Where was he?
Why hadn’t she run into him in the small town of Four Corners?
Why hadn’t he reached out to see if she was following his advice, or if she was okay?
That was the crux of it. She wanted him to know it had worked. She wanted him to wonder if she was okay—but obviously, he didn’t.
Did he have a wife waiting for him somewhere?
Maybe it had all been ego-driven from the very beginning — all about his amazing powers to heal.
She needed to forget about him and move on.
Fifteen
Jax
Jax woke to the sound of his cell phone ringing and his muscles complaining. He was on the floor — what the heck? It all came rushing back -- Peyton, his ex-fiancé, and his total mess up with the interaction with Peyton in the park.
‘Hello?” he answered, his voice still haze-filled from sleep.
“Jax?”
“Matt, is that you?”
“Yeah, man. What’s up? You sound like you’re on a bender.”
Jax scoffed. "I haven’t touched alcohol since my early days of college, dude. Where are you?”
“I’m in LA…” Matt paused.
“You okay, man?”
“Yeah, but, Jax,” Matt paused again and Jax waited, “I hate to ask this of you, but what would you think of taking the next plane to LA?”
Jax hesitated. “Why?”
“I need you.”
Jax’s heart pounded. “Say no more.”
“It's a temp gig with BRG. We need a medical professional on standby. I booked Flight 1248 out of Bozeman.”
Jax could hear Matt’s smile. “What should I bring?”
“We have everything ready for you. Just bring yourself and a big dose of Jax.”
Why did that sound so good? “You got it, buddy. I’ll head to the airport now.”
“Jax?”
“Yeah, Matt?”
“Thanks, man, and it’s a paid gig, so don’t worry about that.”
“I wasn’t worried—and I’d be there for you whether it was paid or not.”
* * *
Jax landed in LAX and glanced discretely around baggage claim and transportation. A man dressed like a limo driver held up a sign, “Jaxson Prince”.
Jax bit his lip to cover a smile. That was the name Matt used to call him when they were younger—he was always trying to convince Jax he had smooth dance moves and could make it as big as a Prince.
Jax walked toward the short Asian man holding the sign.
“I’m Prince.”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “Ah, yes, of course, Mr. Prince, please follow me.” The man glanced at Jax’s bag and Jax could have sworn he saw a glimmer of approval run through the man’s eyes.
When they reached the limo, the driver tossed the sign inside and closed the door behind Jax. He walked around the back of the car and opened the passenger door next to Jax. “Go!” He demanded with authority. Suddenly the limo took off and Jax realized that the car was being driven by someone else and the man dressed like the limo driver wasn’t the limo driver at all.
The man reached out his hand. “I’m Peter. Matt sent me to acquire you.”
Jax said nothing, simply nodded.
“Do you know why you’re here?”
“Not fully,” Jax confirmed.
“We have a client who may require medical attention— “ he held up his hand to stop Jax’s objections “Yes, we realize you are not officially a medical doctor, and we also know that you’ve performed surgeries and first aid on the battlefield that few doctors with extensive ER medical experience could pull off. You’re the man we need.”
Jax held his tongue. He wasn't where this was heading, but he could trust Matt to fill him in. The rest of the trip was taken in silence.
Sixteen
Peyton
“Ugh!” Peyton groaned in frustration as she picked up the shirt she’d dropped for the second time, causing Radar to jump to his feet and bark. “I didn't want this, Radar,” she acknowledged as he trotted to her side with a whine.
“My career is my focus right now; not some brooding stranger.” She buried her face in the soft warmth of Radar’s fur. “I wish I could forget about Jax and focus on what matters.”
She flopped on the bed and groaned. “This is ridiculous. I don't lose my mind over a simple kiss.”
Peyton climbed out of bed. Paige was due home today, and she had a lot to do to make sure everything was ship-shape for her.
“What I need is some exercise to refocus. What do you say, Radar?” She reached down and stroked his fur. “Are you up for a run?”
The sun had yet to peek over the horizon, but she didn’t care. She needed to run, regardless of the time of day. She was familiar enough with the trails at this point that she wasn’t concerned about a pre-sunrise run. She grabbed Radar’s leash, tossed on running leggings, a sports bra, and took off for the stairs.
Radar followed at her heels and immediately walked to his water dish.
“Not too much, boy. We’re going for a run.”
His head turned toward her and his intelligent eyes locked with hers for a moment before dipping his nose into the bowl. She smiled. “I love you so much, Radar. You’re such a smart boy and the one thing I can always count on. Now let’s go.”
Peyton took off at a punishing pace, pushing herself hard and fast. Sweat coated her body within minutes.
Don't think about him. Don't think about the way his lips felt against yours, don't think about that pressure and heat that racked your body unlike anything ever has. Focus on the run, one foot in front of the other. That's the only way to win, one foot in front of the other.
She ran further than she’d intended, a sharp ache in her leg the first hint that she’d better turn back. She was only a few feet into her return when the pain began radiating from her injury up to her hip. She slowed to a jog that quickly turned to a walk.
