Chapter Thirty-Two - Joshua
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Joshua
“So, you’re telling me that none of the fifteen soldiers I sent on this assignment could locate an entire shipping crate?” My tone is calm, but I’ve been doing this long enough to know that’s more intimidating than yelling.
There’s a shake in Jackson’s voice. “Yes, sir. But we aren’t done looking yet. I’m sure we’ll find it.”
“You better, or it’s your ass.”
I slam the phone down and pinch the bridge of my nose.
Dealing with business from here is a headache, but I don’t exactly have a choice. I can’t take Elise back to the base. It isn’t that I think anyone will touch her—I know they won’t after what happened to Tripp—but she’s not ready to go back there.
I’ll just have to suck it up and do what I can from here. If it weren’t for the fact that Elise trusts Ryder, I’d have him back at the base running things. Instead, I have to trust that my second-tier officers can handle everything.
Even with the door shut, I can hear the faint laughter in the kitchen, and I wonder if Elise is out there now.
All things considered, she took my proposition well. She didn’t give me a yes, but I hadn’t expected one. The reasons I gave her are all legitimate points—she doesn’t need to know that I figured them out well after I decided she was going to be my wife.
Still, it is the best option for everyone, which is why she’ll choose it at the end of the month.
A knock on the door sounds, and I check the camera feed.
Elise.
Her newly short hair is partially pulled back on either side, and she’s changed into a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt she bought today.
“Come in.”
She walks in, carrying a bowl of something I can’t see, but the room fills with the scent of marinara.
“You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”
I shake my head, and she hands the bowl to me. “Spaghetti? You know you could’ve had Jay make anything you want, right?”
Her lip tugs up in a bashful smile. “Actually, I made it. Spaghetti on my birthday was always a tradition.”
I expect the mention of family traditions to dampen her mood, but it doesn’t. If anything, she looks excited to share this with me.
Placing the bowl on my desk, I lean in for a kiss, and she happily obliges.
“We could make our own traditions.”
“Oh?” She smiles, lips still pressed to mine. “What do you have in mind?”
“Anything but shopping,” I grumble and decide that there’s no better feeling than Elise’s soft laugh against my lips. “Maybe we’ll take a trip.”
“Really?”
I answer by taking hold of her hips, lifting her onto the desk, and planting kisses along her cheek and jawline. “Where would you want to go?”
“Italy,” she says without hesitation.
“Italy it is, then.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
When I lean back, it’s to stare earnestly into her beautiful eyes. “Elise, if you let me, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
I’d spend every penny I have traveling the world with Elise if it meant she’d keep looking at me the way she is now—like I hung the moon and splayed the stars across the night.
“What would you like to do tonight?” I ask.
“Well, I suggested a movie night, but Ryder refuses to watch a chick flick,” she says with an eye roll. “So, we’re going to play cards instead. Are you done working?”
“Not quite, but I should be able to join you soon.”
She shrugs. “All the same to me. I’m undefeated.”
She’s pretty confident for someone who has only played cards with these guys once, but I think I can capitalize on it.
“What game?”
“Kemps.”
The name is familiar, but I’ve never played it myself. All I need is twenty minutes of research, and I’m fairly certain I can hold my own.
“How confident are you?”
If the question catches her off guard, she doesn’t show it. “Very.”
“Enough to make a bet?”
The slight narrowing of her eyes gives away her wariness. “Depends.”
“On?”
“What you have in mind.”
“Whoever wins more games tonight wins.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Name your terms.”
She doesn’t hesitate. “If I win, you have to watch chick flicks with me and apologize to Ryder for yelling at him last night.”
I grimace at the last part, which only feeds her satisfaction. I don’t like her terms, but I don’t plan on losing.
“If I win, you move into my room. Starting tonight.”
She looks at me like I’m crazy. “You can’t ask me to marry you and move into your room before we’ve even had a real date.”
I open my mouth, but she covers it with her hand.
“A date that doesn’t end with me being drugged or loyalty tested.”
I kiss her palm, and she blushes as she drops her hand to her side.
“If you’re so sure you’re going to win, then it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Elise draws in a deep breath. “Why do you want me in your room? I thought you weren’t the sharing type.”
“Sharing with you is not the same as sharing you.”
“But—”
“Do you sleep better with me?”
