Safe Haven (The Protectors Book 1)

by Leeanna Morgan

  By the time Tank and Hayley made it to the entrance, Ryan and Sophie were inside.

  More celebrity guests came into the hotel after them. Hayley was sure the photos from tonight would be posted online within the hour. “Tanner and Ryan didn’t waste any time getting Sophie away from the reporters.”

  “Most reporters are okay, but they’re here to write a story. If they annoy someone or their photographers get too close, they don’t care.” He nodded at one of the hotel’s security staff. “At least the hotel is prepared for all the media interest.”

  “I don’t think they had a choice. Someone told me there were problems at last year’s fashion show. A reporter was able to walk into the backstage area. The designers and their models weren’t impressed.”

  One of the hotel staff re-checked their tickets as they moved into the main ballroom.

  “At least we’re sitting with Sophie and Ryan,” Tank said as they walked past people seated in the front row. “Tanner will be nearby.”

  Hayley nodded. There was no point telling Tank they’d be okay. They didn’t need a bodyguard, but it wasn’t in his nature to leave anything to chance.

  She saw Sophie and Ryan and waved to them. “Are you ready to be impressed, Tank?”

  He looked down the end of the aisle at Tanner. “I am now.”

  ***

  Hayley clapped as another group of models left the runway. The fashion show was incredible. Designers she’d never heard of were showing items from their fall collections. She took photos, made notes, and dreamed of having her clothes on the runway next year.

  “When are the clothes in the Supreme Award going to be shown?” Tank asked from beside her.

  She opened her program and pointed to the last entry. “There are three more categories and then it’s time for the Supreme Award.” Hayley was impressed that he didn’t sigh. “Are you bored?”

  “Not yet. It’s interesting watching the crowd.”

  She heard a soft click and looked around. Without music blocking the other sounds in the room, Hayley was sure she could hear someone speaking.

  She leaned closer to Tank. “What’s that noise?”

  A blush stained his cheeks. “What noise?”

  “I can hear someone speaking.” She looked behind her and smiled at an elderly couple. They were sitting in their seats waiting for the next category. “Can’t you hear it?” she asked Tank.

  He glanced at her. “There’s a game on.”

  “A game?”

  “The Rangers are playing the Blue Jays.”

  Hayley was confused. “What are you talking about?”

  “Baseball,” Tank whispered. The Rangers are playing a home game in Texas.”

  Ryan, Sophie’s fiancé, was sitting beside Tank. As soon as he heard the word ‘Texas’ he spun around.

  “What’s the score?”

  Tank’s blush disappeared. “Rangers up by four in the last innings.”

  Ryan high-fived Tank. “You’ve got to love technology.”

  Hayley looked closely at Tank’s head. “You’re wearing your earpiece.”

  “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

  The earpiece made another noise and Tank grinned at Ryan. “Rangers got another home run!”

  Ryan looked over his shoulder. “Ssh. Someone might hear you.”

  Hayley imagined the person he was most worried about was his fiancée. Sophie had bionic hearing. There was no way she’d miss what Tank and Ryan were up to.

  Sure enough, Sophie leaned around her fiancé and scowled. “You should both be ashamed of yourselves.”

  Someone tapped Hayley on the shoulder. She turned around and the elderly man she’d smiled at earlier said hello.

  “I don’t mean to be rude,” he whispered, “but I couldn’t help but overhear something you said. Are the Rangers winning?”

  Tank smiled. “They’re up by five. Gallo’s pulled his hamstring again.”

  “That boy needs to take the rest of the season off,” the elderly man said. “If he doesn’t, he will permanently injure himself and never be able to play again.”

  Ryan nodded his agreement. “He did the same thing last month. You’d think his manager would have something to say about his injuries.”

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Sophie hissed at Ryan. “You promised you wouldn’t listen to the game.”

  “I’m not,” he said triumphantly. “Tank is.”

  Sophie sent Tank an evil glare before glancing at Hayley.

