Cold Truth

by Susan Sleeman

  “You do know we’re still twins, right?” Kevin said. “You may have been stressed and not wanted to cry in front of them, but it’s more than that and has to do with Coop.”

  She shot him a look. “Why would you think that?”

  “You mean other than the heated discussion you had with him where daggers were flying from your eyes?” He chuckled.

  She gave him a wan smile and turned her eyes back to the road. “Yeah, other than that.”

  “You care about him. I can see it in the way you look at him. But you’re mad at him, or he hurt you.”

  “Hurt me.” Her anger started to return, drying up her tears. “As we were working to find you we’d gotten close, you know? And then, when I was about to tell him I’d solved the final puzzle, I overheard him telling Gage that he wanted to get me to confess my involvement in the theft.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Exactly.”

  “What prompted that?”

  “He found the canister with the toxin in my apartment.”

  “Ah.” He tipped his head to the side, his thinking position since he was a little boy. “You may not like this, but I have to say I’m on his side.”

  “What?” Her voice bounced off the windows. “How can you take his side?”

  “I would’ve thought you were guilty, too.”

  “No you wouldn’t.”

  “Not as your twin, no. But as a guy just getting to know you, I would. Coop had black-and-white evidence.”

  “So?”

  Kevin leaned back in his seat. “C’mon, sis. We’re black-and-white kind of people. The science behind everything and how it works. You would have done the same thing.”

  Was he right? If she’d been in his shoes, would she have bought into her guilt? Maybe. She didn’t know and couldn’t even put herself in his place.

  “Did you confront him that night and give him a chance to explain?” Kevin asked.

  “I couldn’t. He wanted to find you to have you arrested.”

  “So what? The police would’ve caught Hay, and the truth would have come out. I’d be fine.”

  She shot him a look. “I can’t believe you’re not supporting me in this.”

  “I support you in everything, but I don’t agree with you on this.”

  She jerked her focus back to the road. “After all you’ve been through, you should get some rest before we get home. Mom and Dad will mob you the minute you walk through the door.”

  “Right, avoid the issue.” He jokingly punched her arm.

  “Stop it!” She faked offense, but knew he typically didn’t persist with badgering her.

  “You’re good at doing that, you know,” he said. “Not confronting things, but running from them.”

  “You’re wrong. I don’t do that.”

  “You’ve never told Mom how you feel about your upbringing. Instead you stay in your own world now and avoid letting her have any influence on your life.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Okay.” He held up his hands. “I’m done and will take that nap now. Just think about what I said.”

  She had to admit, as much as she was thankful for Kevin’s rescue, she was exasperated with him.

  Why couldn’t he see her point? Was it a guy thing? Something totally different?

  Or was she wrong? Could that even be possible?

  Her brain said maybe. Her heart said no way. As long as her heart responded with that verdict, she’d have nothing to do with Coop. Nothing at all.

  24

  Coop stood outside the training facility in the dark, a brisk wind zipping through his jacket.

  “It’s a beautiful night,” Hannah said from behind, startling him.

  “Is it?” Coop asked, knowing full well that the clear night revealed sparkling stars.

  They’d just come back from a rescue mission that had gone well, and he should be high-fiving it with the guys inside, but he’d lost his ability to maintain a good mood. He hated to admit it, but he’d been a bear to live with since Kiera walked out on him three weeks ago.

  Still, Hannah didn’t deserve for him to go off on her innocent comment about the clear night. He blew out his frustration and looked at her. “Growing up in the city, I never knew there were nights like this.”

  She stared at him. “That’s the first personal thing you’ve ever shared with me.”

  “I’m not big on sharing, but I need to change that. I have a great team on my side and you and the kids. Even Opal, despite the way she gives all of us guys a hard time.” He chuckled.

  Surprise settled on her face. “Can I ask how you reached this decision? Does it have to do with Kiera?”

  He frowned. “She opened my eyes to a few things, yeah.”

  “And yet you let her drive off.”

  “What was I supposed to do? Lock her up? Because she sure didn’t want to have anything to do with me.”

  “Why not?”

  He didn’t want to have this conversation again, but if he was going to share more of himself with others, Hannah was compassionate and nonjudgmental, meaning she was a great person to start with. He relayed his final argument with Kiera.

  “That’s a tough one, right?” Her gaze homed in on him. “I mean, I can see it from both sides.”

  “Me too, but that doesn’t change things.” He shoved his hands into his pockets to prevent crossing his arms and getting defensive.

  “How do you feel about her taking off on you?” Hannah asked.

  “I don’t like it, but I understand why she did, and I can forgive her for it.”

  “Did you tell her that?”

  “She doesn’t believe she did anything wrong and saying I forgive her would probably have made her madder.” He sighed. “Why doesn’t anything seem to work out anymore? I mean, I had my whole life planned. The IED ended that. And whenever I ask God about it, He meets my questions with silence.”

  She didn’t respond for a long time, then took a deep breath and blew it out. “This is probably not my place, but I’m going to go ahead and speak my mind, and you can tell me to back off if you want to.”

  “Go ahead,” he said, respecting her insight.

