Chapter 7 #2
“But you can’t call me Elodie in public,” she said softly.
“I have a million questions for you, but they’ll have to wait,” he told her.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Elodie told him.
“I think that’s my line,” Mustang said with a smile.
“Hey, Rachel, it’s good to see you again!” Midas said as he approached.
“Damn, Mustang was right. It is you!” Aleck said in amazement.
“Guys, I’d like you to meet Elodie Winters,” Mustang said quietly. “Elodie, you remember Midas and Aleck, right?”
“Scott…I thought we just agreed—”
He interrupted her. “We did. But these are my teammates. They’re going to help me…you, us…figure out what’s going on and fix it.”
“I’m not sure it can be fixed,” Elodie said softly.
“Elodie. That’s unusual,” Midas said.
“It’s French. Over there, it’s pronounced with the emphasis on the O, but my parents said it like Melody without the M,” Elodie said, as if she’d explained her name many times in the past.
“We all thought Mustang was losing his mind when he said he saw you,” Aleck told her. “But we should’ve known. There’s a reason he’s our team leader. He’s pretty damn sharp.”
“We’re glad you showed up. He’s been checking his phone like a squirrel waiting for a bird feeder to be re-filled,” Midas said.
“What?” Aleck said, staring at his friend as if he had horns growing out of his head. “What kind of an analogy was that?”
“You know, the little buggers get used to stealing food from a bird feeder, then get impatient when it’s empty,” Midas said.
“Good Lord, you’re a dork,” Aleck said, shaking his head.
Elodie giggled, and Mustang’s heart felt as if it grew two sizes.
It was a sound he hadn’t heard from her before, and he wanted to hear more of it.
She sounded happy. Carefree. Whatever trouble she was running from hadn’t completely diminished her ability to laugh.
“What’s your schedule for the rest of the day? ” Mustang asked her.
She looked up at him, and even though she was smiling, he could still see the shadows in her eyes. He’d noticed them back on the cargo ship and had hoped maybe her troubles were behind her, but with her still using a fake name, it was likely they weren’t.
“I’m off for the rest of the day,” she told him.
“I came with Aleck. How about he takes us back to my place, where I can change, then I’ll take you back to your place so you can do the same, and maybe we can have dinner somewhere together and talk?”
She stared up at him for a long moment, and Mustang felt as if he were seventeen again and waiting on his crush’s response to his invitation to prom.
“Okay,” she finally said.
“Okay,” he agreed. He didn’t like that she sounded a bit reluctant, but she’d said yes.
When the rest of the team caught up to them on the dock, he reintroduced everyone once more.
“This is Elodie…previously known as Rachel and, for now, Melody, when we’re around others.”
“Hey,” Jag said.
“Good to see you again,” Pid added.
Slate merely gave her a chin lift in greeting.
“I…were you guys really fishing today?” she asked a little hesitatingly.
“Yup,” Pid told her. “Things have been fairly intense at work and we needed a little downtime.”
“Did you catch anything?” she asked.
“Yeah. A big-ass marlin. Aleck’s friend was the pilot, and he sliced us each a big filet and he’s keeping the rest,” Pid said.
“Cool,” Elodie said.
“You like fish?” Mustang asked her.
“Hate it,” she answered immediately.
Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then Slate said, “But you work on a charter fishing boat.”
“I do,” Elodie agreed with a small smile.
“I couldn’t afford to be picky when I was looking for a job.
And there’s no requirement I have to eat what the clients catch.
I have no problem being around the fish, helping to bring them onboard and things like that, but I don’t think I’ll ever grow into liking to eat anything that comes from the ocean. ”
“You’re a chef?” Pid asked with a frown.
“I am,” Elodie agreed. “But where in the chef handbook does it say you have to like everything you cook?”
“She’s got you there,” Mustang said with a smile.
She’d stepped away from him as they’d talked to his teammates, but he kept his hand on the small of her back.
A part of him felt as if she’d disappear once more if he didn’t keep her within reach.
It was ridiculous, but he was so relieved to see her again, to have her there, that he wasn’t going to fight his instincts.
She was still dealing with something, and until he knew what it was, and what demons he needed to slay, he’d stick as close to her as he could. There was always the possibility she’d up and leave again if she got too scared, so he wanted to do what he could to mitigate that possibility.
