by Carly Morgan
Ares gave Birdy a sideways glance. They were up in the helicopter, following the coastline. He and Birdy sat beside one another while the cameraman sat across from them. He didn’t say a word, just held the camera. The guy was like a human-sized fly on the wall. It was surprisingly easy to forget he was there. There were several times he’d been at dinner with Birdy, Max, and Katie and Ares had forgotten about him too. He looked down, trying to do that now. Then he turned his gaze past Birdy and toward the city below.
The view was stunning, but he couldn’t help thinking about Birdy. He felt a little like a rubber band where she was concerned. He didn’t want to be pushy; that wasn’t his plan. Nor did he want to be seen as weak. He was anything but. Things had changed for him in the Navy. SEAL training had been rough, and though he never thought about quitting (it wasn’t in his DNA), he’d found himself questioning the point of life. The deaths of his parents led him to seek a higher meaning. In his spare moments between missions, he found himself asking the big questions. Why are we here? What is life about? Are we just mistakes flailing around until we die? Ultimately, during his darkest hour, he found the light of Christ.
He’d been made fun of by some. Others accepted and even respected his beliefs, but through it all he didn’t allow anyone else’s views to decide for him. He wanted to find answers. And he did.
Since that fateful night in the rain when he’d prayed to ask if God was there, he’d received his answer, and he’d never looked back. The love of God steered his life, brought him peace, and guided his choices.
That was one of the main reasons he and Max had hit it off so easily. Max believed in the love of God and the power of prayer just as he did. Ares also admired the love Max and Katie shared. Neither of them tried to change the other, only lift. He’d seen that love between his parents and hoped to one day find the same with someone.
At the thought of prayer, he quickly offered one up from his heart. Please allow me to listen and by guided You.
Peace filled him. He knew God knew him and wanted his happiness, and he was grateful for that knowledge.
The helicopter pilot interrupted his thoughts with a comment about the coast and the hotel. Ares glanced over at Birdy and realized she was looking at him. Into his microphone, he asked, “What are you thinking?”
She smiled sadly and his heart shredded. He knew her well enough by now to realize something was bothering her. Birdy was rarely a quiet person, but when she was that meant she was upset. She didn’t give him an answer, just shook her head and looked down at the twinkling lights below.
It was a breathtaking sight, the way the lights danced and shimmered in the water. Like a beautiful painting being washed away.
He wanted to say something to cheer her up, but got the feeling now wasn’t the time. She would talk when she was ready. Being a quiet person himself at times, he wasn’t threatened or even irritated by her silence. He only wanted to help if he could.
After the ride ended, Ares thanked the pilot and caught up with Birdy. “Now what?” he asked, gently.
She gave him a strange look and answered, but not his question. “I didn’t want to be alone. Before. Thanks for not filling the silence with random conversation while we were up there. I needed a moment to myself inside here.” She tapped her head and laughed harshly. “Does that even make sense?”
“Sure it does. And anytime you need a non-talkative partner to keep you company, feel free to ask me.”
At that, she smiled. “You’re on.”
They found a taxi and got in. The cameraman sat in the front seat, then glanced back, giving Birdy and Ares a strange look.
“Where to?” the driver asked, glancing at them through his rear-view mirror. He was scruffy looking with a thick beard that hadn’t been combed in a while. His dark hair wasn’t much better and there was something sinister in his dark eyes.
Ares’ instincts when on high alert. He looked at Birdy and made a split-second decision. Grabbing her hand, he leaned down so he could whisper in her ear. “I need you to do exactly as I say. Nod your head if you understand.”
She nodded slightly.
“Good. I’m going to pull you out of the car and tell the cab driver we want to stay a little longer. Can you follow my lead? Nod if you agree.”
She nodded again.
