SEAL's Second Chance (A Navy SEAL Brotherhood Romance)

by Ivy Jordan

  Chapter Twenty- Nine

  Isaac

  Maddie was sleeping peacefully, finally. I wondered if it was memories of her abusive ex coming back to torment her dreams. I slid into the bed next to her, careful not to wake her, and turned on the TV. The storm hitting Portland was bad, the heavy snow they anticipated days ago finally arriving with a vengeance.

  Maybe we could turn back, call the trip off, and we could stay happy together forever.

  “What time is it?” Maddie mumbled, turning to face me with sleepy eyes.

  “It’s almost midnight,” I answered, my heart swelling with regret and remorse as she looked up at me. “Are you hungry?”

  “I am,” she said, sliding herself up against the headboard and out of the cocoon she’d made from the thin sheet.

  “I ordered pizza earlier. It’s probably still warm,” I offered, sliding from the bed to retrieve the box I’d left on the table.

  Her eyes lit up as I brought the box to the bed. I slid back in next to her, opened the lid, and watched as she selected the piece she wanted. “Oh my God, this is so good,” she groaned, chewing her first bite.

  “The weather is still bad,” I said, hoping she’d retreat from her mission to destroy our relationship.

  “Hopefully it clears up soon,” she smiled nervously. I wrapped my arm around her as she continued devouring her slice of pizza from the only place I could find that delivered to the hotel. “I know you have to get back to work. If it doesn’t clear up, we can reschedule,” she said sweetly.

  Her words were like music to my ears.

  Maddie sat up, staring at the TV as a gym commercial came on. “I used to get the most amazing veggie pizza at the place right by my gym,” she blurted. “My gym?”

  My body tensed as she stared at me, her eyes filled with hope and confusion. “Did I have a gym?” she asked.

  She didn’t have a gym, but Rob did. That’s where she’d worked before arriving in Miami, the place she’d walked away from, the life she’d left behind. My heart ached as I realized her memory would indeed return, with or without her trip to Portland. I needed to tell her the truth, and if I was going to, this was the time. I froze.

  “Did I ever say anything about a gym?” she asked me, her eyes still filled with that same hopeful confusion.

  “Yes. You taught a class at a gym near your apartment,” I admitted, leaving out the details that may have led to the truth.

  Her smile widened as she reached for another piece of pizza. It was obvious her memory gave her hope. It destroyed any hope I’d ever had.

  Maddie slid into my arm, slouching down onto the mattress and stared at the TV. “Maybe going to the gym will jog a few more memories,” she said sleepily.

  I pulled her close, letting the scent of her perfume waft under my nose. My phone beeped with a message on the table beside the bed. I reached to grab it, trying not to disturb Maddie. “It’s the airport update,” I announced as I read the message.

  “Looks like the flight has not been rescheduled for tomorrow after all,” I sighed with both exhaustion and relief.

  “We have to stay here another day?” she mumbled.

  “Looks like that may be the case,” I replied, hoping to hear her say ‘let’s just go home,' but instead only soft rumbles escaped her throat as she drifted back into a deep sleep.

  I held my phone tight in my hand, pondering what this all meant. Was this a sign? Was it fate telling me to come clean, giving one last chance to hopefully save the relationship that meant so much to me?

  My eyes grew heavy, and soon they closed, but my mind played through scenarios of how I would tell Maddie, how she’d react, and what would happen if I didn’t tell her.

  My eyes opened as the light of the day slammed into the hotel room. Maddie was still asleep, obviously exhausted from the botched trip. I slid out of bed, careful not to wake her, and moved towards the door. There was a small café up the street, so I figured I could call Elijah for advice on what to do while grabbing Maddie an ice coffee drink.

  I stood on the sidewalk in front of the café with my phone to my ear. It rang several times, and I was ready to hang up when I heard Elijah’s voice.

  “Hey, Isaac,” he greeted me. I swallowed hard before speaking, and then dumped the entire story in his lap. I could hear him breathing as I waited for his reply. “Sounds like you’ve got a good opportunity to tell her,” he finally replied. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but it was what I expected.

