She whispered, “I believe you Brady.” Then his mouth closed in on hers. He kissed her ever so gently, barely caressing her lips with his. They pressed their foreheads together and just enjoyed the touch of their skin as well as the moment of re-connecting with each other.
“Baby I’m so sorry, God are you ok?” He started to feel and examine her body as if he was checking for any extra wounds. “When Michael called me and told me you were in an accident my entire life flipped upside down. I saw my future being washed away right in front of me.”
Jane didn’t know what to say, she was so happy that he told the truth but she still had some sour feelings. Those would pass in due time, she thought. She decided to just focus on the present and future.
“I’m doing ok. I wish I had some more pain meds. The way I was sitting in the bathroom was kind of a funky position. I think really tweaked my leg.”
Brady swore and leapt out of bed. He returned with a couple of bags from the local pharmacy. “I got your meds, I’m such an idiot. I sent Molly a text earlier telling her I was going to take care of you tonight. She was a little hesitant at first but then caved in and told me to pick up your pain meds on my way to your place. I should have brought you your medicine earlier. Great nurse I am?”
“Nurse? You mean you’re staying? Molly is not coming over tonight? She deferred her Jane babysitting shift to you?”
Brady got her prescribed amount of pills out of the bottle and opened a ginger ale for her. “Nope, you’re all mine. I was never leaving even if you kicked me with your peg leg. All Jane babysitting duties have been deferred to me. You are under my responsibility now for the next fifteen days.”
Jane chuckled a little. “Baby, that is the best noise I have heard in a while. Your laugh makes my heart float,” Brady said lovingly.
Jane smiled at him and then asked, “Fifteen days? What about your games?”
“Coach put me on the temporary disabled list and told me to pull my shit together. Apparently I am not a very good baseball player when the love of my life is not talking to me and all battered and bruised. He is telling the press I have a tight hamstring or something. All I know is that I have fifteen days of you all to myself and I plan on taking advantage of it.”
Jane grabbed Brady’s cheek with the palm of her hand and pulled him close. She kissed him on the lips and whispered, “I love you, Brady.”
Those were the most glorious words he had heard in quite some time.
Brady eyes watered again. “You know the first message you left me on the worst night of our lives? At the end you said you loved me so much. I was afraid that was the last time I would hear those words come out of your mouth. I’m so glad I was wrong. I love you so much sweet thing.”
Jane smiled at him, gave him another kiss and then asked, “Now what are in those bags? Is that a Snicker’s Peanut Butter in there?”
Brady laughed, “Can’t fool you. Yes, I got you some chocolate bars, drinks, pain pills and magazines I thought you might want to look at.”
Jane couldn’t help but beam with love as she looked through the magazines he chose for her. “You are adorable. You even got Martha Stewart weddings.”
“Of course, that bitch knows what she’s talking about.”
Jane patted the bed on the other side of her, Brady flung himself over and pulled her close. She opened the magazine and said, “Maybe we can look through this together and make some plans for the future.” Brady’s eyes almost popped out of his head.
“Are you saying you want to get married?” Brady said with his chest puffed out and hopes shooting out of his pores.
“I’m saying it is in our future. Let’s try moving in together first. I’m afraid I have become attached to your house. So if you will have me, I would like to live with you.”
Brady smiled brightly. “Are you fucking kidding me? Of course I will have you.” He got up and started pulling things out of her closet.
“What are you doing?” Jane asked confused.
“I’m starting to pack you, what do you think I’m doing? You are moving in with me ASAP. I will call the movers and get them over here. You can guarantee this is your last night in this apartment, you are stuck with me now, babe.”
Jane chuckled and said, “Get over here you big oaf.” He went to her side and she grabbed his face. “I love you Brady Matthews, my handsome, handsome man.”
Chapter 28
Molly started to pack for their honeymoon. Her and Luke’s wedding was in a couple of days and then they would fly to the Caribbean basically to have sex on the beach all day. Luke joked about not getting sand in his crack but she thought it would be well worth it. She still had not heard anything from Luke but that was the norm. It wasn’t very likely that she would hear from him until the last minute. She could just picture walking down the aisle as Luke parachuted in from the sky. He would cut it that close.
Molly talked to Jane earlier this morning on the phone. She and Brady were doing fantastic. Jane was all moved in and head over heels in love with Brady. Brady was taking care of her and being such a great nurse for Jane. Jane told her how Brady’s nurse uniform was a Speedo but not to tell anyone else because he couldn’t give away his tough man persona. Molly scoffed at that because it wasn’t that long ago she saw Brady Matthews cry in the hospital. He was just a big teddy bear. Molly thought about how Luke would never wear a Speedo, he always said he would rather wear nothing at all. Her kind of man.
Albert helped Jane bedazzle her cast for the wedding and Brady bought her some designer crutches. Who knew they made fashionable hobbling sticks? Molly was ready to bust out the duct tape and make the crappy grey ones the hospital gave her a little bit more wedding appropriate. Molly joked about getting the new leopard print duct tape just to see he cringe on Jane’s face. Jane would have to hobble down the aisle on the beach but Jane said she didn’t care. She wouldn’t miss Molly and Luke’s wedding for anything.
