The Goodbye Girl

by Angela Verdenius

  …or maybe it was the way Nick was watching her, his gaze following her every move as she stood up...

  …or maybe the way Alex was narrowing his eyes slightly, as though trying to silently warn Nick about something, and that something was her, she just knew it.

  Oh yeah, conspiracy or not, something was up. She just had to find out what it was, but neither did she want to cause unpleasantness. Harly was her friend, and even though she’d just met Alex, she liked him. As for Nick, well…she liked him, too, or what she knew of him from their letters. He’d gotten her sense of humour, had been more than happy to chat to her about everyday things.

  Time would tell if that was still friendliness or something deeper.

  Conspiracy!

  Paranoid much?

  Hell, yes.

  Hopping down off the stool, she went around the kitchen bench and opened the cutlery drawer. “I’ll get the tools of the trade.”

  Pushing away from the table, Nick straightened. “I’ll wipe the table down, seeing as I was perched on it.’

  “Good idea,” Alex said. “Arse flavour is not my cup of tea.”

  “I didn’t know tea came in that flavour.” Nick wet the dishcloth in the sink and brushed past Bree on his return to the table.

  “Have you already forgotten the tea we drank most of this year?”

  “Oh yeah, definitely arse flavoured.”

  Harly rolled her eyes and Bree grinned as she gathered the forks and knives. Picking up the clean tea towel, she crossed to the table where Nick was leaning over as he wiped it down.

  Talking of arses, the man had a nice one. It filled out his jeans, just as his muscular thighs had the tough material hugging it. Lucky jeans. Not that she could talk. Her way had always been to look and not touch. Okay, maybe a grope here and there in a passionate embrace, but there she’d drawn the line. She’d seen too much to want to go down that route. Besides, she’d yet to meet the man who could make her willingly drop her panties.

  Straightening, Nick took the tea towel from her fingers with a murmured “Thanks” and wiped the table dry.

  Listening with half an ear to Harly and Alex talking as they dished up the meal together, Bree set the table with the knives and forks.

  “Nick, there’re drinks in the ‘fridge if you don’t mind pouring them out,” Harly said.

  “No worries. What’s everyone having?”

  “I’ll have another iced coffee.” Alex popped a slice of roast lamb into his mouth as he carved the leg.

  “Stop that.” Harly smacked his hand lightly. “I’ll have Diet Coke, thanks, Nick.”

  Nick’s gaze swung to Bree.

  “Diet Coke, please.”

  Nick poured the drinks, joining Alex in an iced coffee. Setting the glasses on the table, he stepped back.

  “Take a seat.” Harly picked up two plates. “We’ll bring the food.”

  Bree found herself sitting opposite Nick, who was taking a leisurely sip of his drink, his gaze tracking around the room before finally coming to a stop on Bree. Not once did he shift his gaze while Harly and Alex put the plates on the table.

  Not one to show discomfort, Bree met his gaze full on. “So, how long are you here for, Nick?”

  Picking up the knife and fork, he cut into the steaming meat. “A few weeks.”

  “Only a few?” She was surprised to feel a flash of disappointment.

  “Seven,” Alex said. “Don’t let his poor grammar fool you.”

  Harly forked up some roast potatoes. “Bree, I’m hearing things.”

  “Poor love,” Bree replied. “Have you seen a doctor?”

  Nick grinned.

  Harly ignored her quip. “I’m hearing talk that you believe in UFOs.”

  That was Harly, right to the point. No mucking around, one of the reasons why Bree liked her.

  “I do.” She slanted a glance at both Nick and Alex. Hmmm, Alex looked surprised, but Nick was just eyeing her closely.

  Like he knew.

  Conspiracy!

  Geez, settle down.

  “Seriously?” Alex raised both eyebrows.

  “Yep.” Calmly, she chewed on a piece of broccoli.

  “UFOs?”

  “Yep.”

  “So you believe in aliens?”