  “Okay, but should I come back to Miami first?” I asked.

  “I don’t know if you should wait any longer,” Elijah warned.

  I took a deep breath, studied his warnings, and realized he might be right. If I waited, I’d only back out again, and her memories were starting to come back. There might not even be enough time to wait. If they came back before I explained everything to her, she’d for sure run from me forever.

  “Okay. You’re right,” I exhaled.

  “Where are you now?” he asked.

  “Boise,” I told him, and then gave him the name of the hotel when he asked. “Hold on,” I sighed, looking at the message that buzzed my phone. “The flight is rescheduled for this afternoon now,” I gasped.

  “Isaac, you really need to tell her before you get on that plane,” he insisted.

  “I’ll call you back and let you know what’s going on.” I hung up the phone and tried to steady my thoughts. They were flying through my head at a million miles an hour, making me dizzy and nauseous.

  I went inside the café, ordered Maddie’s iced coffee, a hot coffee for me, and then two breakfast specials to go. There wasn’t much time to make it to the plane, so we wouldn’t have time to stop and eat. This was going to have to wait until we arrived in Portland. There wasn’t time to explain everything, and she’d never forgive me if I messed up her chance to get home. I’d already been selfish enough; this time I was going to have to think of what was best for Maddie. She needed to get home, and she deserved the truth, so she’d have both in a few hours.

  Chapter Thirty

  Maddie

  I rolled towards Isaac in the bed, but he was gone. The sheets were messed up where he’d been sleeping, and his pillow was folded in half. I wiped my eyes, stretched, and got out of bed. The hotel room was small and had only one bathroom, which was empty. I figured he must’ve left to get coffee, or maybe he was strolling around the lobby just to stretch his legs. Since the flight wasn’t scheduled for this morning, I figured I might as well get a shower so we could start our day.

  My thoughts were leaning towards going back to Miami, postponing the Portland trip for another time, maybe after my memory returned and I could figure out what was scaring me so bad about returning to what I once called home.

  The small carry-on bag that Isaac packed was on the chair, unzipped, and I could see my makeup bag shoved in the bottom. I reached inside and pulled the small floral bag out, accidentally dumping the entire bag onto the floor. As I picked it up, scooping up the contents of Isaac’s personal belongings and shoving them back inside, a small black phone caught my eye. I knew it wasn’t Isaac’s; his was almost as large as a small tablet. This was thin, petite, and had a rose-colored case on the back. It was more like a phone that a woman would carry, not a man.

  I held the button on the side until it turned on. The background was a large sun, bright yellow, and strangely familiar. Is this my phone? Why does he have it? Why hasn’t he given it to me?

  It buzzed in my hand, alerting me there were unread messages or unanswered calls. I slid my finger across the messages icon and sat on the edge of the bed. Dozens upon dozens of texts were sent from someone named Rob. My eyes widened as I read them, mostly asking where I was by name, begging me to call, to answer my phone, and asking just to hear my voice so he knew I was safe. Who was this man? Why did he care if I was safe?

  I opened the voicemails, listened to the frantic voice begging for me to call, to answer, and then the same voice as i
t turned angry and irritated, threatening whoever had my phone that he would find them, find me. I knew that voice, but I still didn’t know how or why.

  All of the texts and calls were from the same man. I scrolled back up through them, reading and re-reading them until I noticed one that looked as if I’d sent it. My eyes scanned the text knowing I hadn’t sent it, so who did?

  I hit the call button, held the phone to my ear, and listened as it rang. “Maddie!” the voice called out on the other end of the phone with a panicked excitement.

  “Who is this?” I asked.

  “Maddie, it's Rob, your fiancé,” the familiar voice claimed.

  “No. That’s not possible. Isaac is my fiancé,” I explained, not doing well to convince myself, let alone the panicked man on the other end of the phone.

  “Where are you? Has someone hurt you?” he gasped.

  “No. I was in an accident. How do you know me?” I asked, hoping for a new answer.

  “I told you, I’m your fiancé. What kind of accident? Are you okay?” he asked.

