She was still sore, but fortunately she’d only needed Tylenol today. And she was hoping later in the week to go meet with someone at the Pentagon to discuss what had happened. They wanted her to recover from her injuries, of course, but they also needed her account of what had happened.
Walking outside of the cell phone store, she sank down onto a bench and looked down at her phone. Her ribs ached, and she wondered if she hadn’t overdone things today. Her parents would be coming in another half an hour, but now that she had a phone, she could text and let them know she was done.
The guy who worked at the store had suggested rebooting the phone again, so she patiently waited to see what would happen. It felt like forever, but she finally was able to access her email and text messages. Technology was amazing, and she’d felt lost not having her connection to the world.
An unknown number had texted her twice, and her heart fluttered as she clicked on the message.
Hi sweetheart. We made it back to San Diego. Let me know when you’re home. -Grayson
The message had been sent a few days ago—he’d texted her as soon as he got back, she realized. Heat bloomed across her skin. She’d sort of assumed he’d go home and go about with his life. Sure, he’d said he’d text her, but it was a long flight back. He could’ve changed his mind, gotten busy with work, or any number of things.
Clearly, he’d been thinking of her for him to text almost immediately. And he’d texted her again this morning.
I hope you’re okay, sweetheart. I’m guessing you’re back but just don’t have a phone yet. Text me when you do. -Grayson
She smiled despite herself. Hearing from him twice was a pleasant surprise. Sure, he’d been sweet and attentive back in Germany, but she knew when he was home he could easily fall back into his old life and routine.
She quickly thumbed a response:
I just got my new phone! You’re the first person I texted. :) -Hailey
She was surprised when Grayson texted her back almost immediately, assuming he’d be busy with work.
I’m honored. Just grabbing a quick lunch with my team and then I’ll be busy in training all afternoon. Can I call you tonight?
She replied right away:
Yes. Of course you can call.
Her phone buzzed with his reply:
I can’t wait to hear your voice, sweetheart. I’ll call at 8:00 your time.
Smiling, she replied before calling her parents:
I can’t wait.
Her phone buzzed once more:
Me either.
Smiling to herself, she dialed her mom’s cell number, ready to have her parents come pick her up. The past week had been a whirlwind of activity, but hearing from Grayson warmed her from head to toe.
“I’m all done!” Hailey said happily as her mom answered the phone. “My appointment went well, and I just got a new cell phone.”
“Well, you certainly sound like you’re feeling better,” her mom said with a laugh. “What on Earth did the doctor do?”
“Nothing. After I got my phone connected, I saw that the guy I told you about had texted me.”
“The one who saved you? I need to meet this young man.”
Hailey shook her head, smiling. “He doesn’t live here, Mom.”
“I know, I know. So are you ready for us to come get you?”
“I am. I’m outside the cell phone store, just down the block from where you dropped me earlier. Can you meet me here?”
“Sure thing, honey. I wish you would’ve let us come with you.”
“Mom, I’m twenty-eight years old,” Hailey said, exasperated. “That would look kind of silly to have you with me at the doctor’s office.”
“Not if you needed help,” she insisted. “But no matter. We’re on our way. We’ll pick up some lunch on the way home so you can rest this afternoon.”
“That sounds perfect. See you soon!”
Hours later, she was lying on her childhood bed in her old room waiting for Grayson to call. She’d had lunch with her parents earlier and just finished dinner. Her mom had made her favorite homemade spaghetti, but Hailey hadn’t minded being taken care of. It had been a long time since she’d been home, and she’d be on her own again out in California before she knew it.
She’d texted a few of her friends to let them know she was back in town, but at the moment, she didn’t feel up for much of anything aside from just recovering at her parents’ house.
She took a couple more Tylenol and leaned back in her bed again, relaxing. She’d told her parents she needed to rest, and the truth was, she did. She was exhausted after her day, and it felt good to stretch out and just do nothing for the evening. Her body was still sore, but she was excited to talk to Grayson.
She hoped whenever she saw him, she wouldn’t have a nasty scar on her forehead, but that would probably take much longer than she wanted to fully heal. He certainly hadn’t seemed to mind how she looked in Germany.
She anxiously looked at her phone for the millionth time, wondering why the minutes were ticking by so slowly. She felt like she was back in high school or something, waiting for the boy she liked to call. At 8:00 on the dot, her phone buzzed, and she smiled as Grayson’s name flashed on the screen. She’d keyed in his contact info earlier, and it made her heart flutter to see his name there on her phone.
She knew he was just checking on her, and that the sparks between them when they’d met could’ve been from the adrenaline coursing through them and the emotionally-charged situation. Sure, she’d noticed when he’d shown up in her office that afternoon, but everything afterward had been a whirlwind.
Still, she hoped they did eventually have their date when she moved out to California. She liked him—and even if nothing ever came from it other than a single dinner out, she wanted to see him again. Her body responded instantly whenever he was near, and she felt safe with him. Comfortable. She was attracted to him, yes, but it felt like something deeper was there. They’d shared a connection, and she’d be crazy to ignore it when he clearly had felt something, too.
