"Everything they can. I'm fine, I promise. Maddox is taking good care of me."
Her mother's voice lightened and Joselyn could almost hear the teasing smile behind it. "Tell me more about this bodyguard of yours who is taking such good care of my baby."
Joselyn glanced over at him as he navigated the two-lane Mississippi road. Gazing ahead intently, she noticed the periodic flick of his eyes on the mirrors to ensure they were not being followed. Reaching over she squeezed his hand firmly and got a smile in return. Turning his head he winked at her before returning his attention to the road ahead.
"He's former military, a SEAL, and extremely capable of taking care of any situation which may arise. "
"And?"
"And what, Mom?"
Her mother huffed. "And what does he look like? Is there a spark between you? There must be because your voice gets all breathy when you say his name. Maaddoox."
"Mom!" Joselyn squeaked. Shooting a look over at him to see if he heard, she saw one corner of his mouth tug upwards ever so slightly. Lord, open the ground right here and swallow her whole!
"Well?"
Joselyn chose her words carefully. "He's my bodyguard. He's a professional."
Her mother laughed. "I see. He's a professional. Joselyn Annalisa Kendrik, you can't hide from me. You like him. You like him a lot."
Pulling her hand out of his, she turned toward the door. Cupping her hand around the mouthpiece she whispered, "Yeah. I do." She wasn't about to explain to her mother exactly how much she liked Maddox Benson, especially not with him sitting a couple of feet away. She was head over heels in love with him. "Look, I'll call you later and we can talk more. I gave you his Aunt and Uncle's telephone number. Maddox doesn't want to take a chance in case someone may be able to track me using the GPS on my cell so I'm going to be offline. If you need me, call them. Okay?"
"Alright baby. You be careful. And Joselyn?"
"Yes, Mom?"
"When this is over, I expect to meet your capable bodyguard. Do you understand me?"
She couldn't hide the grin. "Yes, Ma'am. Love you. Give Aunt Laura my love please."
"I will. Love you, too."
The line went dead and she immediately turned her cell off. Stuffing it into her purse, she relaxed back into the soft leather cushions of the truck seats. "So, tell me about this farm we're going to. Aren't you afraid of bringing trouble to their door?"
"Nope. Nobody knows about the farm. However, if trouble comes, they will be sorry. Uncle Aaron is ex-military. He was a Green Beret and there's nobody I'd rather have my six besides my team. He may be older and a little slower but he's still deadly. The rumor in the family is he could go into the woods with a rifle and three bullets and come out with a buck, six rabbits and still have one bullet left." Maddox chuckled softly. "He's the reason I decided to go into the SEALs. "
She nodded slowly as she absorbed the information. "So, answer this for me. I saw Black Hawk Down which had Delta Force in it. I know both Delta and Green Berets are special forces for the Army sort of like SEALs are for the Navy. What is the difference between Delta and Green Beret? Aren't they the same thing?
He hesitated as he changed lanes and slowed. Checking the mirrors, he turned the truck onto a dirt road. "No, they aren't the same. Until a few years ago, nobody even knew Delta Force existed. They deal mostly with black ops. It's so hushed, if one of them dies, they aren't even acknowledged as being in Delta Force. Green Berets is white ops and well known. You want something done, call the Green Berets. You want it done and nobody ever knows there was a problem much less a solution, call Delta."
A shiver crept up her back. "And the SEALs?"
His gaze found hers and smirked. "SEALs are badasses who get the job done. Period. We don't care about the color of the op. We just go in, get it done, and go home." He patted her hand. He slowed and drove over the cattle guard and around the driveway. On both sides, dogs barked and ran alongside. Cresting a small hill, he finally stopped in front of a large house beside an old beat up truck.
Joselyn gazed at the building. It was exactly how she thought a farm should look. Two stories made of white clapboard with a huge wraparound porch and sitting in the midst of a large yard with several large trees shading the lawn. To one side, she saw a large barn and several smaller buildings including a chicken coop and storage shed. An older faded green tractor rested underneath. Behind the house, she could just see another, larger shed peeking out with some sort of large vehicle underneath. Even though the closed windows, she could hear the sounds of horses, cows and other animals nearby. Rail fences weathered to gray ran the perimeter of the property as far as the eye could see. Craning her neck, she caught the sight of a sea of gently waving grass in the pasture. Shadows lengthen as the sun sank behind the barn. She smiled wistfully. Norman Rockwell would have a field day here.
