All Bets Off: Betting On You Series: Book Five

by Winters, Jeannette

  Danielle knocked on Mary’s door softly. Please have changed your mind. Somehow let me off the hook for this. Unfortunately, Mary opened the door.

  “Right on time. The others should be waiting for us.” Mary closed the door, and down the hall, they went.

  Danielle forced a smile and followed her to an area of the resort she hadn’t been in yet. The area was designated for medical treatment and looked like the rest of the resort, but the medical devices said serious business took place there. She had questioned KJ as to why they had to fly Beckett out when they seemed to have all the technology right where they were. Her answer made perfect sense. “Technology is only once piece. The doctors are arriving next week with the rest of the other medical staff. Unfortunately he needed more than we nurses could give him.”

  Just being around all this equipment made her think back to how his leg looked covered in blood. So much blood. Danielle closed her eyes. How could a memory of blood make her feel woozy? She tried to clear her mind of the thought, but it was too late. Her head was spinning. She had to sit down. Grabbing Mary’s arm, she slowly started slipping to the floor.

  Mary reached out and wrapped an arm around her, guiding her down gently. “It’s okay, dear. I’ve got you. Just take some deep breaths and let them out nice and slow.”

  She did as Mary suggested, and the dizziness slowly faded.

  “Oh, my God, Mom. What happened?” a woman’s voice echoed in the quiet hallway.

  “Nothing, Rose. Danielle and I were just sitting here waiting for you. You’re late, you know,” Mary said.

  Danielle turned and looked at Mary. She was smiling sweetly, as only a mother could when looking at her young. She was thankful Mary had covered for her; she really didn’t want to be embarrassed on her first visit with them, but she didn’t understand why Mary did that. They had only met a few hours earlier.

  “Mom, this is my vacation. Just because you and Dad are up before dawn, doesn’t mean the rest of us are. Besides, I don’t see Lynn here, so you can consider me on time,” Rose declared.

  Both she and Mary stood up. This was a bad start to whatever she was supposed to be helping with today. She wracked her brain trying to think of any excuse to get out of this. Why not just tell them the truth?

  As she opened her mouth to blurt out an excuse, Mary cut her off. “You know what? Rose is right; this is a vacation. Why don’t we take advantage of some quality girl time? I did see a beautiful sailboat docked out there. Let’s see if we can talk Ross Whitman into taking us out for a short adventure.”

  “Now that’s a reason to get out of bed.” Rose extended her hand and introduced herself.

  “Danielle Marcil. So nice to meet you.”

  “So how did my mother rope you into helping us today? Are you in the medical field?”

  Danielle choked at the thought. God help the world if I was. “No. I’m a school teacher.”

  “She’s a friend of Beckett’s. Your father and I had breakfast with them this morning.” Mary grinned.

  Rose turned from her mother to Danielle. Apparently she wasn’t one who held back when it came to emotions, as her eyes were wide open and a huge smile came across her face. “A friend of Beckett’s? Oh, this is going to be an awesome day on the water. Okay, Mom, you go make your magic happen, and I’ll get my bathing suit on.” As she headed into the hallway, she shouted over her shoulder, “See you on the boat, Danielle, and boy do I have stories for you!” Her laughter could be heard even after the door closed.

  Wow. She is nothing like her brother or Lynn. “I really don’t want to intrude on your family girl time. Why don’t I stay behind?”

  “Oh, no, you don’t. You’re not leaving me to entertain Rose all afternoon by myself. Besides, I’d like to get to know you better.”

  She had to tell her the truth. There was nothing between her and Beckett. Nothing we can tell, at least. “Mrs. Davis.”

  “Mary.”

  “Sorry. Mary, you may have misread the situation this morning. Beckett and I are . . .” Friends. Lovers? God, I don’t even know what we are. “We’ve just met. He was only sitting with us to be kind to my nephew, Jamie. See, Jamie has become attached to your son for some reason.”

  Mary didn’t respond to her explanation. “Since Jamie and Beckett are spending the day together, why don’t you spend the day with us? Now, go and get your swimsuit, and meet us on the dock in an hour.”

  There was no arguing with her. Her first impression of Mary was right. She was good. Rose, on the other hand, was a lot less subtle. Oh, this is going be a load of fun.

  Danielle picked up her cell phone to check on Jamie and realized she didn’t even have Beckett’s number. What kind of guardian am I? Panicked, she scrolled to find Drew’s number but scrolled back when Beckett’s name caught her eye. That number wasn’t something she had put in her phone. How did it get there? Then she remembered how she had gotten the replacement phone in the first place. Real smooth.

  It rang and went to voicemail. Where the hell are you, Beckett? She was about to hit the number again when he called her.

  “God, you had me scared,” she said sternly.

  Calmly he replied, “Hello to you, too.”

  Danielle hadn’t meant to sound snappish. It wasn’t him; she was angry at herself. She and Jamie had a routine back home. They did the same thing every week. It was what the professionals had told her was the best for Jamie. Be consistent, and maybe one day he would trust that things would be okay. So she had made it her mission to keep things as normal as possible. Even the word normal made her cringe. It was a term used too loosely, as far as she was concerned. These last several days had been anything but normal, and it was the happiest she had seen Jamie since that horrible night. Maybe it’s time to try something new.

