Redeeming the Billionaire SEAL(13)

Soon Chance was behind the controls, the rotors gaining speed as he lifted off, heading the chopper north. This was a toy compared with what he’d been trained to fly, but it handled well enough. When the sprawling ranch came into view, only then did he begin to relax.

He had just shut down the engine of the Bell 407GX and stepped away from the chopper when his cell began to ring. It was Holly.

“Hey, Holly.”

“How was your visit to Dallas?”

“Oh, wonderful.” He could hear the heavy sarcasm in his own voice. There were dogs barking in the background on her end so he didn’t hear her reply.

“Come to dinner. Tonight at seven. It’s meat loaf night.”

“Meat loaf, huh? How can I pass that up?”

She giggled. “Gotta go. See ya then.”

He couldn’t help but notice his steps were lighter than they’d been before she called. But as he reached the flagstone area around the pool, he remembered the baby who would no doubt be there tonight. How was he going to spend time in the presence of...what was her name? Emma? How could he carry on as though it was nothing? Every time he looked at Holly’s baby he saw the baby girl in Iraq. She’d been sitting on the ground innocently playing with a doll. Chance had heard the missile seconds before he saw the exhaust as it lined up trajectory to the target: a building directly behind where the child sat.

He’d hauled ass toward the baby, muscles straining as he pushed himself past his physical limits, determined to get there in time. The explosion had blown him back some thirty feet. He’d lost hearing in one ear for almost a month, and they’d pulled shrapnel from his head and shoulders, requiring several days in the infirmary. And when the dust settled, there was nothing of the baby that remained. Just one foot of the little doll. All he could do was lie in that hospital bed and relive the incident over and over. Three seconds. If he’d had three seconds more, he might have saved her.

It was a child Emma’s age who brought on the nightmares. Of all the things he’d witnessed during his time in the service, that had been the worst. It had brought the reality of just how innocent and fragile a little life was screaming to the surface. After that experience, he’d stayed well away from members of his platoon who incessantly talked about their families. He didn’t blame them. Not at all. But it was nothing he would ever be a part of, and he found reasons to leave the room before new baby pictures made the rounds. He was happy for Holly. She seemed to really love Emma and no doubt was a great mom. But it was none of his business and it needed to stay that way.

Chance ran a hand over his face. He should listen to his own common sense. This wasn’t Iraq. There were no guided missiles. Holly’s baby was fine. He would be there an hour tops. He could do an hour. He wanted to see Holly again. If that’s the only way he could do it, he would get through it somehow.



“Come in!” Holly called upon hearing the knock on the door. Seeing Chance step into the room, she left the potatoes frying in the pan and hurried over to give him a welcome hug.

“Smells good,” he said and hugged her back.

“I hope you like it. It’s my granny’s recipe.” She hurried back to the stove. “There’s cold beer in the fridge and dinner is almost ready.”

This was the first time she’d ever cooked for Chance. She’d debated for two days what to fix. She wanted it to be something he couldn’t get anywhere else. That ruled out steak and baked potatoes. With her limited culinary skills, she’d settled on her Granny’s secret meat loaf recipe, homemade French fries, green beans from Miss Annie’s garden and cold beer or mint tea. Holly would have never been able to pick out or afford a good wine anyway.

Placing the food on the table, she told him to take a seat before hurrying from the room to get Emma. Chance’s body language changed when she carried the baby into the dining room. He appeared to withdraw. She had to wonder what that was about. Setting the high chair at the table between them, she seated Emma, then fixed her plate: noodles, some of the fries, green beans and applesauce. Finally, Holly sat down in the vacant chair across from Chance.

“Please, help yourself.”

Without uttering a word, Chance cut a sizable portion of the meat loaf and helped himself to the fries, green beans and a hot roll. He periodically glanced at Emma almost as though she made him nervous. Odd. He’d seemed fine with her at the Kite Festival at the park. Maybe he’d just had a bad day.

With Emma, it was sink or swim. She would either like you or she wouldn’t. It was her decision. If she took to Chance, he’d made a friend for life. Holly sat back, content to see what Emma would do.

