Southern Exposure (Southern Desires Series Book 2)

by Jeannette Winters

  Don’t cry. Be strong. She needs you. “Oh, Bailey, I’m so sorry. Would you like me to go with you?”

  Bailey looked Hannah and said, “You have so much already going on. I can’t ask you to come to Providence to hold my hand for a test.”

  “Of course you can. And you know, I’ll be there too. That is what we do for each other. In good times and bad.”

  Bailey laughed. “For richer or poorer too?”

  “Is there a richer option? Because I haven’t seen that one yet,” Hannah added, laughing.

  “I stand corrected. For hard up, poor, or broke ass.”

  The both fell back on the bed holding their sides from laughing so hard.

  Once they stopped, Hannah asked, “Tickets to Georgia or Rhode Island? Wherever you go, I’m going with you.”

  Bailey gave her a hug. “Let’s get this test done and over with. But after that, I want you to promise me one thing.”

  Hannah nodded. “Anything.”

  “I want you to try to work out whatever went wrong with Mark. I have a strong feeling about him, Hannah. But I know you. You run from what scares you, and loving that man scares the hell out of you.”

  And for good reason, Bailey. He’s got my heart but I can’t have his. Apparently it already belongs to someone else.

  “One thing at a time, Bailey.”

  “Hannah, I want you to promise me. Right after the biopsy, you go to Mark.”

  “Fine. I promise.” But what I am going to say is not what he’ll expect.

  “So now you go and break the news to your cousin that we’re leaving, and I’ll be right back.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to see Don. Don’t worry; I’m not going to say anything about you and Mark.”

  “Are you telling him we’re leaving?”

  Bailey looked at her strangely before she sat back on the bed. “I almost forgot. We still need to talk about you and Mark. You told me to go first, now it’s your turn.”

  No, we don’t. “There’s nothing more to tell. It was fun, but that’s all”

  Bailey said nothing. Hannah knew she wasn’t buying the bull she was dishing. She had no choice but to sit back down. She would talk but not about everything. Not after what Bailey shared.

  “There is no doubt in my mind, Hannah, that you genuinely like the man. I have never seen you like this with a man. You’re normally indifferent to them, but with Mark, you blush at the simplest things and your eyes light up when you see him.”

  Hannah’s feet were dancing. Bailey was right. She was different around Mark. He made her feel something she’d never thought she would. She was twenty-eight, but he made her feel like she had a schoolgirl crush. She daydreamed about him and peeked at him through the blinds of her window when he was outside cutting wood for whatever they were building upstairs.

  Knowing the effect he had on her didn’t change anything. It just meant it was going to hurt more.

  “Bailey, it’s not about how I feel. Mark isn’t . . . doesn’t want anything serious with me.” That was the closest thing she could say without divulging her suspicions. The truth was, right now that’s all she had. No facts, but it didn’t look good.

  “Did he say he doesn’t want you?”

  “No.”

  Bailey’s voice was filled with frustration. “You’re dancing around not saying what really went down. How am I supposed to understand if you don’t give me the facts?”

  “Because I don’t want to think about it, Bailey. It’s only going to make me start crying all over again.”

  “What did he do?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Hannah, do I need to go and ask him myself, because God knows I will?”

  Always the protector. If I had a big sister, I think she’d be just like you: loving, supportive, and bossy as hell.

  “He has a girlfriend.” There. I said it. She wasn’t sure if she felt better with it out in the open or not. But by the look on Bailey’s face, she was shocked.

  “Did he tell you that?”

  “No. When we were in bed Mark got a call, and when he looked at the number, he tensed up and needed to leave the room. He was gone for about five minutes when I decided something wasn’t right.”

  “Maybe it was his sister or parents or—”

  “Don?”

  “No. I was with Don. But it could’ve been someone else. Don’t jump to conclusions without asking.”

  She had already thought that through; what other explanation could there be? “It’s not his family, and we know he doesn’t work. But you’re right. I need to talk to him. I’ll do that after I get back from Rhode Island.”

