by Nancy Glynn
Standing and stretching her body more, she let out a loud yawn and wiped her watery eyes from the tiredness of writing. She was pleased with her story and now it was time to be full-on worrywart.
She picked up her phone and hit his name, only to hear it go right to voicemail. That only told her it was dead. The phone was dead. Not him. The phone. She paced across the room, her boot making a thudding sound.
After heating up some leftover chicken noodle soup, she glanced at the clock on the wall again. It was near seven. Where was he? She sat down and blew on the spoon before forcing herself to eat the broth goodness.
As she scooped the remains of the chicken bits into her mouth, her phone rang and made her jump. She grabbed it without looking at the name and answered it.
“Mom? What’s wrong? Wait, calm down. I can’t understand you. Danny? What’s wrong with Danny?” She listened, and her heart began to pound hard and fast before she let out a blood-curdling scream while slumping to the floor.
***
Hayden opened the door and she could only stare at him from the couch. “Where were you?” She’d been crying since getting off the phone with her mom, but now felt nothing. Pure numbness.
He threw the bags on the floor and ran to her. “What happened, sweetheart?”
“I tried calling you for hours. Don’t you charge your phone in the car?” She sat up against the pillows and pulled her knees up, trying to get away from him. He wasn’t there for her when she needed him. Story of her life.
“The stupid charger stopped working and I was lucky to find my way home. I’m so sorry if I missed something, but talk to me. What happened?”
She glanced at the bags and noticed purple flowers sticking out of one. Didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. They’ll die anyway. Everything does. She shook her head. “No. You weren’t here. Maybe I should get used to that because you’ll be leaving soon anyway.” It’d be easier to push him away. She couldn’t take another heartbreak.
He pulled the blanket down and tugged the boot off. “Why are you lying here with that on?” He began to knead her sore foot, making her wince but with pleasure.
“You don’t have to do that. Stop!”
“Okay, what’s wrong? What happened here?”
She rubbed her eyes, digging her fingers into the sockets. “I can’t say it out loud. It hurts too much.” Looking up into his beautiful blue eyes, she saw true concern. This was his friend, too. His brother, really. How could she tell him?
“What is it, darlin’?” He stopped massaging and gave her a soft gaze to prompt her to speak. “Is it your parents? Your dad? I know his health isn’t the best. Do you need to go to him? Because if you do, I—”
“It’s Danny,” she said in an eerily calm voice.
Hayden squinted his eyes to understand before widening in realization of her words.
Her hand moved to her mouth to stifle a cry as tears slid down her cheeks.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, her head cradled against his shoulder. “The arrangements being made?”
“I don’t know. Probably. I can’t think about it now.”
“I’m sorry, baby. That was insensitive of me. We’ll get the details later.”
“Hayden, I can’t do it. I can’t see life without my brother.”
He rocked her in his arms until she quieted down. “I’m here for you. Not going anywhere.”
She shook her head. “But that’s not true. You are, and it’ll be here before we know it. Look, we’ll get through his funeral but then you can go. I’m getting better. I’ll be fine. Your family needs you.” And a special someone else did, too, but she wasn’t mentioning that. He didn’t belong to her. They only slept together once. People do it all the time. Just sex. It meant nothing.
“They’ll be fine without me for a bit. I’m not only needed to see you heal your foot but now also your heart. I’m not abandoning you, babe. Please stop talking nonsense. Danny would also be pissed at me if I did leave. He was my brother, too. Not in the same sense of yours but you know what I mean.”
She popped her head up. “Oh, so I’m a duty to you now? I know I was in the beginning but…wow. After the funeral you can leave, Hayden. I don’t want to be yours or anyone’s burden. I’ll be fine…”
“No! I know you’re grieving and gonna say some stupid stuff but that’s just not true. You know damn well you’re not a duty and never were. I wanted to come here, Aubs. How can you say that or even think that, especially after last night?”
The text from that woman came to her mind and she sighed, knowing he was keeping that from her. She couldn’t ask about it because he’d know she peeked at his phone and would come off as a jealous girlfriend. “I just think it’s time for you to head back home. I need to write and focus on finishing my book. You have…other responsibilities.”
“Are you serious? You’re my response—” but he stopped when he saw the look in her eyes.
“Exactly. Your responsibility.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. You’re twisting things around here. If you don’t want me here, then I’ll have to respect that and go. I’d prefer to stay and help you through this, but you’re miserable and I don’t want that.”
Her heart lurched, and tears coated her eyes before she blinked them away so they wouldn’t fall. Everything stopped. He wasn’t fighting for her. He’d actually go. So that answered a lot for her. It meant he didn’t really want this.
“But…not until I do something. I’ve wanted to do it since pretty much coming here. It should be completed after the funeral, but we’ll see. Would that be all right?”
Her eyes widened, and for a second, she felt a light shine through her. “That’d be fine. But I don’t think what happened last night should be repeated. I think that’ll complicate things.”
He nodded. “I understand. I’d never disrespect you, Aubrey. If that’s what you want, then I’ll be a gentleman and stay in my room. Now tell me what happened to Danny, if you’re able.” He swung his feet to the floor and pulled her to his side to listen to her story.
