Tate (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 6) Read online

  “Yeah? Huh, I heard he’s got a piece on the side. Don’t know who, but someone said—”

  “She could take him to the cleaners in a divorce settlement. You know, the poor wife who puts her husband through medical school and then he tries to dump her later. I don’t think that flies anymore!”

  “Well, as popular as he is with the board, I don’t think he’ll have any problem becoming the new Chief of Staff—”

  Rolling her eyes, Nora walked past the nurses’ station, ignoring the gossip, as usual. She didn’t bother looking to the side, knowing that they would be rolling their eyes at her also. She hated gossip, finding it petty and often hurtful. She hadn’t heard who they were talking about but figured the ears of some poor doctor in the hospital were burning from the chatter.

  “Nora!” Seeing Dr. Hawkins walking down the hall, she noticed the nurses immediately stopped their gossiping. Hoping he wanted to see her about Frank’s discharge, she met the cardiologist with a smile.

  “I’m glad I caught you before you went into Frank’s room. Overnight, he spiked a low fever. It’s now under control, but I don’t want to discharge him today. I want him to have twenty-four hours here with no fever before we send him home.”

  While it was not unusual for anyone to have a low-grade fever after a procedure, concern for Frank speared through her.

  Before she had a chance to question further, Dr. Hawkins continued. “I’ve already talked to Frank and Susan. She’s on board, wanting to make sure he’s good to go home tomorrow. Frank?” Chuckling, he said, “Well, you can imagine that another day in the hospital is making Frank unhappy. Just figured I’d warn you.”

  She nodded, not having any problem imagining the grumpy patient she was getting ready to see. Slapping a smile on her face, she stepped into Frank’s room. Once again, not only was Susan there, but Tate was, also. Maintaining professionalism, she reiterated to Frank and Susan that Dr. Hawkins only wanted to make sure everything was fine before discharging him.

  Patting his leg, she said, “You know, we’re lucky to have a cardiologist here at the medical center. He wants to make sure you’ll go home in the best condition possible.” Ignoring his grumbling, she added, “Hey, this just means I get to keep checking on you a little longer.”

  Recording his normal temperature and blood pressure into the computer, she turned to find Tate’s gaze on her. A hesitant wariness was in his eyes—almost as though he was uncertain how to greet her after their lunch yesterday. Determined not to let her smile drop, she inclined her head toward him and murmured, “Good morning.” His smile was immediate, his hazel eyes once more taking on the sparkle she had fallen in love with as a child.

  Swallowing past her nerves, she turned to walk out of the room, aware that he followed close behind. She felt his hand on her shoulder, and she stopped, closing her eyes for a few seconds as her heart pounded wildly before turning around to peer up at him.

  “I want to thank you for taking such good care of Dad.”

  “You don’t have to thank me, Tate. I could say it’s my job, but it’s really my honor. Your parents have been very… um…” Her words halted, suddenly uncertain.

  “Very…?” he prodded.

  She hefted her shoulders in a little shrug and continued, “Very good to me.”

  “Would we be able to have lunch together again today?”

  After avoiding Tate for almost ten years when he came back to town, it seemed strange to consider his invitation. “I’m afraid we’re short-staffed today, and I’m covering for another nurse.”

  “That hardly seems fair.” His brow furrowed as he scowled.

  “And how many meals did you have to miss when you were a SEAL?”

  Pretending to pout, he shook his head. “You don’t play fair.” She didn’t reply, and he continued to press. “Well, if not lunch, will you have a chance to grab coffee?”

  Nodding, she glanced at her watch. “I can take a break in two hours. I’ll be down in the cafeteria for a cup of coffee.”

  “Then I’ll see you in two hours.” He offered a chin lift and his grin made her insides flip-flop once again as he turned and went back into his dad’s room.