Despite no contact whatsoever, the two months since he’d seen her had somehow made him feel even closer to Elodie.
It made no sense whatsoever. But he’d played back their entire encounter on the Asaka Express over and over in his mind.
And he’d become even more impressed with what she’d done.
How she’d acted. It was crazy, but he’d always been a man to act on his instincts, and right now they were telling him Rachel Walters—or Elodie Winters—was a woman who would be worth getting to know.
“Are we gonna stand out here baking in the sun all day or what?” Slate grumbled.
Mustang couldn’t help but snort out a laugh. Leave it to Slate to get them all moving. Whoever he ended up with would have to have the patience of a saint.
As natural as breathing, Mustang took Elodie’s hand in his and started walking toward Aleck’s car.
He said goodbye to the rest of his teammates and opened the back door to Aleck’s yellow Jeep.
They’d given him shit about it, but Aleck always said that he liked the color, that it kept others from hitting him because there was no way they could miss him driving alongside or in front of them.
He probably had a point, but they still liked to rag on him about the bright color.
Once he had Elodie settled, Mustang walked around to the other side of the Jeep and climbed into the back seat next to her.
After Aleck put their bags in the back storage area, he got behind the wheel and grumped, “Great, now I look like a chauffeur or something.”
“Home, James,” Elodie quipped, then blushed as if she’d forgotten where she was and who she was with.
Mustang loved that she felt comfortable enough around him and his friends to tease.
Her personality seemed different here. Bigger.
More relaxed. He’d always thought Hawaii was good for the soul, and that was obviously the case for Elodie.
She was still stressed and still had some pretty deep secrets, but he liked this side of her.
The sun and sand fit her much better than the dark and dank lower decks of the cargo ship she’d been hiding out on.
Mustang couldn’t keep his gaze from flicking repeatedly to Elodie as Aleck drove toward his apartment. He was grateful his friend kept the conversation flowing, as he couldn’t do much beyond staring at the woman next to him.
By the time they pulled up to his place, Mustang had no idea what they’d talked about, but since Elodie seemed relaxed and happy, he didn’t really care.
“Mustang? Can I have a minute?” Aleck asked.
He really didn’t want to leave Elodie alone for even a second, but he nodded anyway.
“I’ll just wait over there,” Elodie told him, indicating a patch of shade under a tree near the entrance to the apartment complex.
“Okay. Elodie?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t worry.”
She snorted. “Scott, I’ve been one big ball of worry for months now. I’m not scared of what you and your friend are going to talk about. I’m more worried about you—any of you—getting involved in my issues and having it come back to bite you in the ass.”
Her words just made him like her all the more. A lot of people would jump at the chance to let a team of Navy SEALs take on their problems, but not Elodie. He had a feeling she’d do what she could to downplay whatever was going on just to try to keep them safe.
Fuck that.
She didn’t give him a chance to respond, but turned to Aleck, thanked him for the ride, then strode over to the tree to wait for him.
The second she was out of earshot, Aleck turned to him and the easygoing smile he’d had on his face disappeared. “You gonna find out what the fuck is going on?” he asked.
“Yes.” Mustang’s answer was immediate and determined.
“Good. Because I like her.”
When Mustang scowled, Aleck chuckled.
“Not like that. It’s obvious to anyone with eyes that you guys are into each other.
I just like her gumption. I don’t know why she didn’t contact you, but I’m willing to bet she’s got a good reason.
Find out what you can, and Pid can use his skills to find out what we’re really dealing with. If he needs to, he’ll contact Tex.”
Mustang held up his hands. “Easy there. I’m thinking we don’t want to invade Elodie’s privacy the day after we meet up with her again.”
“We won’t be. Pid will,” Aleck said, completely serious.
“Just give me some time to talk to her,” Mustang said sternly.
Aleck sighed. “Fine. But you know Slate is gonna want information like, yesterday.”
“I know. But I have a feeling I need to tread carefully. She’s afraid.”
“She is,” Aleck agreed. “She does a good job trying to hide it though. Okay, fine. Find out where she’s been the last two months, why she didn’t call you, where she’s been living, and if she’s been in contact with the other employees from the ship or anyone else.