It didn’t take long.

The baby was fascinated with the big man. She chewed a noodle and watched him fork a bite of meat into his mouth.

“This is great, Holly.” He glanced at Emma, who still sat staring at the new person in their house.

“Bea.” She pointed to the green beans on his plate. When Chance didn’t move she apparently thought he didn’t understand her command. She leaned over toward Chance, her hand almost touching his plate. “Bea.”

“Right. Bean.”

But he didn’t put any beans on his fork. He didn’t pick one up. He didn’t put any in his mouth. And Emma became more determined, staring as if trying to figure out why this person sitting at the table wasn’t eating his food.

Chance speared some fries. That seemed to appease her somewhat. She looked at her own plate and picked up a fry. As she chewed, she continued to stare at Chance. Holly had to wonder if Chance felt like a specimen under a microscope. It was then she noticed the beads of perspiration on his forehead. She stood from the table and walked to the thermostat on the wall, cranking it down a few degrees. When she returned to the table, Chance was wiping his face.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Fine. This is really good.”

“So seriously, how’d it go in Dallas with your brothers?”

He shrugged. “Pretty much the way I expected.”

She saw the muscles in his jaw working overtime. He took a deep breath as though trying to gain control. Something unexpected had happened. Something he clearly didn’t want to talk about. She wouldn’t push him to tell her. If he wanted her to know, he would when he was ready.

“Fy.” Emma held out a French fry to Chance.

“Emma, here.” Holly put some applesauce in a spoon and held it to Emma’s mouth. “Take some applesauce. Mmm. Good.”

The baby took the bite, never taking her eyes off Chance. Holly sat mesmerized as Emma grabbed a noodle in her chubby hand and held it out to Chance. The baby leaned far out of her high chair in an attempt to feed Chance the noodle. Holly would swear the color drained from his face.

“She won’t give up until she sees you eating a green bean or a noodle. Those are her favorites.” Holly smiled in apology. “She’s like that. She tends to want to take care of people she likes.”

Chance nodded his head and speared a bean. “She doesn’t know me.”

“She knows enough.” Once Chance ate some of the green beans, Emma sat back in her chair, content. “Remember you telling me about that sixth sense you rely on? I’d have to say knowing which people she likes and doesn’t is something like that. I’ve seen her scream bloody murder if a person she doesn’t like tries to pick her up, even if it’s a grandmotherly type and innocent as can be. You’ve just witnessed what happens when the vibes are right.”

Chance cut a glance back at the baby. She sat quietly, watching him while she chewed on her bean. He picked up a French fry, broke it in two and gave her half. They both chewed their potato.

As the meal went on, Chance seemed to relax. A little. They shared green beans and more potatoes until finally Emma was full and wanted down to play.

“So where is your roommate this evening?”

“Roommate? Oh, you mean Amanda. She went home. Said she had errands to do. I think she had a date. She’ll be back eventually. She gets lonely sitting in her apartment by herself. She’s in between jobs right now.”

“What does she do?”

“RN. Surgical nurse.”

“You’ve known her a while?”

“Yeah. We’ve been friends since grade school. Her dad is the pharmacist at City Drug. You might know him. Doug Stiller?”

“Yeah. Yeah I remember him.” Chance wiped his hands on the napkin. “He was always very understanding when a guy’s hormones began to kick it. But you didn’t walk away with a foil packet in your back pocket without a speech about being responsible.” He glanced at Holly and smiled. The glimmer was back in his eyes. “I tended to listen.”

Emma banged her spoon on her tray and kicked her feet. “Out,” she demanded loudly. Holly reached for Emma and knocked over a glass of lemonade. The liquid spilled onto Chance’s half-eaten dinner.

“Oh! I’m sorry. Here, let me get another plate and some—”

“Don’t worry about it, Holly. It was all delicious but I’m full.”

“Boo-boo,” Emma proclaimed.

“Yes. Boo-boo,” Holly agreed, still mopping at the spill with whatever napkin she could find.