  “Yep.” She got a real buzz out of seeing people stare at her in disbelief. Kind of like the way Alex was doing right now.

  Nick just kept eating and watching.

  “Have you seen any UFOs for real?” Harly asked.

  “Will you throw me out the door without letting me finish this meal if I say yes?”

  Harly rested one wrist on the table, her knife poised over her plate. “Where? Here?”

  “Ah, now…” Bree smiled slightly. “There have been unidentified lights seen in a field.”

  “Charlotte said that.”

  “Probably car lights,” Alex said.

  “Or tractor lights,” Nick added.

  “Oh yes, because farmers always run their tractors in wet fields at night.” Bree speared a piece of carrot. “It’s good for the soil.”

  “Is that a trace of sarcasm I hear?” Alex asked.

  “Might be an echo, do you think?”

  “Of my sarcasm, you mean?”

  “Were you being sarcastic?” She opened her eyes wide.

  Nick laughed.

  “Maybe a little,” Alex admitted.

  “I also heard that you went out to that field last night,” Harly continued.

  Alex shook his head. “You didn’t.”

  Nick’s gaze never left Bree.

  Not in the least perturbed, she forked up potato, dipped it in gravy. “I parked there for awhile.”

  “Did you see anything?” Harly asked.

  “Lots of rain.”

  “So it would be a wasted effort, right?”

  “Not so. UFOs can tour around pretty well under cover of rain. Easily explained away if seen.”

  “So you were out there after dark in that storm?” Alex frowned. “That’s dangerous.”

  “I didn’t park on the side of the road where I originally planned,” Bree explained. “I stayed in the parking bay, which while it didn’t give as good a view, certainly gave me an experience.”

  Harly stopped eating. “What happened?”

  “Something hit my car door.”

  Harly’s eyes widened, Alex’s narrowed, and Nick’s gaze sharpened.

  “Rocked the van, too.” Bree paused, thinking back to the event. “Propelled me right out of the seat.”

  Nick straightened. “You were sitting beside the door?”

  “I was on a hunt. Had the food, the drink, and a prime view from the driver’s seat. Well, until I ended up being shoved across the brake.”

  “You were shoved across the brake?” Harly looked worried.

  “Kind of. I got jolted by the force of the blow to the driver’s door.” Bree cut another piece of meat off, loaded it with some broccoli. “To be honest, I got a fright and scrambled the rest of the way.” And ended up pressed against the passenger door, staring at the dent in the opposite door, her heart pounding out a rhythm it certainly wasn’t meant to do.

  Thinking about it, she grinned a little.

  Her gaze met Nick’s, to see complete disapproval.

  “You were alone,” he stated bluntly.

  “How could you possibly guess that?”

  “You went into the passenger seat and not once did you mention anyone else in the van with you.”

  She pointed the fork at him. “Good deduction, Sherlock.”

  Harly was appalled. “You were alone? Bree!”

  Bree shrugged.

  “So you drove off?” Alex took a mouthful of iced coffee, swallowed. “Without seeing anything?”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  Nick started frowning. Ohhh, he wasn’t pleased. Was he going to guess what she’d done?

  “You got out.” He almost growled it. “You got out alone to inspect the
damage, didn’t you?”

  Yep, he’d guessed. “Of course.”

  “I can’t believe I’m hearing this.” Harly shook her head. “That was dangerous.”

  “Incredibly dangerous,” Alex agreed. “What on earth possessed you to get out of the car?”

  “Are you kidding me? What if an alien had been standing there and I missed it by being a wussy and running at the first sign of something unusual?”

  “What if it had been a human attacker?”

  Wow, it had been a long time since anyone had taken her to task for doing what, to her, was normal. “I think he’d have smashed the window and grabbed me before then.”

  “Which could have happen.” The frown still creased Nick’s brow.

  “But didn’t.” She smiled reassuringly around the table at the three faces looking back at her with expressions ranging from awed - Harly, to concerned - Alex, down to slightly angry - Nick.

