climbing animal. We’re moving the leg in ways that no one can imagine. No restrictions. I’m calling it the Monster.”
“The Monster, huh? You can’t call it the Sure Foot or …”
He shook his head.
She broke into an unsure smile. “No? Okay. It sounds a little … hideous.”
He burst out laughing. She trusted him enough to say what was on her mind, at least. Could he gain more of her trust so she’d explain the fleeting fear and sorrow that sometimes stole that passionate glitter from her stunning eyes? And why is that any of my business? Concentrate, Jett! “It’s going to be beautiful,” he reassured her. “I’ll make it sleek like a Mercedes with the strength of a Harley, with different paint jobs on the attachments, and upgrades every year. Now who could do that with a real leg?”
“Now who’s cheating?” she asked. A dimple flirted with the side of her cheek. “You’d better not take so long building this thing that it’s impossible to keep up my end of the bargain. We were supposed to get you climbing the HeatWave event in two months.”
That was the fighting spirit he liked to see. “I’ve already built most of it when I was trying to come up with the Spiider Sleeve. Creating this will be the easy part. Learning balance, control, mobility? Now, that’ll be difficult.” He traced his finger down her jaw. He meant for it to be the lightest of touches, but he was momentarily arrested by her soft skin. “That’s where you come in,” he whispered.
Her breath hitched and it took her a moment to respond, but when she did, she was smiling and nodding vigorously with excitement. “We’d have to work practically day and night to do this by then.”
He couldn’t imagine a more pleasant way to spend his time. “Good. I’ll give you a raise.”
Chapter Ten
>
—eight weeks later—
Hannah stopped at the bridge and stretched her legs from her evening run. Huxley panted beside her, his eyes going to the water streaming past in a riot of froth and sound. She held the dog back. The July heat had finally relaxed its hold on Arkansas with a heavy downpour, and the rain had eventually let up enough for Hannah to take Huxley out. A cool breeze played with the stray curls dancing a rhythm against her neck.
Mountain Cove was becoming almost as familiar to her as Jett was. It felt safe and secure. After two weeks of hiding out at Jett’s place, she had broken her plans to stay cooped up there in favor of exercise. So far she hadn’t run into Rosabel, and as the days passed with no sign of her childhood friend, Hannah began to relax. She intended to keep Ryan a distant memory. If that meant dodging the things she used to care about, she’d do it.
A pastel glow settled over the rooftops of the deluxe neighborhood homes, each hidden in their acres of greenery as the sun spread its warmth over the lake in pinks and oranges while it dipped farther into the horizon. The birds let out their last cheerful melodies, though there was a mournful edge that touched her. Another day was slipping away, bringing her closer to the unknown after this was all through.
Huxley tugged on his leash, and she pushed off from the railing and continued her jog past the security booth at the trailhead. “Morning, Elton!” She waved at Mr. Philips as she jogged past.
“Hannah.” He greeted her casually, then reported her movements in his radio. The man made a big deal out of everything. Maybe it made him feel more important, but she only cared how safe it made her feel. He’d confirmed her employment with Jett the first and second and third times they’d met. He’d probably do it again, but he was busy talking through his radio. She’d see him on her way back.
Jogging around the grounds was the only way she got any time to herself, and though it became a daily tradition, it didn’t bring her any closer to breaking free from her feelings. She couldn’t stop thinking about Jett. He was growing on her, and she had a bad habit of breaking professional boundaries. He made it too easy with his contagious smile and those haunting green eyes. They’d become inseparable this past month and a half, to the point where they had an inside joke for everything.
Dodging deep rain puddles, she passed the sweetheart tree and slowed to stare at the hearts. She’d made a tradition of reading the initials of a new couple every day, and she still hadn’t run out. A part of her wondered what it would be like to put her initials next to Jett’s. But no, no, I’m not here for that. Ugh, he didn’t think of her like that anyway. She had to quit being so sentimental and start planning on what she was going to do when she finished her job here.
Her heart dropped at the thought. Stop being selfish! She should be happy for Jett. His climbing event, HeatWave, was in two weeks. His stunted progress had been psychological. All of it. He’d blamed himself for his friend’s death, but now he was a man on a mission, like he was trying to dedicate his life to Harry. The moment he set his mind on it, he was walking within weeks and making good progress with his climbing.
She loved his familiar laugh, feeling the brush of his fingers against hers, and waiting for him to appear first thing in the morning. As much as she tried to turn off her emotions, his ferocious will to fight for a better life reminded her of what she needed to do. She just had to dig deep to find his courage, but she always found him at the end of it. They’d grown close. Too close. He was her protector, and she was scared to leave.
Swinging away from the sweetheart tree, she gasped when she almost ran straight into Rosabel. Her friend’s thick, chestnut-colored hair was in a ponytail, and it swung behind her shoulder as she stepped back. Her defined brows shot up in astonishment.
The rush of anxiety Hannah had kept at bay for the past few weeks flooded through her as she forced Huxley to a halt. Rosabel had been one of her best friends in high school and college. It had been too suspicious for Hannah not to contact her after finding out that she was in town, but she didn’t want Ryan to discover her whereabouts through the gossip mill again. “You live here?” she stammered.
“Oh, I do!” Rosabel leaned over. She’d been jogging, too, and she tried to catch her breath. “I saw you running past my front window and …” Her dark eyes ran over Hannah. “I heard that you’re living here to help out Jett Eastwood.”
