She turned and hid her face in his shirt, her shoulders trembling with sobs. Harley watched the tenderness. His earlier panic slipped away along with the saltwater fountain leaking out of his eyes. It washed the hurt away. Some of the guilt too. He could breathe again.
Best of all, he could lift his head. The buddies who’d died in that IED didn’t hate him like he thought. They’d just paid a visit to prove it. It almost made it easier to live with himself. Maybe he wasn’t insane. Maybe they’d really been here. Yeah. He was good with that scenario. Damned good.
“Do you know what I see when I’m looking around this room?”
Of course, Miss O’Brien would be the one to ruin the reverent moment. Harley shot her a disparaging look. Couldn’t she see this was private? She needed to butt out. This was TEAM business.
Kelsey was more gracious. She sniffed and asked politely, “What, Judy?”
“I see Raymond’s sweetest and maybe his only friend in the whole world,” Nurse Judy said softly, “and she’s surrounded by a fierce group of guardian angels who would do anything for her. Look at these guys, Kelsey. They’re all twice your size. They’re all gentle giants, especially the one with his arms wrapped around you. And they all love you. Even I can see it now.”
Harley blinked. He hadn’t expected Judy to sum them up like she did, but she was right. Alex always did have the warrior angel thing going for him, toughest dog in the fight and for sure, the one guy every man wanted in his corner when it came time to brawl. Zack and Mark too. And of course they all loved Kelsey. Judy got it. She got them.
Kelsey looked around her circle of friends, sniffing as she settled down. “But Ethel still killed him.”
“No, she didn’t,” Judy said sternly. “Listen to me, Kelsey. Ethel didn’t kill Raymond any more than Harley killed his men. Acromegaly killed Raymond, and an IED killed Kent, Rick, and everyone else that day in Iraq. Understand that right here and now. Do not live with guilt for something you did not do.”
Ouch. Damn. Low blow. She could not have hit Harley harder if she’d physically knocked him down and stomped his butt into the linoleum. He watched for another sneak attack. Damned if she wasn’t—right again.
“Besides,” Alex declared, “Raymond got to meet you. He was a lucky kid. Just like me.”
“And me.” Murphy sniffed as he offered his sincerest.
“Libby loves you like a sister.” Mark’s eyes were red-rimmed and teary. “Me and JayJay too.”
“I’ll always have your six, Kels,” Zack said. “Anytime. Anywhere.”
Harley offered a wink. “You’re my Kelsey Girl. You know that.”
Kelsey took a deep breath and wiped her cheeks, her voice squeaky as she held Raymond’s big hand against her cheek one last time. “I’m going to miss you, my sweet lost boy.”
Twenty-Seven
Alex was wrong. Trotting Harley out to the Shenandoah hadn’t helped him remember anything. Judy couldn’t take anymore, and she was tired of the way his face lit up every time he looked at Kelsey. Yes, the two of them had a history. Romantic or not, it was more than Judy could bear.
Murphy and Mark lingered, filling Alex in on the conclusion of the sniper operation and Roy’s resulting injuries. Apparently Roy and Connor were in the emergency room here in the same hospital. Zack and Kelsey chatted quietly. Harley stayed seated where he was, so Judy slipped out of the door.
The reflection of an aggravated woman in the plate glass window at the end of the hall caught her eye. She tilted her chin up, ready to get back to work and put the day behind her. The reflection tilted its chin too, and Judy went to her.
“I’m just tired,” she whispered to herself in the cold glass.
A door opened and closed behind her. Judy rolled her shoulders, ready to be Nurse O’Brien again. Great. It had to be him. Harley. She watched his reflection as he approached. Tall and slender, the man had long legs that never failed to make her think of a cowboy. Slender hips, a little bow-legged, and sexy as all get out, the drawl fit him to a T. He was her kind of man through and through. A cowboy. A lost cowboy.
“Ah, ma’am?”
“What do you want?”
He took the hit, blinking in surprise, and she felt bad. He didn’t deserve her attitude and she knew it. She just couldn’t stop.
