Here With Us, page 4
My love: I had a small panic attack. Wanted to let you know before someone mentioned it. I’m okay now.
What do you mean, small?
My love: Mom brought us to the Mexican cantina near base. It’s right by . . .
I remember. Are you still there?
My love: Yes.
We are on our way.
I pocket my phone and check with the rest to see if they’re good with meeting the rest of the bridal party at the cantina. Tucker proclaims he’s in need of a margarita, while Nate is suddenly hungry for a burrito. I don’t care what I eat or if I eat. I want to get to Ryley and make sure she’s okay. I know she says she is, but until I can touch and see her, I won’t believe what she’s telling me.
One of the best things I like about Jensen is that the man knows how to drive. He knows all the short-cuts and doesn’t waste any time getting back to the bridge and to the base. When we walk into the restaurant, EJ runs to Ryley to tell her all about his suit, and then asks Lois where Grace is. It seems Claire offered to babysit Grace, with Carter’s watchful eye in the background.
I motion for Ryley to come chat with me, and she excuses herself from the table. We go outside and I wrap my arms around her, holding her tightly to my chest. “What happened?”
“It seems so silly now, but when we got out of the car, I saw the intersection and it all came rushing back to me. I hate having these thoughts and I haven’t had them in such a long time.” Because we moved. “I just want life to be normal.”
Me too, but it’ll never happen. I’ll never believe Lawson was the ringleader in the entire operation. He was just the one with some power and exercised it.
I cup her face with my hands and tilt her head so she’s looking at me. “We left normal behind in Washington. We talked about this. I’m going to be on alert, all the time, wondering who is lurking in the bushes.”
“We didn’t have normal in Washington. We lived in a secure house.”
“And our new one will be secure after this weekend. Nate and I have everything sitting in that ridiculous small garage. I’ll know if someone even looks at our house sideways.”
“I don’t want to live like we’re in a prison.”
“We won’t be, but you can’t blame me for wanting protection. I need to know who lurks in the darkness. I lost six years with you and EJ, and I don’t want to lose anymore.” Ryley nods then rises up onto her toes to offer me a kiss. I take it, greedily. “I love you, Ry. You and our son are the most important people in my life, and I’ll have to be dead before I let anything happen to you.”
“I know and I love you for it. I just don’t want to be scared. This is where we are meant to live, and I can’t let some demon take that away from me. From us.” She kisses me again. “Come on, the chips are as delicious as I remember and now that you guys are here, it gives us an excuse to order more.” Ryley takes my hand and leads me into the cantina. The seating has been rearranged and now everyone, except Nate and Lois, are sitting with their partner. And on the table is a pitcher of margaritas and a couple baskets of tortilla chips. Suddenly, I’m starving.
CHAPTER 6
RYLEY
I stand with my back to the front door and look at my dining room and then my living room. To me, my house is perfect and everything I wanted in a home. Granted, it’s much smaller than our home in Washington and the one we had before, but space doesn’t matter because each time I step over the threshold, I feel like I’m home.
The exterior color, a flawless mix of blue and teal, is precisely what I hoped it would be. I can easily say the pictures our realtor showed us didn’t do this place justice. The front porch is white, wide, and one of my favorite parts of the house, minus the backyard. I told Evan I plan to sit out there every night, in one of the rockers or on the swing, and say hi to our neighbors because I don’t want to live in fear, even though there’s a nagging voice in the back of my mind reminding me of everything. The other day, when Evan, Nate, and my dad installed the new cameras and security system, I felt like I could fully breathe again. If someone lurks, we’ll know about it.
