Once in a lifetime, p.12
Once In a Lifetime, page 12
She squeezed his fingers and sighed. “One day it will feel even better. But not yet. I care about you, Caleb. But I’m here to protect you. If I let my emotions—”
He pulled her close, kissing her with a hunger that left him breathless. Sam’s mouth opened and she moved closer, teasing him with the taste and feel of her body, the promise of everything to come. He wanted this, needed to be close to the only woman who’d ever seen the real him. She was his anchor in a stormy sea, the reason he wanted to live.
He lifted his arms to pull her closer and groaned.
Sam jumped off the bed. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I tried to move my arm, that’s all.
“You could have torn the stitches.” She looked at the bandage, then into his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
The regret in her eyes made him feel terrible. “It’s not your fault. I’m the one who kissed you.”
She bit her bottom lip. “It was a good kiss.”
His shoulders relaxed. They were okay. Sam wouldn’t walk out, blame him for stepping over the line she’d drawn around their relationship. “Only good? What about great, amazing, or even awesome?”
“If that makes you feel better, then okay. Our kiss was awesome.”
“You could at least say it like you meant it.”
Her smile melted his heart. “It was the most awesome kiss ever. Was that better?”
Caleb reached out and held her hand. “Much better. I know you have to be here, but thank you. It means a lot.”
“You’re welcome, but you thanked me too soon. The nurse gave me strict instructions to stay for only ten minutes.”
“I thought you were a rule breaker.”
“I’ve done enough of that today. You need to rest.”
The curtain opened and Jeremy moved closer to the bed. “You look better than when I last saw you.”
Caleb lowered his head onto the pillows. “I hope so. Thanks for everything you’ve done.”
“You’re welcome, but I only followed Sam’s instructions.”
Sam smiled. “Don’t believe him. Jeremy was amazing.”
The warmth in her eyes made Caleb’s breath catch. He didn’t want her to leave.
She held onto his hand. “It will be okay. Jeremy will stay with you overnight, then I’ll take over bodyguard duties in the morning.”
He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. “What happened after I passed out?”
“Not a lot until the helicopter arrived. While we were loading you into it, William and Jeremy found the shooter. But the FBI thinks more than one person was looking for you. The special agents searched as much of the property as they could before it got too dark. They’ll resume their search in the morning.”
“Where’s the shooter now?”
Jeremy leaned against the metal bar at the end of the bed. “He’s in the county jail in Polson. Tomorrow, he’ll be transferred to Washington, D.C.”
Sam rubbed Caleb’s arm. “We really need to leave. You look exhausted.”
He swallowed his disappointment. “What time will you be back?”
“I’ll be here by eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Connor’s found a hotel that isn’t too far away. Try and get some sleep.”
“I will.”
Jeremy moved away from the bed. “I’ll be outside your room for the rest of the night. If you need anything, just ask.”
Caleb nodded. “Thanks.” After they left his room, he thought about what Sam had said, the decisions he had to make. Of all the things he wanted in his life, she was the most important. All he needed to do was wait until the terrorist group was caught. Then he could take a step in the right direction—straight toward her.
The next morning, Sam walked toward Caleb’s room. Jeremy should have been sitting outside, making sure no one except for the hospital staff came into the room. He wasn’t there.
She pulled back the curtain and found an empty bed.
She dropped the backpack she’d brought with her and rushed to the nurses’ station. Jeremy would have called if Caleb wanted to discharge himself from the hospital. But with nowhere to go and an arm that was in bad shape, he could easily undo the work the surgeon had done yesterday.
“Are you looking for me?”
Sam turned and took a deep breath. Getting less than three hours sleep hadn’t set her up for a good day. Especially when Caleb looked as though butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. It was just as well Jeremy was beside him.
She arched an eyebrow, determined not to let Caleb see how worried she was. “You’ve had a shower.”
“More like a wash, but it felt good. I thought I’d better get cleaned up before the nurses evict me. Besides, I wanted to smell nice for when you arrived.”
A blush hit Sam’s face. “I bet you say that to all the single women you meet.”
Caleb’s smile was instant. “Only the special ones.”
She ignored the dangerous gleam in his eyes and looked at Jeremy. “Did Caleb behave himself last night?”
“He did, but he thinks he’s going home today.”
Sam sighed. The chance of that happening was about as likely as a mid-winter heatwave hitting Polson.
Jeremy cleared his throat. “I’ll get some breakfast from the cafeteria. Do you want anything?”
Sam shook her head. “I’m okay. I had breakfast before I left the hotel.” After Jeremy left the room, she moved closer to Caleb. “Do you need a wheelchair?”
His eyes darkened. “All I need is you.”
Sam had spent most of the night thinking about Caleb. It hadn’t made any difference to what she had to do. For now, protecting him was her first priority. “That’s what everyone says when they’re full of painkillers. Come on. I’ll help you to your room.” She held onto his uninjured arm and waited for him to move.
“I mean it, Sam. I thought about what you said. Spending more time with you is important to me.”
Her heart pounded. “I thought about you, too. But I can’t be part of your life. Not yet.”