As Maddox got out before going around and opening her door, an older couple stood up from a pair of matching rocking chairs and peered at the truck expectantly. Huge grins erupted on their faces when they recognized him.
"Maddox!" The woman moved quickly down the steps and reached up to embrace him. Wearing a pair of worn denim jeans and an old blue checked shirt she was still much shorter than him, even with a pair of muddy boots on her feet. Her dark brown eyes sparkled as Maddox dropped a kiss onto her forehead. Standing back, she held his hands and tsked. "We haven't heard from you in so long. Your mother is going to be over the moon."
Once his aunt released him, he turned to his uncle and clasped hands. With a tug, the huge man pulled his nephew into an embrace before slapping him soundly on the back. "Good to see you, Son," he boomed. "It's been much too long since you last came to visit." He tousled Maddox's hair like he was a small child. "Getting a little shaggy there. You forget your barber's address?"
He chuckled. "The SEALs prefer it; longer hair helps us blend in. The last thing we need while in another country is to stand out and look like military. However, you're right, it's gotten a little too long. I'll get it cut soon."
Joselyn stood quietly by the front of the truck and watched the family reunion unfold. She could see a strong resemblance between Maddox and his uncle. Both men were tall and soundly built. Though Maddox's was still black and longer, his uncle's hair was much short and shot through with silver They both had the same smile, same nose, and the exact same ice blue eyes. Looking at his uncle, Joselyn felt as if she was getting a glimpse of Maddox in another thirty years.
As if he suddenly remembered she was there, Maddox motioned for her to join him. His aunt's eyebrows raised as she looked Joselyn over." Uncle Aaron, Aunt Celia, this is Joselyn Kendrik."
Feeling a bit awkward, Joselyn gave them both a brilliant smile and held out her hand. "Hello," she stated. "I'm very pleased to meet you. You have a lovely place here."
Celia clucked her tongue and pulled her into her arms. "None of that handshake stuff with family." Hugging her tight, Celia let her go and looked her over again. "Really happy to meet you. Maddox hasn't brought home a friend before." Wrapping an arm around Joselyn's waist, she pulled her toward the porch. "Come have a seat. Supper will be ready in an hour, so let's relax a bit and get to know each other. I made a pot roast tonight. Good time to come visit because I know how much you like it, Maddox. "Helping Joselyn to a rocker, she asked them, "Tea or lemonade?"
"Tea, please," she said politely.
"Same," Maddox agreed.
Celia nodded and disappeared into the house. She emerged a few moments later with a tray carrying several ice-filled glasses and a pitcher of tea. Behind her, a man and a woman followed.
A genuine smile lit Maddox's face. "Shaun! Hannah!" He stood and hugged them both. "I didn't know you were home. Last I heard it would be a few weeks yet. Where's your rig?" He held Hannah at arm's length. "You look stunning." He touched her rounded stomach. "Congratulations."
Hannah looked to her husband. "The RV is in the back, out of the way. I've been having some pretty gnarly
morning sickness which lasts all day so the company I obtain my contracts through let me out early with no repercussions. They had another nurse ready to begin." She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "So here we are."
Joselyn watched the two cousins interact. They seemed to be so close and it was the first time she had ever seen Maddox truly relax. Rocking the chair with her feet, she melted into the cushion and turned her gaze to the scenery. It wasn't exactly quiet but it was peaceful. She sighed happily. Even if she hadn't been forced from her home by a crazed maniac, this was a good idea. Until this moment, she hadn't realized how mentally exhausted she had become.
Her attention was drawn back to the discussion as Maddox introduced her to Shaun and Hannah. Afterward, everyone slipped into easy conversations about the farm. When there was a lull, Aaron looked at Maddox in the same strange manner as most parents when they knew something was going on. Finally, he spoke. "Not that we're not glad to see you but I'm surprised you didn't tell us you were coming. I talked to Sarah yesterday and she didn't say anything about you being on leave."