Inside, everything screams beach house. The walls are a light gray with white molding. The countertops in the kitchen are quartz, and the floor is bamboo with a unique gray and brown pattern. Evan’s office is in our tiny garage since it’s not big enough for our car, and our guest bedroom is yellow. It’s a happy room which always brings a smile to your face when you walk in. Our master has a door that leads to a private balcony and cathedral ceilings. EJ’s room is gray and will get painted blue after the wedding. Whatever he wants, he can have. But it’s the back that I am over the moon about with the two sets of French doors leading out to a deck, hot tub, and pool. When we told EJ our new house would have a pool, he said we made him the happiest boy ever. Never mind the fact that we’re less than a five-minute walk to the beach. The backyard is concrete, which is okay since the front yard has grass for Deefur.
Today is our rehearsal dinner, and we’re having it at our new home. My mom wanted to book the Coronado Yacht Club, but I wanted it here.
I make my way outside and find Nate standing at the grill. Our relationship is hard to explain these days. We’re friends and probably still best friends, but the strain between him and Evan definitely affects us. It’s hard to look at him sometimes and not wonder how things would’ve been different. We crossed a line we never should’ve, and I’m equally to blame for that. Neither of us expected this outcome.
Nate glances toward me and gives me a small wave. I walk down the steps and looked down the driveway since the gate is open. “Where’s Evan?”
He nods toward what would be our garage or Evan’s office. “Filling the coolers. McCoy just pulled in with a truckload of ice.”
“Surely, not a truckload.”
Nate laughs. “This is McCoy we’re talking about.”
I stare in the direction of Tucker’s truck and sigh. He would be the one to pull pranks today. “I guess I better check on them.” Nate laughs again, and I can’t tell if it’s because he’s joking or not. I ease around the corner to find Evan and Tucker in the garage, drinking a beer.
“Starting early?” I ask.
Evan smiles and reaches for me. I’m safe in his arms. This is where I want to spend the rest of my life. “McCoy found a new brew. We’re just testing it out.”
“Well, don’t drink too many. We have a lot of people coming over, and there is still a lot to do.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Tucker says as he tips the bottle toward me.
“And maybe take one to Nate.” I step out of Evan’s hold and watch for his reaction. It’s slight, but the irritation in his features is there. If he had his choice, Nate wouldn’t be around me at all. But then that wouldn’t work for Evan. He trusts his brother to protect his family and run a business, but that’s as far as that goes.
The guys follow me out of the garage and into the backyard, where Tucker hands Nate a beer and tells him all about it. It’s all foreign to me. I don’t really need to know about barley, hops, or any of the other stuff that goes into making beer. I’m not a fan. Give me tequila or vodka, and we can talk.
I head back into the house and start pulling trays of food out. While my mom didn’t get her way with where the dinner would be held, she did get her way on who would cater. She was adamant that I do not cook or prepare anything for the party, and I just had to be home to accept delivery. I’m setting the trays on the table when EJ enters the room.
“May I go swimming?” He’s already dressed in his trunks and has his towel resting on his shoulders.
“Ask your dad. He’s outside right now,” I say this as a test to our son, wondering if he’ll holler hey dad or if he’ll wait and assess the situation before he says anything. I am praying for the former. Evan desperately wants to hear EJ call him dad. I follow EJ outside but hang back enough to eavesdrop without anyone noticing me. Sure enough, he walks up to Evan and asks. As soon as Evan gives EJ permission, I head back to my tasks.
“Hey, Ryley,” Tucker says my name as he stands in the doorway. “Is it cool if Claire brings her swimsuit over?”
“Of course. Grace is bringing hers as well.”
“Thanks.” Tucker waves with his phone in his hand. I suppose this is his way of saying he will text Penny and let her know.
The doorbell chimes, and I take a deep breath before answering. Livvie and Julianne stand on the other side. I had hoped my mom would show up before Evan’s, but no such luck.
“Hello, come on in.” Livvie and I hug. I’m not expecting anything from Julianne and am completely caught off guard when she hugs me. “Thanks for coming.”
“Thank you for the invite.”
“Well, have a look around. The guys are outside, and EJ is in the pool. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Beer?” Livvie blurts out, and her mother’s mouth drops open. “What?”