The light disappeared from his eyes. “We’ve fixed the program. There’s no reason we can’t go out together. Unless you don’t want to.”
Sam shook her head. “It’s not that. Let’s go back to your room. There’s something I need to tell you.”
Caleb’s jaw clenched tight. “You don’t need to explain anything.”
“Yes. I do.” She studied the disappointment on his face. “It’s not what you think.”
He still didn’t look as though he believed her, but at least he moved forward. They walked in silence across the ward. She’d thought about what she’d say to him, rehearsed the words he wouldn’t want to hear. But nothing would make him feel better about the decision his boss had made.
Caleb sat on his bed, resting his arm on the pile of pillows. “What did you want to tell me?”
“My boss called this morning. He wants me to keep working with you.”
“But we’ve fixed the code.”
“That isn’t why I’m staying. He wants Connor, Jeremy and me to provide you with personal protection.”
Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t need bodyguards.”
“It’s not a request. The Department of Defense has hired Fletcher Security to protect you from the terrorists. They want around-the-clock personal protection and daily updates of what’s happening.”
“I don’t want anyone looking after me. Once the terrorists discover that I don’t have the program, they won’t keep looking for me.”
“That’s not what your boss said. I didn’t get a choice about whether to accept this job or not, and neither do you.” Sam prepared herself for the next lot of news. “That’s not the only information I was asked to tell you. We can’t go back to your house. It’s too dangerous.”
“You’re coming to Washington, D.C. with me?”
“No. We’re not going to Washington, D.C. John wants you to stay in Sapphire Bay.” When Caleb started to speak, she held up her hand. “Let me finish. Your boss is sending the EMP program to the team who are managing the next set of tests. If they need help, they’ll call you. The FBI wants you to stay in Sapphire Bay, too. If the terrorist cell can be located quickly, you may be able to go to Washington, D.C. right away. But that also depends on what the doctor says. If the shooter doesn’t tell the FBI anything, I don’t know when you’ll be able to go home.”
Caleb looked through the window beside his bed. “I want a normal life. For the last eight months I’ve had to be careful about who I speak to and what I do. I’ve had enough.”
Sam sighed. “I know it’s not easy, but you have to let us protect you.”
“What about the woman who’s supposed to be my sister? Do the FBI think the terrorists will hurt her?”
“They think she could be in danger. William Parker, the special agent who helped us, is with her. She’s having a DNA test tomorrow.”
“How long will it take to get the results?”
Sam shrugged. “Even with fast-tracking the sample, it could take at least three weeks.”
“Do you know her name or anything about her?”
“I don’t know her name, but she lives in Milwaukee.”
“Are you sure?”
Sam didn’t want him to get his hopes up. She didn’t know how the woman had been located so quickly, especially when Caleb had no idea she existed. There were so many things about this assignment that didn’t make sense, that Sam was beginning to second-guess everything.
“It could be a coincidence that she lives in the same city where you were born. Once we have the DNA results, everyone will be able to make more informed decisions.”
“You don’t think she’s my sister, do you?”
“I don’t know whether she is or not. But at least the FBI is making sure nothing happens to her. How would you feel if she is your sister?”
Caleb’s frown deepened. “It would be incredible. But she must be as unsure about everything as I am. Especially if the FBI has been talking to her.”
There would be a whole lot more going on than Caleb realized. Dealing with the FBI could be intimidating if you weren’t used to the way they worked. “She’ll be looked after. But for now, we have to concentrate on you. The doctor wants you to stay in the hospital for a few more days. While you’re here, I’ll find somewhere in Sapphire Bay for us to live.”
“If you have trouble finding somewhere, I might be able to help. My friend Brooke has just moved above her candy store. She’s looking for someone to rent her home.”
A weight lifted off Sam’s shoulders. “Does this mean you’re happy to live in town?”
“There are worse places I could be going. I’ll be close to Gabe and Natalie, and I can buy Brooke’s fudge every day of the week if I want to.” Caleb studied her face. “Do you think we’ll ever go on a first date?”
Last night, Sam had asked herself the same question. “Not for a while, but that’s probably a good thing. You’ve got a lot happening in your life.”
“So have you.”
Dealing with a runaway bride wasn’t nearly as hard as being wanted by a terrorist cell. Shelley would learn to deal with the decision she’d made and her mom would resign herself to not being a grandma anytime soon.
It wouldn’t be so easy for Caleb—especially if the woman from Milwaukee were his sister.
The following day, Sam pulled her jacket closer. She studied the building opposite her, the people going into the store. Sweet Treats was the only confectionery shop in Sapphire Bay. Even at the end of October, it was busy. Some of the store’s popularity could be because Halloween was only a few days away. The bright orange flashing pumpkins and rows of cute chocolates were bringing people of all ages inside.
She wished her search for a rental property had been as successful. After spending most of the day at the hospital, she’d driven to Sapphire Bay to look for a house. Two hours after she arrived, she’d called Caleb and asked for Brooke’s phone number. Her calls kept going to voice mail, so she’d decided to visit Caleb’s friend at work.