Maddox swept his hand through his hair. "Ah, yeah, well, about that. Mom doesn't know I'm here and I'm not on leave."
"Boy, if you went AWOL..." Aaron jumped to his feet.
Maddox stopped him with a slash of his hand. "I'm not AWOL. I retired. Last month."
The silence of shock filled the air. Suddenly, everyone began talking at once.
Maddox halted the confusion with a raised hand. "One minute, please, and I'll explain. I didn't tell anyone I was retiring because I didn't know I was going to until the last minute. I had decided to re-up again for another tour but when I got my reenlistment papers, CO told me they were going to move me to a desk job. I'm still in good shape and I still meet the requirements but with new blood coming in, they were going to put me into a position where they could, as they said, 'utilize my vast experience in a more logistical manner'. I'm not cut out to be a desk jockey so I opted out. Twenty years is enough for me if he wasn't going to put me back with my team. It sort of happened quickly; I made the decision while standing there in his office with the papers in my hand. Once I was out, it hit me I had no real plans where my future was concerned. I figured I would come see Mom for a bit and maybe help out on the farm here for the summer. Well, it was my original intention but you know how those can go." He looked at Joselyn and winked.
"Hmmm," Hannah hummed knowingly.
Maddox laughed. "Not what you think." He proceeded to tell them about the telephone call from Bull, driving to New Orleans and everything that had happened since. When he was done, Aaron whistled.
"I'm glad you brought her here. Between the three of us, we can keep a good eye on her."
Joselyn's brown wrinkled. "Aren't you concerned about Celia and Hannah?"
Aaron chuckled. "If anybody is foolish enough to come on this farm thinking he's going to mess with my ladies, he's going to be hopping out of here with a few pounds of lead in his butt. You don't worry about us, Joselyn. We take care of our own and now that includes you as well."
Celia chose that moment to stand and clap her hands together. "Alright, enough jabbering for now. Dinner should be ready and I don't want to feed you a stringy dry roast so let's get to it." She stopped and patted Joselyn's arm. "Don't you worry none at all, honey. Everything will be fine. "
Joselyn smiled gratefully. "Thank you so much for the warm welcome."
Celia snorted. "Think nothing of it."
Joselyn followed them into the house. For the first time, she felt as if a weight had lifted off her shoulders and she could actually relax. As if reading her thoughts, Maddox leaned over and pressed his lips to her temple.
"You're safe, honey, just like I promised you."
Chapter 16
River sat back on his haunches, turned on the hose, and splashed water onto his face and head. Standing, he turned off the spigot, pulled off his shirt and wiped the rivulets of water from his shoulders and chest. With a casual thrust of his fingers through his hair to push it back off his face, he mopped it with his shirt and tossed the damp material onto his shoulder. He retrieved the shovel from where he had left it and quickly placed it back into the storage shed. Rounding the corner, he stopped in his tracks and searched for Joselyn. He relaxed to find her sitting on the porch, a large bowl of dried peanuts in her lap and a brilliant smile on her face. Reaching the porch, he stopped in front of her, leaned against the rail and watched her. She had easily settled into life on the farm.
His heart lurched when heard her laughing at something Hannah said. Again, he was amazed at how quickly he had fallen for this beautiful woman. Seeing her there so comfortable and carefree eased his tension. He longed to see her like this rather than fear drawing her face into harder lines. She looked into the bowl, picked a plump brown pod, popped it open and removed the nuts. The discarded hulls were dropped into a bin at her feet. Glancing up, she noticed him watching her and she averted her gaze as her face turned a beautiful shade of pink.
"Hey." She tossed her head, sending a few tendrils of hair out of her eyes." Celia is going to teach me how to make peanut butter."
He grinned. "She always made the best. I can remember many hours spent shelling peanuts for her."
"And eating them. I swear, between you and Shaun, I'd give you enough peanuts to make a dozen jars but somehow only got seven or eight. "
Laughter filled the air. "True but we were careful to not eat too many. We sure didn't want a stomach ache knowing you were going to make cookies with it later."