  An hour later, she turned the corner and watched as Dr. Hawkins hurried down the hall, a woman in a pencil skirt and heels, her arms full of papers, rushing next to him. He turned and made eye contact with Nora, an expression of relief on his face. “Nora, could you do me a favor? Ms. Pendleton is here to drop off some drawings for the house my wife and I are working on, but I’ve just been called to the ER.” He thrust a key into her hand and added, “Could you please open my office for her and then make sure to lock it as soon as she drops these files on my desk?”

  “Of course, I was going to be walking right past your office anyway.”

  He hurried to the door leading to the stairs and disappeared. Turning to Ms. Pendleton, she said, “His office is right down here.” She unlocked his office and opened the door, stepping inside. Seeing the notebook stuffed with drawings, fabric swatches, and paint chips, it dawned on her that Dr. Hawkins must be the source of the early morning gossip.

  “Do you think I should leave these on his desk or over here on the table?” Ms. Pendleton asked.

  Glancing around his office, she could see that his laptop and several medical files covered the top of his desk whereas a table to the side only had a few boxes. “I’m unsure what he wants you to do, but I have to admit I don’t think his desk is the best place since there are medical records there.”

  Ms. Pendleton nodded and moved to the table, setting her notebooks down and spreading them out. She picked up one of the cardboard boxes and looked over at Nora. “Should I move the boxes out of the way?”

  Reaching over, she plucked the box from the woman’s hands and said, “Ma’am, I really can’t say, but I wouldn’t move anything if possible. I think it’s best to leave Dr. Hawkins’ office the way we found it.”

  Mrs. Pendleton nodded, a tight smile on her face, and left her work on the table. Thanking Nora, she walked out of the room, and Nora moved to the table to replace the box. Uncertain exactly where Dr. Hawkins had it, she glanced at the other boxes before setting it on top. Recognizing a medical supply company name on the box, she set it next to the others. Stepping out of the office, she closed the door and locked it. Pocketing his key, she hurried back to her next patient.

  Ready for a break, she gratefully headed to the cafeteria. She walked straight to the coffee kiosk as though that was the only thing on her mind while surreptitiously looking around to see if Tate was already there. Not seeing him, she got in line.

  “Oh, my God, look what just walked in!”

  “Honey, I’ve been looking at him for the last two days. His dad’s up on the third floor and I keep hoping his dad will have to stay in the hospital longer just so I can keep staring.”

  Without turning around, Nora knew exactly who the two employees standing behind her were talking about. It’s not that there weren’t handsome men in Rawlins, but Tate would make any woman look twice. But hearing one joke that they hoped his father had to stay longer set her teeth on edge. Twisting around, she bit out, “Keep your opinions to yourself! Talking like that about a patient is horrible, not to mention completely unprofessional!”

  Before either woman had a chance to retort, her gaze looked behind them, seeing Tate approach. She could feel the heat of a blush sting her cheeks. Ignoring all others, he walked straight to her.

  “Hey, Nora. Sorry I’m late.”

  “You’re not. I was… um… early.”

  Not wanting to look at the faces of the women behind her, she was glad she was next to order. Getting two coffees, she handed one to Tate and they moved over to the sugar and creamer station.

  “Hey, are you okay?” he asked as they walked to a table.

  Blinking, she jerked as she took a sip of too-hot coffee. “Yeah, it’s just a busy day. On top of that, I sometimes get tired of working in a small hospital in
this little town where gossip is the biggest way to pass the time. If there’s nothing new to talk about, then people make up stuff.”

  He glanced to the side where the women were staring at the two of them. “Is this uncomfortable for you? Me sitting here with you?”

  She shook her head. “No. At least not because of them. If they weren’t gossiping about you, they’d make up something about someone else.”

  “So, you’re not uncomfortable because of them but you’re still uncomfortable?”

  Shifting in her seat, she nibbled on her bottom lips. “Wow, you’ve got a lot of questions, don’t you?”

  “I just want to know how you’re doing,” he said, leaning closer.

