by Vaughn, Ann
"What is it?" he asked softly.
"You seem distracted."
His eyes swept her face, then locked on her eyes.
"Was thinking about the last time we were all together at Melissa's. Was after she had her son, Petey. She was pregnant when Zig was killed. I didn't get to go to his funeral and was still in the hospital when Petey was born. I didn't get to see him until he was almost four months old. That was the first stop I made when the docs cleared me for travel. The guys all came with me. Coop and Claire had just gotten married."
"And now Riley and Colt are both married."
He nodded. "Life goes on."
"Yes, it does, for those who chose to let it."
"What are you implying?"
She shook her head. "Not implying anything, Commander. Just stating a fact. You left the Navy and started Orion and threw yourself into that as part of your rehab from your injuries, but you have yet to allow yourself to start living again."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Don't you?" she said, turning her attention to her seatbelt when the pilot announced they'd be landing soon. When she looked up at Mike, a muscle in his jaw was ticking but he didn't speak. She shifted her gaze, watching Colt put Sarah back in her seat and help her with her seatbelt.
Two black SUVs awaited them on the tarmac of the private airfield they landed at. Lainey and Mike rode with Riley, Jenna and Cam with everyone else loading in the other one. She noticed that Riley had grown quiet now, both men looking a bit apprehensive.
"Come on, guys, relax," she said, looking back and forth between the two of them, "Melissa is your friend, remember?"
"It's been so long," Riley said, "going back is hard. Seeing Melissa and that house. We all practically lived there when we were stateside. Zig was our youngest member. Your age, actually," he said to Lainey, "but Melissa was like a Team Mom. She took care of all our affairs when we were overseas. She did our laundry for us when we were home. Cooked for us. God, she and Zig were awesome together," he said, clutching Jenna's hand.
"They were complete opposites," Mike said, "but they worked. Zig was this little scrawny kid but he was scrappy."
"And fast," Riley added, "Gave Colt fits. Even worse than me. I'm glad, actually, that Colt wasn't there that day. We probably would have lost him, too. Zig was our other computer geek. He and Colt worked close together."
"Melissa said Colt took Zig's death hard. Blamed himself. Said if he'd been there that day they wouldn't have gotten Zig," Mike said.
"That's absurd," Jenna said. "He probably would have been killed, too because he'd have been right there with Zig, right?"
"He'd have been in front of Zig," Riley said. "He'd have taken that bullet because he wouldn't have let Zig go out there to the woman alone."
"This happened after Colt had already left the unit to be with his sister, correct?" Lainey asked.
"Correct," Mike said.
"And what about you two?"
"What about us?" Riley asked.
"I sense that both of you are having some guilt issues with this as well."
Riley shrugged. "You know how it is. You always look back and wonder what you could have done different. If you had done this instead of that."
"I didn't trust my instincts," Mike said, looking out the window.
"What do you mean?" she pressed.
That muscle in his jaw ticked again, then his eyes cut to her.
"The whole mission felt off. We were being sent to rescue someone who...let's just say wasn't a good person to begin with, but he was considered an asset by the government."
"What he was, was an opportunist, ready and willing to help the highest bidder," Riley spat out.
Mike's eyes shifted to Cam briefly, who was listening with wide-eyed attention. Focusing on that innocent face helped to center him and after a moment, looked back at Lainey's almost angelic face, concentrating on Cam's innocence and Lainey's beauty to help him push past the memories of that day.
"I didn't have a good feeling going in. I didn't trust Ashadi, the woman Zig had befriended. But we'd never been in that area, we weren't in uniform and needed a guide..."
"Why weren't you in uniform?" Jenna asked, horrified.
Riley raised her hand to his lips. "Didn't wear them half the time we were there, babe. We were trying to blend...can't do that in camo fatigues with the US flag on our shoulders."
"So, you mainly did Black Ops?" Cam asked excitedly.
"We did whatever Uncle Sam told us to," Riley hedged.