She nods, expression still unsure.
“Then, worst-case scenario, you get a bigger closet and a good night’s sleep.”
Her narrowed eyes study me for a moment longer before she squares her shoulders and lifts her chin. “You’re on.”
By the time we’re sitting around the table on the back porch, everyone is nursing their second drink.
I didn’t put up a fight when Elise downed her wine within a minute of having it because she looked like she needed it.
For all the courage she had earlier, she sure looks nervous now, and I enjoy sending winks her way from across the table.
I only needed one YouTube tutorial to give me the confidence I need to win.
The game is simple: collect four cards of the same rank, then signal your partner to announce Kemps. With Ryder as my partner, this will hardly be a challenge.
Elise teams up with Donovan—a fact he’s a little too pleased about. I cut my eyes at him when Elise isn’t looking, and he nods in solemn understanding.
Kade and Alec are the last pairing since Jay opted for an early night and went inside.
Elise studies me, and I know she’s still thrown off by the fact that Ryder and I refused to come up with a sign for the game. The other pairs decided to use their signs from the night before, but Ryder and I didn’t need to talk about it.
Our sign was established years ago.
The game begins, and it’s silent, aside from the switching of cards and birds chirping in the night.
Despite the fact that it’s my first time playing, Ryder and I operate effortlessly.
I barely need to look at him to know we’re on the same page.
The cards that he drops and picks up tell me exactly what I need to know about his hand.
We’re on the third round of cards and an eight of spades away from victory when Donovan declares, “Kemps!”
I toss my cards down, and Elise shoots me a triumphant smile that solidifies my absolute need to win.
I can’t wait to take her to bed tonight.
Round two starts, and I’m glad to see that Ryder’s picked up on my urgency. He doesn’t know why I want to win so badly, but he ups his game regardless.
My brain works overtime to memorize every card that’s switched and analyze what that tells me about my opponents’ hands.
Alec moves without haste and switches cards randomly, and I’m sure he has nothing good. Kade seems to be onto something, but he moves slowly, overthinking every move too much to play effectively.
Donovan is skilled in thinking on his feet, giving him an edge in this game that I’m wary of. He switches cards almost too fast for me to believe he’s processing all of them, but I don’t let myself underestimate him.
Elise is the most fascinating to watch, and I need to stop myself from getting distracted. I wait for her face to give her away, but it never does. Her usually overly expressive features are frozen, eyes narrowed, lips parted, and eyebrows drawn together.
And she’s watching everyone almost as intently as I am.
The last card I need hits the table, and I snatch it up, silently signaling to Ryder as I do.
“Kemps,” he announces.
Elise clenches her teeth, and I send another wink her way.
The games pass in a blur of cards and signs.
By the fourth game, I’ve figured out both pairs’ signs.
Elise and Donovan lift an eyebrow, and Kade and Alec scrunch their noses.
As far as I can tell, neither pair has learned Ryder’s and my sign.
I catch Elise staring at us on more than one occasion, and I’m sure that’s exactly what she’s trying to figure out.
Games start and end, and finally, we’re tied three-three with Elise and Donovan. Alec and Kade managed to win once in there, but they never stood a chance.
“We’re out. Next point wins,” Alec says, throwing down his cards and finishing his drink in a single gulp.
Kade grumbles to himself, but we don’t pay him any mind.
Donovan leans back in his chair, a relaxed grin in place. To him, this is a friendly game with no stakes. Elise, on the other hand, is on the edge of her seat, and her fingers tap against the table.
By the time Kade deals the cards, we’re all back in game mode.
We have our cards, and it takes intentional effort to keep from laughing.
I only need two more cards to win right off the bat.
A quick look at Ryder is all I need for him to know that I’m on to something.
I’m fully consumed in the game as I switch my cards and analyze the moves of my opponents. I’m once again amazed by Elise’s poker face. She’s never been particularly gifted at hiding her emotions, but she does it effortlessly when focused on the game.
We’re on the fourth round of cards this game when it happens.
Donovan places the last card I need.
Ryder’s hand was already extended as he placed down one of his other cards so he didn’t waste a moment in picking it up. Now, he just has to get it to me.
Elise’s eyes light up as she reaches for another card in the deck, and it’s a look I recognize.
She’s about to win.