Hard Landing

by Becky McGraw

  Hawk stood directly in front of her, and she felt the anger radiating from his stiff body. She put a hand on his lower back to draw some of his strength, because she was fresh out.

  “Why are you here?” Hawk barked, his voice sounding firmer than she’d ever heard it. “If you’re here to arrest Captain Carter, you can’t have her. It’s time for you to leave us alone. You have put her through enough.”

  Her insides unfurled a notch, but still quaked. She looked around, trying to find her daughter, but there were too many people crammed into the room.

  “Hang on, man. Nobody is here to arrest her,” Max said, and hope sprang alive in Maddie’s chest.

  If her brother was here with them he must’ve led them here, and he wouldn’t have done that if they were here to arrest her. He had been as relieved as she was to have the iron curtain of their father’s control lifted from his shoulders. Neither of them had attended the General’s funeral. Maddie wobbled up to her feet and tried to part the wall of male bodies blocking her view, but they wouldn’t budge.

  “We aren’t here to arrest Captain Carter, we are here to apologize, sir,” a very regimented voice replied. “An egregious error has been made and I’ve been sent by the Secretary of the Army to make reparations for the suffering we’ve caused her.”

  Hawk’s body relaxed as he stepped aside and Maddie got her first look at the cadre of high-ranking uniformed men standing right inside the doorway of the conference room. Maddie stepped forward, but Hawk dropped his arm around her shoulders to pull her into his side.

  “It’s about damned time, sir,” he growled, his fingers digging into her shoulder.

  The man with the four-stars on his collar and enough chest candy to bring him to his knees stepped forward, his cover under his left arm. His right arm came up from his side and he held a wooden box. He flipped open the lid and offered it to Maddie.

  “This is a Purple Heart to go with the posthumous Silver Star you received, which you will keep, even though you’re humous, Captain Carter.”

  Maddie pushed Hawk’s arm off her shoulders and stepped forward to take the box. After he released it, the General stiffened his spine and snapped off a sharp salute. “The Army thanks you for your honorable service, ma’am, and your courage.”

  “That’s fine. More hardware, which she deserves. I haven’t heard an apology,” Hawk grated from behind her.

  The General’s eyes narrowed as he shot Hawk a hot glance. “If you will give me a moment, sir, there’s more.” He reached his hand back and one of the men with him deposited a thick envelope in his hand. He held it out to Maddie and she took it.

  “In that envelope, you will find your honorable discharge, your statement of benefits, which include an added monthly benefit in relation to your awards. You will also find a substantial bonus check that represents added reparations for both your extended suffering while in captivity because of our carelessness, and for the mental anguish the Army caused with our frivolous and unmerited investigation. The Army, the Secretary and the President formally apologize for the mental anguish we caused, Captain Carter. Rest assured that any and all charges that were brought against you have been expunged from your service record, ma’am.”

  He snapped off another salute, and so did the men behind him. “I would fly with you any day, ma’am. Thank you again for your service and sacrifice.”

  A warm rush of emotion washed through Maddie, making her weak. She put the envelope and medal on the table then stiffened her spine, held the General’s eyes and snapped off a salute.

  “I was proud to serve, sir. Please tell the Secretary thank you for the honor,” she said, unable to keep the tears in her eyes from her voice.

  “Hooah!” Caleb shouted from the other side of the room and Maddie smiled. The General looked over at him and smiled too.

  “Hooah!” he repeated. Cries of Hoorah, Oorah and Hoorah, and even a Hell Yeah, joined in.

  Hawk stepped forward and extended his hand to the General. “Thank you, sir,” he said, and his voice was as emotion-filled as Maddie’s had been. “It would be an honor if you and your companions would stay and join us to celebrate, sir.”

  It took both Levi and Mickie to keep enough food flowing to feed the masses who filled the conference room to celebrate. Maddie had never felt so loved, or more secure in her life.

  When things started winding down, Hawk dragged her out of the conference room and hauled her down the hall to the suite. He opened the door, pulled her inside then kissed her silly. When he finally released her, his smile made her knees weak again.