“Olivia, don’t be so rude,” Julianne says. “I swear you act like you were raised by wolves sometimes.”
Livvie rolls her eyes and then looks at me. “Outside, with your brothers. What can I get you, Julianne?”
“Do you have what it takes to make an Arnold Palmer with some kick?”
“I do,” I tell her. “I brewed the tea yesterday. Would you like a tour?”
She nods, and I show her around the house, saving the kitchen for last. She sits at one of the barstools and makes idle chit chat with me while mixing her drink. This is the first time in ages that she’s said more than ten words to me, and I’m not going to question her motives. I want everyone in my family to be happy.
The doorbell chimes again, and I tell Julianne to take a look at the backyard and see if she can coax EJ out of the pool. Justin, Penny and Claire, and my parents arrive at the same time, and before I can close the door, Cara gets out of her car. I walk to meet her and give her a hug.
“I’ve missed you. How are things?”
She nods and smiles. “Things are good. Is Nate here? I went to the apartment first, but he wasn’t there.”
“Yep, in the back, drinking beer with Evan and Tucker. Go say hi, and then I want to show you around the house.” I point down the driveway to where Cara can find Nate and then start heading up the stairs, only to turn around when I hear a door slam. For a brief second, my heart lurches. I guess the anxiety will always be there. I wave at Lois while Carter and Grace head right to the backyard.
“Am I the last one here?” Lois asks.
“Pretty much.” Before we go inside, I tell her about Julianne and how she’s a chatty Cathy today. “I’m going to milk it for all its worth because the whole thin ice game isn’t much fun.”
“Everyone gets happy around weddings. Besides, it’s not like you and Evan just met or are having a shotgun wedding.”
“Right.”
“Right? As in you are or aren’t having a shotgun wedding?”
I look at her oddly. “What are you even talking about?”
She shrugs. “Just wondering if you’re pregnant?”
I shake my head and walk into the house. My mom is holding court in the living room with Penny they’re animatedly talking about something, and I don’t want to know what it is. In the kitchen, I make Lois a drink and then step outside. For some reason, I count the people and notice two are missing. I suspect the same two have something going on and are trying to hide it from a certain someone’s brothers.
Back inside, I head down the hall and stop near the guest bedroom at the sound of hushed voices. The door is left ajar, and I take a peek, only to gasp. I step into the room and close the door behind me.
“Spill,” I say to a very shocked Justin and Livvie. Justin opens his mouth to say something, but he closes it quickly.
“Please don’t say anything to Evan or Nate,” Livvie begs. “It’s not what it looks like, or it is, I don’t know, but I do . . .” Livvie looks panicked.
“Justin, can you excuse us for a second?”
He nods. “Yes, ma’am.”
As soon as he closes the door, I step toward the young woman I consider my sister. “Are you guys together?”
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “We’ve hung out a few times, almost hooked up once, but nothing really happened. I like him, though, and I feel bad for him. He’s so lost sometimes, without his family, and so lonely.”
“I know, his family—” I don’t finish my sentence. I have nothing nice to say about the Rasks. “I’m going to be honest with you, Olivia. I suspected something was going on between the both of you and said something to Evan. I imagine when he and Nate went shooting, he mentioned it. So, your brothers sort of already know.” I shrug.
“Great. They’ll probably haze him or something.”
“I doubt it. I think, considering what we all went through, the last thing they’ll want to do is scare Justin away. He’s family. They might have the big brother talk, though, but you’d expect that. Justin may have been on Evan’s team, but you’re his sister, his priority.”
“The one rule with them, no dating teammates.”
I shrug again. “Times have changed.”
Livvie and I leave the bedroom and head back outside, where everyone has gathered. This is exactly the kind of rehearsal dinner I wanted. After a few minutes, we all walk toward the beach to meet with the wedding planner from the hotel.
Socialite Wedding Planning is the premier agency for planning beachside weddings. I could’ve done it all myself, with the help of my mom and Lois, but I didn’t want any stress, so I hired April Love to take care of everything.
