TWO HEARTS' PLOY (Two Hearts Wounded Warrior Romance #33)

Prologue

July 2021

Afghanistan

Dust and debris littered the remains of the Afghan settlement, where Lieutenant Jeff Callahan, along with a former U.S. interpreter and his wife, had been scheduled to be transported from Afghanistan via chopper. Unfortunately, this location was no longer an option since members of the Taliban were returning to take control of the country at an extremely rapid pace, even before the scheduled U.S. withdrawal in August. Since the settlement was exposed and no longer had cover, an incoming chopper would easily be visible.

Despite the time and expense that had gone into recruiting and training an Afghan army, once the Taliban forces had begun to return, many of the recruits hadn’t even attempted to defend themselves, choosing instead to surrender or join forces with the Taliban.

The three of them were moving on foot since the Taliban had already begun setting up roadblocks on every incoming road they’d traveled.

As Jeff stared grimly at the rough terrain ahead, he wondered yet again how he was going to get this couple he was escorting to safety. It was going to be a challenge hiking through mountainous terrain to reach the second transport site on his list. Serving over ten years as an interpreter for a U.S. Army general who’d been stationed here in Afghanistan, Ahmad was one of hundreds of Afghan civilians who needed to be evacuated. Supposedly, Ahmad had been invaluable not only as an interpreter but at providing intel about various terrorist organizations operating throughout the country, undoubtedly responsible for saving numerous lives.

Jeff studied Ahmad’s wife, who wasn’t exactly dressed for the heat or battling rough terrain.

It was if she could read his thoughts when she dug deep into the bag she’d hoisted over her shoulders when they’d left Kubal, digging out a pair of socks and boots. After unwrapping the skirt from around her waist that had covered the pants she’d been wearing, she leaned on a pile of rocky debris, slipping off the thin-soled shoes and replacing them with her socks and boots. He should have figured that she’d been playing the part of a traditional dutiful wife for appearances sake as they’d traveled.

Jeff nodded his approval, silently motioning Ahmad and his wife toward a path that led upward, away from the settlement. Along with the Taliban, there were several ISIS insurgent organizations still operating in the region. At least there was less chance of them being exposed if they were no longer out in the open.

If he succeeded in getting them out, they would eventually land at Ramstein Airbase in Germany where they would have asylum while being processed to travel into the U.S.

Originally, Jeff had been traveling with a fellow officer, but they’d been forced to split up after discovering multiple roads had been closed.

Jeff breathed a sigh of relief as the three of them finally reached the secondary pick-up point. Although Ahmad was an experienced climber, his wife was not, so it had taken an additional five hours to arrive as opposed to four. Luckily, Jeff had learned about the demolition of the settlement long before they’d arrived there earlier and had been able to communicate with command via satellite phone to set up the secondary pickup site along the route so they wouldn’t have to backtrack.

As Jeff’s eyes searched the flat open space, he grew concerned. Although they seemed to be in the clear, you just never knew for sure how advanced the technology was of any possible insurgents who could be operating nearby. Now they’d just have to be patient since the chopper wasn’t due to arrive for at least another hour, at dusk. But they’d have to be on high alert.

It seemed like they waited forever as they sat under cover in silence.

When the chopper finally arrived, hovering above, Jeff sensed trouble when he noticed a flashing reflection from an elevated perch in the rocky terrain. Someone had weapons, and they were most likely being targeted, he decided as the chopper landed nearby.

Quickly rushing the couple over to the chopper and practically shoving them inside, he spun around with his rifle in hand, zeroing it in on the small band of insurgents who came running from behind a rocky outcrop above.

He felt the pain in his leg as he was being dragged onto the chopper, glancing down at the blood gushing from multiple wounds.

“Uh, oh. Damn it. That can’t be good,” he muttered as the chopper took off.

He got off a few more shots, noticing that all three insurgents were down.

Before he passed out.

* * *

Apparently, Jeff had spent a large chunk of time in a haze, probably drugged as his injuries were tended. He remembered asking about Ahmad and the condition of the chopper when he’d first arrived. He’d been relieved to hear that Ahmad and his wife had made it aboard safely. When he finally woke from the haze hours later, this time feeling somewhat alert, Jeff glumly tried to assess the damage to his legs when he realized he was lying flat in bed, apparently in a hospital somewhere. It was obvious that his right leg was gone.

Despite what appeared to be burns covering sporadic regions of his body, amazingly, both of his arms along with his hands seemed to have escaped any extensive damage. At least his career as a communications and electronic expert probably wouldn’t be at risk.

But he wasn’t as certain about his future as an Air Force officer.

At that moment he realized that he’d kind of considered himself invincible. Despite having numerous friends and even a brother, as well as a brother-in-law, who were dealing with severe disabilities, Jeff never really thought that something like this would ever happen to him.

Talk about being an idiot.

