Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
A.J. scrutinized his reflection in the mirror above the sink in Caleb’s guest bathroom.
Hands braced on the cool tile counter, he took a moment to stare into his light green eyes as the day’s events played over in his mind.
When his gaze slipped down to his denim shirt, the top two buttons undone, the sleeves rolled to the elbows, he shook his head.
What had he been thinking wearing something so hot during summer in the South?
Was it the bump on his head that had him off?
That had him seeing his long-lost friend as clear as moonshine on a summer day?
“Get a grip.” He turned on the faucet, splashed some water on his face, and expelled a deep breath before using a white hand towel with a crimson letter A embroidered on the center.
His family bled the University of Alabama colors.
His mom had preemptively stitched baby onesies long before McKenna was born in red and white with “Roll Tide” or “Crimson Tide” printed on them.
She had a whole stack waiting for when the rest of her children chose to procreate.
At the rate they were all going, Beckett might have offered their mom the one and only grandbaby.
“Maybe Ella was right? I should’ve gone to see the doc.” He twisted to the side to glimpse the bandage in the mirror. Still intact. “And am I talking to myself?”
There was a knock at the door, followed by a soft voice asking, “You okay?”
A.J. opened the door and scooped Rory into his arms for a hug.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” She squeaked as A.J. tightened his embrace.
“It’s been too long.” He set Rory down and leaned against the interior frame of the bathroom door while she remained in the hallway.
“You know me. Always chasing the next big adventure.” Rory pushed the wisps of light blonde hair that had fallen from her ponytail behind her ears before tucking her hands in the back pockets of her frayed jean shorts.
“Where were you last?”
“Somewhere in the Caribbean.” She gave him a bold smile that said it all. He needed more details, but he also knew Rory wasn’t going to divulge much more.
And if he pressed her, she’d push right back about his life. It had become a balancing act between them over the years.
Rory’s smile stretched, her eyes glinting as if reading his thoughts. “So, how’s private security treating you? Eight and a half years with that agency now, right?” And this was her opening, her way to remind him he had secrets, too.
His parents had practically begged him to leave his “civilian” job and move back home to help on the family ranch.
Follow in his father’s footsteps. Neither his mom nor his dad understood the work he did, and how could they?
A.J. had lied to them for eight and a half years.
Besides, they had Caleb and Shep for help. Did they really need A.J.?
“I’m still in one piece,” he said with a half smile.
He grabbed his hat from the bathroom counter before they walked down the hall to the big open kitchen. A.J.’s mom had used her design skills to create a plan for Caleb’s house whether he wanted her help or not. His brother now lived on the pages of some Southern home magazine.
“And what happened to your head today?” She pointed to the bandage on his head, which was a reminder to put his hat back on.
“A rock. No big deal.” Only maybe it was because he saw a dead man near Shaw’s haunted cabin, and then he’d puked in the privacy of the forest without the guys knowing shortly before they helped patch his head.
They stood in front of the sliding glass doors that overlooked the patio and pool area out back. A few of the guys were in Caleb’s pool, including Perfect Brian, whose hair was no longer perfectly styled, but the wet strands were sticking every which way from what A.J. could tell.
“You boys play too rough.” Her Southern drawl hadn’t been lost during all her worldly travels.
“And what are they doing to that poor guy?” Rory lifted her gaze to A.J.
’s for a moment, humor shining in her pretty hazel eyes before she focused back on Chris, who’d just cannonballed into the pool missing Brian by a fraction of an inch.
He didn’t want to talk about Brian, even if that was why they were there. “I hear you’re thinking of moving to New Orleans. You consider changing your line of work? You always loved working with animals.”
“One last gig, and maybe I’ll switch gears.” She lifted her shoulders, not too convincing. She was a thrill-seeker, that was for sure, and it was something he understood. “I did speak to a few people about possibly helping out with training police dogs.”
He pointed to Chris, who was now on the diving board about to do a backflip into the deep end. “Captain America over there wants a canine for the team. Maybe you can help us.”
An amused chuckle left her lips. “Well, if y’all have any questions or need anything when the time comes, look me up. You know where to find me.”
“Actually, I don’t. You’re on the go as much as me.”
“Life is short. Gotta live it up while you can, I suppose.” She reached up and fixed his hat. “Ella says you’re still single.”