“Why’d you, umm, leave?” He seemed so timid, a sure sign he was not the man he used to be.
“I have a job to do. I don’t belong in there.”
“Seemed to me like you belonged.”
“No.” She’d read his body language. He didn’t want her there. Not really. “You should be back in bed.”
The big oaf spotted his reflection. Like the kid at heart he was, Harley ran a hand over his unruly hair from one side to the other, swiping it down like he always did. Only his hair had a mind of its own. Harley didn’t need fancy products to get that trendy spiked look. He was born with it, just never appreciated it. Once he looked semi-presentable, he reached for her shoulder, but froze before he made contact. No kidding. Why would he want to touch a bitchy woman?
“Go back to your friends.” She slanted away from his long fingers.
“I can’t.”
“Since when?” He’d never had a problem leaving her before. “Go see what Alex wants. Go hug Kelsey Girl. Just... go.” Again the snarky tone rang in her ears. Why was she taking it out on him? None of this day was his fault. Sudden moisture in her eyes turned the bright lights of the city below into a blurry blob.
He lowered his arm. “I might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I know when a woman says, ‘Go,’ she really means, ‘Don’t you dare leave.’”
Judy rolled her eyes at his sincerity. Harley always was perceptive like that. There was a time he could read her like a book. Two days ago.
He tried again. “Can I help?”
“I don’t know. Can you?”
Again his hand reached for her but didn’t connect. If he’d just grab hold and spin her around like he usually did, maybe it would solve everything. Why didn’t he? Oh yeah. He was probably thinking of Kelsey Girl.
“Elephant,” he blurted, lowering his hand to his side, a bewildered look on his face. He shook his head as if he didn’t know why he’d just said that incredibly stupid word. “Elegant,” he said more firmly.
She looked closer, not sure if he was playing a game or displaying a symptom. Attention Deficit Disorder revealed itself through blurting, but so did other brain-related dysfunctions, including his mild case of TBI. Usually, those words reflected a patient’s inner feelings. So what was he trying to tell her? Or Kelsey?
He licked his lips, his brows crinkled with concern. “Exquisite.”
“What are you doing?” She didn’t turn around, just kept track of his reflection.
“I, umm, don’t know.” The bewildered look on his face warmed her soul. At least, he was honest. “It’s gonna sound like I’m losing my mind, but every time I look at you, an E word lights up in my head like a big old neon sign.”
Okay, that helped. He was thinking about her. Rack one point for Harley.
“Exciting. Entangled.” He was on a roll now.
The sight of him standing so close tempted her to turn and fall into his arms. Would it make any difference? Would she still be Nurse Judy, or would he suddenly recall they had a more intimate history? It seemed a simple solution, but what if he pushed her away? The risk of rejection loomed too possible and too painful.
“Go,” she whispered. Please.
“Energy. Extravagant. E—”
“I have one for you.” She pulled the ring off her right hand and turned around. Face to face, his hazel eyes lit up. An E word popped into her head too. Endearing. That was Harley down to his toes, the most gentle, endearing man she’d ever known—a lover of children, old folks, any animal on Nat Geo, and, until recently, her. He was the only man she’d ever loved. How did he not know that? Her heart stuttered. Would this next impulsive act hurt or hinder? Another wor
d popped into her mind, superimposing itself on the other.
“How about enough?” She held out the ring on the palm of her hand. “That’s an E word.”
He backed away, his eyes on the stone. “Chocolate diamond,” he whispered.
“Yes.” Rack two for Harley. At least he’d recognized the ring.
The day he’d given it to her came back crystal clear. Right in the middle of a Wisconsin airport concourse, he’d dropped to one knee and asked her to be his. It was not a marriage proposal, but it came close. He wanted her to move to the East Coast to live with him. She’d been dying for some kind of sign he was interested. The ring was definitely it. Only now....
“Take it,” she pleaded. Touch it. Remember us. Remember me.
“No, ma’am.” He shook his head, his palms forward to ward it off. “I can’t. It’s yours, isn’t it?”