  “It’s not my fault,” she said.

  “Don’t worry, dear,” a woman’s voice said from behind Hayley.

  She turned around and smiled at the elderly woman she’d seen before. “Were you talking to me?”

  “I’ve been married to Alfred for fifty-two years next spring and he hasn’t changed. If it isn’t baseball, it’s basketball.”

  Alfred held onto his wife’s hand. “Victoria knows my two weaknesses in life.”

  Victoria looked ready to comment on her husband’s weaknesses when the music for the next category started playing.

  Alfred settled back into his seat, Ryan whispered something in Sophie’s ear, and Tank kept his eyes glued on the runway.

  Hayley tapped Tank on the arm. “I don’t care if you listen to the game, but tell Ryan to stay out of trouble. Sophie’s stressed.”

  “You really don’t mind?”

  She shook her head. “I’d be just as bored if you took me to a baseball game.”

  Tank’s eyes widened. “You’re joking.”

  “No. I’d probably take my sketchbook and design new uniforms for the teams.”

  Ryan nudged Tank.

  Tank took one look at him and whispered something close to his ear.

  Hayley had no idea what Tank said, but during the next three categories, Ryan didn’t ask for any updates.

  Sophie leaned forward. “The finalists in the Supreme Award are next. The designers must be nervous.”

  Hayley would have been, too. With the amount of media interest in the event and the celebrities in the audience, it was a great opportunity to promote their designs. “I hope Emily wins. She showed me pictures of the dresses that made the finals. They’re amazing.”

  As lights dimmed, Tanner moved quickly along the aisle in front of them.

  Instead of stopping at Ryan and Sophie, Tanner handed his cell phone to Tank. “It’s John. You need to speak to him.”

  He took the phone and frowned. “John, it’s Tank. What’s happened?”

  There was only one other time when Hayley had seen Tank’s skin turn gray. It hadn’t been good news then, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t good news now.

  ***

  Tank passed Tanner his cell phone and took a deep breath.

  Hayley leaned toward him. “Are you all right?”

  “I need to leave. I’m sorry.”

  “It doesn’t matter. What’s happened?”

  “I have to fly to Denver. The reporter who wrote the story about my brother sent my parents a copy. It’s going to be in tomorrow’s Washington Post. Dad had a heart attack after he read it. He’s in the hospital having double bypass heart surgery.”

  “I’m so sorry, Tank. I’ll come with you.”

  He shook his head and stood. “Stay here. You’re safer with Sophie.”

  Hayley ignored him.

  She picked up her evening bag and whispered something to her sister.

  Tank waited for her at the end of the aisle.

  As soon as they were in the foyer, she touched his arm. “Do you want me to see when the next flight leaves?”

  “John’s already done that. I’m booked on a flight that leaves in an hour. I’ve got to leave now if I’m going to make check-in.” Hayley seemed determined to go with him. “Stay here. I’ll call you after I’ve seen dad.”

  She looked worried. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her it would be okay, but he didn’t know if it would be. When John told him his dad was in the Inten
sive Care Unit, a heavy weight had pressed against his chest, pushing into the most vulnerable part of who he was.

  His granddad died of a massive heart attack while Tank was overseas. His dad couldn’t die the same way. They had too much to say to each other, too many bridges that needed mending.

  He checked his watch. “I really need to leave, Hayley.”

  She kissed him on the cheek. “Take care. If you need anything or want me to fly to Denver, just call me.”

  “Sophie and Ryan will take you home tonight.”

  “I know.”

  Without a backward glance, he left the hotel. He would call his mom, make sure she was okay, then board the plane to Denver. He didn’t care about the newspaper article. Keeping his dad alive meant more than dealing with what would happen tomorrow.

  He’d thought his brother’s death was the worst that could happen, but he was wrong.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Tank parked his rental car outside the University of Colorado Hospital and ran inside.