  “Why not today? Why not now?”

  “His sister is getting married in two hours. I’m sure he is busy with family obligations at the moment.”

  Bailey nodded. “Good call. But, I don’t think Casey would encourage us to set you up if he had a girlfriend. Sissie is a good judge of people, Hannah. You know that. I didn’t see anything to doubt in the Mark I met. If you’re wrong, and I hope you are, you better not wait too long, or he might think you’re not interested.”

  Since he hasn’t reached out to me since I left his room yesterday morning, I don’t think he’s stressing over it. When Mark undressed me in the poolroom, I felt embarrassed about my body. But he called me beautiful and worshipped my curves. All night. And I believed him. I need to leave.

  “Okay, can we go now? Please?”

  “I want to run across to the hotel and say goodbye to Don.”

  “Are you two serious?”

  “I have too much going on right now to think about something serious. It was fun working with him to get you and Mark together.”

  “If that is what I would have to look forward to with the both of you, maybe I’m glad you’re not an item.”

  “Don’t think we won’t do it again if we need to. Give me ten minutes, and I’ll be ready to go.”

  Only a small intimate group attended the wedding, so Mark noticed immediately that Hannah wasn’t there.

  “Don, I know you know something. Spill it,” Mark said quietly to the side as they watched Casey and Derrick cut their wedding cake.

  “Are you asking about Hannah?”

  “You know fucking well I am.”

  Mark’s father turned and gave him a warning look. He knew this wasn’t the place nor the time, but when they last spoke, Hannah was going to be there. If something happened, he needed to know.

  Don kept his voice low. “They left right before the wedding.”

  “Back to Savannah?”

  “I’ve been told not to talk to you about it.”

  “Which you’re going to fucking ignore and tell me,” Mark growled under his breath. Why is everyone willing to talk to Don, but not to me? I’m an approachable guy. He almost laughed at himself. Approachable was not one of his traits. Arrogant. Demanding. Stubborn. Intimidating. All those and more. But never approachable.

  “I’m sure you could get the information yourself if you’d call her.”

  Mark glared at him. “Talk.”

  “They are going to Rhode Island. Something Bailey needs to take care of. Then Hannah will be returning to Savannah alone. Is that enough information for you?”

  “Do you know when?”

  “No. Bailey was quiet about what’s going on. I even tried using my charm, and she clammed right up.”

  Mark was glad Hannah was with her friend, but the timing could be tight for her return to Savannah. She was supposed to be gone a few more days than that. “Is all the construction going to be completed by then?”

  “Cutting it close. I’ll have my guys work some overtime this weekend. They leave Monday morning, just as we’re coming in.”

  “Do you want to fly out Sunday to be sure they’re on task?”

  Don looked at him sternly. “My guys might only carry nail guns, but trust me, Mark; they know their shit. Anything that can be done will be done.”
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br />   Mark knew he came across as an arrogant ass. He could apologize, but it wasn’t the first time Don encountered it, and it wouldn’t be the last.

  Casey and Derrick were walking in their direction. Although she had a smile on her face, Mark knew she was about to chew him out for something.

  “Congratulations,” Mark said, extending his hand to his new brother-in-law. As they shook hands, Casey stood there, arms crossed in front of her, tapping her foot. I don’t think you’re waiting for a hug. Okay, let it rip.

  “Mark Collins, I can’t believe what you did.”

  Me either. Whatever it is. I’m sure I did it. “Nothing should shock you. But what did I do this time?”

  “You scared that lovely girl off.”

  “She had things to attend to with her friend. Not my doing.”

  Casey shook her head. “Foolish man. Of course, it was your doing. You hurt her, and she left. Do you really think she had something urgent come up that she needed to leave on a Saturday? Don’t even answer that. Whatever they needed to do was only an excuse.” She threw her hands up in the air. “Even Derrick knows it’s ridiculous.”