“Hello?” she said as she picked up her phone, immediately feeling silly. Of course she knew it was him.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Grayson said, his low, husky voice making her stomach do flips. “It’s so good to hear your voice again. How are you feeling? You’re back at home?”
“Yeah, I’m at my parents’ house in Virginia. And honestly? Sore. I had a doctor appointment today and got my new phone. My ribs are healing though, so it’ll just take some time. I might’ve overdone it.”
“I’m sorry you’re still in pain, but you can’t know how relieved I am to hear that you’re home and not any worse. When did you get back?”
“A few days ago,” she admitted. “I mostly just slept through the first couple of days home though.”
“I was worried about you,” Grayson admitted in a low voice. “The guys and I got back, but I didn’t like not knowing if you were okay. I didn’t feel like I could call and check with the hospital, but damn. It was hell waiting to hear from you.”
“I still can’t believe you came to see me in Germany,” she said softly.
Grayson chuckled. “Yeah, I pulled some strings with our commander. But we were flying back through there, so it wasn’t as completely crazy at it seemed.”
“Just kind of crazy,” she joked.
“I took some ribbing from the guys, but they understood. Hell, we all saw the damage after the explosion.”
She nodded, realizing he couldn’t see her. “Yeah.”
“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
“You didn’t,” she assured him. “I mean, that would be hard to forget. I’m supposed to go into the Pentagon in a few days to meet with some people about it all. I need to give my statement and whatnot, plus I never really closed out my assignment there.”
“You’re okay for that? For going in I mean?”
“Yeah, I guess. A friend is going to pick me up—
a woman I used to work with. I won’t have to drive there, which is good, since I don’t have a car. I sold it before I went to Bagram.”
“And you’re still planning to move out to California after all this?”
“Yeah,” she said lightly. “It’s kind of crazy that you live out there, too, but this transfer has been in the works for a while. I wanted a change of pace after I got back from my year-long assignment in Afghanistan. I wish I wasn’t injured, but I’m looking forward to it more than ever now,” she admitted.
“Hell, sweetheart. While things didn’t go as planned when my team and I were there, I’ll never regret that I got to meet you because of it.”
“Me either. I’m moving in three weeks,” she said.
“So you are.” Hailey could practically hear his smile on the other end of the line. “I know you’ll need to get settled after you get here, but hell. I can’t wait to see you again and take you out on an actual date.”
“Aren’t you worried?”
“Worried about what, sweetheart?”
“This. Us. It was kind of a crazy situation. I mean—I’m excited to see you,” she admitted. “It’s just, everything happened so quickly. Never mind, it’s silly for me to be worried,” she hastily added.
“It’s not silly,” he said. “We did have an instant connection, and that doesn’t usually happen. Hell, I don’t know if that’s ever happened to me before. But Hailey? It’s just dinner. I’ll take you out, show you around San Diego, and we’ll see where things go after that. I have a feeling that I’ll be taking you out again—for more than just dinner. But I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or worry—if I’m moving too fast or something, just say so.”
“It’s not too fast,” she assured him. “And you’re right—it’s dinner. We were going to have dinner back in Bagram anyway, right?”
Grayson chuckled. “Right. But don’t worry, I’m taking you somewhere a hell of a lot better than the chow hall.”
“Well, thank goodness for small miracles,” she teased. “So tell me about San Diego. Do you have an apartment there or what?”
“Apartment,” he confirmed. “It’s down by the water. What can I say? I love the beach. The other guys on my team aren’t too far away. You’ve met them all, so you’ll know a few people when you come. And I’m sure you’ll meet Blake’s girlfriend Clarissa at some point. I think you’ll like her. And I know the guys will all want to see you again and know that you’re okay.”
“That’s sweet.” She yawned, and Grayson muttered something under his breath.
“I should let you get some rest, sweetheart. You already said you had a busy day and were sore. Your body needs time to recover.”
“I am a little tired,” she admitted.
“We’ll talk again soon,” he promised. “And I want to know your address and everything for when you get here.”
“Yeah, I’ll text you my address. I wonder how far apart I’ll be living from you? It’s kind of surreal—here I thought I was moving across the country without knowing anyone.”
“You know me. And I promise that no matter what happens—whatever happens between us, you’ll have a friend out here. I’m not ashamed to admit I hope we’ll be much more than that, but even if it doesn’t work out for whatever reason, I’m here for you. You went through a lot, and I was right there living it, too. Same with the other guys. If you need someone, we’re here. I’ll get you their numbers too when you move.”
“Their numbers?”
“Yeah. I don’t want you to ever feel like you’re alone out here. It’s damn crazy that we met halfway around the world right before you were moving out here, but hell. I’m thrilled you’ll be in San Diego soon. What are the chances of something like that?”
She laughed softly. “I don’t know. Astronomical I suppose.”
“Exactly. It’s like fate that you were there for me to find.”