  I didn’t speak as I tried to make sense of this conversation, this ridiculous claim from the man on the other end of the phone. “Maddie, where are you, and are you okay?” the man asked again.

  “I’m in Boise. I’m okay, just confused,” I explained.

  “I’ve been looking for you for weeks. I knew you wouldn’t just disappear like that, without a trace,” the man ranted.

  “I didn’t disappear. I was in Miami, and I got hit by a car. My memory is gone, mostly, some, I mean. I’m getting it back a little,” I rambled.

  “Your memory?” the man sighed and then paused. I could hear him swallow, and his breathing became rapid as he held on to the phone.

  “I think you’re in danger. You need to get out of there, call the cops if you have to, but get out,” he ordered.

  “I’m not in any danger. I’m with Isaac, my fiancé,” I protested.

  “Get away from him,” the man’s voice turned loud and irritated. The familiarity of the tone was strong, and suddenly my gut told me this was the man I knew, he was the one from my dreams. Tears began streaming down my face as my hands shook. Why was this happening, and who was this? Was he telling me the truth, and Isaac was really lying to me?

  “Maddie. Please, if you can get away, run. I’ll get you home to me,” he said softly.

  “He’ll probably be back any minute,” I sobbed.

  “Then please leave while you can. Call the cops,” he insisted.

  “I don’t want to call the cops. Isaac knows me, he has proof, he showed me pictures of when we were kids,” I explained.

  “I’m begging you, Maddie, get out of there,” the man pleaded.

  “I don’t have much money, or even an ID; he has it,” I groaned.

  “Get a cab, take it to the bus station. You don’t need ID for a ticket. Call me when you get there, and I’ll pay for your ticket,” he pleaded.

  “Okay,” I sighed, hanging up the phone.

  I was in a panic. Who was telling me the truth: this guy, or Isaac? My pictures in my phone showed me and the dark-haired man from my dream, tons of them. We looked happy, and in one I noticed the ring I wore on my finger. Oh, my God, I have to get out of here. Isaac truly wasn’t who he said he was.

  I grabbed my suitcase and rushed from the room. The man at the front desk called me a cab, and I asked him to please not tell the man I was with where I’d gone. He looked confused but agreed. I waited for the cab in the back parking lot of the hotel where I told him I’d be waiting.

  My heart raced. This can’t be real, can it?

  A yellow cab pulled up, and I quickly got into the backseat. I had no idea where a bus station was, or if there even was one. I just needed out of there. “Is there a bus station nearby?” I asked the cabby.

  He nodded and pulled out of the hotel parking lot, leaving Isaac and any thoughts of a life with him behind.

  I stared out the window as we drove down the road, almost certain I saw Isaac carrying a bag walking down the street. Tears flowed from my eyes, and my heart ached. He made me love him, whoever he was.

  We pulled into the bus station lot. My hands shook as I dialed Rob’s number again. He answered quickly, his voice filled with anxiety. “Are you at the bus station?” he asked frantically.

  “I’m here,” I admitted.

  He had me hand the phone to the lady at the ticket counter so he could pay for my ticket with his credit card. She gave me an odd look, one of confusion and pity, but handed me the printed ticket and my phone.

  “The bus leaves in twenty minutes,” he sighed with relief.

  “How far away am I?” I asked, not really knowing where I was.

  “The bus ride will be close to ten hours. You’ll be home tonight,” he assured me.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “Why did you go to Miami?” he asked, his tone very different than before.

  “I don’t know,” I admitted.

  “We’ll discuss all that when you get home,” he said with a hint of frustration in his voice.

  I agreed to call him once I got on the bus, and when I did, the conversation was short. He didn’t seem to be so frantic after he knew I was on my way back to Portland, and away from Isaac.

  A little old lady sat beside me, showing me pictures of her grandkids. She was on her way to Portland to visit, meeting her most recent grandchild for the first time. She was sweet, but I wasn’t in the mood to chitchat, especially when she asked me why I was headed to Portland.