  Mark looked at Derrick who appeared to be as shocked by Casey’s comment as everyone else. He shrugged his shoulders.

  “I’m staying out of this,” Derrick said.

  “I have to agree with Casey,” Don added.

  He looked at both men. “Really? Are you both going to take her side?”

  They nodded. “She’s making sense, Mark,” Don said. “So why don’t you call her?”

  “Why don’t you all mind your business?” Mark’s voice was much sharper than he wanted.

  Kevin, Mark’s younger brother, joined them. “What’s got you all riled up?”

  Great. Why don’t we get Mom and Dad over here too, and we can all talk about what a fuck-up I am when it comes to women. He didn’t want to discuss this with any of them because it didn’t matter. What they had was amazing, but calling to fix it was only going to open a door he wanted to stay closed.

  “Just a difference of opinions.”

  “I can help. Casey is right, and you’re wrong,” Kevin said.

  “Do you even know what we’re talking about?” Mark asked.

  He shook his head. “Nope, but I’m smart enough to know better than to argue with a woman. Especially on her wedding day.” Kevin raised his eyebrows at him with a stop this shit look on his face.

  Damn. You’re right. Mark hated that he needed his kid brother to remind him of that. I can add insensitive jerk to my list of less-than admirable traits. He saw the look in Casey’s eyes. She wasn’t going to stop until she heard what she wanted.

  “Okay, I’ll call her.”

  Casey immediately relaxed as though it was a done deal. Don’t think this is going to work all the time. Your wedding is one day only. He had no plan to call Hannah, but the present situation controlled his answer.

  Once he agreed, the party was underway, and the rest of the night went smoothly. Hopefully, the rest of the week could work this well. Finish the construction, get that guy out of that apartment, and Hannah will be safe. She’ll be able to move forward with her life. And I will move forward with mine.

  If only that meant he’d be able to forget her. He smelled her scent in his bed last night, and it was sweet torture. Surely once the assignment was over, she’d simply be a memory. A beautiful, sassy, intelligent memory with the hottest body I’ve ever seen. She’d somehow burrowed her way into his thoughts, but he would refocus. He would.

  Mark looked at his father. He looked tired. Was it from traveling back to the States? He knew what that trip did to him. He could only imagine what it did to his dad in his condition. Even though he tried to hide it, he saw his father’s left leg give a bit, almost as though he was dragging his foot slightly.

  Then at the toast to the happy couple, his father dropped his glass of champagne. He’d laughed it off that he’d probably had one too many, but he’d been watching closely all afternoon. His father hadn’t had a sip.

  Casey was beaming from her wedding vows and too happy to have noticed anything, but he and Kevin had exchanged glances throughout the day. They knew things were changing. Even though Mark wanted to book it out of Texas and head straight back to Savannah, he needed this time with his father. A few hours won’t change a thing. Right now, this is where I need to be. I only wish Hannah was here with me. Maybe it’s better she’s not. It would only have given my parents a false sense of hope. And they might as well get it through their heads, I’m never getting married.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Mark had so much running through his mind. He told his team not to enter the apartment because Don’s workers were on site. That would open a risk they couldn’t afford. But being back in Savannah totally changed things. He could do it himself without having to worry about Hannah getting caught in the crossfire.

  As he and Don did their walk through the house, he was amazed at how much the construction crew had accomplished in such a short period of time. He’d seen shows on television where they totally remodeled a home in three days, and he thought it was complete bullshit. Now seeing this, he had to give Don credit. He and his crew were better than he thought possible. No wonder he’s in such high demand. He pulls off the impossible. He felt proud for his friend.

  They stopped at Hannah’s apartment first, which had been freshly painted throughout. He made his way to the bathroom, which he hoped would be a place she could enjoy now instead of her small tub/shower unit that would’ve been good for washing a baby or a pet. No adult was ever going to soak in that tub. She now had a double-wide Jacuzzi tub. Damn. Knowing what she looks like naked, I can picture her right now. And I’d love to join her.

