“I turned my back on God after my men were killed, and I have nightmares about the event that put me in a dark place. I prayed tonight, but I’ve still got some work to do.” He hit his chest. “In here.”
She gave him an understanding look, pulled a chair up close and sank into it. “All right, bro. We’ve got a couple hours before Mama or Mary wake up. I want to hear it. All of it.”
Nick swallowed. Was she serious?
One look into her dark eyes said she was more than serious. He took a deep breath, and he started talking.
Mary stirred to the sounds of voices and sunlight peeking through the closed blinds. Her shoulder was asleep, and her hip ached from sleeping on the hard floor. Her calf was still numb from the anesthetic. She shifted and pushed up to a seated position. The voices dropped off. Grabbing the nearby recliner, she scrambled to her feet, balancing on her left leg.
Nick and Cassie were both staring at her. Cassie gave her a welcoming smile. Nick looked uncertain and vulnerable and more attractive than any man she’d ever met. She shuffled across the room, leaned over his hospital bed bars, and hugged him as best she could.
“Nick,” she choked out.
His arms wrapped around her and no matter that he was lying in a hospital bed or she couldn’t get as close as she wanted, he was hugging her, not telling her they were just friends or telling her they couldn’t be together. He’d never responded whether they could work through things and help him find his happiness together. She was going to ask that again.
She finally straightened and stared down at him. “You’re okay?”
He nodded, but he looked serious and contemplative. “How about you?”
“Fine. A few stitches and some strong antibiotic. No stress. They said you could go home today.”
“That’s good.”
A silence fell and Mary wanted to ask him so many questions, make him promise not to withdraw from her. Everything felt uncertain and scary.
Cassie cleared her throat. “You know this should be the awkward moment where I leave you two alone, but I need a promise from my brother first.”
Nick turned to his sister, not looking like his confident self at all. “Cass,” he said softly.
“Don’t you ‘Cass’ me.”
Mary’s eyebrows lifted. Ella was the feisty one. Cassie was all sweetness and goodwill to the entire world.
Nick pressed his lips together. The Nick she’d known growing up would’ve been fighting a laugh, but she was afraid this Nick was not happy with his sister.
“You’re going to promise me, right here in front of Mary, that you’ll give yourself and this beautiful woman a chance.” Mary arched her eyebrows. “And if I hear about any nonsense of you not being worthy of her, I’ll … punch you in your gunshot wound.”
Nick did chuckle then. “I didn’t know you were violent, sis.”
“I’m a mama now. Just try me.” She glanced at Mary. “Are you committed to helping him through the therapy, working with Pastor Jay, and whatever else he needs?”
Mary nodded. “Yes, I am.”
Cassie gave a cute little harrumph. “I told you so,” she said to Nick. Whirling, she strutted to the door. She turned around and gave one last parting shot over her shoulder. “You’re a Strong, Nick. Man up and act like one.” Then she was gone.
Mary stood there, feeling frozen as she didn’t know how to proceed, yet really hopeful that Nick would give her a chance to be there for him. Nick turned to her, a look of determination on his face that she didn’t know how to read. Was he determined to tell her they couldn’t be together, or determined to show her they could?
“Can you give me one second, Mary?” he asked.
“Um … sure. Would you like me to …”
“Please step outside. Just for a few minutes.”
“Oh … okay.” Her shoulders rounded as she limped around his bed. She looked back at him, and he had that same determined look. He looked so strong and appealing, no matter that he was injured. She wanted to stay right by his side, but she would honor his wishes.
She went out the door and softly shut it behind her. How long did she give him? The waiting room was just down the hall. Is that where Cassie had gone? Was their mom awake? Did she go to Nick’s sister and mom and beg them to help plead her cause with Nick? Yet if Nick hadn’t listened to Cassie’s words of a few seconds ago there wasn’t much hope he’d listen to anything.
She leaned against the wall, tired and confused. Running her hand through her hair, it felt matted and dry. She wondered how awful she looked, still wearing that uncomfortable swimsuit and Nick’s too-large t-shirt. For the first time in a long while she didn’t care what brand she was wearing to represent for her company or how she looked. None of that mattered at all. Only Nick.
A nurse rushed past her, gave her a quick smile, and hurried into Nick’s room. She heard Nick’s low rumble and found she couldn’t leave. He’d said just a few minutes. She’d wait a few hours if she needed, but she was going to talk this out with him, she was going to prove she would be there for him.
She’d heard that Blake had survived and after he woke up and healed would be prosecuted. The police had found a tracking device on her car that had led Blake to them, and apparently, he’d used a shady arms dealer to get the weapons. The only clue they had to why he’d gone so berserk was that he’d been fired from his job for trying to sleep his way to the top, and he was in serious debt to numerous drug dealers, obviously had a serious drug addiction, and the police said he’d been completely hopped up on drugs when he tried to kill them.
She shook it away. It was a relief to simply know Blake was in her past. Her parents had been concerned when she sent them home, but she’d told them she had to be here for Nick. And she would be. No matter what.
The nurse opened the door and held it for Mary, giving her a broad smile. “He’s ready for you.”