She was so lucky she had such a great friend and even luckier that nothing serious or life threatening happened to Jane. Jane was the closest thing she had to a sister and could not have imagined how she would handle losing such a big part of her life. Molly would have lost her mind. She could not lose any more important people in her life.
Molly’s phone beeped, she got a message from Jane.
Jane: Hey girl, three more days and you are going to be married!!!
Oh Jane, she was such a romantic. She had been texting Molly a countdown ever since the one week mark until the wedding hit. Molly thought it was silly but secretly she got excited. It was only a couple more days until she got to see Luke and be married to the love of her life.
Molly: I know, I can’t wait. More than anything I can’t wait for Luke to come home.
Jane: Have you heard from him?
Molly: No but I didn’t expect to, you know how he likes to surprise me.
Jane: Oh I love his surprises, do you have any plans for the day?
Molly was about to text Jane back when there was a knock on her door. Molly’s heart fluttered. It had to be Luke, it was just like him to wait until the last minute and surprise her. She could envision him standing at the door, holding a bouquet of flowers and a bag of condoms. She ran to the door, quickly, unlocked it and flung it open.
The smile that was plastered on her face quickly melted off. Her whole world went completely black as she fell to the floor. She was completely motionless and time seemed to stand still. In front of her were two soldiers, holding a letter with sympathetic looks on their faces.
No, this couldn’t be happening, this was not happening to her. Where was the rewind button? Please God, don’t let this be true. The taller of the two soldiers interrupted the darkness that was creeping over Molly. He cleared his throat and said, “Miss. Myers? Ma’am we are so sorry we have to tell you ...”
Molly screamed and cried hysterically. She did not even let the man finish his sentence. She could not hear the words that would rip her life apar
t. The soldiers bent down on the floor and pulled her to the couch. One soldier gently stroking her shoulder, they embraced her the best they could. Molly started to shout whatever came to her mind.
“No, no, no. This is not real. Please tell me this is not real. Where is Luke? Please tell me he is coming home.” She clung to the soldiers’ shirts.
The taller soldier fumbled with his hat and said, “I’m so sorry ma’am. Luke was on his way home from a location we cannot share with you when an enemy shot at his plane. No one survived the flight.” He reached in his pocket and handed Molly Luke’s dog tags. “This is all we could find left of him ma’am. We’re so sorry.”
Molly grasped the dog tags in her hands and put her head on her lap. Luke was dead, her Luke. The man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with and marry in three days, the man who was her one and only reason for believing in having a family, dead. She cried until she thought she had no more tears left.
“Please tell me he is coming back, we are supposed to get married in three days. He is coming back right?” Molly knew she sounded desperate but she was by no means ready to accept this news. Was this a sick joke someone was playing on her?
The tall soldier looked at the other one and shook his head in sorrow. “We’re sorry. He was marked as dead ma’am. There were no bodies found, just body parts. I apologize for being so graphic with you”
Molly threw her head back and wailed. She kept screaming no and shaking her head. This was not happening. Luke had to be alive. She could not survive without him. He was the love of her life. They were supposed to get married and go on a honeymoon and have sex until they couldn’t have any more. They were supposed to grow old together, have children. They wanted to buy a house. Molly’s life just washed away like that. She didn’t want to live. She needed Luke. Luke was her family. The one solid thing in her life taken away. Why did God take him away from her?
Was she supposed to be alone for the rest of her life? No, Luke was still alive, he wouldn’t leave her behind like this. He only had a couple more years left in the army. He wouldn’t leave her like this, by herself. He knew she didn’t have any family and that he was it. He would never do this to her.
Molly thrust her head up, she knew she wasn’t pleasant to look at but she didn’t care. Her eyes were burning and her head was pounding like her brain was trying to break through her skull.
“You guys didn’t look hard enough. Take me there I will look for him.” Molly yelled.
The taller soldier patted her arm. “Ma’am I know this is hard for you but the government has an account set up for you that Luke left in your name.”
“You think I give a fuck about money right now? You fucking bastards!” Molly said while she punched them in the chest. “I can give two shits about money, I want Luke back, I want my life back. I want my family back!”
The soldiers just looked at each other perplexed. “Ma’am we understand how you feel, we have lost our friends too, it doesn’t go away the pain you are feeling you just learn to live with it.” She cried into the soldier’s shoulder while he handed her a letter. “Luke wrote a letter to you just in case something like this happened. We were instructed to give it to you.”
Molly looked down at the envelope in her hand and started to cry even more when she saw Luke’s hand writing.
Molly looked at the soldiers and said, “Thank you, please leave I would like to be alone.” She could not have these men in her house anymore, they were two big and the house seemed like it was closing in on her. She needed them out of her house, now.
The soldiers got up and before they walked out the door they asked if they could call any family for her, all she said in return was, “I don’t have any.”