Ares could feel her shaking. He’d obviously scared her, but it was better that she be a little scared and they stayed safe. “Good.” He leaned back, pulled a twenty out of his wallet, and tossed it into the tray. “Here’s a little something for your time, but we’ve decided to stay around here a little longer.” He paused and nuzzled Birdy’s cheek. “You understand, right?”
The man’s eyes narrowed. Ares knew he was sizing them up, but he didn’t give the man time to do more than that. Just opened the door and got out, pulling Birdy after him. Then he slammed the door and waved the man away. The cameraman had jumped out as well. Ares couldn’t see his face, but he got the feeling the other man had sensed something was off too. “You all right?” Ares asked him.
“Yeah. I’m glad you got out of there. That guy had a gun tucked into the front of his pants.”
“You saw it?” Birdy moved closer to Ares.
“I did,” Josh answered.
Ares took a picture of the license plate. “Just in case.” Then he got them all moving, putting as many obstacles between them and the driver as he could. The driver didn’t leave right away and Ares knew he was debating his options. He wasn’t about to be left standing in the open near a potential threat. His gut told him the man had intended to rob them or worse. He wouldn’t let his mind dwell on what could’ve been worse. When they were a safe distance away he glanced at Birdy. She was shaking harder now, though she kept walking.
They rounded a corner and he pulled her to a stop. “I’m sorry about that. Are you okay?” He rubbed his hands along her shoulders. She was freezing. Shock, he realized. Their encounter must have scared her even more than he thought. He’d put on a shirt when they’d returned to the hotel for dinner. Now he quickly removed it. “Here,” he said, handing it to her.
“I’m all right,” she said, pushing it away.
Ares knew she was trying to be brave, and he appreciated her effort, but he wasn’t having it. “No, you aren’t.” He tugged the shirt over her head. “You’re cold and I want to you take this shirt. It won’t do either of us any good if you freeze to death.” He tried to lighten the mood, hoping to take her mind off what happened. “What kind of a best man would I be if I let the maid of honor catch pneumonia right before the wedding?”
She relaxed and allowed him to help her get her arms through the holes. “I guess you’re right,” she said, reluctantly. Then her eyes roamed over his chest and he covered a smile. It was nice to know she found him attractive, at least. He’d noticed her in her hot pink bikini. Not only was she beautiful on the inside, but her outside was amazing too. No doubt about it.
“Good.” He smiled. “I’m going to call for a ride.”
The cameraman stood off to the side, keeping to himself. He wasn’t filming and still looked shaken.
“You good?” Ares asked.
“Sure,” he said, bending over at the waist and setting his camera on the ground.
“What do you think he wanted?” Birdy’s eyes caught Ares’ as she spoke, intent and a little curious too.
He shrugged. “Probably money. Maybe worse.” Now wasn’t the time to elaborate, not when he was trying to keep Birdy calm.
“What was it about that guy? You felt it too? I thought it was just me.”
“No, it was definitely not you. There was an unmistakable shady vibe.” He brushed some of her curly hair from her eyes. “Never doubt your gut. If you sense trouble, that usually means it’s there.”
She snuggled deeper into his shirt. “Got it.”
Ares found a number and called. It was a limousine service and would be more expensive, but he didn’t care. They were reputable and had over a
hundred five-star reviews. He’d take that over spending less money anytime.
While they waited, Ares checked his messages. Mr. Bird had called him, which was odd. Ares rarely spoke to the firm’s managing partner. If he did, it usually wasn’t good news. He braced himself as he listened, but strangely enough, Mr. Bird only asked Ares to take good care of Birdy. He shook his head.
“What?” Birdy asked.
They were standing on the sidewalk in front of the helicopter office. The area had the most light. “Nothing. It was a message from work.”
“It sounded like my dad,” Birdy said, eyeing him.
“It was,” he said, shaking his head again. “You know, I could use you on my team. If you ever decide to use your law degree.”
“Well, what about you? Back there in the cab, you acted like you knew what you were doing. How is that?”