We’ll need to know how well she’s hidden her tracks.
If she is on the run, we’ll also need to know when we might expect company. ”
Mustang freaking loved that his teammates had no problem wading into whatever was going on with Elodie. It was obvious that he’d been preoccupied the last couple months worrying about her, and now that she was here, they were one hundred percent devoted to solving whatever problem she had.
“I’ll see what I can find out,” he told Aleck.
“Good.”
“But you need to give me today and tomorrow. I’ll talk to everyone at PT on Monday.”
“Well, shit,” Aleck pouted. “We have to wait that long?”
“You do know that you sound like Slate, right?” Mustang said with a grin.
“Damn, I do. Okay, she’s been all right this long, another day and a half probably won’t make a difference,” Aleck said on a sigh.
“Let the others know, would ya?” Mustang asked.
“I will. Mustang?”
“Yeah?”
“I think she’s good for you.”
Mustang blinked in surprise. “You’ve known her for what, twenty minutes?”
“Maybe, but we all know what she did back on that cargo ship. How she didn’t hesitate to save your and Midas’s lives.
Not everyone would’ve done that. And she’s funny.
And it was obvious she was just as glad to see you as you were her.
That kind of connection doesn’t come along every day.
My suggestion is that you just go with it. See where it leads you.”
“And if it turns out she’s broken the law and is a black widow or something?” Mustang asked.
Aleck rolled his eyes. “That woman is no criminal. No fucking way.”
Mustang believed that too. If he didn’t, she wouldn’t be standing patiently waiting for him to bring her up to his apartment.
He was a pretty good judge of character, and Elodie Winters needed a champion more than anyone he’d ever met.
She wouldn’t ask him to be one for her; he instinctively knew that too.
But she’d sealed her fate when she’d pulled the trigger on that rifle back on the Asaka Express.
When she’d saved his life, she’d earned the thanks and respect of his team.
And if they could help her in return, they would.
“I agree,” Mustang said.
“But seriously, if anything is majorly wrong, call before Monday. Okay?”
“I will,” Mustang promised. “Thanks for hooking us up with your guy today. I had a good time. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy fishing…and just being out on the open water with no agenda.”
“Same. I’ll see you Monday.”
“Later.”
Mustang headed for Elodie. She was standing with her back to the car, gazing out at the sliver of ocean that was just visible off to the side of the complex.
“Ready?” he asked as he approached.
She turned, and he could see the apprehension was back in her gaze. Instinctively, Mustang took a step backward, giving her some space.
“This isn’t a good idea, Scott,” she said softly.
Damn, talking with Aleck had given her time to second-guess his intentions or fret about whatever was going on with her. Mustang slowly took a step toward her, and relaxed when she didn’t tense up or move away from him. “Why did you come to Hawaii, El?”
She stared up at him but didn’t speak.
“Personally, I think this is the best idea you’ve had in a long time.
I don’t know why you didn’t get in touch with me right when you got here, but I’m fucking thrilled that I happened to see you today.
Maybe you’re trying to let me down easy.
Maybe it’s just coincidence that you’re here.
Maybe you have a husband and eight kids you’re needing a break from, I don’t know…
but I do know that I haven’t been able to get you off my mind for two months.
And when I saw you on that boat, it took everything I had not to leap into the water and swim over to you to make sure you didn’t disappear into thin air before I had a chance to talk to you. ”
He saw her swallow hard. “I’m not married and I don’t have children,” she said quietly.
That didn’t tell him much…but Elodie walking toward him and resting her forehead against his chest told him everything he needed to know.
Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Mustang cradled her close. “Come on. I smell like fish and need to change. We’ll get you sorted, get something to eat, then we’ll talk. Okay?”
“I shouldn’t be here,” she said, but she didn’t fight him as he began to walk them toward the entrance to the building.
“But you are,” Mustang said.
She nodded and said nothing more.
They headed to the elevator, and even though no words were spoken between them, Mustang still felt as though they were communicating. He could feel her muscles begin to relax and she leaned against him ever so slightly.
It would take time and patience for her to trust him, but he had a feeling earning that trust would be one of the most satisfying and rewarding things he’d ever do.