Chapter 19
For the second time in as many days, Everly awoke to every part of her body aching in pain. She looked around and discovered that she wasn’t in a van this time, but a hospital bed, an IV line in her arm and monitors beeping behind her.
“Everly, baby? Thank God.”
She turned her head toward the familiar voice, pain slowing her movement, and there was Grant, sitting in a chair pulled close to the bed, his uniform wrinkled as if he had slept in it. “Hey,” she said, her voice coming out scratchy and faint. She cleared her throat. “What happened?”
“You have a concussion, sweetheart. Andropov, or one of his goons, must have hit you in the head.”
“Dimitri.”
“What, babe?”
She frowned, the memories floating back to her in bits and pieces. “He…hit me on the back of the head. With his gun. I opened the door without checking to see who it was, I was so convinced it was you—”
Soothing fingers combed through her hair. “I did come, but I was too late. You were already gone.”
Everly groaned. “Such a stupid mistake—”
“Shhh. Don’t beat yourself up. You fought like hell. And it’s over now, for real. Mikhail Andropov is dead, and Andrei and the rest of his men are behind bars.”
Realization jolted through her. “I shot Andropov. Did I kill him?”
Grant shook his head. “Won’t know till the forensics come back. We both took a shot.”
“Wait till Dr. Schafer hears about this,” she said, staring up at the ceiling. It was a lot to unpack, the knowledge that she had contributed to someone’s death, no matter how much he’d deserved it.
He took her hand, tender fingers scraping across her knuckles, and chewed on the inside of his lip. “Evan’s at your place, cat-sitting for a couple days till you’re released from the hospital.”
“Thank you. For everything,” she said. Some of the tension left her, and she sank back against the thin hospital pillow. It really was over. The threats, the uncertainty. The facade of her marriage to Jeremy—she could finally move on with her life, because of the man beside her.
“Of course. Anything for you.” He kissed her hand, then covered it with his own so that he held her hand with both of his. His brow furrowed, and Everly’s heart sank.
Grant had done his part, as he’d promised.
And now his obligation to her was finished.
He’d return to STAG, and she’d go back to the townhouse, with nothing to keep them together.
His hands trembled just slightly where they cupped hers, and Everly braced herself for the let-her-down-gently speech she knew was coming.
“Last night—realizing you’d been taken, and then seeing those bastards hold you at gunpoint—was one of the worst moments of my life.
” He drew a breath and traced his thumb over the back of her hand.
“It reinforced what I already knew. That I’ve already spent way too much time without you.
You’re part of my life now, and I want to keep it that way.
” His expression softened. “I hope you do too.”
“What are you saying?” She shifted in the hospital bed, her palms growing damp with nerves. A monitor beeped somewhere behind her, but she barely heard it over her pulse pounding in her ears.
“Everly,” he murmured, and his voice had her stomach turning somersaults. “I love you. I think I’ve loved you from the moment we met.” He shook his head. “I wanted to tell you that in a much more romantic setting than this, but I can’t wait any longer.”
“Oh, Grant,” she whispered, happiness blooming in her chest and suffusing her body with warmth. A tear rolled down her cheek. “I love you so much.” She squeezed his hand, then curled her free one around the back of his head and dragged his mouth to hers.
They kissed for long, luxurious moments. Everly wanted to throw herself into his arms and never let go, but her bruised muscles dictated otherwise. For now, she was content with the fact that he was hers to love and nothing would ever separate them again.
“ Ahem .”
Grant yanked his mouth away from hers, and Everly looked up to see Colonel Lockhart standing in the doorway.
“Sir.” Grant moved to stand, but Lockhart dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
“At ease, McDowell. I’m here to check on our patient.”
Everly smiled at the colonel as he walked over to the other side of the bed. “I’m doing well, Colonel. Sergeant McDowell is taking excellent care of me, as always.”
