by Julia Crane
“He’ll be here soon. Calm down,” Anna chastised, reaching across the table and snagging Keegan’s phone.
Keegan touched the necklace she had grown to love. “I know. I just miss him so much.”
Rourk was impatient to see Keegan. Tommy was talking his ear off, but he only heard half of what he was saying. He tried to nod at the appropriate times. He realized he was tapping his foot and immediately planted his foot firmly on the ground. Keegan was the only person that had been able to get under his skin. He didn’t feel in control when it came to her. Not that he minded. When was this plane going to land? He looked at his watch yet again.
Finally, he heard the landing gears and a wave of relief washed over him. It wouldn’t be long now. The excitement was building in his chest as they walked towards the greeting area.
Keegan raced to him as soon as he passed security. He loved that she was as excited as he was to be back with her. “I missed you,” he whispered in her ear.
“It felt like it took you forever to get here.” She pressed her body to his.
“I know.” He buried his head in her hair inhaling her scent.
Tommy cleared his throat. “Are you going to introduce me or what?”
Rourk jerked away from Keegan and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I forgot you were here.”
“Thanks…”
“Keegan, this is Tommy—my friend I’ve told you about.”
Keegan took in the tall, slender blond boy with kind blue eyes and freckles scattered across his face. There was nothing remarkable about him, but he had an infectious smile. She found herself liking him immediately. Keegan turned to introduce Anna, but she wasn’t there.
Where did she go? Keegan glanced around and didn’t see her anywhere. Great. She grabbed her phone out of her pocket to find out where she went and noticed she had a text from her.
Went to get the car meet you out front.
“Anna’s waiting out front.” Keegan wrapped her arm around Rourk’s waist and smiled up at him. “Let’s go. Where is your hotel?”
“We got a place close to Anna’s to try to limit the inconvenience.”
“That was a great idea.”
Keegan steered them towards Anna’s old beat-up brown Buick. She had no idea how that thing was still running, or how it had made the cross-country trip. Anna jumped out and ran around to open the trunk. She looked up and nearly bumped into Tommy. “Oh.”
Tommy inhaled sharply. “You’re Anna?”
She nodded slowly. “You’re Tommy?”
They reached for the trunk at the same time and pulled back their hands quickly as they touched.
“You shocked me!” Anna laughed.
“You shocked me. You’re, like, electric.” Tommy gave her a crooked grin.
Rourk and Keegan watched the exchange. There was obviously a mutual attraction going on. Maybe I’m not so bad at match making after all, Keegan thought with a smirk.
As if Rourk knew what she was thinking, he grinned and shook his head while he opened the front door for her. “Stay out of it.” He reached down and kissed her, and she wished they were alone. It was going to be hard to share him this weekend. She wanted him all to herself.
Anna took off down the road. She kept glancing in the mirror at Tommy and smiling. Keegan couldn’t believe it—she had never seen Anna take to someone so quickly. It was good to see that she had moved on from her long time obsession with Xavier.
Keegan turned in her seat. “Do you guys want to be dropped off at the hotel or go to Anna’s for a bit?”
“I’m not in a rush to get to the hotel. I’d like to see where Anna lives.” Tommy looked at Rourk. “If that’s ok with you.”
“Apartment sounds good.” Rourk had just got Keegan; he wasn’t ready to part ways.
Keegan turned back and gave him a grateful smile.
Tommy leaned forward in his seat and draped his arm over the front seat. “So, do you like living in Washington?”
Anna glanced over her shoulder and flashed him a dazzling smile. “I love it here. It’s so beautiful, even with all the rain. There’s so much to do outdoors and tons of cool coffee shops.”
“Eyes on the road before you get us killed,” Keegan said, poking Anna in the arm.
Anna gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes back on the road. “You’re right. I just get so excited about this place. It’s home now.”
“How far is your apartment from here?” Tommy asked.
