TWO WEEKS LATER
Chapter Twenty-Four
Brooke stood on a bench, surrounded by hundreds of men, women, and children at Fort Bragg’s Green Ramp, a large staging area, waiting for Shane’s unit to return from Afghanistan. People held up signs. Balloons bobbed above the crowd. Children ran around, the excitement in the air almost palpable.
“Here they come,” Lucy said, pointing her cellphone, filming as dozens, maybe hundreds, of soldiers dressed in green camouflage uniforms, tan boots, and maroon berets marched in formation with large guns hanging across their chests. Shane led the way, dressed the same as his fellow soldiers but without the gun.
So serious, handsome, and patriotic. So proud to have been a soldier in the U.S. Army. The emotion of the moment brought tears to her eyes.
Beside him walked a man with two metal prosthetic legs and a man with a prosthetic arm and a prosthetic leg, both dressed in street clothes. Beside them one man rolled himself in a wheelchair, his right leg splinted, and a woman in a pretty yellow dress pushed another man who had both of his legs and one arm in splints.
Shane stood tall, at attention, balancing with his cane in his left hand as he saluted with his right in perfect rigid form.
A large American flag hung on the back wall.
Brooke placed her hand over her heart as a band played “The Star-Spangled Banner,” so proud of the men and women and their families, so thankful for their sacrifice, so happy to be a part of the celebration welcoming them home.
As the speakers took turns at the wooden podium, Brooke thought back on all the changes that’d occurred in her life since brunch at her parents’ house. She and Shane had spent a wonderful night together, talking, making love, and planning for the future. The next day she’d packed up everything of importance in her life—which, sadly, all fit into the back of Shane’s Jeep—said a teary good-bye to Neve, and accompanied Shane back to New Jersey so he wouldn’t miss any of his medical or physical therapy appointments.
At present they were renting month to month in a fairly nice apartment building about half an hour from his parents’ house. Close enough, without being too close. Shane had a long talk with Robbie, who understood his need to avoid Sal’s Place for a while. The two of them were closer than ever, which made Brooke happy since she loved spending time with Lucy.
People started to clap and cheer. The soldiers were dismissed and pandemonium broke out. Brooke didn’t try to infiltrate the crowd, especially since she wasn’t seeing her loved one for the first time in months. In fact, she and Shane had been pretty much inseparable for the past two weeks. And she couldn’t be happier.
Not that he never snapped at her or suffered a cranky outburst, but they were getting used to each other. And make-up sex was fast becoming her favorite thing.
“Here he comes.” Lucy all but pushed Brooke off the bench, then jumped down beside her, still filming.
Shane limped toward them, smiling. As he got closer he opened his arms, threw them around her shoulders, and kissed Brooke like he hadn’t seen her in over a year, which made no sense since they’d last kissed about an hour ago.
But since she loved kissing him, she didn’t mind.
When they came up for air, still wrapped in each other’s arms, their mouths mere centimeters apart, she asked, “What was that for?”
He pushed a curl away from her eye and tucked it behind her ear, slowly, tenderly. “I’m giving you your very own ‘Welcome Home, Soldier’ video. Like the ones you love to watch on YouTube.”
Brooke turned to see Lucy, with a big smile on her face, filming them with one hand while waiving at them with the other. So that’s why she’d come.
Too sweet. Tears threatened again. “Thank you.”
He reached into the pocket of his pants and took out a black velvet ring box. Then he opened the lid and held it out to her.
Oh. My. God.
The box had the most beautiful ring propped up inside, an antique, either silver or platinum. A round diamond, maybe a carat, mounted in a raised square setting with beautiful filigree, flanked by several smaller diamonds on each side of the decorative band. Brooke’s heart pounded in her chest; tears fogged her eyes. “Why are you doing this?” She spoke loud to be heard over the noisy crowd. “Is your mom giving you a hard time about us living together?”
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, then leaned in close to speak into her ear. “I’m doing this because I’ve put my life on hold while serving in the military and now I’m ready to catch up on all I’ve missed. Because I’ve found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I don’t want to wait to get married and start a family.”
Elation surged inside of her for a dream come true. She wanted him, wanted to be his wife, looked forward to loving him and taking care of him every single day for as long as they both shall live. But, “This is crazy. It’s too soon.”
“Do you love me?” he asked, taking her hand in his.
“You know I do.”
“And I love you. And I plan to spend the rest of my life taking as good a care of you as you’ve been taking care of me these past few weeks. Now bear with me,” he said, widening his stance. “I’ve been practicing this at PT but there’s a fifty-fifty chance it won’t go as planned.”
Using his cane for balance, Shane went down on his right knee, hard, while his left leg slid out to the side.
“You don’t have to—”
“You deserve my best effort,” he said. “That’s what I’m giving you. But I may need some help to get up when we’re done.”
She smiled, filled to capacity with love for this man.
Shane held up the ring then motioned for her to bend down. “Brooke Ellstein, you are the sunshine that brightens my world, the hope that motivates me, and the reason I’m still here today. I love you and I pray you’re willing to take me on as a husband and make me the happiest man in the world.”