Ares wasn’t sure what she meant. Birdy had sensed the danger too. It’d been instinct. “You felt it too. I just acted on it.”
“Exactly. You acted. I was chiding myself for being weird, but you treated the whole situation like a top-secret mission.” She shook her head and laughed self-consciously.
Didn’t she know he was a former SEAL? It wasn’t a secret. He thought everyone knew. Max knew. But maybe Birdy didn’t. Now that he thought about it, it hadn’t come up at their “dating” dinners. Maybe it hadn’t come up between Max and Katie, either? “I have a little experience with the whole top-secret mission thing,” he said casually. “That could be why.”
That surprised her. “You do? Are you CIA or FBI?” She considered him intently. “I could see that. Short hair. Muscles for miles. A sharp eye.” She paused, looking him up and down. “I was thinking maybe you were a model before you became a lawyer, but FBI agent works too.”
He crossed his arms, watching her study him, and couldn’t help but laugh. He felt a little like a prized pig being sized up for auction. “Navy SEAL,” he said when her eyes found his again.
“Oh.” The wonder on her face turned to exuberance. “That’s even better.”
“It is,” he said, chuckling. Ares wasn’t used to having Birdy look at him like that. It made him feel odd. But even if she weren’t practically New York royalty, not to mention a famous reality TV star, she would still take his breath away.
“I had no idea.” Her voice was filled with awe.
Had he known all it took to get her attention was to tell her he’d been a SEAL, he would’ve done so a long time ago.
“So that’s why you said you could hold your breath for three minutes.”
“Yep.”
A stretch limousine pulled up to the curb in front of them. Not waiting for the driver, Ares opened the door for her. Once they were in and the heat was blasting, the man started driving. Josh sat on the seat farthest away from Ares and Birdy, keeping out of the way. It looked like he’d recovered because he had his camera on his shoulder again.
Ares told their driver to take them back to the hotel.
A few minutes later, Birdy turned so that she faced him. “What else can you do?”
“Well, let’s see.” He flashed her a bright smile. He knew she was asking about his time as a SEAL, but he felt like teasing her. “I can cross examine a witness like nobody’s business.”
Her smile vanished and she turned away. Instantly, Ares recognized his mistake. It was one step forward and two steps back, it seemed.
“Did I ever thank you for helping me out with… my case?” Birdy’s voice was small.
“I’m sure you did,” he said softly, reining in his frustration.
“No, probably not. I was really messed up after my release. It still bothers me that my dad sent you instead of coming to my rescue himself.” She laughed bitterly. “But I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything else.”
Ares understood. That had bothered him as well. It was another reason he didn’t like Birdy’s father. “On my first mission, we were flown in–” He paused. Everything was still classified. He needed to be careful what he told her, especially with the camera rolling. Clasping his fingers together, he went on. “But before we hit the drop zone, the plane malfunctioned. By the time we jumped, we’d missed our target and ended up in the wrong place.”
“Wait, you jumped out of a plane?” Birdy gave him a look like he was crazy.
“Actually, I did that a lot. Part of the job.”
She crossed her arms tightly against herself.
“You haven’t ever jumped out of a plane, I take it?”
“No way.” She shook her head for emphasis. “It’s one of my cardinal rules. Never jump out of a perfectly good plane.” Even with the heater going full blast her teeth were chattering.
Ares leaned forward and touched her forearm, checking her temperature. “Are you still cold?” She felt all right, but she could still be suffering from shock and adrenaline letdown.
“I’m fine. Just—” she stopped.
Ares waited for her to continue, but she didn’t.
“What? Tell me.” He was immediately on alert. If Birdy was in trouble, she needed to tell him so he could fix it.
“I have hyperthyroidism.” She could barely get the words out past her chattering teeth.
“That has something to do with blood sugar, right?” That must be why she was shaking so much after their incident with the cab, and why she constantly ate.
“Yes. Right now, it’s too low.” Her whole body began to shake.