  “Sorry. That didn’t come out the way I meant it.”

  “I get it. I haven’t really given you any reason to trust me,” Beckett said.

  It’s more that I don’t trust myself. “It’s just that Jamie . . . I mean, we’re still getting used to things. I really can’t explain it, but—”

  “Danielle, stop beating yourself up. There are things out of your control. Sometimes you have to let things take their own course.”

  It was sound advice, but she wasn’t sure if he was talking about her and Jamie any longer. There was no doubt in her mind that Beckett would lay his life down for Jamie if needed. That was the type of person he was and probably always would be. She had to find peace in knowing Jamie had someone he could relate to. Being jealous over that is selfish and wrong.

  “Are you okay until this evening? I was invited to go on a sailboat ride with your mother.”

  “Are you going to be wearing a bikini?”

  His voice had become low and deep, sending a chill down her spine. Thoughts of how she had burned from his touch flooded her mind. She closed her eyes, wishing she could feel that way again.

  “Are you going to answer me?” She heard the teasing tone in his voice.

  “No. You two have a good time, and thank you again for spending time with him.”

  She hung up the phone before he could say anything else to get her hot and bothered. Grabbing her sunglasses, she headed out the door to meet the others. Part of her was looking forward to an afternoon of women only. Maybe I need to get out more.

  When she arrived at the dock, she was greeted by another energetic young woman. “Hi, Danielle. We haven’t been formally introduced yet, but KJ has told me so much about you. I’m Jill, and this is my husband, Ross. He’s going to captain this thing while we soak up some rays.”

  “Sounds wonderful.” It sounded like a dream—one she didn’t belong in. Even before they’d introduced themselves, she’d known who they were. Ross Whitman was known for some of the finest wines in the United States. And if she remembered correctly, the boat she was boarding was one of his designs. The closest she had come to boating was canoeing at summer camp with her sister, and even then they alw
ays seemed to tip the boat and had to swim back to shore. Well, at least, I’m not at the helm, so I can’t be blamed for running ashore.

  Once on deck, she noticed the others had already arrived. “I was worried Mom scared you off,” Rose said. “Trust me, she can be scary, but stick with me and you won’t have anything to worry about.”

  Danielle didn’t believe that for a moment. They may have different tactics, but both had wanted her along for their own agendas. That was fine with her because she didn’t have anything to hide. Well, maybe a few things.

  They spent the next few hours sailing around the island. She had seen the view from the sky, but it was even more beautiful from the sea. The island was lush and green with beaches of white sand everywhere she looked. There were huts set up for what she could only imagine were private getaways. I could have used one of those last night.

  “Enjoying yourself?” Mary asked from behind her.

  “Very much. Thank you so much for including me.” More softly, Danielle added, “I really appreciate you covering for me earlier. I don’t know what hit me.”

  “Stress affects people differently. You have had a lot to deal with, to overcome. There are some things that are out of your control.”

  Her words echoed Beckett’s from earlier. Was it because they’d had to face similar things themselves after Beckett’s injury? She knew firsthand that some things didn’t affect only the person they happened to, but also to all the people around them who loved and cared for them. It was obvious Beckett’s family was very close. It’s not what she would have expected from a military family. She’d thought they would be distant with each other, but she was wrong. Maybe they were stronger because of it. Maybe they’re closer because they know home is anyplace they are all together. Anywhere, anytime.

  As they stood chatting, they heard Rose say, “What the hell? Mom, come and look at what your idiot son is doing.”

  They both walked over to the other side of the boat to see what she was seeing. Danielle saw Beckett walking on the beach with Jamie on his shoulders and what looked like a kite in his hand. Blossom was close by, as always. She was tempted to get her phone out of her bag and take a picture. The sight was so touching she almost sobbed with joy.

  “He really doesn’t care about anything, does he?” Rose asked, her voice filled with anger.

  Danielle didn’t see what the problem was. From what she was looking at, it was just the opposite. What was she missing?

  Lynn got up off the lounge chair and came to look as well. “That man is never going to listen. If KJ couldn’t talk sense into him, then I have no idea who can.”

  “Maybe you can, Danielle,” Rose said. “It’s obvious he likes you; I mean, from everything I’ve heard. And from the look on your face right now, you’re interested as well.”

  “Rose, don’t start,” Mary warned, but not with any conviction behind it.

  Danielle looked back on the beach, and then turned to Rose and said, “I don’t even know why you’re angry with your brother, so how do you think I can be any help?”

  Lynn calmly explained the issue. “No crutches. He was told not to wear his prosthesis until the wound healed; it could become infected or open up again. Those staples are in a delicate area. I actually have no idea how he’s standing on it, never mind walking on a sandy beach.”

  Oh, my God. Why is he doing that? It’s so foolish. “I don’t understand. What would make him do such a thing if the doctors told him not to?”