  “Get enough packed for you and the baby for a week. I’ll be back in an hour to pack for me,” he said and Maddie frowned.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “To an almost deserted island for a week to get away from the world. I’ve got some long overdue things to say to you too,” he replied.

  Chapter 33

  “Where are we going?” Maddie asked, looking at the GPS on the dash of the SUV. The red line on the map seemed to be pointing off into the Gulf of Mexico. A cruise maybe? Surely, if that were his intention, he wouldn’t have brought the baby with them.

  “You’ll see,” Hawk replied, his smile melting her panties.

  “I can’t believe Logan wouldn’t take that check,” Maddie said with a sigh as she sat back and folded her arms over her chest.

  “He might just spank your ass if you try that again. He was pretty upset, if you didn’t notice,” Hawk replied.

  “It’s hard to tell with him. He’s always in resting-bitch-face mode, unless he’s looking at his wife or Sarah,” she replied, her own lips curling. Dave Logan was one of the best men she’d ever known, but gruff most of the time, even though his actions said otherwise. “He spent a shit ton on the missions to rescue me, to take Maria back to El Salvador and the final one where you kicked some cartel ass and recovered the Little Bird. He needs that money, because he’s opening a new office. I feel terrible!”

  He’d also given her brother a job at that new office on the east coast. Something else she owed him thanks for. She would miss Max, but he needed that job to find his feet since he was officially out of the military.

  With Dante there too, who he seemed to make fast friends with, and the man named Griff, who she’d heard so much about, Maddie felt sure he’d be happy there. In a few weeks, she’d get to meet Griff and his wife Lou Ellen, the woman, the myth and the company legend, as Hawk called her, when they came to Dallas.

  Maddie had no idea what she’d do now that the military was behind her. One thing she knew for sure was she never wanted to fly a helicopter again. She had retired her wings with her flight suit, and they could hang at the back of her closet forever, along with her memories.

  More of her memory came back each day, and she was starting to piece together her old life. Some of them were good, but others not so good. She hated her father more with each piece that returned, but refused to dwell on that. Maddie was more concerned with her new life, she thought, looking in the backseat to check on Sarah.

  “She okay?” Hawk asked, frowning as he glanced in the rearview.

  “She’s perfect,” Maddie replied, her heart melting at her daughter’s angelic expression.

  Everything was perfect now, she thought, as she faced forward again and looked at Hawk. Her heart was whole again, even though her body was missing a few pieces. The perfect man she loved with that whole heart didn’t seem to mind, so Maddie didn’t care either.

  “I love you, Rhett,” she said, and he looked at her and frowned.

  “That’s random,” he said, glancing over at her with an ear-to-ear smile. “But I’ll take it anytime you want to say it. I love you too, baby.”

  If Maddie said it every minute of every day, it wouldn’t be enough to express how she felt about him.

  “Where are we going?” she asked for the fiftieth time since they’d left Dallas, glancing at the GPS again.

  “Just take a n
ap. We’ll be there in an hour or so, and you’ll see,” he replied, and with a sigh, Maddie closed her eyes.

  Maddie’s door opened, a warm rush of air brushed her skin and she woke up disoriented and with her heart pounding, expecting to see a cartel member. Her body wilted with relief when she saw Hawk standing there.

  Why she’d been dreaming about the crash so much lately, she didn’t know. She wanted to forget it, but her subconscious evidently had other ideas. Maybe she should talk to the counselor Hawk recommended. If she’d helped Slade with his severe PTSD, maybe she could help Maddie with her new night terrors.

  “Are you okay, baby?” he asked, his voice concerned as he studied her face.

  “Yeah, I’m fine—now where are we?!?” she asked, looking through the windshield to see a wheat-colored beach, frothy waves lapping at the shore that sparkled in the bright sunshine.

  “The deserted island you requested, my love,” he replied, reaching in to slide one arm under her legs and the other behind her back. He lifted her out of the seat then nudged the door closed. “Your wish is my command, sweet thang. Ask and you shall receive.”

