But then her excitement might be caused by the fact she was getting out of her hometown for once.
“Right. Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked…” She swallowed down her nerves. “It’s just that…”
“Hey, it’s okay. You are not stealing me away from my wife or girlfriend or significant other of any kind. I’m all yours.” There was that look again. She was missing something, but she had no clue what it was. “Why don’t you just start from the beginning and tell me why you are here?”
“Okay.” She inhaled deeply and tried to gather her thoughts and put them into some coherent order. However, as she went over what had happened, all she could hear in her head was her father telling her she was overreacting, and Karl could take care of himself.
“Hannah.” O’Malley reached out and covered her hand with his warm, strong, capable hand. She exhaled and her eyes locked on his. “It’s okay. Take your time. I’m not going anywhere. But please, remember to breathe.” A small smile quirked the corner of his mouth and she chuckled. An unusual reaction but he set her at ease.
“I can see why my brother liked you so much,” Hannah said.
O’Malley’s expression grew troubled. “See, that’s the thing…” He looked away before he placed both of his hands over hers as if he was hoping she wouldn’t get up and run away.
Which she wouldn’t, no matter what he said, since he was her last, best hope of finding her brother.
“You weren’t friends.” She reeled back. It was obvious now. He’d looked so surprised when she said who she was. Hannah slid her hands out from under his. Well, half slid, since she didn’t want to break the contact with him. She liked the feel of his skin touching hers.
O’Malley moved his head a little to the side. “No, we were not friends. We were opposites. If I’m honest, and I always want to be honest with you.”
She inhaled again, focusing on her breath as familiar panic built inside of her. “I’m sorry to have troubled you.”
His hands tightened around hers. “Wait, I am not saying I won’t help you. I’m simply stating a fact that Norton…” He paused and his face screwed up a little before he let out a pent-up breath. “I’m sorry, I cannot remember his first name.”
“Karl. Karl Norton.” The man who had told countless stories about his friend O’Malley. If that was a lie, what else had he lied about?
“Karl. Of course.” O’Malley smiled apologetically.
“He liked you.” She tilted her head to one side and studied O’Malley.
“Oh, I don’t think so,” he answered.
“I do.” She narrowed her eyes. “And I think I know why.”
“You do.” He looked puzzled. “Even though I don’t think he did.”
“He wanted to be like you.”
“Oh.” O’Malley leaned back in his chair and laughed. “No, I don’t think that was the case at all.”
“You’re friendly, easygoing and I expect you were popular with the other members of your team.”
O’Malley’s expression grew serious. “You might be right.”
“Everything Karl is not.”
“Wow.” O’Malley’s forehead creased and he drew one hand back across the table, picked up his coffee cup and took a long drink before he reached for a cookie and ate one.
“He was jealous of you. He wanted to be you.” A surge of sadness swept over Hannah and she wiped a tear from her cheek before she too sipped her coffee.
They sat in silence for a moment. Two people trying to reconcile this revelation with the image of the man they both knew.
“I always thought he disliked me.” O’Malley sighed. “I guess you never really know what is going on in someone else’s head.” He tapped the side of his head.
“No, we don’t,” she agreed. “And I’d be eternally grateful if we kept this insight into my brother between us.”
“My lips are sealed.” Her eyes were drawn to those sealed lips and she had the incredible desire to stand up, lean forward across the table, and place her lips on his. Purely to test if they were, indeed, sealed. Not because she found the man in front of her incredibly attractive.
“So, Karl has been away a lot since he left the Army. He’s never settled into a normal home life, although that might have something to do with my dad. They don’t seem capable of spending more than an hour in each other’s company before someone says something the other takes offense to.” She rolled her eyes. “I do not know what is wrong with them.”
“And Karl decided he wanted a quieter life.” O’Malley nodded in understanding.
“Yes, although he never settled down anywhere. He’s had a wanderlust since we were in high school.” She looked down at her hand still covered by his. “Since our mom died.”
O’Malley raised his chin and looked at her levelly. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, it wasn’t anyone’s fault.” Hannah placed her hand over her heart. “She had a heart condition.”
“That must have been tough.” He was still looking at her as if he could see right into her soul but she couldn’t meet his eyes, it was too…intimate.
“We managed.” She nodded absently.
“I meant tough on you. Stuck between two men who didn’t always get along.” His hand tightened over hers as if trying to comfort her. He succeeded. At the same time, he seemed to tear down the barriers that she’d put up to stem the tide of emotions that would consume her if she let them. Emotions her father told her were a weakness.
She pulled her hand from his and balled them into fists as she tried to stop her tears. O’Malley was out of his seat and by her side in an instant. He wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders and cradled her against his chest. For a long moment, she went rigid.
This was the first time she’d been held, truly held, for as long as she could remember. No, that wasn’t true. She could remember. The last time she’d been held like this was when her mom was in the hospital. It was close to the end when Hannah had visited alone and instead of talking, her mom had patted the bed beside her.
