Activity surrounded them as the remaining pilots rushed to move the bombers nearest to the fire into safety at the opposite end of the airfield.
Jason’s vision unexpectedly went dim as one of his men approached and stared at him with apparent concern. “Sir, we need to get you over to the medics.”
It was then that Jason realized he was bleeding and finally looked down at his left hand.
What hand? He stared dumbly at the mangled, bloody mass of bones he’d used to prop open the cockpit door.
And then his mind abruptly went blank as he collapsed onto the ground.
* * * * *
Jason came awake sluggishly. He seemed to be pretty heavily sedated, but bits of conversion in English along with a vaguely recognizable second language floated into his consciousness as he struggled to awaken.
He appeared to be in a hospital in Germany, he supposed, because alternative services had been established at the makeshift airbase in Iraq for transporting injured service people from emergency situations.
How long he’d been here, he couldn’t say. Must have been at least a day or two, he decided as his eyes swept through the sterile hospital room.
Jason remembered being airlifted out, probably along with Luck and Zach, because one of the men had awoken and begun to scream in agony. Due to the severity of their burns, the pain for each of them had to have been intense.
And what about himself? Even though his vision was a little hazy, Jason figured it was time to man up and take a look.
Hmm. Not so bad, he thought gazing downward. He sighed when he noticed the bandages wrapped around his left hand. Nope, he hadn’t imagined the damage. He’d kind of been hoping he’d been having a nightmare, remembering the exposed bones and oozing blood before he’d apparently passed out.
The bright side, he supposed, was that he was right handed. But were his flying days over?
He suddenly berated himself, considering the grisly consequences of the tragic explosion. Look at what Luke and Zach must be going through right now.
Hell. Wait a minute—were they even alive?
Flaying in an attempt to sit upright in the bed, Jason lost his balance and the IV tube that was inserted into his forearm came loose, causing a buzzer to sound out.
“Captain Matthews?” A nurse came rushing into the room. “Good. You’re awake. But try not to move anymore. You’ve lost a lot of blood, and you’re likely to get dizzy if you overdue it.”
Panic gripped Jason and her directives failed to register. “I need to know now. What’s going on with Luke Bryant? And Zach Logan?”
The nurse had a grim look on her face as she carefully settled Jason back onto the bed, and pulled some thin gloves from a box on the nightstand before attempting to replace his IV.
Quickly slipping the gloves over her hands and then bending over his arm, she sighed. “Truthfully, neither one of them is doing too well. They’re both in critical condition.”
Jason closed his eyes as she inserted another needle into his arm and reattached the tube for the drip.
“How long before you know for sure if they’re actually going to make it?” he asked, when she was finished.
“It’ll be touch and go for the next few days.” She hesitated when she looked into his eyes. “Luke’s leg will probably have to go, but we have to wait until he’s more stabilized because of the degree of his burns—so we’re a little more concerned about him right now.”
“Oh, man,” Jason groaned.
‘Let’s just concentrate on you at this point. Okay?”
Jason nodded his agreement glumly, staring at his hand.
“I’m Marlena, by the way. I’m the head nurse, so if you need any information, I’m the one you should ask for.” She hesitated. “You haven’t said anything about your hand?”
“It’s gone,” he answered looking straight into her eyes. “Right?”
If she was surprised at his directness, she didn’t show it. “Right.” She nodded firmly. “Other than that, you were pretty lucky compared to your friends.”
But Jason’s eyelids were beginning to droop, and before he could say anymore, he was sound asleep.
* * * * *
Two weeks later, having been transferred to the U.S. airbase infirmary four days earlier, Jason was getting ready to travel back to the U.S. Luke and Zach weren’t nearly as fortunate but at least they’d both been upgraded from critical condition. Luke was in the worst shape since he’d finally had surgery to remove his limb, but his odds of recovery were improving day by day. And it didn’t hurt that Luke and Zach were being cared for in one of the most advanced burn treatment centers in the world.
Jason’s parents had been ready to fly over from the U.S. to Germany after they were informed he was severely wounded. A retired Air Force Colonel, John Matthews had actually been stationed in Germany several years earlier. Once he’d graduated from high school, Jason had spent a few months living here with his parents before returning to the states and entering the Air Force Academy in Colorado at eighteen years old. And then Jason had been stationed for a few years here in Germany too.
Somehow, Jason had managed to talk his parents into waiting for him to return home instead of flying overseas. Since they had daily conversations through Skype, they could see he was alright. It was a little awkward using one hand, but somehow Jason managed with the laptop propped against the wall. He wasn’t going to waste time feeling sorry for himself, that was for sure.
“So, I’ll see you both in a few more days,” Jason said to his mom, who was visible on the screen.
“Okay, Sweetheart.” His mom pursed her lips. “You’re really alright with all of this?”
He grimaced, glancing at his hand. Or rather what used to be his hand. Although he was dealing with some phantom pain, Jason had been told by the surgeon that the stub was healing nicely.
But it might be a while before he’d be able to look at his arm without cringing. “As alright as anyone, I guess.” There was no damage to the nerves, which would make it easier to eventually use a prosthetic.