Lockhart raised his eyebrows. “I see that. Glad you’re on the mend after last night.” He braced a hand against the bedrail. “We wouldn’t have caught Andropov without you, Everly. You did a fine job.”
“I couldn’t have done it without Grant’s help. And I wouldn’t be alive right now if he hadn’t gone to my house yesterday.” Everly met Lockhart’s gaze without wavering. The Army would court-martial Grant over her dead body.
“That reminds me, Sergeant.” Grant sat a little straighter as Lockhart turned his attention towards him.
“I received word earlier that the CIA signed off on their investigation three days ago and neglected to inform us until last night. Leaving post was a bold move, but it paid off. Proud of you, son.”
Grant remained stony-faced, but the corners of his lips lifted just slightly. “Thank you, sir.”
“The investigators weren’t able to answer all my questions.
Namely, who was feeding false intel that Mikhail Andropov was in Moscow?
Who helped him enter the country undetected?
And who handed him an abandoned federal facility?
” Lockhart slapped his beret against his hand as he spoke.
“But that’s a matter for the weeks ahead.
For now,” he grinned, “I’m reinstating your leave, Sergeant.
Take—” he glanced at his watch. “—take till next Monday. Tie up loose ends in Atlanta. And Everly, my dear,” he added, patting her shoulder, “I certainly hope you’ll be joining us in Savannah very soon. ”
“Thank you, Colonel,” she said, smiling through the lump in her throat.
All this time, people had shown up for her, in ways both large and small, but she hadn’t been able to let that love in. Now, for the first time, she could. She could feel it. And more than that—she believed she deserved it.
Lockhart nodded to both of them and spun on his heel, leaving them in private again. Grant sighed and moved towards her, but she scooted away, wincing as her muscles protested, and patted the mattress. “Come here.”
He beamed at her, love lighting his face.
“Yes, ma’am.” He shucked his boots and ACU top, climbing into bed in his green t-shirt and pants, then gingerly wrapped his arm around her, careful not to press against any of her bruised places.
“I’ll never be able to say no to you, Ev.
Whatever you need, it’s yours. Even if I have to quit the Army for us to be together. I’ll do it for you.”
She leaned her head back and frowned at him. “What? Why would you have to do that?”
“It’s a dangerous life. An unpredictable life. You know that better than most people,” he said, his arm tightening around her. “And if it’s something you’d rather not have in your life anymore…then we won’t. I won’t.”
“The lifestyle was never the problem. It was the person that went with it.” Everly sighed.
“Life is dangerous and unpredictable no matter your job. Even if you worked at a bank, or a factory…” she trailed off, exhaustion creeping in.
“We all have to make the most of the time we’re given.
And besides,” she grinned, “without the Army, I wouldn’t get to enjoy this eye candy.
” She moved her hand up and down his body to indicate his uniform.
“So, no, I don’t want you to quit. STAG has an important mission to carry out, and you’re a vital part of it.
Whatever the military has in store for your future, we’ll face it. Together.”
“I love you so damn much, you know that?” He nuzzled the sensitive space between her neck and shoulder, and desire sparked through her in spite of her injuries. Soon enough, when she was healed, they’d be able to make up for lost time. “Savannah it is, then.”
“I can’t wait. And Posie will be thrilled to have you around permanently, too,” she told him.
Grant laughed softly, the sound reverberating through her body, and pure contentment filled Everly’s soul.
She closed her eyes and gave herself over to sleep, drifting off in the arms of the man who’d always loved her, who would always be there for her no matter what, and knew that she was finally home.
◆◆◆
Four months later…
Just like life with Grant, Savannah was everything Everly had hoped it would be, and more.
She plunked her tote on the kitchen counter, the fresh flowers and vegetables she’d bought at the farmer’s market that morning spilling out the top.
“Rough morning, Posie-poo?” she cooed as she arranged the fragrant blossoms in a glass jar, then stood back to survey her handiwork.