  She stared at her coffee, feeling the need to look anywhere except at his face. Looking at him used to be my favorite thing, but for so long now, it’s the last thing I wanted to do. Finally, she lifted her gaze, immediately drawn in by his eyes. “I’m fine, Tate. Really. I confess that it’s weird, considering that I’ve now seen you more in the past two days after doing my best to avoid you for a very long time.” He opened his mouth, but she jumped in, not giving him a chance to speak. “I can’t explain it, certainly not now. Anyway, baby steps, I guess.”

  Glancing at her watch, she sighed again. “I’m sorry, I really do have to run. I’ve got to get back up on the floor, and I have Dr. Hawkins’ office key that I need to return. But Frank is doing well, and I don’t see why he can’t go home tomorrow.”

  She stood, and he stood with her. “The least I can do is walk back upstairs with you,” he said. “Even if it’s just a moment, I’ll take it.”

  Uncertain what to do with that little tidbit of information, she simply nodded. Leaving him at his dad’s room, she hurried back to the nurses’ station, ignoring the speculative looks the other nurses were giving her. Frank will be discharged tomorrow, and Tate will soon go back to his life in Maine. Whatever these last two days of chats may have accomplished, we’re still worlds apart.

  That evening, Tate sat alone on the front porch of the ranch house. Caroline and Thomas had taken the kids to dinner, and his mother had not yet returned from the hospital. A huge slice of his mom’s apple pie had been consumed. The fork and empty plate sat on the porch next to him, and a longneck beer bottle dangled in his hands. Country music played in the background from his phone, and he tilted his chair back, resting his feet on the rail.

  The sun was setting over the western range, painting the sky ablaze with color. How many nights when he was on a mission would he watch the sunset and imagine his family back home on the ranch? And how many of those same nights did he think about Nora? Hell, most of them.

  When he broke up with Nora, he had been on the other side of the world. Ready, but anxious for an upcoming mission that was as dangerous as it was adrenaline-inducing. He tried to remember what he was thinking when he sent the email. He knew she would be upset but somehow thought that would be better than waiting for him, never knowing when or if he might return. Caroline had almost immediately responded, laying him out for his cruel and selfish behavior. She gave him pause, but when Nora never tried to contact him, he figured that Caroline exaggerated Nora’s distress.

  His trips back to Wyoming were sporadic while he was still with the SEALs. The first trip home, he was anxious to reconnect, but Nora refused to come around or answer his calls. On the next couple of visits, she managed to always be working. After he left the SEALs and was on missions with the CIA Special Ops, he only made it home once in several years. On that trip, he spied her at dinner with another man. It made sense—after all, she was a beautiful and smart woman. What shocked him was the jolt straight to his heart.

  He lifted his hand and tugged at the chain around his neck. A small, handcrafted silver medallion hung on the chain with the initials T and N intertwined. Nora had gifted that to him when he left for the Navy. Unable to wear it when in uniform, it stayed with his possessions and was the first thing he slid over his head when he became a civilian.

  What I told Mom was right… I was stupid to think she might still be here for me. Sighing heavily, he lifted the bottle, swallowing the cold beer.

  “What if time doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do? What if I never get over you?”

  The music of Lady A sounded over the airwaves and he dropped his feet to the porch floor, his beer bottle barely dangling between his fingers. Jesus, I thought time would make it all better. His breath caught in his lungs as reality crashed over him. His voice carried out into the wide-open space. “She was the one. The one. And I fuckin’ pushed her away.”

  His feet slammed down onto the boards of the porch as he stood suddenly, a new mission on his mind.

  8

  As she powered off her e-reader, Nora glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it was only eight o’clock. A knock on her door had her jump to her feet. She peered through the peephole, this time stunned to see Tate standing in the breezeway outside her door. Sucking in a quick breath, she glanced down at what she was wearing.

  With a grimace plastered on her face, she threw open the door, not missing his wide-eyed perusal as he dropped his gaze from her head to her toes and back up again. She knew what he was observing… hair piled messily on top of her head with a chopstick holding it in place, flannel pajama bottoms in a bright plaid, paired with a long-sleeve, slouchy, baby blue T-shirt, and thick gray socks.