“Take it,” she ordered. The tear spilled over.
“I gave it to you, didn’t I?”
She wiped her face, the ring still extended.
“Exceptional.”
Terrific. Another E word. The worry etched on his face stabbed her heart. What was she doing? He needed medical care, not torture by some demented ex-girlfriend. It was time she backed off and let a professional counselor take over. Remembering would have to wait for another day. She stuck the jewel into her pocket.
“Did I love you?”
Rip! Her heart shattered. Did? Not do? Way to go, Mortimer.
“Never mind.” Judy steeled her rising flood of emotions. “I should never have allowed you to leave the hospital. It wore you out. You’re sick.”
“No, I’m not.” He took a step into her comfort zone. “Answer me. I need to know. Did you love me?”
“Forget it,” she snapped to get him to back off. How could she answer? He didn’t know who she was.
“Tell me.” He made contact, his hands gentle but firm on her biceps. “My brain’s not working so good right now, but I didn’t forget you, did I?”
What a dumb question. His fingers trembled on her arm, his intentions so sincere she wanted to scream. He wouldn’t have to ask if he remembered, but that was her Harley, solid as a rock with a brain that fell down on the job every once in awhile. And that’s why she loved him. She could see past the handicap he had to deal with every day. She saw the tender side of the stone cold sniper who never should have enlisted in the first place.
Shoving her emotions into the pocket along with the ring, she became efficient Nurse O’Brien again. With a twist of her hands, she regained control. “You, sir, are sick. Let’s get you settled into your room. Your VA counselor will stop by in the morning. You can chat with him.”
“I am kinda tired,” he admitted. His hair had sprung back into a few spikes. Black circled his eyes. “But you’ll talk to me for awhile, won’t you?”
“We’ll see.” She led him to the elevator. Patients didn’t usually get to come and go as they pleased. Thankfully, his room was exactly as he’d left it no doubt because of her status on the staff. The bed was made. It didn’t take long to get him back into pajamas, an IV ordered, and the monitor reattached. The massage table she’d brought to the hospital earlier stood unused beneath the window. No problem. She folded it, planning to take it home the next day. A full-blown get-reacquainted massage was out of the question now. She wasn’t up for it, and nobody else had better touch him.
“Why did I give you that ring? It must have meant something. Come on. Tell me about it. Was it at dinner? Some place romantic?”
“No big deal,” she lied. “Just friends at college.”
His face crinkled into one of his funny faces. “I went to college?”
Typical. He would zero in on the wrong lie. Harley scratched the top of his hard head, but his eyes were heavy. “It’s a mighty big stone. Looks expensive.”
“Good night, Mr. Mortimer.” She kept it business. The ring was expensive all right, a spur of the moment impulse from that sweet, banged up brain. It wouldn’t take long now. Once he was prone, he was either asleep or... She brushed the other possibility away. So not happening. Not tonight.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes.” She turned at the door, another white lie ready on her lips. “I have rounds to make. Other patients. You need to rest.”
Longing filled the hazel gaze riveted on her. “You sure you don’t want to maybe sit on the edge of my bed and talk with me? I won’t try anything. Honest. I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
And that was the problem. “I’m sure. Goodnight.”
“Maybe when I’m better? We could go out for a drink or—”
“You don’t drink,” she barked. What was wrong with this man? Didn’t he know he was a recovering alcoholic either?
“’Kay,” he said softly. “But if you change your mind, I’ll be here.”
“I won’t.” She shut the door and walked away, her heart stuck in her throat so tight she couldn’t even cry. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day. This one sure sucked.
He slept like a rock. Some guy named Raj checked on him in the middle of the night. Woke him up to give him a pill to put him back to sleep. At the crack of dawn, a different guy showed up to check his knife wound. The nametag stitched on his jacket pocket declared Doctor Statler. He performed his examination quickly, taking a listen with a cold stethoscope when he was nearly through.
“Deep breaths,” he ordered.
Harley took deep breaths.
“Again.”
Harley breathed again.
“Must be love.” The doctor draped the stethoscope around his neck.