  Really? Angry? Why on earth would Nick be angry? Bree blinked at him.

  “Do you go out on many hunts, Bree?” Nick asked.

  “Not as many now as I used to.”

  “Alone?”

  “Most often now, yes.”

  “You shouldn’t.”

  “Kind of don’t have a choice, Nick.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t want to go out with glory hunters and nutters.”

  It was Nick’s turn to blink.

  Alex’s mouth dropped open and Harly glanced away, glanced back at Bree, then looked down at her plate.

  Bree’s lips twitched. “Let me guess. You all think I fall into the last category anyway.”

  “Oh, no-” Harly began.

  “Sweetie, I’m not worried. You can all think what you like.” Completely unconcerned, Bree took another mouthful of food.

  “It’s not that we think you’re a nut,” Alex began.

  “Alex, please, I can tell you’re a man who speaks the truth. Don’t stop on my account. I promise I won’t be offended.”

  He hesitated and glanced at Harly, who bit her lip.

  “Go on.” Bree gave a ‘come-on’ gesture with her hand.

  “My mother always said if you don’t have anything nice to say about people, you shouldn’t say anything.”

  “Alex!” Harly was horrified.

  Bree laughed outright. “Relax, girl. It’s nice to meet a man who can say so much while being so polite.”

  “But I still like you,” Alex continued with a grin. “You can still come and play with Harly.”

  “Aw, sweet.” She winked at him. Wondering what Nick was thinking now, she switched her gaze to find him studying her closely. “Don’t worry,” she told him gravely, “nuttiness isn’t contagious.”

  “I’m more worried about you going out alone looking for these lights.”

  “I’m not about to take Charlotte with me, if that’s what you’re suggesting.”

  “Someone else.”

  “There’s no one I know well enough to take out with me, who I could trust not to freak out or jump at every shadow.” Bree sobered. “I take this seriously, Nick, regardless of my laughing. Once I’m on a hunt, I don’t want someone chasing after things without planning or locking all the doors and getting hysterical.”

  “You’re not going to stop the hunts for these lights, are you?”

  “Sweetie, I’m not going to stop the hunt for whatever crashed into my car. And the lights,” she added as an afterthought.

  His scrutiny of her face was thorough. “You’re planning another hunt soon, aren’t you?”

  “Gold star, soldier boy.”

  “Alone.”

  “Yep.”

  “Nope.”

  “What?”

  “You’re not going alone.”

  “Look, I’ve told you, I won’t go with an over-excited woman or-”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  It wasn’t just Bree’s mouth that dropped open. Harly stared at him, Alex looked gob smacked.

  “I beg your pardon?” She couldn’t have heard right.

  “I’m coming with you,” he stated calmly.

  He must be kidding her. “You?”

  “Can you think of anyone better? I don’t get hysterical, I think I’ve proven that. I don’t get over-excited, and I won’t lock the doors on you.”

  She eyed him disbelievingly. “You won’t?”

  “But I will insist on being the first out of the van.”

  Hey, what…? “You insist?”

  “I’ll keep you safe.”

  While Harly took a sip of Diet Coke and shook her head, Alex looked between them with a slightly amused expression.

  Bree placed the fork down. “You don’t believe in UFOs.”

  “So?”

  “Having a sceptic in the van with me, well…”

  “Well?” He arched one eyebrow.

  “It kind of kills the mojo.”

  “I promise not to be openly sceptical.”

  “Nick, really-”

  “Wouldn’t you like to prove me wrong?”

  “Is this a challenge?”

  His smile was slow. “If you like.”

  Now, this was interesting. He’d actually be the ideal hunt partner, calm under fire and not inclined to throw himself into a foetal position at the first sign of an alien - or anything else unidentified.

  Actually, this could be fun. At the least it would relieve her boredom on some of these long waits.

  “You might regret that offer,” she said slowly.

  “I doubt it.”

  “Really.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully.

  Nick gazed calmly back at her.