  He needed to push those thoughts out of his head. He was going to be gone when she returned. Mark knew she’d be angry with him for lying to her, but eventually, she’d forget all about him. It wouldn’t take long before some other man saw in her what he did. She was a beautiful, sensual woman who was smart and strong. No matter what life threw at her, she’d never quit. Hannah was going to make some lucky guy a wonderful wife someday. She shouldn’t be alone. She deserves to share her life with someone who appreciates all she has to offer. This house was no longer a building waiting to be condemned. It was exactly what she’d asked for when they were first texting. He’d made it a home. A place she could share with someone. Raise a family and live happily ever after.

  Happy. Just like she deserves. Unlike me. Not my future.

  A happy life is what he wanted for her, so why the hell did it make him angry thinking about it? These last few weeks were all about making her dreams come true. Her happiness was all that should matter. So why am I so fucking miserable? Am I that shallow that I can’t see past my own desires? This is what’s best for Hannah. Fuck what I want.

  He chose what he wanted long ago. The Navy was his life. There was no way a woman, no matter how perfect she was, could enter his life and turn it upside down in a matter of weeks. She might have time to get him out of her system, but he had only a few days. There was no way he could go on a mission in this mental state. At least, not if he wanted to be one hundred percent focused. Even Johnson had questioned him a few days ago. Mark’s head hadn’t cleared any from then. If anything, it was worse.

  “What do you think?” Don asked from the spare bedroom where they’d removed the closet to make her bathroom larger.

  “I’m impressed. She’ll like it.”

  “You think she’ll care that we removed a closet?”

  “If you make your visiting company too comfortable they won’t leave.”

  Don laughed. “That’s not the sales pitch I’d use when telling her why we had it done.”

  Does everyone think I’m an idiot? “I know how to talk to people.”

  “Yes, you do, when you’re looking for information critical to the safety of the good ole USA. But talking to a woman, no. You suck at it.”

  “I do fin
e.”

  “I’m not talking about getting them into bed, Mark. This one is special. You know it, but you’re too damn stubborn or afraid to admit it.”

  Mark almost lost it. They might be best friends, but no one had ever told him he was afraid of anything without getting knocked on their ass.

  “This would be a good time for you to shut your mouth, Don. Consider Hannah off limits for conversation going forward.”

  “I’m not one of your team you can tell what to do.”

  “You’re right. But the warning stands.”

  He valued his friendship too much to stand there any longer. Mark walked out of the room and went to check out the rest of the remodeling. The apartment upstairs was practically complete except for some moldings. There was about a day’s worth of work to do. Once that was completed, there was only one thing left for him to handle.

  As he left the apartment, he stopped at the tenant’s door. You’re next. Be prepared. Tomorrow, I’m coming inside whether or not you let me.

  Hannah walked through the small shops in Providence. Many talented local college students had their art displayed for sale, making Providence so beautiful and unique. You could find great paintings, clothing, and jewelry.

  Bailey wanted to rest alone for a few hours after her biopsy. Although she didn’t want to leave her side, Hannah understood. There are times you need to have privacy to process, no matter how strong and positive you try to be. For Bailey, this was one of those times.

  She figured it was time to head back, though. Hannah wanted to be near her friend. She made her way up the old cobblestone street. She couldn’t believe she used to walk this route several times a day and never felt a thing. Now her thighs felt like they were on fire. I’m only twenty-eight. Why do I feel like a hundred?

  Hannah didn’t understand her lethargy. The last few days she’d been exhausted. She no longer was suffering from the nightmare and the scarred man’s face seemed to have vanished from her thoughts as quickly as it had come. She’d not thought of him since she and Mark had their wild night of passion together. Now she was awake, haunted by the memory of Mark’s touch. Sweet and tender and the most amazing sex one could imagine, but dreaming of something I can’t have again doesn’t help. It only makes for a restless night. A hot and restless night.