Lainey and Jenna exchanged alarmed but knowing looks. They both knew what Riley wasn't saying: their missions were never entirely above the table types. Always covert. The kind that if they were captured, their own government would deny their existence, which was why they'd gone back for Mike when he'd been taken.
"How did Melissa handle receiving the news that Zig was killed?" Lainey asked, trying to pull their thoughts away from that horrible day.
"Melissa is...really strong. She came from a military family as well. Her father was killed in Desert Storm when she was just a little girl," Riley replied.
"Oh, no! And she lost her husband, too," Jenna gasped.
Lainey's heart hurt for their friend. So much loss. She turned to watch the beautiful Virginia scenery flash by, not wanting to show too much pity for the guys, knowing they wouldn't appreciate it. As they neared the residential area, she glanced quickly to Mike, then back out the window. This area was much to affluent for an enlisted member of the military to afford. She suspected that Mike had something to do with it. When they pulled into the circular drive in front of a nice home with a huge wrap-around porch, her suspicions were more than confirmed. The house and property were lovely, and spoke of money...Casiano kind of money.
"There she is," Riley said, smiling.
Lainey's eyes widened as she took in the young woman who stood waving at them from the front porch. Whatever she expected Melissa Zigler to look like, the woman on the porch was not it. This woman brought to mind Abby from the TV show NCIS in all her Goth-girl glory. She wore her blonde hair in high dog ears like Abby. Dark red lipstick. A spiked dog collar around her neck. Black T-Shirt with a skull that oddly enough had a red bow on its head. Black jeans.
"That is Melissa??" Jenna laughed.
Riley smiled. "That is her. We all thought Zig was crazy when we met her."
"She's a sweetheart, though," Mike said and Lainey could hear genuine affection in his tone, making her smile.
Melissa stood on the porch until all five of the guys were out of the SUVs and then squealed, "MY BOYS!!!!" and ran down the steps, directly into Mike's arms, leaping up and wrapping her arms and legs around him, causing him to laugh when she planted a big kiss to his lips. "Oh, my gosh!! I've missed you!!" she said, hugging him tight.
"Unca Mike!! Unca Mike!!" a little voice called and Lainey looked away from Mike and Melissa to see a little tow-headed boy scampering down the steps.
Mike put Melissa down and scooped the little boy up, tossing him up in the air causing the little one to squeal in delight.
"Hey, Petey!! Did you miss me?"
"Lots!!"
Lainey watched Mike with the little one, amazed at the transformation in him since stepping out of the SUV. Melissa greeted all the guys in turn and Lainey did notice a bit more formality between her and Whit than with the others. Oh, yes, there was a definite attraction there on both sides. Jenna and Melissa embraced and Lainey learned that they'd started an online friendship but hadn't met in person until now. After she met Sarah, she came full circle to face Lainey.
"You must be Riley's cousin, Lainey," Melissa said, holding out her hand to Lainey. "I can see the family resemblance."
Lainey smiled and shook Melissa's hand, glancing over her shoulder at Riley.
"It's so nice to finally meet you. The guys talk about you all the time."
Melissa's smile grew broader. "I miss my boys...by the way, guys...food's on the table."
/> "Hot damn!" Colt and Coop said in unison.
Mike put Petey down and let him follow Cam inside, then stepped back to Lainey, placing his hand on the small of her back to escort her inside. Lainey saw Melissa's eyes widen and flash over to Riley before looking back at Mike and Lainey.
"Got something to share with the rest of the class, Commander?" she asked him.
Eyes on her, he shifted his hand from Lainey's back to capture her hand in his.
"Now you're caught up," he said with a wink.
"Holy shit!" Melissa cried. "Really?"
"As much as it pains me," Riley said, causing Jenna to poke at his stomach.
"Be nice," she admonished.
"That's great, though," Melissa said.
Lainey looked up at Mike's profile, watching him studying Melissa, then looked back to Melissa.