  “I wish for a bikini, because I didn’t bring one, and sunscreen. I’m a redhead, baby. I will be a crispy critter in five minutes on that beach.”

  Hawk laughed. “Then we will only go out there at night. We’ll spend the day in the beach bed on the back porch.” He wiggled his eyebrows and his eyes sparked with green fire. “That definitely works for me.”

  “The baby is here with us, so there will be limited beach bed activity while she’s awake,” Maddie reminded, glancing through the back window. “Where is she?”

  “I already carried her in and got her settled in the porta-crib on the back porch. She’s happy as a clam and sleeping like one too,” he replied, carrying her around the front of the car.

  “What did I ever do to deserve you, Rhett Hawkins?” Maddie asked with a sigh as he carried her inside and sat her on her feet.

  “You loved me,” he replied simply, tipping up her chin to drop a gentle kiss on her mouth and Maddie’s heart melted and oozed down to her toes.

  He took her hand and led her through the house. Maddie looked around at the beachy, but luxurious decor as he pulled her through a slider on the other side of the kitchen, which stood open. He guided her past a canopied swing to a beach bed draped with sheers that whipped around the posts in the brisk sea breeze. The heat-baked, salt-tinged air wrapped her in relaxation and when Maddie closed her eyes to breathe, it swept away every ounce of tension in her body.

  “God, Rhett—this place is paradise,” she whispered reverently as she sat on the edge of the bed.

  “Yeah, it is,” he agreed with a wink. “Just what the doctor ordered for both of us. Now climb up in that bed and finish your nap. I have to get some things set up.” He turned and walked to the slider and caught her staring at his ass when he turned back. “Holler if you need anything, sweet thang.”

  “I just need you and Sarah,” she replied, her lower lip wobbling as emotion surged through her body. “I love you, Rhett. Thank you for bringing us here.”

  “You’re welcome, baby,” he said then swallowed hard. “I would fly you to the moon, if you asked me to, so we could be together and find peace.”

  Maddie couldn’t stop the tears that flowed over her lower lids and streaked down her face. She put her hand on her chest, because it felt like it might split open because the love inside was so powerful.

  “Aww, hell,” Hawk said, his face tortured as he ran back over to kneel in front of her and swipe at her tears. “I did not bring you here to cry. You’ve cried enough, dammit, so stop it!”

  Maddie’s laugh rattled in her chest. “These are happy tears, so it’s okay,” she said, putting her hand on his face.

  “No tears are okay,” Hawk growled, wiping his fingers on the shoulder of her blouse. “From here on out, it’s all smiles, baby. All smiles.”

  “As long as you’re in my life forever, how can it not be?” Maddie asked, her eyes filling again as fear gripped her. “You’ll be in our lives forever won’t you, Rhett?”

  With a growl, Hawk leaned back on his haunches to stare at her. A muscle worked in his jaw as if he was thinking about something, then he sighed.

  “Nothing will ever go as planned with you will it, Maddie Carter?” he asked, shoving his hand into the pocket of his shorts.

  “That definitely seems to be the case,” Maddie replied, her lips trembling as her eyes fell on the worn-looking navy velvet box in his hand when he pulled it out. Her heart stopped when the implications of him holding that box hit and she swayed as blood rushed to her head.

  Her eyes focused on his mouth and his lips seemed to move in slow motion. His words took forever to reach her ears. But Maddie heard them in her mind as snapshots of him naked, lying on top of her and asking her the same question flashed through her brain.

  Her rejection, the incredible hurt in his eyes when he left her. Her mind zipped at warp speed to Kentucky, her training, then skipped to the crash and it froze there.

  “Noooooo!” she shouted, rocking as she covered her ears and closed her eyes. “Oh God, Rhett,” she whispered breathlessly.

  When she forced her eyes open, he was on his feet and the box was no longer in his hand. Panic choked her as she shot to her feet to put her hands on his chest. He pushed them away and stepped back, his eyes full.