His dad cleared his throat as he came into view on the computer screen. “I’m really proud of you, Jason. You do know that?”
“Eh, Sir. I just look at how lucky I am compared to Luke Bryant and Zach Logan.”
His dad nodded. “Your mom and I will see you at the airport on Thursday then.”
“Alright. Unless you hear from me, I should be back in the states by late afternoon.”
“Bye, Son,” his Dad said, signing off with a nod of his head.
Jason sighed with relief. He needed some time for himself to think about the future. Knowing Dad, he was already expecting Jason to have a plan in place for what would come next.
But luckily Dad hadn’t brought it up yet. Jason wasn’t sure of what he wanted himself since he wouldn’t be able to fly. Well, not for the Air Force anyway. He’d get a prosthetic for sure, that was a given. He’d already done some online research and discovered it would be perfectly acceptable for him to fly for recreation if he had adaptive equipment set up in the plane.
But Jason still had too many things to figure out.
So for now he’d put the future on hold.
* * * * *
Later that night, the dreams began.
“Damn!” Jason cursed, lurching upright in the bed. He was caked with sweat. You’d think he’d be having nightmares about what had happened at the airbase with Luke and Zach or about the loss of his hand.
But instead he was envisioning the past. One summer specifically, fourteen years ago, when he’d been instantly captivated by a teenage girl.
And at Christmas time, under the mistletoe, they’d shared the most amazing kiss he’d ever experienced.
Kat.
It had been her first real kiss.
There wasn’t a single doubt in his mind.
Once he returned home, Jason knew what he had to do.
Chapter One
Fourteen Years Earlier
While Jason Matthews stared hard at a couple of nearly naked girls strutting along the beach across the sand, Katherine Conlin glared at him with impatience.
Great! Why was she even trying to talk to the guy? “I give up,” she muttered under her breath. Shoving her sunglasses over her eyes and pulling her ipod from her bag, Kat fell back on the sand.
What a lousy vacation, she thought, not for the first time that day. Popping in the earpiece and closing her eyes, she attempted focusing her attention on the music instead of Jason.
Kat had been excited at first when her parents had told her sixteen-year-old Jason would be showing her around town. What girl wouldn’t be? Thick brownish-blonde hair, a little longish over his shoulders, and intense, silvery gray eyes that stood out in a ruggedly handsome face—not to mention he was tall, broad and ripped.
The guy was totally hot.
But after a few hours together on the beach, it was obvious that keeping a thirteen-year-old company was the last thing Jason really wanted to do.
Jason and his mom were living here in Crystal Rock with his grandparents, while his father was commanding at an Air Force base overseas in Germany. Best friends in college, Jason’s mom and hers had recently reconnected—which was why the Conlin family was vacationing at Dragonfly Pointe this summer.
A few hours earlier, Kat and Jason had walked together silently along a trail leading away from the inn where her family was staying. Even though the Conlins had been on a bunch of vacations together, they’d never been anywhere quite as lovely as Dragonfly Pointe, Kat had decided. There were so many whimsical details both inside and outside of the inn. Wrought iron benches etched with a dragonfly design lined the long winding path, and there were feeders for the birds and squirrels hanging from the branches of the tallest trees. The trail overlooked the lake, and while Kat had been absorbed in the landscape design and scenery, Jason had rushed far ahead of her on the path wearing a frown on his face.
Instead of introducing Kat to anyone at the beach as she’d been expecting once they’d arrived, Jason had waved but largely ignored most of the kids who appeared to be his friends while continuing to lead her along a graveled pathway.
Finally reaching a shady spot near the edge of the beach, he’d pulled out a huge towel from his back pack and laid it across the sand. Without a word, he’d motioned for her to sit. Although they’d remained relatively silent, Jason had pointed out a few of the landmarks at the beach while telling her about the renovation of the Dragonfly Pointe Inn ten years earlier that’d transformed the town into a prosperous community again.
And then the conversation had halted.
She must have dozed off for a moment because she was startled awake by the sound of Jason’s husky voice. “Would you like to go over to the concession stand with me and get something to eat?”
Jason had tugged off her sunglasses, and his head blocked the sun as he leaned over her on the sand.
Some kind of enticing, spicy scent had Kat holding her breath as his blue-gray eyes searched hers intently.
Finally, she exhaled.
Looking a little dazed, Jason sat back on his knees while Kat pulled out her earplugs and rose to her feet.
“Is it alright to leave my stuff here?”
“We can leave the towels here. But hold onto the ipod, and maybe grab your bag,” he answered gruffly, looking away from her and snatching up his backpack as he stood up.
Kat could feel Jason’s eyes upon her as they made their way side by side over to the concession stand, and it was making her feel even more confused. She wasn’t sure what to think about this subtle new change in his attitude towards her, and there were butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.
Jason turned to her and smiled when they reached the concession stand. “Hot dog?”
Kat smiled back. “Sounds good.”
Jason spoke to a teenager behind the counter, who appeared to be one his friends. “Hey, Ross. I’ll take three,” he said, pointing at the hot dogs spinning over a grill.