  Mary patted her hand that had been gripping the railing tightly. “Because he found something that was worth the risk.”

  Danielle looked at them as they made their way back up the ramp toward the resort. Was walking on the beach all that great? Not from what she saw. Not if it meant risking further injury. What made you do such a thing, Beckett? What means so much to you?

  She watched him lift Jamie off his shoulders and set him on the ground. This time, she saw Beckett reach his hand out first to Jamie. Her heart raced with more emotion than she thought she could bear. How was it she hadn’t seen it before? Tears welled up, and she choked them back when she saw what Mary had sensed immediately. This had nothing to do with location. It has everything to do with Jamie.

  Beckett walked down the path, holding Jamie’s hand. It was so tiny and fragile compared to his. Everything about him was, and yet this seven-year-old had seen death just like he had. Those visions never left you. How anyone expected someone that age to be able to rationalize it and move on was beyond him. There were things in life that changed you permanently. For Jamie, it was waking to find his parents had been killed. For Beckett, it was making the decision to take the road on the left as opposed to the one on the right.

  He didn’t want to hear from anyone that he was only suffering from survivor’s guilt. That it would get better over time. That was all bullshit. Members of his team hadn’t made it out alive. It was supposed to be a quick, tactical “get in and get the fuck out” mission. But everything went wrong. The choppers came under heavy gunfire and couldn’t land, which meant they had to make their own way out of the city. It was the last option they had. Waiting there for help meant they all had targets on their backs. His commander told him that some things were out of your control, and his quick thinking had saved lives. He knew he should be thankful any of them made it out alive. But he couldn’t stop thinking of the three men he’d lost that morning. It should have been four. Why the hell am I still here?

  Beckett looked at Jamie. The kid probably felt the same way. But he was young. His memories would fade, and over time things would get better. Not perfect, but better.

  “Okay, kid. We flew a kite and tossed the football around. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. What do you say we sneak into the kitchen and make ice cream sundaes before your aunt comes back and catches us?”

  Jamie smiled and nodded his approval. Beckett noticed the slight changes in him since they’d first met. Before, Jamie wouldn’t look him in the eye. Now it was like he was trying to get him to understand that he wanted to say something, but all what he as saying was through eye contact. Beckett was trained to read emotions through eye contact as well as demeanor. But he was trained to look for deception in an enemy, not the need for whatever Jamie was trying to express. For now, all he could do was guess and let him work things out at his own pace.

  A benefit of spending so much time working on the island was knowing where everything was stored, from all emergency medical equipment to the basic sundae toppings. He watched as Jamie built his own sundae. Somewhere beneath all the sprinkles, candy, and gummies was chocolate ice cream. They had taken their bowls back to Jamie and Danielle’s suite.

  It had been a long afternoon and was time to slow things down. Danielle would be back soon, and he wanted to make his escape before he had to hear that he’d sugared the kid up right before dinner.

  Jamie ate only half then pointed to his room. Does he want me to go there? Come on, kid. Help me out here. “Do you need me to go with you?”

  He shook his head.

  “Did you want to go play by yourself now?”

  Jamie nodded.

  “Okay. I’ll be right here if you need anything.”

  Jamie ran off, leaving Beckett to lie back on the couch and put his leg up. The pain was bad. He could feel pressure and pulling from the staples with every step he took. He was going to pay for it, but he didn’t care. There was no way he was going to spend the day with Jamie on crutches. Doug had made a point of telling him to be open to whatever Jamie needed. From what he had experienced in the past, Jamie liked to hold hands and walk with him. Crutches would’ve made that impossible. He never would have been able to walk the beach, show him how to fly a kite, or toss a ball around. No, whatever price he was going to pay for today was well worth it. And I would do it all over again.

  He closed his eyes and tried not to think about his throbbing thigh. When he left here, he was going to need to see KJ. She would give him sh
it for not listening to the doctors, but no one else had to know. It wasn’t like Jamie was going to tell anyone what they’d done today, and he sure wasn’t. KJ and Gunny knew the code. Always faithful. Always loyal. These two had his back, even when his judgment was questionable. Semper fi.

  Jamie came running around the room, pretending to fly the toy seaplane Gunny had picked up for him. If you didn’t know differently, he looked like he didn’t have a care in the world. For a moment, he could see joy in this child, as though he had forgotten all the pain. Then, all of a sudden, he stopped as though he’d caught himself and the wall came right back up. His arm that had held the plane up high was now down by his side. He was looking at the floor. Before Beckett could get off the couch, Blossom was there, with her huge head on his shoulder. He watched Jamie wrap his arms around the dog, and they stood there quietly.

  The dog was unlike any other dog he had met. She was able to sense what he couldn’t. All Beckett could do was watch in awe. At least, you have an out, kid.

  Doug had told him the damage had been done in one day, but healing from such a loss could take a lifetime. Doug, you know your shit. Beckett shouldn’t have been surprised. His friend had saved many families at risk of dissolving because of tragedy or a life-altering injury. He needed to make sure Danielle knew how to reach Doug once they left the island. He would be good for Jamie, and that kid deserved the best. They both do.