Mary’s heart thumped harder against her chest. He was ready for her. He wanted her. She rushed into the room. Nick balanced on one foot, holding on to the bed railing. He had a half-smile, half-grimace on his face. He had no shirt on, and she took a moment to admire his muscular chest and the scars that made him look so strong and like he’d been through hard things and come out the victor. It said a lot that he wasn’t hiding them anymore.
Then her eyes trailed down and she had to hide a smile. “Is that a … skirt?” The hospital staff had apparently taken a couple of hospital robes, cut them, and tied them around his waist to cover him up.
Nick nodded, rolling his eyes. “We decided to call it a kilt.”
Mary laughed. “I like it.”
Nick shuffled closer to her, the muscles in his upper body rippling as he held on to the bed railing to support himself. “I wasn’t about to step up and be a man while laying down and wearing a hospital robe with my rear hanging out.”
Mary smiled but prayed stepping up and being a man didn’t mean dumping her. “No this is much better. All the tough guys will be wearing a kilt soon.”
“Just no posting on Instagram, please.”
She laughed. “I only have a business account. I don’t think Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, or Nordstrom would approve of this pic going out to my business followers.”
He grinned and beckoned to her. “Sadly, I can’t leave my friend here.” He motioned to the bed railing. “Or I’ll look even less of a man when I fall to the floor.”
She limped toward him. “You’re tougher and manlier than any man I know.”
“Thanks.” He reached out with his free hand, wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her against his chest.
Mary sighed with contentment and wrapped her arms around his waist. “So … stepping up and being a man?”
“Yeah.” His eyes grew more serious. “Mary …” He swallowed hard then rushed out, “I’ve loved you since middle school.”
“What?” She straightened back but didn’t release him. “You never said anything.”
“Gavin talked me into waiting until we were older.”
“And here I used to like Gavin.”
He chuckled. “He had his reasons, but all I could ever see was you. I still love you, Mare.”
She stared up at him. She should be on top of the world right now, but she had to ask. “So you’re going to let me stay with you, help you find your happiness again, and work through the hard stuff?”
Nick pressed his lips together and studied her. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”
Mary nodded. She pulled herself closer, grateful her leg was still numb and somewhat supporting her. “I want you, Nick, all of you. Please don’t pull away from me again.”
“I told everything to Cassie when I woke up.”
“Everything about us?”
“Everything about everything, the bombing, the friends I lost, the nightmare, the worthless feelings, the struggles with God. Telling you helped me so much, and I want to trust the people who love me. I want to trust God again. I want to trust you. If … do you love me?” Nick sounded so vulnerable she wanted to kiss him.
She had to say it first. “Yes, Nick. I’ve loved you since middle school as well. I still love you.”
“Well all right then. No need to overdo it.” He grinned, the old cocksure Nick Strong back again.
Mary laughed, and under normal circumstances would’ve pushed him, but he’d just been through a gunshot wound and surgery. He was looking a little pale.
“So we work through things together?” he asked. “Us and the Lord?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s start out working on your kissing skills,” he murmured, lowering his head to hers.
Mary gasped. “There’s nothing wrong with my kissing skills.”
His breath smelled tingly fresh. Had those nurses helped him brush his teeth?
“Well then you’d better prove that to me.” Nick grinned and even though he was teasing her, she lost the ability to breathe properly. He was so handsome, so perfect to her.
Mary pressed in close and kissed him. Nick bent down and returned the kiss, and then some. Joy and fulfillment rushed through her. She was meant to be in this man’s arms and they’d both committed to work through things together.
She pulled back and asked him saucily, “How was that?”
Nick smiled. “There’s room for improvement.”
Mary gasped and slugged his shoulder.
Nick chuckled and said, “You didn’t let me finish. Improvement on my end. Can you work with me?”
Mary smiled and said, “I think you should get back in bed. You’re looking a little pale.”
He made a dismissive noise in his throat. “I think you should get back to kissing me. You’re looking a little too beautiful in my shirt.”
“You are so silly,” she said.
“It’s one of the things you love about me.”
“One of the many. And you’re getting back in that bed, or I’m not kissing you again.”
Nick grinned. “Oh, the threats.”
Mary gestured and he rolled his eyes but sank onto the edge of the bed. He pulled her between his legs and held her tight against him. “If I’m sitting in bed, the least you can do is entertain me with a kiss.”
Mary laughed. “The very least.”
Then he was kissing her again, and she figured their banter, and more serious talking, could wait.
Epilogue
Nick and Mary walked slowly up the trail behind Gavin’s house. It led to a beautiful mountain lake that Mary had always loved. Almost a month had passed since the crazy experience with Blake trying to kill them both. It had been revealed that Blake not only had some issues with antisocial disorder but was also addicted to heroin and had been high when he tried to kill them. He claimed Mary dumping him made him turn to drugs.
Nick and Mary were both healed from their wounds and had spent the past month being together. Nick helped her with her work, they exercised together, more now that they were feeling good, and they spent a lot of time with both of their families. He was doing great and had talked with many of his family members and Pastor Jay about his experiences. The two of them had met up with Chris and gone to visit Logan’s family and Jax’s wife and little boy again. Mary had recently hired Jax’s wife, Jessica, to be one of her assistants as her company was still growing. It was working out great for both of them.