  “I’ll think about it,” she decided.

  “Call me before your next hunt.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “Be sure you do. Think about it real hard.”

  He didn’t have to say it, she could see it as though he’d stamped it on his forehead. He was fully intending to go on her next hunt.

  Well, he might think he could plough over her decisions but she knew better. She also wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. However, she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she fully intended to take him out when she next went on a hunt. There was nothing like a witness to the unknown.

  But let him wonder first.

  Of course, on the other hand, maybe he was going to accompany her to ensure she saw nothing she should be seeing. Well, if he thought she was an easy target, he had another think coming. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d run from soldiers. True, she had been a nimble seven year old girl, but now she had the smarts to go with it. Or in place of it, because she knew there was no way she could hope to outrun Nick.

  But she could mess with his head if things got sticky.

  That thought had her smiling widely.

  Nick’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything further.

  “Sometimes I go out on a whim,” she said. “Can you be ready in time?”

  “Honey, I’m a soldier. I’m always ready.”

  “Sweetie, I’m a UFO chaser. If I get a call, I go.”

  “A call from whom?” Alex asked.

  Careful. Bree cut her gaze to him. “Anyone.”

  “You have fellow UFO watchers.”

  “A lot of people watch UFOs.”

  “Watch for them,” Nick corrected.

  “Watch them,” she amended.

  Leaning back in the chair, he rested his hands each side of his now empty plate. “Okay.”

  She eyed him. “You don’t believe.”

  “Got that right.”

  Let’s give him a little push. Picking up the glass of Diet Coke, Bree took a slow sip. “But you believe in Unidentified Flying Objects.”

  He regarded her coolly. “Everything can be identified.”

  “But there are reports of unidentified objects.”

  “Bit like Marty’s brain,” Alex murmured to Harly.

  “
I was thinking more of Alan’s.” Harly laughed.

  “You’ve got a point there.”

  Nick regarded Bree. “Unidentified soon becomes identified.”

  “Are you telling me that in all the years you’ve been in the military you’ve never seen something that can’t be explained? No lights in the sky? No aircraft that manoeuvrers in ways no human designed aircraft ever could?”

  He shook his head.

  “Ah.” She took another mouthful of Diet Coke, swallowed. “But then you wouldn’t admit it anyway, would you?”

  His smile was small.

  “Because the military has secrets.” She placed the glass back on the table. “The government hides things.”

  Harly’s mouth fell open. “You’re a conspirator!”

  “You say that like it’s a dirty word.”

  “Entertaining, more like.” Harly grinned. “Especially if you start spreading rumours.”

  “Rumours? I don’t spread rumours.” No way. “I say what I see, but only if asked or when with fellow UFO hunters.” Bree pointed at her. “Do you know how much trouble you can get for shooting off your mouth about things that are covert?”

  “You disappear?” Nick replied dryly.

  “Don’t laugh. It happens.”

  “Really? Know anyone personally who has mysteriously disappeared?”

  “Just because I don’t know them personally doesn’t mean it never happened.”

  “Because someone told you so.”

  “Hey, people tell me the Earth turns in a certain direction. I’ve not personally seen it, but I believe it.” She paused. “If, in fact, it does happen at all.”

  Alex choked on his iced coffee.

  Harly patted his back

  “Oh, boy.” Nick’s bland expression didn’t change.

  “Anyone with half a brain knows America never landed on the moon first,” Bree added, just for effect.

  In the act of getting his breath back, Alex choked again, coughing and wheezing.

  “What?” Mr All-In-Control didn’t look so calm now. In fact, Nick was decidedly rattled.

  “Have you ever studied the photos of the moon landings?” Bree nodded. “You can see the way the shadows fall. It indicates artificial light was used.”

  “That light was from the sun,” Alex managed to wheeze out.

  “Not so. It was cleverly done but totally fake. It’s a well-known fact amongst certain groups that the landing was done much later, but the US wanted to be the first there before the Russians.”