“Excuse me?” Harley caught the busy man’s wrist. “What’d you say?”
Dr. Statler grinned. “I said it must be love. The only reason you’re not dead is by the grace of God and Judy. What day is it?”
What a dumb question. Harley took a stab in the dark. “Wednesday?”
“It’s Monday.” Again with the smug expression. “Do you remember who brought you to the hospital?”
If this wasn’t Wednesday, what difference did anything else make?
“Umm, Mark Houston?”
Dr. Statler wiped the look off his face. “The paramedics brought you in through the emergency room Saturday night. Your friend, Mark Houston, came in at the same time, but he was in another ambulance.”
“You sure?” Harley studied the doctor. Statler didn’t seem to be lying, but Harley was pretty sure he’d seen Mark in the ambulance with him.
“You have a mild TBI, a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the back of your head, Mr. Mortimer, which you sustained in an automobile crash. You also have a seven-inch laceration on your calf, and a puncture wound directly below your sternum. For some reason, the knife missed every vital organ in your abdomen. You should be dead.”
“I get that a lot,” Harley muttered. “So when can I leave?”
“Tomorrow.” The doctor’s hand remained on Harley’s shoulder while he examined the stitches on the back of his head. “I hear you went for a chopper ride yesterday. Not a smart move for a man in your condition. At least, you had the sense to take Judy with you. Any other aches or pains I should know about?”
“No.” Pains or not, Harley wanted to see Judy again. They had to talk.
“Okay then.” Statler stopped at the door. “Your neurologist should stop by soon, and I believe you’re due for a visit from your VA counselor sometime today. Any of this sounding familiar?”
“Yeah,” Harley admitted. Kinda. Sorta.
“Good.” Statler looked satisfied. At least someone was. “One of the nurses will be in to re-bandage your leg. Do yourself a favor. Get some sleep while you’re here and do not leave this room unattended. Understood?”
But it was not Nurse Judy who showed. It was Viki. Blond, perky Viki with big boobs and one of those crew cut women’s hairdos that made her look like a guy. If it wasn’t for her chest....
Harley watched her unwrap his leg, check it, and apply m
ore dressing.
“Where’s Judy?”
“Not on shift today, I guess. Why? You need something?” She batted clumpy black eyelashes from him to the folded massage table. “I give a mean back rub.”
Hell, no. “Just wondering where she was. That’s all.”
“Call the kitchen if you’re hungry.” She moved his phone from the nightstand to his bed, her hand uncomfortably on his wrist while she explained, “Dial 3. If you want meals on time, you’ll have to place your order early. The kitchen only serves sandwiches and soup after 5p.m., but you can have all the fluids you want any time. Anything else?”
“Nope.” He rearranged his pillow to get her to move her hand. “On second thought, where’s my clothes?”
She pointed to the closet door. “Bet they’re in there. You want me to check?”
“No.” He remembered now. Judy had hung everything up for him before she left last night. It had seemed natural how she’d straightened his shirt on the hanger. She hadn’t even asked, just took care of him like it was no big deal.
“I’ll be in later to give you a sponge bath.” Viki kept batting those clumpy eyelashes and offering what else, he did not care to find out.
Enough said. Harley was out of there and on the street before Nurse Viki had the chance to make good on her threat. It took him awhile to wrangle a cab, but then he had no money. Worse, he could not remember his home address, only where he worked. Good enough. The cabbie took him to his office. Harley had to ask the cabbie to call Mother to come down and please pay the fare so he’d stop swearing and leave. By the time Harley limped into the elevator and was seated at her desk, he needed a place to hunker down and hide.
“Where’s the boss?”
“Alex didn’t come in today,” she replied. “He’s taking a couple weeks off with Kelsey. You want some coffee?”
“No.” Harley waved it off. He needed something a lot stronger than caffeine in his blood. “Where’s Roy? Murphy?”
“Roy is at home recuperating. Murphy took a personal day.”
“Mark?”
Mother grimaced. “Home.”
Harley (In the Company of Snipers Book 4) Page 23