“It’s not too far. About another twenty-five minutes.” Anna turned up the radio and tapped her fingers along with the music. She kept glancing the guy in the backseat. She had joked about meeting Rourk’s friend, but she had no idea he would be so incredible sexy. He probably thought she was a weirdo. She never had any luck with guys.
Anna eased the car into her parking lot. She couldn’t remember if she had picked up around her place before she left or not. She had been too excited to see Keegan. Oh, well. Too late to do anything about it now.
The guys grabbed their backpacks and followed Anna and Keegan up the cobblestone walkway. Keegan was surprised by the flowers that paved the way. There were daisies and peonies in a variety of colors, flanked by bushy spider plants and tall, yellow black-eyed Susans. The lawn was emerald green.
“Anna, how do you keep your flowers alive?” Keegan asked. “I can’t even keep a houseplant for more than a couple of weeks.”
“Magic,” Anna replied casually.
Keegan sucked in a breath and looked at Tommy to see his reaction. He was unfazed. It must have gone over his head—or he thought she was joking.
“Good one.” Keegan laughed.
Anna fumbled with her keys and unlocked the small, bright blue door. She pushed it open, switching on the light as they walked though.
Keegan gasped—it was beautiful. Anna’s new home was a tiny studio apartment that felt like a hidden oasis. Pots of herbs perched on all the windowsills and crystals were scattered around every available surface. A small altar occupied a corner of the living area; Celtic music played softly in the background. The whole apartment smelled of patchouli. She still had a few unpacked boxes in the corner.
The place seemed like it was made especially for Anna. It was obvious that she loved the place from the way she cared for it—from the pressed pagan tapestries on the walls to the shiny, clean hardwood floors. Keegan could see why Anna had fallen in love with it.
“Do you guys want coffee?” Anna threw her keys on the counter and walked into the kitchen.
“Sure. I could use a cup.” Tommy dropped his bag at the doorway and followed her to the kitchen.
Keegan and Rourk looked at each other and shared a smile. Keegan pulled him towards the black suede futon. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” He buried his head in her hair. “I missed your smell.”
Keegan laughed. His voice sent chills down her spine.
“Just think—next month, I will be Mrs. Kavanagh. Keegan Kavanagh. I like the sound of it.”
“We’ll have to start calling you K-squared.” Tommy laughed as he walked back into the room.
“K-squared has a nice ring to it.” Anna trailed behind him, holding a mug in her hand. “Do you guys want a cup? If so, help yourselves.”
Rourk glanced at Keegan. “Want me to make you one?”
“Sure. Milk and two sugars. And no one is calling me K-squared.”
Rourk stood up, and Tommy went with him, staying silent until they were in the kitchen. “Holy shit, Rourk. Why didn’t you tell me that Anna was a goddess? I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone so incredible in my life.”
“I never noticed.” Rourk shrugged. He opened several cabinets searching for Anna’s coffee mugs before Tommy indicated the right one.
“Never noticed? It’s blinding,” Tommy said in a hushed tone.
“I feel the same way about Keegan. She’s the only thing I notice when she is around.” Rourk looked over the counter at Keegan who
was sitting on the couch with her feet tucked beneath her while she talked to an animated Anna.
“I’m sure she’s way out of my league.” Tommy’s face fell as his eyes drifted to Anna.
Rourk stirred Keegan’s coffee and poured himself a cup—he drank it black. In the military, you didn’t always have the luxury of milk and sugar.
“You never know until you try. Stranger things have happened,” Rourk finally answered, thinking of Tommy’s miraculous recovery. He narrowed his eyes as he tapped the spoon on Keegan’s mug. “She’s Keegan’s best friend. Don’t even think of hurting her.”
“Duly noted. I doubt she’d even give me the time of day.”
Rourk put the spoon in the sink and went back to the sitting area. It wasn’t exactly new territory, the fact that Tommy was always going on about girls. Rourk just wanted to be with Keegan. Tommy could take care of himself.