After resting three cardboard trays near the grate, Ross plucked the hot dogs from the heat with his tongs. “Here you go Jason,” he said, handing over the hot dogs one by one in their buns. “Can I get you two something to drink?”
When Kat began searching through her bag for money, Jason grinned. “Don’t worry about that,” he said, digging out some bills from his backpack. “Everything’s on me today. How about a cherry slush?” he asked, giving her one of the hot dogs.
That half smile of his was sure doing something crazy to her insides. Feeling a little breathless, she was suddenly at a loss for words. Kat shook her head in agreement, and smiled at Jason a little timidly before moving over to the stand housing the condiments, while Jason waited for their drinks.
Noticing a pretty brown-haired girl moving over to take her place beside Jason, Kat frowned, picking up the mustard.
Jason and the girl were clearly well-acquainted because she was pressing herself pretty closely against Jason. But rather than wrap an arm around her like she was clearly expecting him to do, Jason appeared to be trying to extricate himself from the other girl’s arms.
Kat began squirting mustard over her hot dog.
But she wasn’t exactly sure what she was thinking when she let the mustard fly through the air.
Some of the mustard landed on Jason, but most of it splattered across the face of the girl Jason was attempting to shove from his arms.
Behind the counter of the concession stand, Ross began laughing out loud.
Jason was looking dazedly at the other girl’s face when his mouth dropped open. But after shaking away his apparent confusion, he began to grin. His slow smile went wide when he gazed over at Kat. “Kat, this is Ashley.”
He began to laugh when he looked down at Ashley. “Ashley, meet Kat.”
Ashley was definitely furious when she scraped away the mustard from her face with the back of her hand. Glaring at Kat, she approached her determinedly and, after snatching the mustard from Kat’s grasp, she gave the plastic bottle a long hard squeeze.
“Hey!” Jason exploded, seeing Ashley squirting the mustard into Kat’s face.
Seizing a bunch of napkins from the counter of the concession stand, Jason rushed up to the two girls and pulled the mustard from Ashley’s hands. Glaring at Ashley, he quickly stashed the mustard back into the dolly with the other condiments.
Ashley stood staring angrily at Kat. She was definitely becoming more upset watching Jason carefully wiping away the mustard from Kat’s face.
“Kat’s family are friends with my parents, Ashley. I’m sure it was just an accident—her squirting that mustard at you.” He winked, grinning at Kat so Ashley couldn’t see. “Right, Kat?”
Kat didn’t answer.
And Ashley continued to glare at her waiting for Jason to finish.
Finally giving Ashley a side glance, Jason frowned. “I can’t understand your being so damned vicious to someone you don’t even know! Remember what I said to you the other day? It still goes.” Clearly annoyed, he continued, “See you later, Ashley.”
Ashley’s eyes went wide before she spun on her heels, and began stomping down the path toward the restrooms.
When Jason finally dropped his hand away from her face, Kat cleared her throat. She found it difficult to breath whenever he looked into her eyes.
Like he’d been doing for the last few minutes.
She finally asked, “Former girlfriend?”
“Something like that,” he answered gruffly. “Even though the hot dogs are probably cold by now,” he continued, nodding towards an inviting spot under some pines, “let’s go sit over there in the shade at the picnic bench. We can go for a swim afterwards, and maybe get the rest of that mustard you’ve got stuck in your hair taken care of.”
After handing over her cherry slush, Jason scooped up the hot dogs and bottle of water still laying on the counter of the concession stand.
Kat nodded ag
reeably. “Easier than having to explain the mustard to my mom.”
“Yeah, for sure.” Jason laughed. “Don’t forget about my mom.” He rolled his eyes. “She’d want to know what the heck happened too.”
They made their way over to the picnic bench.
* * * * *
Jailbait.
For the first time in Jason’s life, he finally understood the meaning of the word. Katherine didn’t look like any thirteen-year old girl he’d ever seen.
He was used to being assigned designated duty by his mom, and showing kids belonging to her friends around town. Today, he’d planned on a day of swimming at the beach along with taking a tour of the area around Dragonfly Pointe, and maybe going for some ice cream later on.
He’d even been considering sacrificing one afternoon this week for a couple of rounds of pee wee golf. Little girls usually loved that kind of stuff, he’d been told by his Grandpa Will.
And then he’d met Kat. Silky raven black hair, and those beautiful jade green eyes. Her nickname was definitely appropriate, because of those slanted eyes and her graceful movements.
He knew he’d been kind of a jerk at first, but his reaction to her had been so totally unexpected, he wasn’t quite sure how to handle it. Jason had headed straight to a semi-deserted section of the beach when they’d arrived. His biggest fear when he’d reached the beach was that one of dopey friends would put the moves on her.
Come to think of it, why was he so worried about that?
Jason snorted, shaking his head. He knew why. But he still couldn’t believe it—he was actually attracted to a thirteen-year old!
Kat glanced at him from where she sat beside him on the seat of the picnic bench. “Something wrong?” she asked, lifting her brow.
Uh, oh. There was that cute little eyebrow thing she had going on again. Crazy thing about it was, she probably didn’t even know how much she was affecting him.
Two Hearts Christmas Wish Page 2