Brooke gave him her hand, nodding. “I do love you and I’d be honored to have you for a husband.”
He slipped the ring onto her finger, the fit remarkable. Brooke dropped to her knees and kissed him. “The ring is beautiful.”
“It belonged to my mother’s grandmother. She wanted you to have it. But be honest, if you don’t like it—”
“I love it. And the fact that it’s a family heirloom makes it all the more special. I will treasure it always.”
“I will treasure you always.” He kissed her again.
“Hey, Gump.” A shortish soldier with light hair joined them. “Sorry to interrupt but I’m in kind of a hurry and didn’t want to leave without saying hi.”
“Perfect timing, Mic. Help me up.”
Mic’s stature was deceiving, because he hoisted Shane up with minimal effort.
Standing tall once again, Shane hugged Mic tightly, for a long time. When they broke apart he introduced his friend. “Brooke Ellstein, I’d like to introduce my good friend Rory ‘Mic’ McRoy.”
Rory. Brooke’s heart jerked in her chest. Neve’s Rory. He looked like a nice guy, but after what he’d done….“Nice to meet you,” she lied, holding out her hand, which he shook with a firm grip.
“You’re here,” Rory said, looking around. “Did Neve come too?”
Brooke shook her head.
“She’s still angry.”
Brooke nodded.
“I know this sounds crazy, but other than contacting me about that picture on Facebook, she won’t talk to me or respond to any of my communications. And I need to know. Is she pregnant?”
Is she what? “Pregnant? Neve? Of course not.” Although who could tell with the baggy shirts and sweatshirts she wore? No. Neve could not be pregnant. She would not have kept something like that a secret. Or would she?
He must have seen the uncertainty on her face. “Do you know for sure or you don’t think so?”
“I don’t think so,” she told him the truth. “I really don’t think so.”
“
I need to know for sure,” he said. “And I need to explain.” He shook his head. “That night got so screwed up.” He looked over at Shane. “I’ve gotta run. Big D is dropping me off at the airport. I’ve got a flight up to New York. It’s gonna be tight. Once I get things worked out I’ll come for a visit. Love your mother’s blueberry crumble.”
“And she’ll love making it for you.”
The two men hugged again. “Great to see you, man. Keep in touch. Nice meeting you, Brooke, and congratulations.” With that Rory ran off.
As soon as he disappeared into the crowd, Shane asked, “Is Neve pregnant?”
“I really don’t think so. If she is she hasn’t said anything.” She and Rory were together four months ago. Surely she’d be showing if she were pregnant. Especially in her leotards. Although Brooke couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Neve in a leotard.
“I’ve got to call her and warn her he’s on his way up.”
“Go find a quiet spot. I’ve got a few friends I want to catch up with.”
Before she left, she rose up on her toes and kissed him. “Thank you for being so thoughtful in giving me my very own ‘Soldier Proposes’ video. And thank you for loving me and wanting to spend the rest of your life with me.”
“Loving you is easy,” he said, holding her close. “Having you in my life is a blessing, waking up with you by my side makes me look forward to each new day. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I will do my best to make you happy.”
With as happy as she felt right then, he was off to a good start.
This book is dedicated to River Jaymes, Jennifer Probst, and Abbi Wilder, who helped me through a pretty significant writing slump and encouraged (prodded) me to keep at it. Thanks for the support, the laughs, and the most fun writing weekend ever!
Acknowledgments
With special thanks to two good friends from high school, Tracy Taylor Callard, now a middle school teacher, and Sergeant James J. Thompson, Town of Warwick Police Department, retired, who both agreed to answer the many questions I had while writing this book. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone.
Special thanks also go out to my wonderful beta readers, Nancy Bristol, River Jaymes, and Amy Remus, for their helpful suggestions and quick turnaround times. You ladies rock! Drinks are on me.
Thank you to my editor, Sue Grimshaw, for pushing me to do my absolute best work, and to my Loveswept team. I love having a team behind me.
And last, but most certainly not least, thank you to my family, who put up with my long hours on the computer, my infrequent bathing when I’m close to deadline, and my failure to cook dinner on a nightly basis. I love you!
PHOTO: LORI ADAMS
WENDY S. MARCUS is an award-winning author of contemporary romance. A nurse by trade, Wendy holds a master of science in health care administration, a degree that does her absolutely no good as she now spends her days, nights, and weekends mucking around in her characters’ lives, creating conflict, emotion, and, of course, a happily ever after. Wendy lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley region of New York. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her dog, Buddy, and blogging/e-mailing/tweeting/Facebooking with her online friends. To learn more about Wendy and her books, find Wendy S. Marcus on Facebook and visit her at:
www.WendySMarcus.com
@WendySMarcus
The Editor’s Corner
I don’t know about you, but this is my favorite time of year! Sure, the month is crazy with holiday preparations, but before you know it they’ve come and gone…which always makes me a little sad. Never fear—I’ve some great romances to lift you out of those seasonal doldrums. Loveswept in December—guaranteed to keep you on that holiday high!