“Good. You’re awake,” a nurse said softly, entering the room. Coming closer, she started checking his vitals while asking him several quick questions regarding any pain he might be experiencing.

Apparently satisfied with his answers, she nodded her approval as she rested his arm back down on the bed.

“Well, Lieutenant Callahan, I’m going to send for your doctor so he can go over all your injuries with you as well as answer any questions. Alright?” She pursed her lips. “Meanwhile, your father is apparently on his way here to Germany from the States. He’ll be able to see you as soon as he arrives.”

He groaned. Jeff must have been in pretty bad shape for Dad to take the time away from his construction business to fly all the way here to be with him.

Only moments later, the doctor appeared to speak with him. He tried to listen to her, but truthfully, everything she was saying sounded vaguely familiar, he thought dully. His brother-in-law Luke had lived through nearly the same scenario but had survived worse injuries than Jeff, having been burned severely during an incident involving insurgents.

“Lieutenant?” the doctor asked, cocking her head. “Are you sure you understand?”

He nodded glumly. “I’ll need a prosthetic. It’s going to take a lot of time for rehab. I’ll probably be doing that back in the States.”

And he might need even more time to adjust than even Luke had, since Jeff’s leg had been amputated above the knee. Not to mention the fact that he’d have to use his left leg to do what his right leg had before. At least bullets had only grazed his left leg. It would have definitely been hell to lose both of them.

The doctor continued to look concerned as she studied him intently, so Jeff spoke with assurance. “We have a wounded warrior facility in the town where I grew up. Both my brother and my brother-in-law have done their rehab there. My brother-in-law lost his left leg about four or five years ago, so I understand a lot about the process.”

“Good,” she said, nodding approvingly. “Although you appear to still be in shock.”

Was that what it was, he wondered? He felt apathetic. Maybe he was still processing, before devolving into full-fledged panic.

“I’m just not ready to think too hard about anything right now. At least my upper torso didn’t get sprayed with bullets.”

“You may not realize it right now, Lieutenant, but you were lucky,” she said softly before exiting the room.

* * *

One month later, Jeff was entering his third week of rehab while residing at the Crystal Rock Wounded Warrior Home. He was recovering quickly from his injuries, and currently, he was listening to the physical therapist go over his updated schedule.

Just as Steve finished answering Jeff’s short list of questions, one of the nurses appeared at the door.

“Lieutenant? You have a visitor, but she promised she wouldn’t stay long since we’re on a tight schedule today,” she said, glancing at her watch. “We’ll be rolling you down to the lab in about thirty minutes.”

“Thank you, Grace,” Jeff replied. He’d found it interesting to discover that Nurse Johnston had been recently hired. Currently, Jeff’s father’s construction company was working on updating the home that she’d apparently inherited from her grandparents.

He felt a certain numbness when he realized that it was his girlfriend Aimee who was here to see him. Jeff hadn’t heard from her at all since he’d returned to Crystal Rock. In fact, they probably hadn’t had a real conversation with each other for at least six months.

He wondered if she was here to brush him off gently, which was actually fine. But then again, they’d been skirting around the truth for months. They’d been growing apart for a while now.

But then again, her job kept her busy. She’d worked her way up as an administrative assistant at the Dragonfly Pointe Inn, and now she’d been promoted in an administrative capacity for Loughlin Enterprises as an efficiency expert to handle customer service as well at Jake and Danielle Loughlin’s various hotels worldwide.

“Jeff?” Aimee said softly. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t reach out to you sooner. The last thing I want is to have you think that I’ve been avoiding you. I only heard about what happened a week ago. I’ve been overseeing the purchase of a new hotel in northern California.”

As Jeff remained silent, Aimee pulled up a chair, studying him closely.

“You’re a lot thinner, but your color looks good. How are you—I mean really ?”

“You’re not going to allow me to feel sorry for myself, are you?” Jeff sighed. “Truthfully, I’m just kind of numb. I keep feeling like I’m living in an alternate reality.”

“Don’t think too hard about the future yet. Give yourself some time, Jeff,” she said gently.

When her hand covered his, he realized that even his feelings for Aimee had definitely changed. Sure, they were friends, but the magic was no longer there.

And it didn’t have anything to do with his injuries.

“Our feelings have changed, haven’t they?” She heaved a sigh, obviously recognizing what he just had. “I can see it in your eyes. I started to realize it when you were home on leave about seven months ago and we tried to take up where we left off. I hope we’ll always be friends.”

“You can count on it,” Jeff answered gruffly.

Tears filled her eyes. “I know you have your family, but I hate that you don’t have anyone special to talk to so that you can share your pain. I’m going to have to return to California in the morning. Are you on any special diet? Will they allow me to bring dinner tonight from the Crystal Rock Tap?”

For the first time in a long time, Jeff smiled. “They’d better. I’m dying for a couple of roast beef sandwiches.”