"Jury's still out," she said, tugging on Mike's hand.
"On what, cara mia?" he replied.
"Everything."
Chapter Fifteen
Lunch at Melissa's house was even more relaxed than dinner at Mike's. Maybe it was because they were a few hundred miles away from Conroy and all the threats of him, but Mike was more relaxed than she'd ever seen him. He was different here with Melissa. Even his body language was more relaxed. She realized for the first time, she was really seeing the real Mike Casiano, the one that had been Riley's friend since they were young teenagers. He still wasn't as animated as the rest of the guys, and she supposed he probably never would be. But he smiled and laughed a lot and, dear Lord above, he had an awesome laugh. Little Petey was devoted to him and had him laughing more often than she'd ever seen.
After lunch, just as after dinner, the guys all got up to clear the table and clean up, leaving Lainey and all the women to talk. They followed Melissa outside and sat on the back porch watching Cam teach Petey to play catch with a Nerf football.
"I can't tell you how awesome it is to know that all my boys have someone now," Melissa said, sitting on the rail of the porch, her back to a post so she could see the girls and Petey and Cam. "Especially Mike. I didn't think that man would ever find someone," she said to Lainey.
"Not for lack of you trying, I hear," Jenna said.
Melissa smiled. "Oh, man, I set him up with every friend I could find. And I do have normal, non-Goth friends," she said with a wink. "Mike was always polite, would go on the fixed date but never see anyone beyond that first date. I finally got the hint and stopped trying. He did tell me once, of a girl he met briefly, and he stressed that she was a girl...but I do believe I am looking at the personification of his description," she said to Lainey.
Lainey felt all eyes shift to her. "We met very briefly at the Founders Day Ball when I was seventeen and he was twenty-six or twenty-seven. He and Riley were there in their dress whites...had every female in the room from nine to ninety panting after them," her eyes shifted to Jenna, "Riley didn't even tell me his name. I never have understood that."
Jenna smiled, "I can help you there. Riley told me that he always wanted Mike for you but you were too young and they were too wrapped up in their job...and then you started dating Kevin Adtkisson and he got worried that he'd waited too long. But then Kevin took care of that on his own and then Riley wasn't too concerned about it any more."
Melissa nodded. "He told me he wanted Mike to fall for his cousin, too."
Lainey thought her eyes would fall out of her head. "Get out! Really? Riley actually said that?"
"You have to understand, when the guys were stateside, they lived here with me and Zig. They all had places of their own, but they were more comfortable with us. Mike bought this place for us," she said, holding her hands out to encompass the house and grounds. "Zig and I fought it at first. We knew he came from money but we had no clue how much until he showed up one day, loaded us up in his truck and drove us to three properties and told us to pick. Zig was flipped the heck out. Mike told us about his family then, about the law firm and the connection to the Chandlers and the Adtkissons. I mean, come on, who hasn't heard of the Adtkisson family? Even outside of Texas they are famous. After that, we didn't question it any more. I picked this place because even though I'm Goth at heart, I love being near the water and I love this big wrap-around porch. And I love that I have enough room for all my boys to crash out here if they want to."
Lainey's eyes sought Mike out when the guys came outside. She'd known when they pulled into the neighborhood that this was more than an enlisted could afford. Cam and Petey took off toward the guys, Cam hurling the football to Riley. Mike joined in and Lainey delighted in seeing him enjoy himself with his friends. Again, he wasn't as loud as Colt and Riley but he wasn't withdrawn the way he'd been around his family. Cam and little Petey joined in with the guys who were all very mindful of the fact that the two kids were running between them. Several times she saw Colt vault over Petey when he got in the way but he always did it safely. It touched her heart when she saw Petey constantly running to Whit for safety. It was clear that Whit cared for the little one as much as he did Melissa.
Lainey turned her attention back to Melissa, studying her a moment. She was talking with Claire laughing at some of Coop and Colt's antics.