He handed the cup to Keegan and their hands brushed; she smiled when the tingling sensation shot through her from the contact. Her smile was luminous.
The four of them sat and talked for an hour, catching up. Keegan found it amusing to watch the attraction between Anna and Tommy. She caught them stealing glances at each other several times. Who would have guessed it?
Chapter 18
When his third mug was empty, Rourk patted Keegan’s leg and smiled. “Are you ready to check out some apartments? If we don’t get started soon, we’ll have to push it off till tomorrow.”
“I thought you would never ask.”
Anna sighed. “I guess that means I have to get up. It’s so nice having company.”
Tommy pulled a notebook from his backpack. “Do you know where this apartment is?”
She took the paper and stared at it. “Not really. But we can plug it into the GPS and it will show us the way.”
Tommy laughed. “Well, I have a few different ones I’d like to check out, if you don’t mind?”
“I’m at your service. You ask, and you shall receive.”
“Anna, watch what you say around this one,” Rourk warned with a grin.
“He’s right. A beautiful girl like you…” Tommy winked. “Shouldn’t say things like that. I might take it literally.”
Anna’s face flushed red. “Let’s go before I say something I might regret.”
As everyone gathered their belongings, Anna grabbed her car keys from the table by the door. They were lying next to a huge amethyst geode.
“Nice rock,” Tommy said as he hefted his bag on his shoulder.
Anna narrowed her eyes. “It’s not just a rock. It’s a crystal.”
“Sorry.” He held his hands up in mock surrender. “It’s pretty, that’s all I’m saying.”
Anna rolled her eyes and pushed him towards the door.
Tommy had made several appointments before Keegan had decided it was time to get married. So, even though he and Rourk weren’t looking to live together anymore, they figured browsing together would accomplish just as much as if they did it separately.
The first place they checked out did not live up to the brochures. The smell of fried foods and cigarettes hit them as they walked through the main entrance. An older lady with graying hair sat behind the counter. Her eyes were wide-set and her nose was crooked—like it had been broken but never reset. Tommy told her he had made an appointment online to check out an apartment. She reached under the counter and pulled out a key.
Rourk thought there was no way in hell he was going to live in this dump with Keegan. The elevator shook as they headed to the sixth floor.
“It looked so nice on the website,” Tommy mumbled under his breath.
“We’re here. We might as well check it out. Maybe it will surprise us,” Keegan said.
Tommy fiddled with the key a couple minutes and finally pushed the door open. They walked into the empty foyer. There was wallpaper peeling off the wall and brown spots on the ceiling. The carpet was so old and dirty that the color was indistinguishable.
“Who uses wallpaper anymore?” Keegan asked as she ran her hand down the wall. It felt sticky.
The rest of the apartment was more of the same. They just did a quick walk through and crossed it off the list. The woman didn’t seem too surprised when they handed the key back and said they were going to check out some other places first.
The next place they went to was much better. The price was quite a bit higher, and the apartments were pretty small, but at least they were clean. They peeked into the gym first, and then went in the back to see the pool before they looked upstairs.
Tommy glanced around the living room. “I like it. It’s much bigger than our barracks, and the gym is top notch. Really all I need is a clean place and somewhere to workout. There are lots of hiking trails, too. Plus, it’s not too big for just me.”
Rourk walked into the kitchen and turned on the faucet. The water ran clear, and it heated up quickly.
Anna looked at Keegan. “What do you think?”
“It’s ok. I’d still like to see the other two places.”
Rourk nodded his head in agreement.
The next place they didn’t even bother to go in. There were bars on all the windows. Never a good sign. Anna turned the car around without a word, and they plugged on to the next location.
As soon as they pulled up, Keegan knew it would be her home with Rourk. A private gate opened to a landscape that was breathtaking: lush plants and colorful flowers placed strategically around meandering paths. But, that wasn’t what caught Keegan’s eye: it was the waterfall she could hear in the distance. It made her feel like she was home. “This is it Rourk.”