Molly slammed the door, threw her back against it and slid down so she sat on the cold tile in the entry way. She had never felt so much pain before, not even when her parents died. It was like her heart stopped working and her body functioned purely out of spite. Did she want to read this letter? It was the last connection she had to Luke, the last time she will ever hear from him. She was not ready to say good bye but she needed his comfort. She wished he was here. Why did he leave her? She opened the letter and started to read in the middle of her sobs.
Dear Molly,
When I saw you for the first time in Deuces, I knew you were going to be a hellion but I was going to make you my hellion. You were the hottest girl in the bar by far and I was honored that you chose to dance with me that night. When I held you in my arms, I knew I was holding my wife. I just had to convince you of it.
You were a hard one to wrangle in, but I knew I had you after the first time we made love. The look on your face that night was incredible, it was something I will never forget. You gave me love I never thought I could have and I will die a happy man knowing that.
I am so sorry I let you down and have left you alone. Please do not shut people out. I know I am your family and have left you but do not forget you have so many other people who love you. So many people who will take care of you and make sure you get through this. I don’t want you to shut down your life and lose your spirit that lightens the room when you walk in.
You are strong baby, you can get through this. I want you to live your life and move on. You have a long life ahead of you. You are going to make another man the happiest man on earth and you are going to make a beautiful mom one day. Live life to its fullest and never forget me but don’t live for me. Live for yourself, baby.
You are the most beautiful woman I ever set my eyes on and I am so grateful you chose me to spend part of your life with. Thank you for your love, your kindness, your body and for being my heart, soul and pillar. I will love you forever, baby.
-Molly’s Man
***
Jane was supposed to meet Molly at the florist for some final touch ups for the wedding but Molly missed the appointment. That was never like Molly. Jane was a little confused.
Jane and Brady decided to meet for lunch at Mossimo’s. Brady had the afternoon off and wanted to celebrate a big client Jane just booked. Jane waited outside of the restaurant when Brady grabbed her by the waist turned her around and kissed her senseless. She loved this man so much.
“Hey handsome, that was quite a display of affection.”
Brady grinned down at her. “I’m in love and everyone needs to know about it.”
Jane swatted his arm. “You’re so corny, you know that right?”
Brady just shrugged his shoulders as they went to go sit down at their table. Brady pulled her chair out for her, grabbed her crutches and laid them on the ground next to their table, out of the way so no one tripped on them.
“How was your workout this morning that hamstring starting to feel better?” Jane joked,
Brady gave Jane a smirk and said, “Oh yea, the hamstring is feeling much better it really has loosened up these past days.”
Jane knew exactly why it loosened up. Brady had not left her side and had not let her leave bed. All the muscles in his tensed up hamstring were relaxed pretty quickly the first couple of hours they were together again. Jane blushed just from the thought of the things they did in bed since they got back together. Brady interrupted her day dream.
“What are we having today, gorgeous?”
“I’m not sure. I do have a craving for you though.” Jane said as she wagged her eyebrows.
Brady chuckled, “And you think I’m the corny one? How was your meeting with Molly and the florist? Did you tie up all the loose ends and make the perfect arrangements?”
Jane quirked an eyebrow at him and joked, “Have you been hanging out with Albert a little too much?” Brady laughed. “Actually Molly didn’t show up. I’m a little worried, she never not shows up. Most likely she lost track of time either packing or shopping for the upcoming honeymoon. I’m going to send her a text to make sure she is ok.”
Jane pulled her phone out and sent Molly a text message.
Jane: Hey, is everything ok? We
missed you at the florist.
Brady just sat in his chair and grinned at Jane. Jane shook her head in embarrassment. “Are you just going to sit there and stare at me all lunch?”
“I might, do you have a problem with that?”
“I might, you know there are other things you can look at that might be of more interest.”
“Are you crazy? No, you are by far the most interesting thing here.” Brady said kissing Jane’s hand. “Hey, did you talk to Michael? I talked to him the other day and he still sounded a little bitter about everything. I don’t know if he will ever get over you.”
Jane felt awful. She knew what happened between her and Michael not only hurt their relationship but it also hurt Brady and Michael’s relationship. She called Michael a couple of days ago and he never answered the phone. She left him a message and a couple of text messages, it wasn’t until the team returned back home when she went to his house and knocked on the door until he answered that she finally spoke to him.
“Yes, I went to his house and we talked, well if that’s what you want to call it. It was extremely awkward and uncomfortable but I apologized for everything. I’m not sure he really accepted my apology even though he said it was ok.”
“It’s going to take some time for him to get over everything, babe. You are going to have to be patient and persistent. Just continue to make sure he knows you still want to be friends.”
“I will. I’m just not sure we will ever be friends like we used to be. I’m sorry your friendship got messed up over this as well.”
“Don’t sweat it babe, guys get over things fast when it comes to their friendships. We aren’t like girls and hold grudges against each other.” Brady said with a smirk.
Jane playfully swatted his hand. “Not all girls are conniving bitches, just blonde busty ones that try to go after people’s boyfriends.”
Caught Looking (Hot-Lanta Series) Page 28