She leaned her head against his shoulder and retold what her mom had told her. She knew she was on borrowed time with him now and was glad there was something else keeping him here, but what? What was he up to and needed to complete?
Chapter Nine
Aubrey shuffled to the wooden trunk in the corner of her room, bending down, hands on the edges and ready to lift the lid. She gave a heavy sigh before lifting and searched through the contents of the box. A flood of memories rushed through her as she shifted old photos and letters, swiping hot tears away.
This can’t be true, can’t be happening. Danny was alive and laughing behind her back somewhere. He was planning his next prank for when he returned.
But her mother’s words filtered through her mind again, reminding Aubrey it was true. He wasn’t alive. If only he hadn’t opened that package or that flashlight disguised as a gifted supply.
He didn’t deserve it, not that anyone did, but he was one of the good ones. The Marines was his life and now his death.
And then her mind drifted to Hayden. He was so quiet since their conversation. Just walking around and trying to busy himself. She caught him on the phone a few times, texting someone. Probably that woman and telling her all about it.
She decided to go check on him and make sure he was okay. She stood and wiped her face as she walked down the hall to his room before knocking.
“Come in.”
After hesitating a moment, she pushed the door open and walked in to find him just sitting on his bed, holding his phone. “Hayden?”
“Just told my mom. She’s devastated. He was like another son to her.”
She scuttled over to his bed and sat before taking his hand and kissing it. “He meant so much to you, too. I keep forgetting.” She rained kisses on his knuckles.
He sighed. “Yeah.” He leaned his head back against the pillows and closed his eyes. �
�How’s your foot?”
Blinking a few times, she cleared her throat. “It’s fine. Look, if you need to leave after the funeral, I’ll understand. You don’t have to stay any longer. My foot is healing nicely.” Her heart pounded with each word. That was the last thing she wanted, but she didn’t want to make him stay.
His eyes opened, and he stared right at her. “Maybe it’s best.”
“What?”
He gave another heavy sigh and licked his lips. Lips she tasted not that long ago. “My mom’s a wreck and wants to see me. This hit close to home. I don’t want to leave you, but I don’t know what else to do.”
Her mouth dried, and her heart skipped a beat.
“But not yet. I have something I need to do before I go. I sort of planned it before this happened.”
She tilted her head in curiosity and squinted her eyes. “Planned?”
“Yeah. I’ll probably leave at the end of February, maybe beginning of March. I want to make sure you can get around without me.” He rubbed her calf with both hands. “You’re tight.”
Her eyes lit up for the first time, laughter crinkling the corners.
“Your calf, I mean.” A grin split his face open. “Dirty girl.”
“Ha-ha. I knew that.”
“Yeah, right.” His grin grew smaller as he winked. “I’ll help your parents as much as I can with the arrangements. They used to send me care packages, too.”
“You were a good friend.”
“He saved my life. I owe him.”
“Wait…what?”
His brow wrinkled, and he turned serious. “He did. I owed him mine.”
“So that’s why you’re here?”
“I’m here because he asked me to help out, but yes. I owed him my life and now he’s gone. That’s why I’ll stick around to make sure you’re fine before I leave. I wouldn’t do that to him.”
“To him? That’s the only reason you’d stick around?” She stood and spun towards the door.
“No. Wait, Aubs. You know it’s more than that…”
She turned back to him when she reached the door. “Stop! I’m just a favor you’re returning. You got a little fun with me while here to make it worth your while.”
“No, no, no. Please don’t take it like that. Come back.” He threw his feet to the floor and stood.
“Nope. You can leave after the funeral. Your services aren’t needed here anymore. My brother would be proud. You can now go back to that woman urgently texting you.” She slammed the door behind her and stormed down the hall, tears welling up in her eyes.
***
“Woman?” He searched his memory and tried to think of who she referred to and then it came. Elece, his childhood friend he used to hang out with all the time until she got married. She had recently become divorced and wanted his attention for some reason, but he never saw her like that.
Elece had texted him a few times since being here, and Aubrey must have seen something. He needed to relieve her of her fear that there was more to this, but how? Elece came on strong lately, telling him she missed him. It blew his mind because they were always just friends. She’d send him current pictures, and she was still stunning, maybe more now than ever, but he saw her as a sister.
He’d clear it up with Aubrey as soon as he could, and hopefully she’d laugh and understand. After last night, he wanted more but now wasn’t the time. He couldn’t just walk up to her and push her up against a wall, kiss her neck as his hand slid down her side and into her panties.
He couldn’t just rip those panties off as his tongue danced inside her mouth, his fingers swirling against her throbbing clit, dipping inside her moistness and making her moan his name as she’d grind against his hand.
Nope. He couldn’t just unzipper his jeans and pull himself out of his boxer briefs and rub it against her bare mound, wanting to shove it inside her and feel her warmth wrapped around him as he gazed into her beautiful green eyes filled with heat.
Damn, he wanted her. More than he’s ever wanted any woman in his life. The surprise he had for her would hopefully cheer her up a little and get her to forget the woman sending texts to him.