The cat stretched out on the rug in a warm patch of sunshine, belly up, paws in the air, oblivious to everything but her own comfort.
Outside, the dog days of summer were in full swing, tourists crowding the streets even in the sweltering heat, but inside the little cottage she and Grant were renting near the base, it was cool and peaceful.
Any minute now, he would arrive home from his latest mission.
He’d been gone for three weeks—the longest separation since they’d been together—and Everly missed him so badly, it hurt.
She cast around for tasks to keep her occupied, anticipation and nerves both vying for her attention, then opened up her laptop to check for any client emails.
The arts scene in this city was nothing short of magical, and Everly was busy scaling up her graphic design business into something bigger and better than she’d ever hoped it could be.
Grant was her biggest cheerleader, and when she’d been commissioned to design a new logo for a local gallery last month, he’d celebrated right alongside her.
She answered a few client emails, then checked her reflection in the entryway mirror, tugging on the hem of her sundress.
Finally, just when she thought she might jump out of her skin with impatience, she heard the now-familiar sound of his truck turning into the driveway.
She flung open the door and ran to meet him, throwing herself into Grant’s outstretched arms with a squeal of delight.
“Hi, sweetheart,” he said, his arms tight around her. Without setting her down, he backed through the door and dropped his bag in the entryway, then closed the door with his foot. Then their mouths met. “God, I missed you,” he said in between kisses. “Every damn day.”
“I was counting down the minutes,” she told him, as he carried her up the steps to their bedroom.
What followed wasn’t rushed, but reverent, as if they were stitching three long weeks back together with every kiss, every whispered word.
Grant touched her like a man starved, and Everly gave herself over to him with the kind of trust that only came from knowing she was completely, utterly safe.
Afterward, they lay wrapped in each others’ arms on the bed, the ceiling fan sending whispers of air over her naked body that made her shiver. Grant pulled a blanket over both of them, and she snuggled into his warmth. He caught her hand where it rested against his chest and kissed her fingertips.
“I love you, Grant. So damn much.”
“You’re everything to me, Ev.” Grant rolled onto his back, tucking Everly against him as he went. “I couldn’t think of anything else while I was gone, except getting back here to you. I love you.”
Everly traced the lines of his tanned face, those serene blue eyes that had never looked at her with anything but love following her movements. “What?” she asked, smiling.
He shook his head. “I never imagined I could be this happy. Never dreamed we’d actually get to be together like this. Forever.” He chewed on the inside of his lip, an almost imperceptible gesture that Everly had come to recognize as the one giveaway that he was nervous.
Tenderness overwhelmed her. Her big, bad Special Ops warrior was nervous. She propped up on her elbow, running her fingers through his hair. “You can tell me,” she assured him.
“I love you,” he began, his hand lingering on the curve of her waist. “I’ve always loved you, and that’s never going to change. And I hope that someday, when you’re ready…” He smiled. “I’d like to make it official.”
Warmth suffused her, lighting her up from the inside out. “Are you asking me to marry you, Grant McDowell?”
He blushed, and although Everly wouldn’t have thought it possible to love him more than she already did, the joy that filled her heart proved otherwise.
“Not now. Not till you’re ready. But I want you to know what my intentions are, Ev. I’m set on forever with you. And of course, I’ll wait however long you need. But someday, I’d be honored to call you my wife.”
“Yes, Grant,” she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks.
“When the time is right, yes.” She leaned down and kissed him, his heart tapping a staccato beat where her hand lay on his chest. Everly pulled back, searching his eyes with her own, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that everything that had happened, all of the chaos and heartache and pain—all of it had led her to this perfect moment, to this man whose soul was irrevocably intertwined with hers.
“It was always you,” she told him. From the moment they’d met, even when her mind hadn’t known, her heart had. Grant was her home, and she was never letting go.
He wrapped her in his arms and showed her again just how much he loved her. The world outside would keep turning. But inside these walls, safe in his warmth, she’d found her forever.