"What about you, Melissa?" Sarah asked. "Are you dating again?"
Melissa's eyes darted out toward where Whit held Petey on his shoulders, then looked back at Sarah.
"Not really."
"No?" Lainey pressed.
"I've been thinking about it, but...Zig and I started dating in high school. He was my second real boyfriend, but the only man I ever loved."
"He's been gone almost three years now?" Claire asked.
"Yes."
"My husband died not long before Zig...and I understand what you're saying. I didn't think I could ever love anyone else...and then Coop came to visit Colt and I looked into those grey eyes and I felt my pulse race. I hadn't felt that in ages...and I won't lie to you, the first time Coop kissed me...I loved it, even though there were tears streaming down my cheeks the whole time."
Melissa's eyes again drifted over to the yard toward Whit.
"He's been so sweet," she whispered.
"Whit?" Lainey asked her.
Melissa nodded. "He calls or texts me every day. Comes out to visit at least once a month, does all the things around the house that Zig would have."
"And has he made any advances?" Claire asked.
Melissa shook her head. "He's too sweet, afraid to make a wrong move."
"Do you want him to?" Lainey asked.
"Yes."
"Then you make the move," Jenna said, then shifted her eyes to Lainey. "And you make the move, too."
Lainey laughed. "I have."
"And?" they all cried in unison.
"And, we kissed and then he walked away."
Melissa smiled then. "That's just Mike being Mike. Don't let him walk away next time."
"Little easier said than done," Lainey said on a sarcastic laugh.
Melissa glanced over at Mike then back at Lainey.
"Unless something has changed that I don't know about...that man hasn't been laid in over ten years. I'm thinking it wouldn't take much to tip the scales in your favor."
"Ten years!?!?" Jenna, Claire and Sarah cried.
"His last girlfriend left him for his brother...and married him...his twin brother."
"Oh, my gosh!" Jenna gasped.
"That's awful," Sarah said.
"His twin??" Claire cried, clearly horrified.
A squeal of laughter drew their attention and they saw the guys tossing Petey back and forth between them. Lainey heard Sarah gasp and say something about what she had to look forward to when her son was born. She tuned out the conversation, focusing on Mike as he started walking toward the porch, his eyes shining with mirth. Her breath caught watching him. It was like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders while they were here, away from his family, away from the threat of Conroy.
"We creamed Colt and Coop,"
Cam said, coming up on the porch ahead of Mike and Riley.
"You did?" Jenna asked.
"I still say you should have been on our team, kid," Colt said, "The 3 C's. Would have been epic, man."
"Mike and Riley kick butt. I wasn't getting off their team."
"Cameron," Jenna cautioned.
"Sorry. But it's true."
Mike chuckled, then picked up three apples from the bowl on the table next to Lainey and began juggling them, distracting Cam. Lainey had to admit, she was impressed.
"You are such a fraud, Michael Casiano," she laughed, watching him.
He smiled, dimples flashing in his cheeks, making her heart accelerate.
"Why? Juggling was part of BUDs training, didn't you know that? Toss me another apple."
Her eyes widened. "Another one?"
"Yeah."
"OK, here you go," she said, tossing him a fourth apple, amazed when he easily caught it and continued juggling without missing a beat.
"Whoa! That's so cool!" Cam exclaimed. "Can you do that, Riley?"
"Nope. Mike's the only one of us who can."
"Really? Colt?"
"I can, but not as long as he does."
"Toss me another one, Cam," Mike said, "Same way Lainey did."
Cam grabbed a fifth apple and tossed it. Mike again caught it easily without breaking his rhythm.
"Color me impressed," Lainey said, and she was.
"So, why am I a fraud?" he asked, still juggling.
"Because you portray yourself as this cold, no-nonsense military guy when you're really not."
He stopped juggling, tossing the apples one at a time to Cam to place back in the bowl.
"That's exactly what I am."
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, but you know how to smile and have fun and laugh, too."