“It’s a date,” Aimee replied as she stood, smiling wryly. “I’ll let them know at the nurse’s station that I’ll be returning tonight. What time?”

“How about six? It’ll give me a little time to get cleaned up after my rehab session.”

“I’ll see you then,” she answered, smiling widely as she left the room.

Suddenly, Jeff felt like crying. Even though he’d kind of realized months ago that they probably wouldn’t have a future together because they’d grown apart, yet again, it was another loss of something familiar. They’d begun dating in their senior year of high school, and somehow they’d survived through years of separation while he was training as an officer and deployed on multiple tours.

* * *

Another month later, Jeff decided to join his fellow patients in the lounge, where they were waiting for a Brewers game to start on the big screen.

Settling in with his wheelchair at the back of the room after grabbing some bottled water from the fridge, Jeff felt a sudden tug at his heart when he saw who was singing the national anthem.

“Wren Matthews,” one of the guys said while dramatically thumping at his heart. “Damn, she’s hot.”

One of the female airmen snorted. “I’ll admit that I love her voice. But there’s a lot you can do with hair extensions and makeup these days. No one’s that perfect.”

He couldn’t have chosen a better moment to put the men and women at ease, Jeff decided as his eyes searched the room. Everyone had immediately gone silent when he’d entered the lounge, and the comment about the celebrity vocalist had been the first words uttered out of anyone’s mouth.

When Jeff cleared his throat, everyone turned to stare. “She seemed pretty much perfect to me when I met her a few years ago.”

It seemed like everyone’s eyes went wide as they turned to stare.

“Really, Lieutenant?” someone asked in awe. “What’s she like?”

“Well, I’m not so sure about her taste in men since she chose me out of the audience to dance with her onstage when she was performing for the troops in Germany, but she didn’t bat an eye when I kept stepping on her feet.”

At least half the people in the room snickered.

He cleared his throat again. “Of course, that could have had something to do with the fact that I couldn’t keep my eyes off her face, because she was drop dead gorgeous. My mom owns the local beauty salon, and I happen to have three sisters. I don’t think I would have had that reaction if she was wearing a ton of makeup.”

“Did she talk to you much while she had you onstage?” One of the guys who was sitting across the room asked.

“Yeah, she did. She asked my name and where I was from. I remember answering all her questions in a very hoarse voice. She probably thought I had stage fright because of the way I kept stepping on her feet. But I think I was just starstruck.”

It’s funny, but Jeff hadn’t thought about that moment for a while. It had been the first time that he’d ever been captivated by a woman other than Aimee. Which probably had something to do with his sudden recognition that he and Aimee were growing too far apart to have a future together.

Opening up seemed to put everyone at ease, so by the time the ball game started, Jeff was having normal conversations with almost everyone hanging out inside the lounge.

When the ball game ended, most of his fellow wounded warriors started back to their rooms. When Jeff hung back just a little bit longer to finish the juice he’d been drinking, one of the guys, also in a wheelchair, rolled closer to Jeff.

“Do you mind if I ask you a question, Sir?”

Jeff snorted. “That just depends on what it is. Go ahead, Sergeant.”

He grinned. “My name is Tanner, Sir. Marc Tanner. There’s a rumor floating around that you’re related to Kelly Callahan, the model. I was just curious. Is it true?”

Jeff grimaced. “It’s not only true, but we’re twins. You wouldn’t believe how many men have asked to be introduced.”

The Sergeant started laughing. “I wouldn’t mind an introduction, myself.”

“I’m not so sure that her husband or my nephew would approve of that,” Jeff answered dryly.

Sergeant Tanner sighed. “That’s what I was afraid of. I suppose she married some great-looking famous guy.”

Jeff blinked, and then started laughing.

Sergeant Tanner cocked his head. “No?”

“She actually married one of us , Marc. Luke was one of the very first patients here at the wounded warrior home. My grandfather was his foster dad, so we grew up together.”

This time it was the Sergeant who blinked. “Really? You probably know that I was just kidding about the introduction, because who the hell am I to ask. But it kind of gives you hope, doesn’t it, that getting injured doesn’t always have to matter?”

“Kelly wouldn’t let it matter, although Luke was a little hard to convince. He just never thought he was good enough for her, and once he was injured…” Jeff shook his head in resignation, “it was a million times worse. But she never gave up on him.”

“It’s nice to hear that about someone I had a huge crush on as a teenager. But then again, who didn’t have a crush on her?” the Sergeant observed dryly. “You know—it’s good to know that there are still a few women out there that see under the surface.”

For a moment, Jeff let himself remember how he’d felt when he’d danced with Wren Matthews. He’d kind of fallen under a spell, looking into her sea green eyes. Would she still have danced with him if he’d walked up on the stage wearing a prosthetic?

Well—no use thinking about something that he’d never find out. She was an even bigger star than she’d been back then, after winning some Grammys. There’s no way in the world that he’d ever meet up with her again.