Getting back was difficult. She’d almost arrived back at the farm, she glanced at the woods where Jax had first appeared barely two weeks ago. She walked in that direction, wanting to explore the trail he’d been hiking when she stumbled over a rock. A wall of pain hit her injured leg, and she fell.
Radar whined and licked her face. She flipped onto her back, wiping the tears that streamed down her cheeks. Radar gently pulled her arm with his teeth. “I know, boy, I know.”
Peyton sat up, carefully testing her leg. It hurt—like heck. She shifted to her knees, pushed up on her good leg, and tried to assess if she could walk.
She managed to limp back to the farm and past the goat pen when waves of pain ripped through her leg and she collapsed to the ground. The moan that escaped her lips was raw and desperate.
Radar barked and bounced back and forth around her. His dark brown eyes clouded with worry as he licked her cheek. She couldn't even reassure him—the pain spread through her entire body.
She tried to force herself to her feet, but the pain shooting through her leg was a sign that she shouldn’t push it. If nothing else, she’d learned that from Jax.
After a few deep breaths, she began to crawl. She had no other option. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she reached the house. Radar whined and paced around her. She did her best to reassure him, but he could sense her distress. He stayed close to her side, and that only made the tears fall faster.
After she’d crawled inside the house, she grabbed her phone from the coffee table, considering her choices. She could call for an ambulance and be tied up in a multi-hour wait, or worse yet, pumped with painkillers; or she could call Jax and hope that he might answer.
Her breath caught in her throat and another moan escaped; she placed the only call that mattered.
Seventeen
Jax
He was barricaded inside the warehouse on the west side of LA, waiting for a text from Matt, his phone set to vibrate. When the vibration hit his phone, he realized it wasn’t the work phone, but his persona
l one.
For obvious reasons, BRG Security didn’t let their agents use their personal phones for business purposes, and they’d provided a new phone to Jax for this mission, but he still carried his personal phone in his pocket.
He tugged his phone out and glanced at it, thinking Matt must be calling the wrong number—but it wasn’t Matt—it was Peyton. Peyton! The timing couldn’t be worse, and there was no way he could risk answering the phone and potentially give away his position.
He hit the “Custom” option on his iPhone and typed:
Can I call you later? Indisposed.
A second passed.
Of course.
He had no idea what to think, but at this point, he couldn’t be distracted from the mission in front of them. BRG Security was bringing in a high-value target for the US government and they’d asked Jax to be available, in the event medical attention was needed. He hoped that the ‘event’ would never materialize, but he had to be ready if it did.
It was his first gig with BRG, and although they hadn’t made an offer, and he wasn’t sure he wanted them to, it was still important to perform and be ready if needed.
Although on US soil, he was aware of his accelerated breathing and his body’s altered state of readiness—as if he were still in Afghanistan. Would that response change over time? He wasn’t sure, but for now, it felt right to help his friend. That was something he would never question.
He thought about Peyton. Would she even recognize him? BRG had insisted that he cut his hair, and it was an official military cut, apart from the fact that they’d left it a bit longer on top. They also let him keep his few-days-growth of beard. He no longer looked like a vagrant hiker.
Minutes passed before the text from Matt vibrated his phone.
Ready?
Jax replied:
10-4
He waited.
Ten minutes passed, and still, Jax waited. Finally, his phone vibrated again.
Plan b
Jax replied:
10-4
Jax made his way along the warehouse beams toward the staircase leading to the roof. As he neared the top, he could hear the sound of the chopper landing. He rushed up the final flight of stairs and opened the door to the rooftop, ducking as he ran toward the helicopter, leaping through the open door, turning as Matt closed behind him.
“Nice, Jax.” Matt raised his eyebrows and nodded.
Jax narrowed his eyes at Matt, resisting the urge to roll them, and glanced around the helicopter. Three people hovered together at the back. Jax threw a questioning glance at Matt.
Matt shook his head. They’re all fine, he mouthed.
Jax nodded. It was always a good day when his services weren’t needed.
Halfway through the flight back to BRG Headquarters, one of the passengers suffered a panic attack. Jax rushed to her side and after assessing it wasn’t something more serious, talked her through the process of calming her breaths, and eventually, her heart-rate.
He couldn't ask their names or what they’d been through, but the fear in their eyes and hyper-vigilance communicated everything he needed to know.
They seemed to take comfort in his presence, so he pulled out the medical bag and checked their vitals one by one, starting with the woman who’d had the panic attack. They appeared to be a family—a man approximately in his early 50’s, the woman was around the same age, and their daughter sixteen or seventeen.
Appreciation shone in their eyes when he was done. What was it about the presence of a medical professional that seemed to alleviate people’s fear—well, for the most anyway. Peyton was certainly an exception to that rule.
He assumed they understood English and quietly told them that everything had checked out fine, and he would be at the front if they needed him.
The teenager reached for his arm when he turned to leave, and he looked at her quizzically. Raw fear shone in her eyes.
“You’re going to be okay. They’ll take good care of you, I promise,” he assured her, his eyes never leaving hers.
Her eyes welled with tears, but she nodded as her father wrapped his arm around her, drawing her back to their circle.