As they walked they held hands and looked at all the beautiful scenery around them.
“Okay, this is a crazy idea,” Nick said, “and I don’t know if it’ll even work, except in the fairyland that is my head.”
Mary laughed. “Lay it on me.”
“There are, sadly, a lot of women who are abused, right?”
Her laughter was gone. “Yeah.”
“And there are a lot of guys like me who are struggling because of what they’ve seen, what they’ve done. Not just military, I believe policemen and firefighters can have the same struggles, same issues with PTSD.”
“I’m sure you’re right.”
“So somehow we get them together.”
She kept walking but gave him a concerned glance. “Like a dating service?”
“No.” He chuckled. “No, but I guess if that happened that could be fun. No, I’m saying like we create centers where people who are struggling have the chance to meet and help each other. We’d have licensed therapists on hand to do classes or one-on-one sessions. We’d have self-defense training for whoever wanted it. Think of the opportunity that would be for the women to feel empowered and the men to feel like they’re helping someone, right? But it could be so much more too. Maybe they teach each other life skills. Cooking, childcare, balancing a budget, starting a business, or getting a better job. Basically how to rely on themselves and the Lord, phasing out government help. Everybody has something they can teach, and that would make them feel good about themselves, feel like they have something to offer. Are you getting excited or am I nuts?”
Mary was catching the vision. “So they can sign up for classes or sign up to teach?”
“Yeah, or just use the center’s therapists or come to meet people.”
She nodded. “It won’t be easy to start, or to get the word out, but I can see that it could be amazing. In Denver?”
“That’s probably the best spot. Then if it went well we could expand.”
“What’s this ‘we’ business? You got a mouse in your pocket?”
He chuckled. “Hey, I’ve been helping you with your girlie business, you can help me with my manly one.”
“You’re so manly. Pretty soon I’ll be selling those kilts of yours.”
“Ha ha.” He released her hand, swept her off her feet, and cradled her against his chest. “Aw, that’s better.”
Mary wrapped her arms around his neck. “Since that embarrassing hospital experience, you’re always having to prove that you’re a man.”
He winked. “With you I am, teasing me about my kilt. I was drugged and desperate to look good for you.”
“You always look good,” she said. Leaning into him, she savored his clean smell. “I love your idea by the way. You’re going to help a lot of people.”
“Thanks. I hope so.” He glanced down at her, a mischievous grin on his handsome face. “Do you think you could help me with something else right now?”
Mary fluttered her eyelashes, hoping he was looking for a kiss. “I’m sure I can.”
“Good.” He set her on her feet and pulled something out of his pocket. He held it up and Mary gasped, putting a hand to her mouth. It was a large princess-cut diamond, sparkling in the sun filtering through the trees. It was gorgeous and classy. She loved it. Nick held it aloft and with a smirk said, “Could you help me out by wearing this? I’m afraid I’m going to spear myself with it.”
“Nick Strong.” She pushed at his shoulder. “That is no way to ask me to marry you.”
Nick chuckled low and deep. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He swept her off her feet
again and started jogging toward the lake.
“Where’s the ring?” Mary prayed he hadn’t flung it off into the undergrowth.
“Don’t worry, love, I’ve got it.”
Her heart was beating hard and fast, and she wasn’t even doing anything. She heard music and cocked her head. “What do you have planned?”
He grinned bigger. The music was getting louder and Mary recognized the song, “Marry Me,” by Train. She smiled up at Nick. Maybe he wasn’t going to just thrust a ring at her. But she wanted that ring, wanted to wear his ring, badly.
They rounded the last set of trees and the lake appeared. Will and Austin, Nick’s adorable nephews were standing next to a blanket spread on the ground and a large picnic basket, wearing white button down shirts and black pants. She hadn’t even known Cassie’s family was here this weekend.
“Will, Austin,” Mary called out.
“Hi,” Will said shyly.
“Hi, future aunt,” Austin yelled.
Nick set her on her feet and Austin and Will both came over to give her hugs.
“Do you want us to serve you dinner now?” Austin asked.
“I thought I’d take her out on the boat first.” He held up the ring that was on his pinkie finger. “I got a little too anxious and may have already messed up the question.”
Austin hung his head. “And I thought you were my uncle with game.”
Mary laughed and ruffled Austin’s golden locks.
“We’ll be back,” Nick promised. “Don’t watch.”
Austin laughed and Will look adorably embarrassed. They both turned their backs and faced the trees. Mary rolled her eyes at her silly almost-fiancé. She loved being with him and laughing with him.
Nick led her to the lakeside where a canoe was waiting. They settled into it and he rowed a little ways from shore. Her ring was glittering on his finger, and she couldn’t help but worry it would plunk into the cold lake. Even in June this lake was barely-melted ice.
The song on the shore changed to one she didn’t recognize. “I just wanna say I do, I just wanna put this ring on you.”
The Strong Family Romance Collection Page 88