Hannah had slipped onto the bed and lain down next to her mom, who wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her close. Maybe her mom had tried to imbue her with the strength Hannah would need in the coming months and years when it became her duty to hold the family together, to quell the arguments, and make everyone get along.
Maybe her mom knew that Hannah would fail miserably, no matter how strong she was, no matter how many times she tried to get the men in her family to work things out.
As O’Malley held her safe in his arms, she cried. Cried for all the lost years where she put other people first. Cried over her dreams that had slipped away from her as she struggled through the last year of college, distraught at the loss of her beloved mom. Cried because sometimes, no matter how many times she told herself she’d made the best of things and that her mom would be proud of the way she picked herself up and made a life and a successful business for herself, she’d failed at the one thing she craved.
A loving husband and children of her own. Small, huggable children, not the grown men-children who were her father and brother.
“Shh. Let it all out, honey,” O’Malley crooned gently as she sobbed so hard, she left a wet patch on his paint-splattered shirt.
“I’m so sorry.” She finally lifted her head off his chest and sucked in a shuddering breath.
“Don’t apologize.” He smiled and patted his shoulder. “This is here for you at any time. And so is the rest of me.”
“You don’t know me. And I’ve come here with my problems because I thought you were Karl’s best friend. I feel so stupid.” She managed to stop herself from erupting into fresh sobs.
“Don’t.” His forehead creased and he shook his head. “There is nothing foolish about asking for help.” He studied her face for a moment before he got up, went to the bar, and came back with a box of tissues and two glasses of a dark amber liquid. “Here. Take them in whichever order you n
eed.”
“Thanks.” She smiled weakly.
He placed one glass and the box of tissues in front of her and sat down with the second glass of liquor in his hand. “Take your time. I can fix us some food and we can talk over dinner if you need some time.”
She sniffed loudly and then downed the shot in one. Wincing, she took a tissue and blew her nose while alcohol-induced warmth threaded through her veins. “I don’t want to impose.” She took another tissue from the box and wiped her tears from her cheeks. “Any more than I already have.”
“I promise you, you are not imposing. I’m happy you came to me. Even though I still don’t know why you need my help.”
Hannah nodded and composed herself, not wanting a repeat of the uncontrollable sobbing episode. “Karl is missing. The last time we heard from him, he was hiking into a remote mountainous area in the Himalayas. He called me to tell me he might not have contact with us for a couple of weeks.”
“And how long ago was that?” O’Malley urged her to continue even as her bottom lip trembled.
“Six weeks.” She pressed her lips together, trying to hang onto her self-control as it threatened to slip away.
“And what’s been done to contact him?” He kept his voice level, his tone neutral but he was not as successful when it came to his expression. O’Malley knew exactly how bad this could be. A lot could happen in six weeks.
“At first my dad was adamant that Karl could take care of himself. He’s highly trained, I get that.” She nodded toward O’Malley. “You would be able to look after yourself. Wouldn’t you?”
“I would, depending on the conditions.” He sighed, he was going to say something she didn’t want to hear. But there was nothing he could say that she hadn’t already thought of. Hannah was certain she’d contemplated every possible scenario. You didn’t live in her father’s house without learning how to handle a crisis. Even if her father had failed at handling the biggest crisis in his life—losing his wife.
Chapter Three – O’Malley
“Say it.” She looked at him directly, her eyes commanding him to speak.
She’s strong, his cougar said. She might not realize it, but she has deep inner strength.
Good. Because I think she’s going to need it.
“If Norton…Karl fell and injured himself, he might not be able to survive for long at all.” His words were harsh, brutal perhaps but there was no easy way to tell his mate she needed to prepare for the worst.
“I know. I understand that. But am I supposed to sit and wait until his dead body turns up?” she asked bluntly.
“No.” He gave a hint of a smile. “I don’t think that is what you are expected to do.”
“That’s what everyone has told me to do.” Her jaw tightened. “A local rescue team has gone out and searched the route Karl said he was taking but they have found nothing.”
“And the search has been abandoned?” O’Malley asked.
“More or less. They have sent messages to any remote towns and villages in the area. A photograph of him and the details. But there is no ongoing search.” She pushed her hair back from her face. “I realize that there is little they can do in that there is no way to search a whole mountain range.”
“But sitting by and doing nothing is impossible for you.” O’Malley could understand Hannah’s point of view. No man left behind.
“My dad thinks Karl is capable of looking after himself and he’ll come home when he’s good and ready. I think he’s afraid to admit that Karl might be hurt. He’s afraid because he’s afraid of losing Karl. It’s as if he thinks that no news is good news. I refuse to sit back and do nothing.” Her cheeks flushed pink, the color creeping over her cheeks making her look adorable.
But strong, his cougar reminded him. Adorable and strong.
O’Malley agreed. There was no taking away the inner strength of his mate.
“What do you need me to do?” O’Malley asked, pushing aside the idea that there was probably little he could do that the search party hadn’t already done, while also reminding himself the bar was due to open in a week and there was still plenty that needed doing.