He laughed. “We haven’t even been inside.”
“I don’t care. I can feel it. This is where we are meant to be.”
He draped his arm around her shoulder. “We’ll at least look at it before we sign the papers. Ok?”
“I guess I can agree to that.” She grinned up at him and threw her arm around his waist. “This will be our first home as a married couple.”
Rourk leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “We need to make sure they accept pets.”
“Oh, they better!” Keegan marched up to the counter. She narrowed her eyes at the young man behind it. “Do you allow pets?”
He pushed his glasses back further on his nose. “Yes. But you have to put down a pet deposit. Which is one month’s rent.”
“That’s pretty steep.” Keegan said.
He shrugged his shoulder and looked back down at his paperwork.
“We’d like to check out a two-bedroom.”
“Do you want to see a villa or an apartment?”
Keegan looked up at Rourk questioningly.
“Whatever you want.”
“We’d like to see a villa.” The man made a phone call, and a tall blond woman wearing too much make-up came out to meet them. She towered over Keegan. “My name is Lisa, and I’ll be your tour guide today.” It was obviously a well-rehearsed line, and it looked awkward on her face. She had probably gone overboard on the Botox. “Right this way. You’re in luck—we do have a villa open. They usually go quickly.”
Keegan rolled her eyes. They probably said that to everyone.
They walked through the apartment building and out the back door. Keegan sucked in her breath. A sense of calmness came over her as she stepped foot on the stone pathway. Off in the distance, she could see little wooden bungalows. That was the only way she could think to describe them. They had small porches, each with two wooden chairs and a matching table that appeared to be made of branches. She squeezed Rourk’s hand, and he squeezed back. There was enough distance between each bungalow to give a sense of privacy.
“1303 is open. It’s at the back of the property, so I’m afraid you will have a walk in the morning to get to your vehicles. Would that be a problem?”
“Not at all,” Rourk replied.
Keegan looked back at Anna with a big grin. Anna gave her the thumbs-up.
The woman wasn�
��t kidding that it was a walk. About ten minutes later, they reached 1303 tucked in the back of the complex. Keegan felt the excitement rise in her chest. The closer they got to the bungalow, the louder the rushing water from the waterfall. She didn’t dare ask the woman about it. Besides, it would be much more exciting for Rourk and her to find it on their own.
Once they reached the doorway, the woman turned the key and pushed the door open. Keegan could have squealed with delight. It was small, but cozy. The first thing she noticed was the skylight. The walls were light mocha, and the kitchen was modern with matching stainless-steel appliances. The woman led them into the master bedroom—it was bigger than her room in Alaska. What really took Keegan by surprise was the bathroom. Smooth stones covered the walls, and it had a deep sunken tub. She ran her hand over the antique-looking faucet.
It really was perfect. Keegan smiled. “We’ll take it.”
Rourk laughed. The realtor turned and looked at him.
“What’s the monthly rate?” he asked.
Lisa told him a figure and he grimaced. It was over his monthly housing allowance. He looked over at Keegan; her face was flushed with excitement. He had been saving a lot of money since he joined the military. “Where do we sign? We won’t be moving here until December, will that be a problem?”
“Only if you mind paying for it until you move in. I can’t hold it. If you want to take the villa, your rent starts on the day you sign on the dotted line.”
“So we could stay the night here if we wanted?” Keegan’s eyes widened.
“As long as you fill out the paperwork and pay the deposits, you will get the keys today.”
Keegan clapped her hands together. She turned and looked up at Rourk, her blue-green eyes dancing with excitement. “Can we?”
Rourk knew he wouldn’t be able to say no. He just nodded. “Of course. Let’s get it today.”
“I’m sure it’s going to take a while for you guys to do the paperwork,” Tommy cut in. “Is it ok if Anna takes me back to the other apartment so I can see about securing one for December? If that’s ok with Anna.”