He adjusted himself in his jeans, wanting to do more than that but would save it for the shower…unless she’d let him back into her room. He’d much rather have the real thing than fantasy.
And she was his fantasy girl. He used to dream about her back in the days of Danny’s letters from her. The pictures she’d send. He even snuck one and pinned it behind his bed where Danny wouldn’t see it.
Yes, he had a full-blown crush on his buddy’s little sister. Part of him leaped for joy when asked to come help her. How could she even think this was a favor or a duty? That was never the case.
But now she was mad at him. He’d have to tell her the truth about Elece, which should thrill her. Maybe tomorrow morning over breakfast since it was too late now. And the worst part was there was something that might upset Aubrey even more than a few texts from another woman. Something he didn’t really want to tell her about his past but knew he’d have to at some point.
He decided to take a shower and get to bed. He’d let her have her time to grieve. It might be a while before they share a night like that again. Hayden knew how much Danny meant to her. Maybe she wouldn’t be in the mood for a long time, but he’d wait. She was worth it.
When she first told him about her double mastectomy, he had to admit he wondered if it would bother him. He had never been in that kind of situation before. But when she took her top off, he could only see beauty. He saw the pain of a decision she had made for her own health.
He was never really a breast man anyway. He loved legs and a nice behind, and she had both. But the scars weren’t that bad, actually healing and turning a light pink. When he kissed them, it felt jagged but wonderful. It was part of her. A tear had slid down her check when he did that, and he felt like a real man. Maybe that’s when he became one. He never knew it was in him. He couldn’t get enough of her. He inhaled her sweet aroma from head to toe. Licked every inch of her soft but tight body.
She was perfect to him. Everything about her. It was like she was born just for him.
He hung up his clothes and headed to the bathroom for a shower. But he stopped when he heard soft music down the hall. He knew that song. His mom loved it. Unchained Melody. He smiled and left his room.
Chapter Ten
“It was a beautiful ceremony,” Hayden said as he turned into her driveway and drove into the attached garage.
She nodded. “Yes.”
“You okay?”
She smiled at him and thought how sweet he’d been the last few days. He helped with the arrangements. It was a closed-casket funeral. She couldn’t allow him to be seen after what that bomb did to her handsome brother’s face. Her mother sobbed when she saw him, and her father stood strong for his wife, although it was evident he wanted to join her.
He shut off the engine and turned to her. “Aubrey, I’m here for you. Not going anywhere. You’re still not one-hundred percent healed.”
“The physical therapist said I’m doing great and almost done with therapy. Seriously, if you need to go home, then go. I’ll be fine.” She was becoming a great liar. Writing would save her from missing him. She’d be fine. See. She could even lie to herself. She gave him a small smile and grabbed the handle.
He laid his hand on her arm. “Can we talk about that woman?”
“Oh, your Texas girlfriend?” It still bothered her but how could she be mad. He wasn’t hers. Maybe she was stealing him from someone else. She let go of the handle and turned to him, crossing her Nylon-clad legs. His eyes lowered to them before he returned to her cold stare.
“She’s not a girlfriend, Aubs. She’s a childhood friend, nothing more. I swear.”
“Then why would she say she missed you?”
He shrugged. “I guess she missed my friendship, but she just got divorced. She’s lonely and thinks I’m gonna fix her, but I’m n
ot. I’ve told her about you. She’s a little jealous.” He grinned, pushing her dark hair behind her ear.
“Wow, that makes me feel so much better. I bet she’s beautiful, too.” Old friend her ass.
“She had always been attractive, which should tell you something. I never wanted her. When we were kids, we made a silly promise to marry by age forty if we hadn’t made that trip down the aisle yet. Well, she did but not me. I came close.”
“Then do it. Marry her! I’m sure your parents love her, so it’s perfect. I need to get in and write. I have a deadline.” Her heart pounded. She grabbed the handle, but he tried to pull her in for a kiss. “No. You have a life I have nothing to do with. You came here as a favor to my brother. The favor is completed so you’re relieved of your duty. I’ll be just fine.” She pushed the door open and jumped out, her one-heeled foot and booted left hitting the pavement with a loud click.
“Aubrey, you’re wrong. But you’re also stubborn, so go on in and listen to your sad fifties music. Blast it.”
She slammed the door and forged to the door that led to the mud room. She threw her tan dress coat onto the dryer and yanked her pump off before rushing up the stairs and to her bedroom.
How dare he mock her music taste! After hobbling up the stairs one step at a time, she stormed into her room and slammed her door shut before turning to her bed.
What she saw froze her.
Her eyes widened as she took in the black canopy bed draped in sheer white curtains at the corner posts. It was made for a queen. She touched the silky fabric tied neatly into bows wrapped around the black posts.
Hayden did this. But how? When?
And then it hit her. while they were at the funeral. How obvious was that?
He knew what it had meant to her to have a real bed and a feminine one at that.
But she wanted to be mad at him, dammit! How could she be now?
“Like it?”
She spun around and watched as he grinned with pride.