“Yup.” A.J. had been burned before, and maybe that was why he’d been too afraid to take the plunge and call Anastasia.
Rory knew all about A.J.’s past since A.J.
’s long-time relationship back in his twenties had been with one of Rory and Ella’s best friends.
But maybe burned was the wrong choice of words.
That damn fire Caleb had going back behind the pool, the flames shooting a bit too high, was screwing with his thoughts.
A reminder of Afghanistan. The burning Land Cruiser.
Shep was on approach to the firepit, most likely planning on giving Caleb some fire safety tips like he loved to do as a firefighter—he just couldn’t help himself.
“Brooke’s single.” Was Rory really trying to play matchmaker?
“I don’t live here anymore, and you know Brooke and I were just never good for each other.
We tried the long-distance thing.” He’d been wrapping up his first deployment when they split in his twenties.
God, that felt like an eternity ago. Would he be single forever?
Of course, Wyatt was turning forty this year, and he found love . . .
And do I want love? I really did hit my head today, didn’t I? Or was I possessed by Mrs. Shaw’s spirit? There’d been some paranormal shit going on out in that forest. Either that or he’d been hallucinating.
“Well, we all miss you. Especially your brothers, even if those Hawkins boys won’t admit it.
” Rory may have been a globe-trotter, but from the sounds of it, she was better at keeping in touch with everyone back at home than he was.
A.J. needed to make more of an effort. His friends and family deserved better.
Bravo and Echo fought to make the world a safer place, but all too often, he forgot to enjoy life in that world.
“Caleb told me Grant let you borrow his helicopter. How is he? I haven’t seen Grant in a long time.”
His buddy Grant had been the one to offer Owen use of his chopper even though he was out of town. “He’s good. Just had a new place built on thirty-plus acres.”
Grant had texted him image after image during construction, an attempt to get A.J. to visit, not that Grant’s schedule ever matched up with A.J.’s since they were both doing covert shit all the time.
“Of course, Grant won’t ever use it since he’s never home,” Rory pointed out. “He’s as mysterious with his work as you are.”
“And apparently as mysterious as you, Miss Treasure Hunter.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s not exactly what I do.”
“And what is it that you do?” he challenged, knowing damn well the woman wasn’t about to answer. And yup, he got a shrug and wink, that was it.
He patted the air a few times, motioning for her to get outside. “You’re letting all the good air out, leaving that door open like that.”
“Now you sound like my mama.” She threw a smirk over her shoulder before stepping out onto the patio.
“And I sound like mine, too.” As soon as A.J. pulled the door closed, they were met with a sopping wet Chris, standing so close in his star-spangled-banner swim trunks that water dripped onto Rory’s nude-colored sandals.
Echo Three stared at her totally dumbstruck. “Hi. You must be Jesse’s off-limits sister.” He stuck out his hand, and Rory chuckled.
“Yeah.” Rory took his palm. “He loves to introduce me that way. Sorry about that.”
“No worries.” Chris waved his hand between them. “If I had a sister, I’d, um . . .”
“Torture her fiancé like y’all are doing to poor Brian?
” She tipped her head toward the pool where Brian was attempting to escape.
Unlike Chris, he was in his jeans and a tee, totally drenched once he made it out of the pool, only to have Wyatt plow him right back in the water in a playful (not really) way.
“Yeah, that guy is a pretty boy. Borderline douchey from what I saw today.” Chris eyed A.J. once his palm was free from Rory’s.
“Oh, he can’t be that bad.” Rory folded her arms, her gaze on the pool where Wyatt, Roman, and Finn appeared to be putting Brian through their own version of a SEAL training exercise.
“But Jesse did want my opinion, so he asked me to crash the party. No man will be good enough for Ella as far as Jesse is concerned. I swear that man is almost more protective of Ella than he is of me.”
“I doubt that,” Chris said, never taking his eyes off Rory. Spellbound. Yeah, Rory probably had that effect on most men she met.
Anastasia Quinn certainly had that effect on A.J. when they’d first met, so he could relate to how Chris may be feeling at the moment. The wind knocked out of your lungs. Hard to gather a deep breath. Time standing still.
“It is strange my sister has never introduced you to Brian before tonight.” Ella and Rory had been best friends growing up, and they still remained close despite Rory’s travels.