“You saved my life, Grayson.”
“So I did. And I want to get to know you more. I can’t wait until I can see you in person, take you out on a real date, kiss you goodnight.”
She flushed, smiling. “I can’t wait, either. And thanks Grayson. I mean it. I don’t know how long it would’ve taken someone to find me in the building, but you rushed in there after me. I can never thank you enough for that.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” he said, his voice husky.
“I do,” she insisted.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. I can’t wait to see you in person in a few short weeks. We’ll talk again soon, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Sweet dreams.”
She laughed softly, knowing she probably would have sweet dreams now that she’d talked to him. She’d been up a few times over the past several nights with nightmares, but she had a feeling tonight, she’d sleep like a baby for a change. Knowing Grayson had been thinking of her made her feel safe somehow. Comforted. And his deep voice in her ear soothed her in a way she simply couldn’t explain.
“I can’t wait to see you either. Goodnight, Grayson.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart.”
Chapter 8
GRAYSON CURSED THE following week as the commander gathered them in the briefing room on base. They of course could get called up for an op at a moment’s notice, but the timing of this wasn’t ideal. They never knew if they’d have days or hours to prepare for a mission, and right now, they were getting sent out immediately.
Blake crossed his arms as the others took their seats, looking at the terrain in Afghanistan on the massive TV screen. New intel on Sayed had come in, and their team was getting sent back to Bagram. This time they wouldn’t even meet with the general when they arrived. They’d land in country and move to a forward-operating base, out of sight of everyone at Bagram Airfield.
“And we’re certain he’s there?” Blake asked, nodding at the images.
Commander Slate Hutchinson frowned, glancing around the room. He was older than the other men, in his mid-forties, but he still had the build of a SEAL. He now commanded several of the teams here in Coronado and was well-respected by everyone on base. “Sat imagery and signals intelligence pinpoint him at this exact location. He’s thirty miles south of the village you searched, holed up near the mountains. Your team will be working entirely alone this time. It’s a small camp, and you’ll infiltrate and extract Sayed.”
“And the mole?” Grayson asked, frowning.
Jackson shifted beside him, his jaw tense. None of the men were happy that a likely traitor was still in Bagram somewhere.
“Undetected. Whoever it is appears to be lying low after that bombing. There have been no other incidents in or around Bagram Airfield, although there are two people still missing.”
“Shit,” Grayson muttered under his breath.
He’d talked with Hailey every night since she’d gotten her new cell phone, and he knew she was worried sick about her friend Kim. Some evenings they’d chatted for hours, some days he’d been stuck on base and only had time for a quick call because of the time difference. It was fast and crazy, but he felt more and more like he was talking to his girlfriend each night instead of a woman he’d never even taken on a real date.
He was falling for her. Hard. It was weird since he usually took the women he met to bed right away. They’d meet at a bar, go home together, have a fun night. This felt different and right though. More real than any of those past flings he’d had over the years. And damn if he didn’t hate hearing Hailey upset about her friend.
“Hailey’s friend is one of the people missing,” Ethan ascertained.
Grayson nodded. “Hailey saw her in the building right before the bombing, but after that, she disappeared.”
“Kimberly Turner doesn’t work in the general’s office,” Commander Hutchinson said. “As you’re aware, it’s believed someone assigned there was leaking information, working with someone in Sayed’s group.”
“And Kim was only there for reserve duty,” Grayson
said. “She wasn’t assigned to Bagram and wouldn’t have access to all the information people stationed there might.”
“She’s a civilian?” Logan asked.
“Reservist,” Grayson said. “I think she’s a DOD contractor. That’s how she and Hailey met back in Arlington.”
“Well hell,” Blake said. “If she’s not even based in his office, she can’t be the mole. So why the hell is she missing?”
“No one thinks she’s involved,” their commander said dryly. “I was only mentioning it because neither of the missing are from the office where we believe the mole is. The destroyed section of the building has been searched completely. Dogs were brought in, specialized recovery teams. She’s gone.”
“Kidnapped?” Jackson asked with a frown. “It’s doesn’t sound like she’d go AWOL.”
“Can a reservist even go AWOL?” Logan asked, scrubbing his hand over his jaw.
“Technically, yes, while she’s on her assignment,” Blake said. “Who’s the second person?”
“Another woman assigned to a different area on base,” Commander Hutchinson informed the men.
“How the fuck would someone kidnap them? The front gate was heavily guarded by that point. How could anyone even leave?” Troy said, clenching his jaw. He pounded his fist on the table, looking agitated. As much as all the men on the team felt it was their duty to rescue civilians, Troy always seemed to have a soft spot for women. He had several younger sisters and was naturally the protective type.
“Shit,” Grayson muttered. “A terrorist attacking U.S. forces, a possible kidnapping.”
“Your team will move in and capture Sayed,” their commander said. “We need him alive to find out who he’s working with, who on base is involved. If it’s an American, they’ll be charged with treason. Americans have died because of his attacks, and now two American women are missing as well.”
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