  “After Nick died, I had similar thoughts.” Her first husband had died a few years ago. “I kept calling out to God, and He didn’t seem to be there. But lately, I’ve come to realize that we make plans—good ones, we think—and we hold on tight to the hope that things will go exactly the way we imagine.”

  “Like being a Ranger,” he said.

  “Exactly. And when our expectations don’t match with what happens, we complicate our lives to no end. Often blaming God, when He’s not to blame. We simply need to realize that life is fluid. Always changing. So when God alters the course, we need to move on with Him before we drive ourselves crazy.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been doing with the back injury. The blaming God part. Not the moving on. I prayed for the rescue, and it all went well. So I’m beginning to think God is listening, and I’m trying to restore my relationship with him.”

  She nodded. “I hate that you or any of the others were injured and can’t do the jobs you once did, but isn’t it amazing that God brought you all together, and you’re helping people in need? People who might not have anywhere to turn in their worst moments in life.”

  “I haven’t thought of it that way.”

  “Please.” She laid a hand on his arm. “I’m not trying to preach here. I’m just saying. Let the injury go. Trust God again. And let go of the fact that Kiera took off. Regroup. Find a way to get her back, and if it’s meant to be, God will show you the way to make it happen.”

  Coop had to admit he hadn’t even asked God to help him with Kiera. Coop believed He’d gone radio silent on him. “I’ve been giving her space to figure it out, but maybe that’s wrong?”

  “You don’t like the space part.”

  “No. I want to be with her. Forever kind of be with her.”

  “
Did you tell her how you felt?”

  “I told her I loved her if that’s what you mean. But she told me that I don’t know the meaning of love.” He took a hand out of his pocket and shoved it into his hair. “Shoot, maybe I don’t. I mean, the only other person I’ve really loved is my sister.”

  Her eyes widened. “You have a sister?”

  “Did. She died.” He explained the story, sticking to the facts. His emotions were already on edge, and he felt like he could break down and embarrass himself.

  “And that’s why you don’t share anything personal.”

  He nodded.

  Hannah’s expression softened. “Doesn’t mean you don’t know the meaning of love. Kiera’s wrong there. I’ve seen it in you. With the team, with David and Mia. You’re a good man, Coop. A very good one, and you’re capable of love. Don’t let Kiera’s words spoken in the heat of anger make you forget that.”

  His heart warmed under her comments, but was she right? He just didn’t know. “I appreciate that, but it doesn’t change things with Kiera.”

  “I’m actually shocked that you waited this long without looking her up.” Hannah smiled. “I can’t see any of you guys not going after what you want. You want her. You’ve given her time to figure out how she feels. Now go after her.”

  “What if she—”

  “She what? Hasn’t figured it out yet? So what? You need to convince her. Shoot, maybe she’s waiting for you to come along and sweep her off her feet with some big romantic gesture.”

  “You think?”

  “There aren’t many women who wouldn’t appreciate that.” Hannah chuckled. “And if she’s still mad, it might soften her heart, and she’ll listen to what you have to say.”

  “Yeah, it could be,” he said warming to the idea. But romantic gestures or sweeping a woman off her feet? He knew nothing about that. Especially for a woman who meant so much to him, and he only had one shot at this. Failure wasn’t an option.

  So God, if Hannah is right and you’re listening, how about helping me out with this? And if it’s not meant to be, help me accept it and move on. But seriously, don’t let it be the second option.

  Kiera walked up to her parents’ front door. She was looking forward to lunch with her mother, and at the same timed dreading it. She planned to use the lunch invitation to take Kevin’s advice and tell her mother how she felt about her suffocating childhood. After that, hopefully they could develop a better relationship, and Kiera could spend more time with her mom.

  If only she could resolve things with Coop, too, but she had no idea how to do that. She’d forgiven him. After all, Kevin was right. She hadn’t trusted Coop either, and he did have very compelling evidence against her, making his actions more understandable. The question still lingering in her mind was what to do about this revelation. And she wouldn’t contact him until she figured that out.

  She pushed the door open and heard her mom on the phone in the family room.

  “She just arrived,” her mother said. “Don’t be late.”

  Her mother met her in the entryway. “Good. You’re right on time.”

  “Who were you talking to just now?”

  “Now?” Her mother looked away.

  Kiera knew this look. Her mother had meddled in something again, and she was avoiding admitting what she’d done.

  “What did you do?” Kiera hated the suspicion in her tone, but years of her mother’s interference meant Kiera couldn’t control it.

  “Do? Nothing really. Simply answered a few questions for Cooper Ashcroft.”

  “Coop?” His name echoed through the room. “Why on earth were you talking to Coop?”

  “Why don’t we sit down?” Her mother took her arm.

  She jerked it free. “No. Explain.”

  “He called me last week and asked if I could invite you over today.”

  “Whatever for?” she asked, but her attention was drawn to the sound of a helicopter in the distance. “Is that Coop’s chopper?”

  Her mother nodded. “He’s coming to take you to lunch.”

  Panic flared in her heart. “You had no right, Mom.”

  “I want you to be happy.”