She pursed her lips. "Which reminds me. I need to make some cookies and take them over to Lenora Ellis' house tomorrow. The ladies' auxiliary is feeding the family while she's recovering from surgery. "
"Please tell me you are going to give Joselyn your recipe." He leaned over the rail. "I've been trying for years to get it out of you. Nobody knows the secret of your cookies but everyone agrees they are the best."
"You know the rule, Maddox. Only the women folk of the family get the recipe." She flashed him a knowing smile. "Joselyn is sweet as apple pie but she's not family. Yet."
The implied meaning hung in the air, catching Joselyn as she was taking a drink of tea. She coughed on the drink and Hannah reached over, pounding her on the back while her eyes watered. "Drink it don't breath it, hon," Hannah said with a laugh.
"So, are you through already?" Celia queried.
River noticed how she steered the attention away from the loaded statement and chuckled. That was Aunt Celia for you - zing one in one second and take the sting out the next. He nodded. "Yep. Mucking out a stable goes a lot faster when you aren't trying to find a dozen reasons to avoid it. Shaun went to check on Uncle Aaron." He looked at the darkening sky. "Looks like rain this afternoon so Shaun figured he'd help him finish checking on the cows."
He hopped up on the porch, reached into Joselyn's bowl and stole a handful of nuts. She yelled at him then slapped at his arm playfully. Making a face she drew back and waved her hand in front of her face. "Shoo! You are rank!"
He shrugged. "There's a reason it's called mucking. The stuff in the stalls is half straw and half crap. And when I say crap, I mean crap. Always amazed me how sweet smelling hay and grass turned so smelly in a horse's stomach. You know, I played around with the idea of becoming a veterinarian once. I figured curiosity over a cow's digestive tract wasn't a good reason to spend ten years in school though."
"Go on and get a shower. You're not fit for mixed company," his aunt said. "Put your dirty clothes in the hamper in the hall and not the one in the bathroom. I wash work clothes separate."
"I remember," he said and dropped a kiss on his aunt's cheek. Giving Joselyn a wink he toed off his work boots and entered the house in his sock-covered feet.
Last night, after dinner was done, River and Joselyn had told them more about the stalker who was after her including his gifts and the way he had invaded her home. Predictably, they were outraged and reaffirmed their welcome to th
e farm. She could stay as long as she liked and that made Joselyn visibly relax. This morning, over coffee, the three men discussed strategy and security measures. Once plans were made, the three disappeared to do morning chores. After all, this was a working farm. That meant, if you ate at the table, you worked. Neither River nor Joselyn would be able to laze around all day doing nothing. Even Hannah, in her delicate state, was given a few easy things to do. It was decided River would complete the chores closer to the house and barn. There was no way Donavan Beecher could find them but River wasn't taking any chances. Until Bull called with the all clear, he was sticking to Joselyn like glue.
Showered and changed, River rejoined them on the porch. The pile of hulls had gotten noticeably larger and the number of bowls to be shelled were much smaller. Reaching over, he grabbed another handful and tossed them into his mouth. Aunt Celia clucked in displeasure.
River sat in the swing and watched the ladies as they talked and worked. It was so relaxing here; he had forgotten how wonderful the farm was. Memories of countless summers flashed through his mind. It had been the perfect place to grow up and he wanted the same sort of life for his children one day.
He froze in shock. Where had that thought come from? He shook his head to clear it. It was too early to even entertain anything like futures with children and maybe a sweet but feisty blonde haired beauty at his side. He glanced at Joselyn again and caught her watching him through her thick lashes. She looked so beautiful it made his heart ache. When she let him kiss her, he felt as if he had the world in his pocket. When she let him hold and comfort her, there was nothing he couldn't do. She mattered to him. He snorted to himself. Who was he kidding? She more than merely mattered. He had fallen for her. He winked at her and she turned back to the peanuts. Yeah, they needed to have a talk. Sooner rather than later.
"Oh, Maddox, while I'm thinking about it. My knives could use sharpening. Aaron doesn't do as well as you. Would you mind?"
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protecting Joselyn (Kindle Worlds) Page 12
