The applause erupts and I let a smile slip. My teeth are still the same so I was trying to keep those under wraps, but I can’t contain my happiness. I’m backing away, off to the side where the stairs are. We held the press conference at the local news station because I couldn’t be at Lexington today., but the crowd contains people from all over. I didn’t make eye contact with anyone while I was reading the teleprompter, but I do now, and I see them. Rayleen and her toothless grin. Gary and Roger from the Gold Hawke bar or gym or whatever, and Felix with his daughter on his shoulders. She’s so much bigger than when I last saw her in photos when I was doing research on Felix. I’m trembling with a combination of excitement and fear when I lock my hand in Nate’s. He’s wearing a ball cap, and he’s dressed down. Unlike any images that might be on the internet already. “Do you see them,” I ask, teeth gritted.
He nods. “You saved Frank’s life last year. I didn’t tell you. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to know. All of these people here have been saved because of you.”
I’m shaking, but he’s holding me so I can put one foot in front of the other. “Felix,” I choke out. These people don’t know who we are, well Felix might, they’re only here to celebrate the good things Lexington Pharm is doing—the steps I’m taking to roll out the lifesaving medication people need… fast. It’s perfectly, joyous happenstance.
That gets his attention. “He’s here?”
I swallow down the lump in my throat. “Toward the back. Middle.” Nate’s gaze darts to where I mentioned and his face changes, softens and a beatific smile breaks across his beautiful face.
“Willow,” he says, eyes glassy. “He looks good.” He puts his hand up, and I see the second actual recognition dawns on Felix’s face as he stares in our direction. Eyes narrow, lips part, and his smile widens. He doesn’t say anything else, just puts his arm around my shoulder and walks me out to the parking lot. There are a few people from our neighborhood that we stop to chat with. They’re surprised by the announcement because they didn’t know we did anything except own the bakery. It’s the way we wanted it—undercover until we had prepared everything according to plan. When the friendly conversation is over, we see him lingering near our SUV. Protectively, I put a hand on my stomach. The one person who could have taken this life away from me. I think he’s retired now, but the bags and lines that cut across his face belie his age. He could be a hundred and twenty for all of the wear and tear he’s been subjected to.
There hasn’t been another Charge Man in the situation that Nate was. The initial training, or programming, or whatever it’s called, worked, and another instance of it faltering hasn’t been reported. Nate’s case haunts him, and no matter how many times they opened it back up to see if they missed something, or could explain it away, they were left defeated. I like to think our love was just that transcending that not even science could explain it, but I don’t think we’ll ever find out the truth. Not with Coldren looking as if he’s on his deathbed. “Tell me, how is life?” Coldren asks, tone creaky. “How do you feel?”
I can tell this is a question Nate has been asked a lot, because while he squirms out of my grasp to position his body in front of mine, it feels like autopilot. An old habit dying hard. “Life is everything.” Nate’s response is simple. “Why are you here? I feel like I was always supposed to feel, but couldn’t. This is how it’s meant to be. I feel everything.”
Coldren’s eyes twinkle. “Amazing. Just amazing.” His gaze turns curious as he notices me cradling my stomach. “Is that? Is that? Are you expecting a baby?”
If I thought Nate was in a protective stance before, now he’s pushed me behind his body completely. “Why would it matter?”
“It wasn’t supposed to be possible, Nate,” Coldren says, incredulously.
Nate clears his throat. “It’s a healthy baby. You never told me it wasn’t possible to have biological children. That was never mentioned at any point. I’m sure of it.”
“What was the point? You were no longer in the program. I had bigger problems to deal with.” He did deal with them effortlessly. I still can’t believe how much he just made go away. Then again, my dad was the master at that same exact skill. “You defy odds over and over again. It goes against all of my research. There’s no rational explanation and I’m running out of time to figure it out.”
“I will do what I’ll always do. What I do for her, I will do for him. Not because you asked me to, because I want to. I’ll always protect the heartbeat.” Nate grabs behind him, to find my hand, and I take it. There’s a nagging lump in my throat. From the unknown, and because I hear the emotion in his voice.
“No one is asking you to figure anything out,” I say, stepping out, next to Nate, his hand laced with mine. “Thank you for giving us our lives back. It was the greatest gift anyone could have given us. If you’ll excuse us though, we’ll be heading back to it now.”
Coldren lays a hand on the door handle to keep Nate from grabbing it, and I can see my husband coil in rage, readying to fight. I lay my hand on his shoulder. “I did come all the way here to tell you something.” His forehead wrinkles even further. “Your father is out of prison. It was a quiet release. No one knows. Don’t ask me the how’s or whys because that’s something else I can’t explain rationally, but I thought you should know. He’s proud of you and your life and he seems to have turned over a new leaf in his endeavors. He has agreed to leave you and Nate out of his plans. He wants you to continue your life. He wants you to have a happily ever after without his interference. I came here to tell you you’re safe. You’ll always be safe.”
My stomach turns over and I spin with dizziness. Nate steadies me, pulling me to his side. “How do you know?” I ask, breathless. Coldren is talking like he knows this information firsthand—like he’s spoken with my father.
“Presley,” he whispers. “That’s why I’m here today. To bring news. He owns The Charge Men now. That’s his only focus. He’s in charge of everything.”
Other Titles by Rachel Robinson
CRAZY GOOD SERIES
CRAZY GOOD
SET IN STONE
TIME AND SPACE
LEGACY: A Salvation Society Novel
THE REAL SEAL SERIES
BLACK AND WHITE FLOWERS
HERO HAIR
LIFE PLUS ONE
BRONZE BAY SEAL SERIES
KEEPING IT
TOSSING IT
STEALING IT
HARBOUR POINT SEAL SERIES
LUST IN TRANSLATION
ALMOST HAD YOU
NEVER ALWAYS
THE SUMMIT SEDUCTION SEAL DUET
FLASH BANG
ON HIS SIX
THE CHARGE MEN SERIES
THE LOVE YOU HATE
EROTIC ROMANCE NOVELS
FROG HOG – Valen and Hutch
THE DOM GAMES
Visit Rachel Robinson online
http://www.racheljrobinson.com/
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The Love You Hate: A Charge Man Novel (The Charge Men Series Book 1) Page 23