The jig was up. Hannah had to come clean. “Yes,” she stuttered, “but not for long. I’m just here on a job. I’ll be gone soon.”
“Well, you should visit. My house is over there by the lake, just two houses down that way.”
Hannah peered over at an impressive-looking cabin with its rustic log siding. “Oh, it’s beautiful. It really is. I’m not sure how easily I’ll be able to escape to see you, though. I’m pretty busy.”
Rosabel looked stricken. “Hey, I wanted to apologize about what I said at the Hawthornes’.”
Hannah winced. Her friend had no idea what Ryan had become, or that seeing Hannah at her client’s home had somehow gotten back to him.
“I never meant to make you uncomfortable or embarrass you or anything. To bring Ryan up out of the blue like that.”
Oh no. Rosabel thought Hannah was angry with her. Hannah tried to smooth everything over. “No, no. How could you know that we weren’t dating anymore?” It had been such a coincidence that the grandson of Hannah’s client was Rosabel’s employer. “When you came that day, I was just trying to—to, uh, get out of the way and let Felicity spend some alone time with her grandson. We were through with her physical therapy anyway. And Felicity always talked about Duncan with such pride, so…”
“Really?” Rosabel looked truly surprised to hear that about her employer. “Duncan?”
From what his grandmother said, Duncan was a shrewd businessman with skin thicker than armor to hide his soft side. Hannah’s smile widened. “Yeah, she’s a hard woman to read, but I caught the praise in her voice when she talked about him. You know he’s a great guy if his closest family thinks so.”
Rosabel’s eyes glistened and she wiped away the sudden moisture with the back of her hand, smiling through it all. “Thanks for telling me. I think Duncan will be so happy to hear that, but—but enough about me. Why haven’t I seen you before now?”
This was what Hannah had been afraid of. She rubbed down Huxley’s ears while she tried to think of an answer. “Well, I’ve got my hands full helping out Jett.”
“And he doesn’t let you out much?” Rosabel asked. Hannah grimaced when she recognized the warning signs of her friend turning protective. “I heard he’s a recluse.” Rosabel put her hands on her hips. Her eyes sparked with emotion. “Hey, even if you work for him, you have to live your own life. I’m going to tell you a secret: Duncan is an absolute sweetheart … when he’s not an absolute beast. I had to set healthy boundaries to make sure he didn’t take me for granted.” She swung her hands, caught in a passion. “Boundaries are so important. You can’t let Jett walk all over you.”
Hannah held up her hands to stop Rosabel from taking this misunderstanding too far. “It isn’t him …” She had no excuses but the truth. She could trust Rosabel, couldn’t she? Her hand tightened on Huxley’s leash, and she glanced around for eavesdroppers. “It’s—it’s Ryan. I don’t want him to find me.”
“Wait.” Now Rosabel turned even more concerned. “You’re hiding?”
“I’m just keeping a low profile.” And now that it was out, Hannah realized she had someone on her side who might be able to help her. She lowered her voice. “You haven’t seen Ryan in town, have you? I don’t want him to know that I’m here.”
Rosabel shook her head slowly, but then she paled. “I told Sarah you were in Eureka Springs. Remember her? Sarah Allen? She was my dad’s in-home care too, before Duncan and I brought him here to live with us.”
Yeah, Ryan had said as much. Hannah didn’t want Rosabel to feel guilty about unintentionally sending Ryan after her. She ran her tongue over her li
ps. “I’m sure it’s fine. Just don’t let anyone know that I’m here at the Mountain Cove.”
Her friend had turned terribly sober. “I won’t. What did … Ryan do to you?”
Hannah rubbed her arm, self-consciously touching where her bruises had faded. “I … yeah, it was bad. I don’t want to talk about it, really. I just …” She hated any reminder that she’d fallen victim to that horrible man. All her training in psychology told her that she shouldn’t blame herself, but she did. “Can you keep my being here a secret?”
Rosabel shifted and nodded, her face showing a mixture of protectiveness, sorrow, and anger all at once. She’d always been the friend who would tell anyone off who was bothering them, and Hannah knew this was killing her.
It was time to break the mood with something pleasant. Glancing over at her friend’s engagement ring studded with diamonds, Hannah knew how. “Looks like Eureka Springs has been good to you. Are you engaged, Rosabel?”
Her friend bit her lip and played along. She extended her ring for Hannah’s perusal, taking on a happy tone. “Yes … I should’ve said something earlier. I don’t work for Duncan Hawthorne anymore. I’m marrying him!”
Felicity’s grandson? That did it. Hannah perked up too, her smile feeling more genuine for the first time since they bumped into each other. “That’s great. Congratulations!”
“We’re getting married at the Thorncrown chapel in a month. I hope you’ll come. I mean, if you’re not still keeping a low profile.”
Hannah really wanted to go. She was tired of hiding out. One man shouldn’t have control over her life like this. “I’ll make Jett come and protect me.” She meant it as a joke, but her heart lurched at how much she meant it. She felt safe around Jett, but she couldn’t ask him to be her bodyguard, not when she hadn’t even admitted to him what was going on. She’d been so close to confiding everything to him, so many times, but it didn’t feel right somehow. Rosabel was right. Boundaries were important.
Her Broken Hero Billionaire (Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Book 8) Page 8