New this month is the latest tantalizing Rule Breakers novel, Want It, from Jennifer Chance, in which an irresistible alpha male follows his ex into a deadly standoff—and reignites a heated affair. A warm welcome to Wendy S. Marcus as she makes her Loveswept debut this month with Loving You Is Easy—she’s a survivor of the political front lines and he’s a wounded soldier returning home from the battlefield. Can they place their trust in the power of love? You bet! You’ll be thrilled to know that the conclusion of Ella Patton and Liam Stone’s story is here in Laura Marie Altom’s Possess—more of the contentious love affair that began in Control. Historical romance fans will adore His Saving Grace, by Sharon Cullen, a captivating novel that tells the deeply emotional tale of two devoted lovers facing the ravages of war.
And a little something special for you this month: Play Me, a serialization written by New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff. Five wonderful installments complete a full-size novel, and each section will tantalize you. Listen to this: Aria Winston lives the life of a loner waitressing at a popular Las Vegas casino. Sebastian Caine is the hot son of the owner who manages the business while his father recovers from a life-threatening heart attack. Things heat up fast, and the glimpses of the man behind the façade disturb Aria but also make her want him more (contains BDSM elements).
Wishing you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season—and just in case Santa doesn’t deliver on the goodies, remember: Loveswept has what you need this month in romance. Until next time…
~Happy Romance!
Gina Wachtel
Associate Publisher
Read on for an excerpt from
Dangerous
By Patricia Rosemoor
Available from Loveswept
Chapter One
Frustration filled Camille Martell when she checked the list of people logged into the “come and get some” chat room, her nickname for the Chicago area dating site Meet and Greet, where she’d found Angel. The scum wasn’t there now. Obsessed with stopping the sexual predator who’d murdered at least two young women he’d seduced via the Internet, she’d been spending every waking hour away from the job hunting him on her home computer.
“Damn it! C’mon, you bastard, where are you? Show yourself!”
As if her demand zapped him through the ether, his avatar—a dark angel holding a sword—appeared.
“Yes!” Her adrenaline surged, and she quickly logged in as Morrigan, the old college photo identifying her as a twenty-one-year-old redhead. Exactly Angel’s type. He didn’t have a clue she was a cop.
Max nudged her leg and whistled through his nose.
Patting the dog’s big, scruffy body, she absently murmured, “Good boy,” as she tensed, watching the parade of messages scroll up her screen.
BigMan: anyone wanna talk with me will show photo
Cougar: let’s see your photo first–not your face, BIG man!
hotgirl: camshows $10/10 minutes skype hotgirl69
Camille’s gaze flicked to the column of sign-ins. Angel was there but not interacting. She’d engaged him twice in the last two days. He’d been flirting carefully with her, like he had been testing her. He knew she was here. What was he waiting for?
She took a big breath. “C’mon, c’mon!”
Unable to wait for it, she took the lead.
Morrigan: Hey, Angel.
Angel: how’s it playing?
Morrigan: Bored ’n lonely
Angel: sorry
Morrigan: You can fix
Would he take the bait? Say he wanted to meet? Her pulse fluttered through her as she waited for his reply.
Cougar: woo-wee, angel, she’s comin’ on to ya
Angel: r u, M? what you wanna do with me?
She’d like to do all kinds of nasty things to a lowlife like him, but she’d settle for cuffing him and taking him in. She thought about saying something sexual, but instinct told her to play it cool.
Morrigan: Just wanna talk…to start…
BigMan: let’s you ’n me talk, honey - skype name?
Morrigan: With Angel only! IM Morrigan22
Camille held her breath as she waited to see if Angel would use it.
Angel: gotta go ttyl
An ins
tant message popped up on her screen, but it was from the guy who called himself BigMan. Camille ignored it. Her hands curled into fists, she sat staring at the monitor, willing Angel to IM her. If he got the mental message, he was ignoring it. Had she played it too cool? Should she have lured him in with the promise of something more than talk?
Another failed attempt. Her adrenaline crashed, deflating her once more.
“Damn it!”
She wanted to punch something.
Max was still sitting there, staring at her, and she realized she hadn’t fed him. Thankfully, she’d hired Sandy Kawecki, the teenage girl who lived next door, to walk Max after school, so he didn’t need to go out right away. With her busy schedule, she’d never meant to own a dog, but the bruiser had been a pitiful sight on the street barking in terror at anything that went by. That had been barely a month ago. She’d tried to find his owner, and when that had proved impossible, she’d thought she could find him a good home. He’d found hers instead.
For the past few weeks, after getting home from work she’d gone directly to the computer since she’d been unable to conduct her search at the office. Each time she’d wish Angel would IM her, but wishing wasn’t going to make it happen, so she pushed away from her desk and headed for the kitchen, the dog following close on her heels.
“Hungry?”
His big brown eyes hopeful, Max whined and licked his chops.
Patting his side, she fetched a can and opened it while considering the irony of her being taken off the chat-room-predator case—the reason they gave her was she was “too emotionally focused” on it and was letting other cases slide. But that focus was what had connected her with the presumed killer, though she still hadn’t gotten him to go beyond chatting.
It might take some time, but she would find a way to meet him and arrest him and get him to trial, if it was the last thing she ever did.
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