She thought she had no tears left, but they filled her eyes anyway.
He pushed the flowers into her hands. “They’re for you, Livie. I wanted you to get a small taste of what it might be like.”
She touched the fragile blooms. “Might be like?”
“When you get there, to São Diogo.” He hesitated, the vulnerability back in his features. “I have two seats booked on that plane tonight.”
“Jack—”
He held up his hands. “And just in case you haven’t been watching the news, I’m a free man in my own land now—you don’t have to be embarrassed to be seen on Jack Sauer’s arm. You can be proud, Olivia, to be with me now.”
Tears flooded her eyes. “What…what is this, Jack?”
His eyes turned serious. “It’s a proposal, Livie. I want you to come back with me. I want you to marry me. This is the last shot we’re going to get to make this work.”
Emotion sliced through her, and she blinked sharply. “My…apartment…my job—”
“You can come back if you don’t like it there. Or I can come back with you if you want to live in Manhattan. There’s no pressure, Livie. No strings, carte blanche. All I want is to not have to leave without you tonight.” He angled his head. “And to spend Christmas with you. More than anything I want to spend Christmas with you.”
Emotion choked her throat, stole her voice.
“I love you, Olivia. I always have, and I always will, whether you come with me tonight or not, but please…tell me you will come.”
She looked into those incredible eyes. She loved him, too, always had and always would—even though he’d hurt her. And Lord knew she’d hurt him, too.
A time to forgive—that’s what President Taylor had said. A time to heal the past. Would she ever forgive herself if she walked away from him now? Could she even walk away?
This man was her destiny.
“We could get re-engaged,” he offered. “You could take your time to get to know me better.”
She touched the wilting petals and smiled. “I don’t recall actually breaking the engagement off, Jack. And I don’t believe there’s a statute of limitations on these things.”
“Does that mean you’ll be on that plane with me?”
She closed her eyes. What did she have in New York? Nothing, if she really thought about it. The future was wide open—the way it had been the day they were first engaged. She opened her eyes, bit her lip. “Yes, Jack.”
He sucked in his breath sharply.
“I will be on that plane with you.” She touched the flowers again, and her heart squeezed. “I want to see your garden,” she whispered. “We can take it one day at a time,” she said softly, and lifted her eyes. “Can’t we?”
Tears glistened in her mercenary’s eyes.
He nodded. “I’ve waited a long time for you, Livie.” He stepped close to her, brushed snow from her hair, hooked his gloved knuckle under her chin. “But every minute of those years has been worth it…for this.”
And he kissed the woman he’d never stopped loving in the swirling flakes, the world hushed by snow, just the soft flap of the United Nations flag of peace up over their heads.
And Jack knew, finally, he was home.
Epilogue
Three years later. Camp David.
Jack put his napkin on the table and leaned back in his chair. The sun was warm, and the lunch had been excellent. He reached over, squeezed his wife’s hand. She smiled at him. Olivia looked so relaxed, so happy. Pregnancy had done beautiful things to her body and her face, and the light of life showed in her honey-gold eyes.
He was here with Sarah and Hunter McBride, who were watching their daughter, Branna, run over the grass, her little brown legs chubby, her feet bare, the sun shining on her dark hair. The little girl was a precious example of what could come from tragedy, thought Jack. She was already shaping up to break a thousand hearts.
Also at Camp David on this afternoon, at the invitation of President Taylor and the first lady, was Sultan Rafiq bin Zafir bin Omar al-Qaadr and his beautiful queen, Dr. Paige Sterling.
Without these people, sitting around this table under a warm summer sun, their mission three years ago would not have been a success.
And without the love that they had all discovered amid danger, the future would not have been possible.
Jack raised his glass. I’d like to propose a toast,” he said. “To Dr. McBride,” he looked at Hunter. “Congratulations, my friend.”
Hunter had recently requalified and was now working as FDS chief surgeon at the São Diogo hospital.
Jack turned to Rafiq. “And to the Sultan—” he raised his glass “—to peace in Hamān.”
Rafiq grinned, raised his glass. He and the president had spent the morning talking Middle-East policy, and they were pleased with the results.
The president lifted his glass, joining the toast. “To my men.” He’d called them that for the past three years. It was a fond reference to what had passed between them, to what they had done for his country.
“And to their three very special ladies. Without you all—” his eyes turned serious “—the world would be a very different place.”
“And to President Elliot,” said Jack raising his glass higher. “A great man.”
“Cheers,” they said in quiet unison. And they drank silently, thinking about the heroes they had lost along the way.
And about what they had won.
Jack reached for Olivia’s hand under the table. He knew she was thinking of her father, about the relationship of parent and child.
“He’d be happy for you,” he whispered.
She smiled gently. “I know, Jack.” She paused. “It’s better this way.” She looked into his eyes. “You’ll make a great father, you know.”
He winked. “And I can cook.”
She laughed, and his world was complete.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5828-4
THE RULES OF RE-ENGAGEMENT
Copyright © 2006 by Loreth Beswetherick
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*Shadow Soldiers
*Shadow Soldiers
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