She stepped closer to the curb and crossed the road. It would be a miracle if Brooke’s house were still available. She’d naively thought the cold weather would deter people from wanting accommodation. What she hadn’t counted on were the families who came to Flathead Lake to enjoy the skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. Most of the houses she’d seen were only short-term rentals. Sam didn’t know how long they’d need a house. It could be two weeks or two months. It all depended on when the FBI found the terrorist cell.
The doorbell jingled as Sam stepped into the store. The sweet, tempting smell of fudge and chocolate tickled her nose. She could have spent all day here, enjoying the homemade candy that was the talk of the town. But she wasn’t here to buy more candy. She was here to find somewhere for Caleb to live.
While she waited for Brooke to serve the other customers, she looked in her favorite cabinet. Bars of Russian fudge sat beside trays of caramel and chocolate fudge. Sam bit her bottom lip, imagining the taste and texture of each flavor.
“Hello again. Would you like to try some samples?” Brooke asked.
With a regretful sigh, Sam shook her head and focused on what she was here to do. “Not today, but I’ll definitely be back. Could I speak to you for a couple of minutes?”
Brooke looked around the store. Someone else was helping behind the counter, but it was still busy. “If you can wait five minutes, I’ll be able to speak to you. Are you still staying with Caleb?”
Sam nodded. It was easier than telling her the whole truth.
Brooke looked at the customers farther along the counter. “I’ll be back soon.”
While she was waiting, Sam sat at a table and checked her emails.
“Natalie! It’s good to see you.”
She looked up as Brooke welcomed someone into the store.
A woman about Sam’s age, smiled. “It’s good to be here. I had to get away from my studio for a few minutes.”
“You’ve come to the right place. I’ll be with you soon.”
Unless another woman called Natalie lived in Sapphire Bay, the person standing in line was Caleb’s friend’s fiancée.
For the first time in a long while, Sam imagined what it must be like to have female friends. When she was in the Army, she’d been surrounded by men. Fletcher Security had a slightly better ratio of male to female staff, but not by much. Apart from her sisters, Sam didn’t often spend time with other women.
As the people in front of Natalie were served, Sam had a chance to watch the two women interact. They were good friends, that much was obvious. They joked about Natalie’s upcoming wedding and worried about how much work they had to fit in before Christmas.
Unlike Natalie and Brooke, Sam had given up rescheduling her work. She just didn’t know where she’d be from one week to the next.
When Brooke mentioned some of the Christmas parties she’d been invited to, Sam sighed. Since she’d moved to Bozeman, she’d been so busy that she hadn’t considered her nonexistent social life. It had taken Caleb to make her realize what she was missing. And as much as she didn’t want to admit it, her sister’s canceled wedding made her even more determined to find her happy-ever-after.
By the time Natalie had ordered a hot chocolate, Sam was feeling sorry for herself. Sometimes having a great career wasn’t enough.
“I’m sorry it took so long to get back to you,” Brooke said as she sat beside Sam.
“That’s okay. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. I tried to call, but you’ve been busy.”
“I turn off my cell phone when I’m serving at the front counter. How can I help?”
Sam chose her words carefully. Brooke was a good friend of Caleb’s and unless Gabe had talked to her, she wouldn’t know Caleb was in the hospital.
“It’s about Caleb. He’s moving to Sapphire Bay, but I can’t find anything for him to rent. He said your house might be available.”
“What happened to his home?”
“Nothing. It’s perfectly fine, but he had an accident two days ago. Moving here will make it easier to get to doctor’s appointments and meet with his physical therapist.”
Brooke’s eyes widened. “Is he okay?”
“He’s better than he was.” Brooke didn’t seem like the type of person who would over-react, so Sam told her the truth. “He was shot in the arm. He’s okay, but he needs to take things slowly for a while.”
“How bad is it?”
“No bones were broken, but there’s a lot of muscle damage.”
“Did the bullet hit an artery?”
Sam took a closer look at Brooke.
“I was a nurse before I moved to Sapphire Bay.”
“The brachial artery was damaged.”
Brooke’s face lost some of its color. “Was he at his house when it happened?”
Sam nodded. “The rescue helicopter flew him to the hospital in Polson. He went into the operating room almost as soon as he arrived.”
Brooke rubbed her temples. “I can’t believe that happened. How did you stop the bleeding?”
“I used to be in the Army. The trauma kit in my truck has a supply of XStat. It gave Caleb enough time to get to the hospital.”
“It would have saved his life.” Brooke took a deep breath. “To answer your question, no one’s renting my house at the moment. Caleb’s welcome to live there, but I couldn’t accept any money from him. He’s my friend.”
“That’s really nice of you, but he wants to pay rent.”
Brooke sighed. “We can talk about that after you’ve seen the house. I can’t leave the store for a couple of hours, but if you want to have a look without me, you can.”
“That would be great.”
“I’ll write down the address and give you the keys. I need to use the back half of the garage for storage, but if Caleb’s happy with that, he can move in whenever he likes.”
Sam couldn’t believe how lucky they were. “Do you have a problem with me and another person being his roommates for a while? We’re still working together.”
“To be honest, it would be a relief knowing you’re there, too. He’s so busy. Slowing down won’t be easy for him.”