  “Just going back home,” I replied, but had a sinking feeling in my chest that I really had no idea where home was, or what was waiting for me in Portland.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Isaac

  I opened up the hotel room, stepping inside quietly in case Maddie was still asleep. The bed was a mess, but she was nowhere in sight. I set the coffee and the food down and pushed open the bathroom door frantically, and found it as empty as the bed.

  “Maddie,” I called out, why I don’t know. It was obvious she wasn’t there.

  My eyes scanned the room, stopping on the floral makeup bag that sat on the edge of the bed. I’d shoved it into my bag when Maddie forgot to pack it in hers and had no room.

  I reached for my bag, frantically searching for her phone that I had hidden inside. Her wallet was still there, obviously unnoticed, but the phone, it was gone. Fuck!

  My hands trembled as I ran from the room, rushing to the front desk. “Have you seen the woman I came here with?” I asked.

  His eyes told me he’d seen her, even though he shook his head. “She’s not well. She has amnesia, and I was supposed to be taking her home to help jog her memory,” I explained frantically.

  The man seemed to lighten on his stance of lying to me about where she may be. “She told me not to tell you,” he said.

  “I don’t care what she told you; she could be in serious danger,” I roared.

  “She got a cab,” he said softly.

  “What company?” I demanded, ready to jump over the counter and shake the man for the information I need.

  He handed me the card of the company he called. “How long ago did she leave?” I asked.

  “Maybe thirty minutes,” he shrugged.

  I was already dialing the number. A woman answered with a cheerful greeting. I explained to the woman that I needed to know where one of their riders had gone just thirty minutes ago. I gave her the address of where she was picked up, along with a description. I waited on hold while she checked the files and driver’s logs, and then returned with a sigh. “She was dropped at the bus station on Seventeenth.”

  I hung up, quickly searching for the bus stations number. When a woman answered the number I dialed, she informed me the bus for Portland had left about ten minutes ago. Fuck!

  She was headed back to Rob, the abusive asshole that made her leave Portland in the first place. She had to be so confused, so scared. What have I done? Why didn’t I
just tell her the fuckin’ truth in the first place?

  I dialed Elijah’s number as I walked back up to my room. “How’d it go?” he asked.

  “I didn’t get a chance to tell her. She’s gone,” I sighed, opening the door to my room and walking inside. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the small bag that used to contain Rob’s phone. “She found her phone, and she’s on a bus headed to her ex now,” I sighed.

  “What did she say?” he asked.

  “I didn’t see her. She was gone when I got back to the room. I tracked her from the cab she took,” I explained, feeling defeated.

  “Okay. Well, you’re clear to fly, right?” he questioned.

  “Yes, the flight leaves this afternoon. I’ve got a couple hours,” I replied.

  “Catch the flight, and I’ll meet ya there. At least you can protect her, even if you can’t convince her that you did this for her own good,” he said calmly.

  My nerves were shot. I couldn’t imagine what I was going to say to her when I saw her, or how’d she react when she saw me. I knew I had to go though, at least to protect her from Rob. I’d tell her everything, admit what a selfish bastard I was for not telling her sooner, but to at least let her know that Rob is not the man she wants to be with, even if I’m not either.

  I shoved everything back into my bag, checked out of the hotel, and took a cab back to the airport.

  The line was horrific as I waited for my new ticket. The lady at the counter was rude, slow, and had no concern that I’d spent the night in a hotel due to a canceled flight. After five minutes, she finally handed me a ticket that was for several hours past the time I was told on my text update. “What’s this?” I asked.

  Her eyes lifted from her computer, glared into mine, and she simply said “You’re ticket. The earlier flight is already booked.”

  “No. I need to go now,” I pleaded to her unsympathetic expression.

  “Take it or leave it, that’s all we got,” she hissed.

  I knew arguing with her was going to get me nowhere, so I grabbed my bag and headed through the security area. I calculated the time in my head. The flight would leave in four hours with one layover of an hour and half. Total flying time was about an hour and a half, and Maddie’s apartment was close to an hour from the airport. That was nearly eight hours, and with the hour already gone with her on the bus, I’d be lucky to make it to her apartment before she did.