It reminded him of his Ranger unit. They’d been a family; they trusted one another when the world was blown apart in front of them—it was a circle that couldn’t be broken. Not even by death.
He patted the man’s arm and moved toward the front of the helo.
“Are they okay?” Matt asked as Jax reached his side.
“Yes, scared.” Jax met Matt’s eyes and a silent communication passed between them. Matt was part of his circle, and he was lucky to have him there. He was one of the few people on the planet Jax would trust with his life.
Back at BRG’s offices, Jax waited in a small office while Matt debriefed with his team members. Jax couldn’t deny that he wished he were in that room with the men and women he’d served with on the mission today. That fact surprised him—originally, he hadn’t understood Matt’s decision to join BRG so soon after leaving the military, but it had only taken two short weeks for Jax to realize that he’d quickly go crazy himself if he didn’t find something to occupy his time and his purpose in life—helping others.
The door to the office opened and Jax stood to greet Matt and two men he hadn’t met yet.
“Jax, I’d like you to meet John Hopkins, CEO of BRG, and Ted McKnight, our COO.”
Jax moved forward and shook hands with both men as they mutually sized one another up.
John Hopkins spoke first, “Please, sit.”
Jax sat in the chair indicated, Matt beside him, and John across from them. Ted remained standing, leaning against the far wall, his arms crossed.
“Matt tells me that you served as a Ranger medic, Jax. Thank you for your service.”
Jax nodded, his eyes never leaving John’s.
“We appreciate your flexibility in dropping everything last-minute to accommodate our request for your help on this mission.”
Jax wondered if John had x-ray vision as his eyes locked onto Jax’s, reading every nuance. Jax knew John was an ex-SEAL, and whatever he'd done for them, he must have been very good—if not the best. Jax wasn't easily intimidated after all he'd been through, but this man emanated raw power and intelligence.
“Matt tells me that you’re officially a civilian now.”
Jax nodded.
“I realize that you’ve only been on the ground for a few weeks, but when you’re ready, we’d like to talk with you about the possibility of joining the BRG Security team.”
Jax’s eyebrows raised.
“Matt speaks very highly of you, and he has become a key member of our operations team. I spoke with your former Captain, Hank Lowell, and he can’t say enough good about your work as a Ranger and medic under his command.” John leaned forward, his eyes laser-focused on Jax. “We have a physician on contract, but we can’t always rely on the fact that he can accommodate our missions. We’ve come to the conclusion that we need medical personnel full-time.”
“I’m not an M.D.,” Jax informed him, never breaking eye contact.
“We realize that, and if that’s something you want to pursue at some point, we’ll assist with that. I’ve been assured that you are every bit as competent as the most highly respected Army docs and as good in surgery as their surgeons. We would be honored to have you on our team.”
It was Ted McKnight’s turn to talk. “I’d like to show you around our offices, Jax, introduce you to our other team members and give you a chance to ask any questions you might have. If you’re interested, there will be an official interview process including a physical and psychological exam. If you pass that,” McKnight paused, his eyes narrowed and Jax had the distinct impression the COO wasn’t convinced he would, “and are still interested, we’ll talk salary and benefits.”
Jax nodded and stood. “Sounds reasonable. Let’s do it.”
John Hopkins smiled and Ted McKnight’s eyebrows raised. “I’d love to
meet the rest of the team,” Jax offered expectantly.
* * *
“Right this way,” Ted moved away from the wall and opened the door, the fact that Jax would follow, implied.
Hours passed before Jax was able to return Peyton’s call. When he did, it went to voicemail.
He glanced at his watch. It was nine PM in Montana—could she be asleep? Unfortunately, even days later, the memory of her kiss was just as real as it had been the moment he’d experienced it.
It was still light in Colorado; BRG had put Jax up in a hotel near their headquarters in the Rocky Mountains, and if he had to be awake, he could at least go for a run. Jax left his hotel room, checked with the concierge on a running route, and as soon as his feet hit the pavement, he realized it wasn't just a run, it was a race. The desire to outrun everything on his mind made his feet move fast, then faster. His lungs burned as his mind filled with the sight of Peyton in the park right before he'd walked away.
At the time walking away from her had seemed like the right thing to do, but she crowded his thoughts, and now he wasn't as sure.
Jax shook his head, shifting his thoughts to his mission with BRG. He had a lot to consider before giving them a decision on whether he’d pursue the possibility of employment with them. Worry crowded his mind as he thought about the psychological exam—he had no doubt he would pass the physical exam—and probably the psychological one. He figured they had access to his records anyway, so they were aware of the findings of the Army doc who released him. He didn’t have PTSD, but he’d seen some unbelievable horrors during his three tours and it was a miracle that he didn’t. Still, they were interested in light of it, so maybe he had a chance if he wanted it.
Did he want it? He slowed his pace, moving into a rhythm that allowed him to think and process. Yes, he wanted it. Twenty-four hours ago, he would have scoffed at anyone who suggested it to him, but working with the BRG team today, even in a minor role, made him very aware of how much he loved being part of a team that made a difference. It felt right. More right than anything had in a very long time.
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