  “It’s been nice knowing you, Maddie Carter. Again,” he said, his voice raw. “I’ll have Dante come to get you and take you back to Arizona, and my attorney will be in touch about custody and support.” With a shuddering sigh, he turned and his head fell as he walked toward the slider. Maddie’s brain finally returned to the present and kicked into gear.

  “Come back, Rhett!” she shouted, running after him.

  She caught him at the door, grabbed his arm and pulled. He turned, and the ferociousness of the anger and hurt, almost hatred, in his eyes stunned her.

  “I was having a flashback to when you asked me the last time. I wasn’t rejecting you again. I’m sorry, I had no control over it!” His face softened just a bit, but his eyes were still hard. She reached up to cup his face in her hands. “YES, I will marry you! Today, right this minute, if you want. Nothing would make me happier. But you need to know something first....”

  “What?” he asked coldly.

  Maddie fought the fear that what she was about to tell him might change his mind and found her courage. Telling him was the right thing to do.

  “I knew I was pregnant when I crashed and I’m sorry I didn’t try to call when I realized right before we deployed. You and the baby were the last thing I thought about before…”

  “Before you died?” he supplied, his face loosening a bit more.

  “Yes, and my last feeling was regret for the life I could’ve had if I’d chosen you. I’m choosing you, Rhett, and will always choose you, if you still want me.”

  He tilted his head back, and Maddie’s eyes filled. He was going to turn her down, and she might just pass out. A sob escaped her lips as she turned back toward the beach bed, but he grabbed her shoulders and spun her around.

  “I will always want you, Maddie Carter,” he growled. “Even when I don’t want to want you. Even when I tried to forget you. You are the one my mother warned me about.”

  “She warned you about me? She didn’t like me?” Maddie asked, her heart breaking, because she knew from the way he talked about his mother, Elaine Hawkins meant the world to him. Maddie wished she remembered meeting her.

  “She fucking loved you and I do too,” he said, his eyes intense. “She told me to marry you quick and that’s what I should have done back then.”

  “What about now, Rhett?” Maddie whispered, her voice trembling. “Do you still want to marry me or have you changed your mind? If you have, I would understand.” She deserved that life sentence for treating him like she had.

  Hawk stared into her eyes for a long minute and Madd
ie held her breath. Taking her hand, he led her back to the beach bed and sat her down then dropped to his knees. He pulled the box out of his pocket, flipped it open and the solitaire in the blue velvet bed winked at her.

  “The past is forgotten, Maddie,” he said, opening the box. “We have a blank slate now to write our future. I want marrying you to be the first entry on that slate, so yes, Maddie Carter, I would marry you right this minute if I could. Will you marry me?”

  “Yes,” Maddie whispered as joy overwhelmed her. She fell into his arms and hugged him like she’d never let him go, because she would never make that mistake again.

  Epilogue

  Maddie almost choked on her champagne when the DJ announced it was time for the first dance. She downed the glass, and felt Hawk’s eyes on the side of her face.

  “It’s just a dance, sweet thang,” Hawk said close to her ear as he slid his arm around her back to lead her toward the dance floor. “You’ve got this, beautiful. We practiced and you did great at our last lesson.”

  “Was that before or after my peg leg tripped you when it didn’t move with me?” she asked, and he laughed.

  “Baby, if landing on top of you is my reward, you can trip me any day,” he replied, hugging her to his side.

  “Well, our guests might be getting a comedy routine with their dinner. Let’s pray my peg leg doesn’t go dancing without me.”

  He choked, and stopped to belly laugh. He could laugh, because he not only had two perfect, long legs, he had more rhythm and moves than Fred Astaire. Maddie didn’t remember going dancing with him before the crash, but he insisted they had often.

  There was a lot he’d told her about their past that verged on the incredible and she had to wonder how much was truth and how much was his goofy sense of humor. Since she still didn’t remember much of anything from those days, she couldn’t refute it.

  She highly doubted she’d climbed the water tower on base to have sex with him up there, though. Or that they’d managed to pull the same bird for training one day and she’d given him a blow job mid-air.