Ares sucked in a relieved breath. This was something he could do. “Well, let’s get that handled.” Ares knocked on the partition separating them from the driver.
“Can I help you, sir?” The driver glanced back at him through the rearview mirror.
“Yes, I wondered if we can help ourselves to whatever’s in the minifridge? My friend needs to eat.”
“Oh, I’m sorry I forgot to mention that. Yes, you paid for beverage service as well as the snacks. I believe there are also cheese sticks, some fruit, and pretzels in there.”
“Excellent. Thank you.” Ares scooted over to the fridge and opened it.
“You’re welcome,” the man said, putting the partition back up.
Inside the fridge were a couple of bottles of orange juice. “Bingo.” He shook one, opened it and handed it to her. “Here.”
She took it and drank heartily. “Thanks,” she said when half of it was gone. The shaking began to subside.
“Feeling better?” He wanted to tuck her under his arm, keep her safe.
“Much.” She looked up and noticed he was still watching her. “I’m fine, really.”
Ares leaned back. “Good.” But he couldn’t stop being worried. He realized that while their double dates with Max and Katie had allowed him to get to know her, it’d only been on a superficial level. He didn’t really know her at all.
Birdy leaned against the back of the seat. “Where were we? I believe you were jumping out of a plane.”
“Right, and you were saying that one of your cardinal rules is never to do so?”
“Never. Ever. Ever,” she reiterated.
He chuckled. She must be feeling better, he thought. “Well, I did mention the plane malfunctioned, but that’s beside the point. I’ve jumped out of dozens of perfectly good airplanes.”
She scrunched up her face. “Never. Ever. Please continue your story.”
“Okay, well we were way off target. In fact, we were several miles inland. It was dark, but somehow the insurgents spotted us. We tried to fight our way out, but we were still taken and held for several days.”
Birdy leaned forward. “What happened?” Her orange juice sat forgotten as she studied his features.
“Well, it was rough for a few days for sure.” He didn’t mention that they were tortured or that two of his team were killed. That wasn’t the point of his story. He just wanted her to know that to a small degree he understood what it meant to be incarcerated without cause. “Eventually, I was able to get a nail out of one of the floo
rboards. I cut my way out of the chords around my wrists and ankles and then freed the others. We escaped and completed our mission, but I was definitely a changed person after that.”
“I’m sure you were.” She nodded, and her face changed. “I know I’m different. When I first got out, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I just sat around my brownstone and watched TV in my pajamas all day. After that, I partied too hard. But that wasn’t me either.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I think I’m back to the real version of myself now, but sometimes I still feel—” She shrugged.
He waited a moment for her to finish, but when she leaned back in the seat, he realized she didn’t intend to say more. “You feel like you’re in the wrong skin?”
Her eyes flashed with surprise. “Exactly. Did you feel that way too?”
“I did.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and wondering how much he should say. One too many times he’d started talking to a date about his love of God and been immediately shut down. Still, he knew Birdy attended church with Max and Katie, so he felt okay about mentioning it. “First, it took time. I did my share of partying after my return from that first mission, too. But I’m sure you can attest to the fact that too much of that leaves you empty and sometimes feeling worse than before.”
“It did. That’s exactly how I felt.” She leaned forward so their knees were practically touching. “But I’ve had almost two years to recover.” She shook her head. “I feel like I’m failing at life.”
Ares took her hand, lightly squeezing her fingers. “‘Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.’” He quoted the scripture quietly, hoping she would feel the sincerity in his heart.
She met his gaze and held it. “I think I’ve read that one. It’s in the New Testament.”
“That’s right. It was feeling the love of God that really helped me to come to terms with what happened and move on.”
Birdy sat back, suddenly frustrated. “But I’ve been going to church—Katie suggested I do that—and it hasn’t helped! I still feel like there are spiders crawling around inside me and sometimes I wake up in a cold sweat because of nightmares.”