April greets us when we get to the spot where we’ll marry, right on the sands of SEAL beach. She suggested we find a different location because there’s a good chance that we’ll have SEALs in training photobombing our photos. The thought made Evan and I laugh. If they did, we’d be okay with it. April also encouraged us to pick attendants and said no one likes to stand at the altar alone. We won’t be alone, we’ll have EJ, and while we technically have attendants, they’ll sit through the ceremony. Evan and I just want it to be the three of us up there.
She shows us where the chairs will go, where I’ll be before the ceremony starts, and where I’ll walk. April shows Evan where to stand and says we’ll do a couple of practice runs before we all head back to the house for dinner. When she signals to walk out, I slip off my shoes and sink my toes into the warm sand.
“Heaven,” I say aloud.
It takes us three times to get it right, and when April declares we’re ready for tomorrow, everyone cheers. Then, Carter yells, “Drinks are on me!” Which is funny since he didn’t pay for a single thing.
On the way back to our house, Evan puts his arm over my shoulder. “Tomorrow is the big day. Cold feet?”
“Not in the slightest.”
He leans down and kisses my nose without losing stride. “It’s been a long time coming. Tomorrow can’t get here fast enough. Do you really have to go to your parents?”
“My parents want one piece of this wedding to have some tradition to it.”
“Overrated,” he says with a smile. I like to blame my parents, but deep down, I want at least one thing to be traditional about our wedding, and if that means I have to give up a night with my Archer boys, I’ll do it.
When we get back to the house, Evan fires up the grill and starts cooking. Penny helps me with bartending while the moms sit out by the pool, watching the kids.
As soon as we serve dinner, Evan stands up and asks for everyone’s attention. “Ryley and I want to thank you all for coming over tonight and for being with us tomorrow. As you all know, I’ve waited what feels like eons to marry this girl, and I kick myself for not doing it when she turned eighteen. Sorry, Jensen.” Everyone laughs. “Whether then or now, the love I have for you, Ryley, has grown by leaps and bounds. From the day I met you and until the day I die, you will always be the love of my life.” Evan holds his beer bottle up, and we all follow with our drinks. “To my bride, tomorrow, I get to call you my wife, and that moment cannot come fast enough.”
“Here, here,” everyone says in unison as Evan leans down and kisses me.
“Are you sure you have to go to your parents?” he whispers in my ear. I nod against him. He sighs. “Fine, you’re forcing my hand.”
“What does that mean?”
Evan says nothing.
He winks.
CHAPTER 7
EVAN
When we decided to move back to California, I thought we’d pick a place away from the Navy, where we could buy some land and raise EJ away from the city; a place without neighbors peeping through their windows and traffic. That’s my hang-up, the number of cars coming and going in residential areas. I have every license plate of every resident in my neighborhood memorized. I’m not taking any chances with my family because I firmly believe evil lurks in the darkness.
One of Ryley’s favorite features of this house is our bedroom balcony. Out here, we can hear the ocean when there isn’t a plane flying overhead. She says the sound of the jets is calming and gives her peace. Each time a Black Hawk or C-130 rises above the houses, I wonder if it’s for practice or something is going on. I miss the SEALs. I miss being part of the action. I miss being needed in a way that’s hard to describe to a layperson. Everyone outside of the military thinks that we like killing people. It’s not that at all—we do what we have to, to keep people safe. That’s the thrill, knowing my successful missions help others sleep at night.
I stand on the balcony and stare over the rooftops of my neighbors, grateful for housing codes that prevent people from building three-story homes. I love the view we have, even if living here puts me on edge.
Tomorrow is my wedding day, a day that should’ve come six or seven years ago, but someone took that away from me and from Ryley. When I returned from the fateful mission that nearly destroyed my life, I never thought this day would come. Thankfully, her love for me prevailed, and when the sun sets again, she’ll be my wife.