  He’d called his mom as soon as his plane landed. His dad was out of surgery, but not conscious. She was upset but trying to hold everything together. The last thing she’d told him before he put his phone away was that his dad loved him.

  Her softly spoken words had torn him in two. He shouldn’t have left Denver so soon after he’d told his parents the truth about David’s death. Leaving his mom and dad alone to process what he’d said was the worst thing he could have done.

  He pushed the buzzer outside the doors of the Intensive Care Unit.

  While he waited for a nurse, he thought about his dad and the last words they’d said to each other. He wished he could turn back the clock, say what he needed to tell him in a different way. It might have made a difference to how his dad had handled the truth about David—especially when he read the newspaper article.

  A nurse opened the door to the ward and walked with him toward his dad’s bed.

  He felt as though he was on death row. There was a stillness about the Intensive Care Unit that made him uneasy. The beep of machines, the soft hiss of ventilators, and the hushed voices of the staff and visitors brought back memories of his time in Kabul.

  When Tank saw his mom, his world came crashing down. She was seated beside his dad, holding his hand and speaking softly to him.

  His mom had warned him what to expect, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of his dad’s pale, still body hooked up to a tangle of tubes and IV lines.

  This wasn’t the same man who had carried his sons on his shoulders, run marathons when he was fifty-five, and lived and breathed the Army for forty years.

  A nurse touched his mom’s arm.

  She turned around and tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Tank.”

  He walked toward her and held his arms open. Bonnie stepped into them and silently wept.

  Tank held her against his chest, offering what little support he could.

  His mom took a deep, shuddering breath and looked up at him. “It’s good to see you.”

  “How’s dad?”

  “The doctors and nurses are looking after him. His surgeon was happy with how everything went. How are you?”

  “I’m okay. When will the breathing tube be removed?”

  “When he’s awake and able to breathe on his own.” His mom looked at him carefully. “Why don’t you say hello to your dad and then we’ll talk in the family room.”

  “Can he hear me?”

  “He’ll know you’re here.”

  After their last conversation, Tank didn’t know if speaking to his dad was a good idea. “What if he gets upset?”

  His mom held his hands. “Listen to me. Regardless of how stubborn he can be, your father loves you. What happened tonight is not your fault. Your dad has been working too hard. It doesn’t help that he finds it difficult to tell anyone how he’s feeling. He bottles things up and wonders why his health suffers.”

  “Has he been in the hospital before?”

  His mom sighed. “James didn’t want me to tell you.” She squeezed his hands and looked him in the eyes. “Your dad had a heart attack four months ago. The doctors were happy with his recovery. Everything was going so well until he read the newspaper article about David. When James collapsed, I thought he was dead.”

  Tank pulled his mom into his arms. She was shaking like a leaf and looked as fragile as his dad. “It’s okay. Dad’s in the best place.”

  “I know. It’s just that I never imagined this would happen again. He has been watching what he’s eating and following his doctor’s orders. He’s always been so fit and energetic. He told me he was feeling better than he had in a long time.”

  Tank wasn’t sure what to say. His dad had always been the strong, silent type. If anyone could pull off a poker face, it was James Warner. But these last few weeks had cracked the carefully controlled armor he wore. Tank knew it hurt him to know what had happened to his eldest son, and that pain had almost killed him.

  He kissed the top of his mom’s head. “Have you had dinner?”

  Bonnie shook her head. “I couldn’t eat anything.”

  “You need to eat, mom. I’ll let dad know I’m here and then we’ll find the cafeteria. We can talk there.”

  She looked at the nurse. “Would you let us know if anything changes?”

  “Of course I will. Remember to turn your cell phone on when you leave the ward. We’ll call you straight away if we need to.”

  “Thank you. I’ll wait for you in the corridor, Tank. Take all the time you need.”

  After his mom left, he sat on the chair beside the bed. He placed his hand over his dad’s and felt the warmth of his skin.