  “The same way you wanted me to be happy growing up? Coddling me and keeping me from enjoying life?”

  “Look.” Her mother leveled her gaze on Kiera. “I overacted back then. In hindsight I see that, and I know I’ve alienated you because of it and you don’t want me around.”

  “That’s not completely true, but yeah, I’m working hard to establish my own life. I can’t have you interfering all the time. And that means I talk to Coop, not you.”

  Her mother’s chin went up. “But you’re not talking to him, are you? You’re moping around and ignoring a fine man who loves you.”

  Kiera opened her mouth to respond, but the helicopter dropped closer, rattling the house. She hurried to the front window and discovered the chopper was landing on their huge front lawn.

  “Does Dad know Coop’s landing in our yard?” Kiera asked.

  “Of course he does. Coop asked permission.”

  She turned to face her mother. “Both of you kept this from me?”

  Her mother nodded. “And I’m sorry we had to do that, but if I’d told you Cooper was coming here today, would you have shown up?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, but suspected the answer would be no.

  “Listen, sweetheart.” Her mother clutched her arm. “I’m sorry this is happening this way. I know you’re working hard to prove to all of us how independent you are. But are you doing so at the expense of being happy? Maybe it’s time to let go of your plans. To reevaluate and open yourself to possibilities that God has put in your life.”

  “You think God put Coop in my life?”

  “Don’t you?”

  “Maybe,” she said, not ready to admit that God knew better than she did about what her life should be like.

  “Hear Coop out. You can always walk away after that.”

  Kiera turned back to the window and stared across the lawn. The rotors had stilled, and Coop climbed from the cockpit. He strode to the front of the chopper and leaned against it, his eyes fixed on the window. She felt the pull of his intensity from here. Her heart felt shredded, and she could hardly form a thought.

  “Go,” her mother encouraged. “He’s made the first step. A pretty grand step if you ask me. Flying in to swoop you away. Don’t let him leave.”

  Kiera pondered it for another moment. “I’m going, but our discussion about your part in this isn’t over.”

  Her mother placed her hands on Kiera’s shoulders. “Sweetheart, don’t you know I only want the very best for you. Just like God does. And Coop, too. Let us be a part of your life.”

  Kiera hated the pain in her mother’s tone. She hated to think of a life without her mother or Coop. And a life without God? That hadn’t been working out so well of late.

  She threw her arms around her mother’s neck. “I love you, Mom. I’m sorry I was snippy. We can work things out between us.”

  Her mother clutched her tightly, then set her away. “Now go tell that fine man that you love him, too.”

  Kiera groaned over her mother’s inability to let one minute pass before giving her direction, but in this case, she would overlook it. Running a hand over her hair, she went to the door and stepped out. They were experiencing a rare sunshiny day in February with temperatures in the upper sixties, a perfect day to be outside.

  She stepped across the lawn soggy from winter rains. Coop pushed off the chopper, his hands going into his pockets. She drank in the sight of him. His wide shoulders in his jacket, his long legs in cargo pants, his usual boots on his feet. He looked so good, and she had to fight the urge to run across the grass to his side.

  As she got closer, she saw dark circles under his eyes. Maybe he hadn’t been sleeping either. Or maybe he’d been working hard like she’d been doing, hoping it would bring her the same sense of satisfaction that it once
had.

  “Hi,” she said coming to a stop out of arm’s reach.

  “Thank you for agreeing to see me. I’d like to take you to lunch.” His formal tone made her heart ache.

  “Okay,” she said.

  “Right this way.” He hurried to the passenger side of the helicopter and opened the door.

  He held out his hand to help her climb in. She wanted to ignore it, but that would start things off on an adversarial note, and she didn’t want that. She put her hand in his, his cold fingers curling around hers. Awareness of him as a man shot straight to her heart, and she could hardly move.

  Their gazes met and held. The air sizzled between them. He sucked in a breath, his eyes going dark. She shook off the feeling and settled in the seat. After a long look that said he was as hungry to look at her as she was, he closed the door and jogged to the other side of the chopper.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, once she caught her breath again.

  “It’s a surprise.” He smiled then, his lips opening and those white pearly teeth peeking at her.

  Her heart somersaulted, and she wanted to draw him close and kiss him right there, even though her mother’s face must be pressed to the window.

  “Sounds perfect,” she said, swallowing hard to keep her voice from giving her away.

  “Headset.” He pointed above her head.

  She reached up to grab it and put it on. He cleared their takeoff, got the helicopter going, and the solid whomp, whomp, whomp of rotors took them into the air. He circled away from the city, heading toward the coast. Was he planning to take her all the way back to Cold Harbor?

  She didn’t want to admit it, but she wished he would, sort of like kidnapping her from her real life. Her boring life that she’d planned out. Each step. Each move. All spontaneity gone. Her mother was right. She needed to let that go. Open her eyes to all the possibilities. Possibilities like Coop.

  She snuck a glance at him and found him looking at her like a starving man. His look made her blush, but she didn’t turn away. The temperature in the chopper seemed to go from cold to boiling in a second.

  “How much further?” she asked to change his focus.