Hannah looked down at her hands as they rested on the table. “I shouldn’t have come.”
“We’ve already dealt with that issue,” O’Malley told her firmly.
“Karl talked about you so much. He admired you. He said that if ever anyone got into trouble, you were the person he could count on to get him out of it.” She looked up at O’Malley through her eyelashes. “He said you were friends, but you said you weren’t.”
“And you don’t feel you have the right to ask me because of that.” O’Malley got it. He truly did.
“Yes. I can’t ask you to risk your life for Karl.”
“Being in the same unit…” He paused, leaning back in his chair as he figured out what he wanted to say. “It builds a bond. I don’t think Karl and I had to be friends for that bond to exist. And I don’t think that bond is ever truly broken.”
“Thank you.” She pressed her lips together as she studied him. “I’m sorry that you didn’t like my brother.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like him.” O’Malley swallowed hard, he couldn’t lie to his mate. “I don’t think we gave each other a chance to get to know each other. We were opposites and in this case, opposites did not attract.”
“Karl is not exactly a fun person to be around sometimes. After our mother died, he became far too serious.” She drank her coffee even though it must be cold by now.
“Did he always want to join the Army?” O’Malley asked.
“No. I think Karl believed it was what Mom wanted. He knew how much she loved and supported Dad. I also believe Karl thought it was what Dad wanted. That if he could follow in Dad’s footsteps then they might find a connection. It never happened.” Hannah sighed. “How about you?”
“Oh, I decided to enlist because my mom was worried that if I didn’t find some structure in my life, I would either become a criminal or join a band. Either choice would lead me to a life of drugs and ruin.” He grinned. “The fact that when I left the Army, I opened a bar seems to have confirmed her worst fears. But she’s proud of me. I know that.”
“And your dad?” Hannah asked. “Was he in the Army?”
“No, he worked in a factory. He would have been happy whatever I did as long as I didn’t choose his dead-end career path. When I left the Army and opened the bar, I paid off their mortgage so that he could have a choice in what he did rather than never having the chance to live his dream.” O’Malley chuckled. “To my mom’s horror, he picked up a guitar and started playing.”
“And joined a band?” Hannah asked.
“He’s in a tribute band and that is all I have to say on the subject.”
Hannah laughed, a good sound to hear. “I would love to see them play.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Sorry, I’ve imposed on you and now I’m inviting myself to come and meet the rest of your family.”
“My mom would love you. She’s been waiting for me to bring my mate home for years.” He winced. “Sorry.”
“That’s okay.” She looked at him kind of strange and he wasn’t sure if it was because he’d been so untactful about his mom or because he’d called her his mate. Not many of the people in his squad had known he was a shifter and he didn’t know if Norton was one of them. Certainly, he’d never outright told Norton and the guy had never outright asked. But then they’d hardly spoken outside of the job.
Maybe he’d asked someone else. And maybe he’d relayed that information to his sister.
That might be why he told her that if ever she nodded help, she should come and find us, his cougar said. Because we have special abilities.
“So, what is the plan?” O’Malley asked, glossing over his last words.
“I was hoping you could help me there.” Hannah stared at O’Malley. “I don’t think putting pressure on the authorities and pushing for a renewed search is going to get
anywhere. No one is responding to my requests. No one is even listening to me anymore.”
“Then I’ll go in and try to pick up his trail. If I ask around, then I might find out more information than the search team did.” O’Malley hated the idea of leaving his mate as soon as he’d found her but this was important to Hannah and so it was important to him.
Hannah’s family is our family now, his cougar said. Normally his other side would have found that highly amusing. Norton, a man they never gelled with, was a part of their family. However, under the circumstances, it was really not amusing. They might be gone for months looking for a man that they hardly knew and who they hardly liked.
“I can arrange the flights,” she told him.
“No, it’s fine, I can get there by myself,” he told her.
“By ourselves,” she replied. “I am coming, too.”
“No.” He shook his head to reinforce his refusal.
“I am not going to let you go alone.” Her tone reminded him of Karl. When he was set on something, he did not like to take no for an answer. But this wasn’t a discussion that was open to argument. His mate was not coming with him.
“I’m not going to take you along,” O’Malley told her firmly. “It’s dangerous, we have no idea what had happened to Norton and I am not going to let you risk your life.”
“Then I am not going to let you risk your life.” She stood up, her eyes were still red-rimmed from crying, but her voice was firm, unwavering.
I told you she is strong, his cougar said.
“Hannah, please, let me do this for you.” O’Malley stood up too and watched as she gathered up her purse and jacket, ready to walk out of his life as suddenly as she had walked into it.
“I don’t want you to do this for me. I wanted you to help me do this. I need to find him. I need to know that everything possible has been done to find him.” She shook her head and looked at O’Malley. “That came out wrong. I know if you go alone you will do everything you can. But I need to know I have done everything I can, too.” She placed her hand on her heart. “I won’t ever know a day’s peace unless I’ve tried my best.”
O'Malley: Summer (Shifter Seasons Book 7) Page 2