  He never thought he would see his father like this. He felt as helpless as a leaf tossed in the air, bending and twisting at the whim of a force far greater than life itself.

  Even though his dad was on a ventilator, Tank saw his granddad and brother in his features—the high cheekbones, the strong jaw—but the essence of what made him a Warner was buried deep inside.

  His dad, like his father before him, was strong. He had bucket-loads of determination and grit. He would find a way to get through the next few days and the months of recovery that would follow.

  Tank tried to speak, to tell his dad he was here, that he loved him, but the words caught in his throat. Tears filled his eyes and the grief he’d been holding back tore through him.

  He let go of his dad’s hand, bent his head, and cried.

  ***

  Two days’ later, Tank’s dad had been transferred to the Heart Center. He was still closely monitored by the nursing staff, but at least he was stable.

  “Are you going to stare at that turkey sandwich or eat it?”

  His dad’s gruff voice made Tank laugh. “You’ve already had something to eat. You’re not allowed mine as well.”

  “Chicken soup isn’t food. It was tasteless.”

  Tank held up his sandwich. “This is great.”

  “Your mom said you had to look after me.”

  “I am. You need to eat what the doctor tells you. You’ve just had a heart attack.”

  “You don’t need to remind me.”

  The last forty-eight hours had been hard on everyone. The nurses and doctors had poked and prodded his dad’s tired body. He’d fallen into more than one exhausted sleep, waking with no more energy than he’d had before.

  Tank hadn’t even tried to sleep. Between looking after his mom and being with his dad, the last two days had disappeared into a black hole.

  “You need a shower,” his dad grumbled.

  “As soon as mom comes back from the hotel I’m going to have the longest shower I can manage.”

  “Good.” His dad looked at his heart monitor. When he turned back to Tank, there was a vulnerability in his gaze that hadn’t been there before. “I’m not ready to die.”

  The quiver in his voice brought tears to Tank’s eyes. “I’m not ready for you to die, either.”
>
  “I’ve been a fool. My doctor warned me this could happen, but I didn’t believe him.”

  Tank put his sandwich down. “You followed your doctor’s advice. There was nothing else you could have done.”

  James tried moving up the bed.

  “What do you need, dad?”

  “The pillows are uncomfortable. Could you move one up to support my head?”

  Tank held his dad’s shoulders while he rearranged his pillows. “Is that better?”

  “It is. Thank you.” He looked at Tank. “I appreciate you coming to Denver and looking after your mom and me, but you don’t need to stay. You have a busy life in Montana and a job you need to do.”

  Tank sat on the edge of the bed. “You’re my father. I’ll always be here for you.”

  Fear and regret shone from James’s eyes. “I want to be here for you, too. I’ve been talking with your mom. I need to make more changes in my life.”

  “There are people at the hospital who can help,” Tank said. “I’ll help you.”

  “I’m not talking about diet and exercise,” his dad said softly. “It’s me. Something inside of me snapped when David died. I thought it was his death, but it wasn’t, not entirely. All those years in the Army have hit me hard. I need help sorting through a lot of things I don’t know what to do with.”

  “I’ll do whatever I can to help you, dad.”

  “You have enough to do. Helping me should be low on your list of priorities.”

  “I mean it.” Tank saw the doubt in his father’s eyes. “Quit looking at me like that. You’ve saved me from making some serious mistakes in my life. If nothing else, it’s time I did something for you.”

  The curtain around the bed opened and a nurse walked into the room. “How are you feeling this afternoon, Mr. Warner?”

  “Better than yesterday.”

  “I should think so. We’re going to take more blood samples soon. You’re booked for an ultrasound in an hour and a scan before dinner.”

  Tank stood up.

  His dad’s face had lost color and his breathing was labored.

  The nurse glanced at the heart monitor before taking the pillows out from under his head. “It’s okay, Mr. Warner. You’re doing fine. I’ll put an oxygen mask over your mouth to help with your breathing.”