  Not giving him a chance to comment on her appearance, she tilted her head to the side. “Yes?”

  Blinking, he offered a smile. “I’m sorry to come by unannounced, Nora. I just thought that maybe we could continue our conversation from earlier.”

  Now, it was her turn to widen her eyes in surprise. “Continue our conversation?”

  A gust of wind blew through the breezeway, and she shivered. Fairly certain that her nipples were poking through her shirt, she refused to look down to check. Keeping her focus on Tate, she caught his gaze drop to her chest and then quickly go back to her eyes. She shivered again and grimaced. “Well, come on… don’t just stand there and let the cold air in.”

  Part of her hoped he would decline, but he smiled wider and stepped forward, causing her to scramble out of his way. Closing the door behind him, she stood with her arms wrapped around her waist, uncertain of what to say or do.

  He turned, his eyes warm, and said, “Yes, I’d like to continue our conversation. I know it’s presumptuous to come over so late at night, but I just didn’t want to wait any longer.”

  She felt foolish as they continued to stand. Waving her hand toward the sofa, she said, “Would you like to have a seat?”

  He moved quickly and sat on one end of the sofa, looking up at her expectantly. She walked over to the chair and plopped down, unceremoniously tucking her feet up under her hips. A grin played about his lips as though he recognized her avoidance tactic.

  Sighing deeply, she schooled her expression and held his gaze. “Okay, what do you want to talk about?”

  “Us.”

  Unable to hide her surprise, she blinked. “Uh… us?”

  “Yes. Some things need to be said. Things that should’ve been said a long time ago, but I was too chicken shit or too stupid to say them.”

  He was still staring at her, but she had no idea what to say to his comment. Sucking in her lips, she waited.

  He leaned forward and placed his forearms on his knees, his hands clasped in front of him. “Nora, I know you never understood this, but when I broke up with you, I truly thought I was doing it for you.”

  “For me?”

  “Yes.”

  Her breath left her lungs in an angry rush, and she threw her hands up to the side. “For me? Are you kidding me? How on earth did you rationalize in your mind that breaking my heart was for me?”

  His expression no longer held certainty as regret seemed to move through his eyes. “You had just lost your brother.”

  She snorted and rolled her eyes in an ineffective attempt to keep his words
from piercing her heart. “Oh, I remember that very well, Tate. I also remember how the night of his funeral we helped each other grieve by promising our love... as we made love.”

  He winced and shook his head. “Hell, Nathan was my best friend, and I’d promised him that if anything ever happened, I’d make sure you were okay.” As though mimicking her actions, he unclasped his hands and lifted his palms upward. “I knew I was going back into missions that were dangerous and had no idea if I was coming home. I didn’t want you to have to go through the agony of burying me also.”

  “Are you crazy? Tate, I lost you when you walked away. Maybe I didn’t bury you, but I might as well have. I was in love with you. You made the decision that I’d be better off without you just because you might not come back?”

  His breath seemed to catch in his lungs. “I see that now… that I decided for both of us, and it was wrong. That’s what I wanted to tell you. When I broke up with you, all I could think of was that it was a way to protect you. It seemed noble at the time to offer you a chance to have a normal life.”

  “Why do you think I’ve avoided you the times you came home? Just seeing you, knowing that you walked away from what we had gutted me. Every single time it gutted me.” She fell back against the cushion, winded from the emotions slicing through her. Dropping her chin to her chest, she shook her head slowly, licking her dry lips.

  They sat in silence for a moment before she gathered the strength to lift her head and hold his gaze. “Everything went to hell, and I was all alone. You sent me a Dear Jane email and for reasons I won’t elaborate on, I didn’t handle that well and ended up losing almost a year of my nursing training while I got my shit together.”

  He visibly winced, but she powered through, her voice hard and rough, foreign to her own ears. “I managed to get my degree, but instead of getting out of Wyoming and traveling together the way we planned, I ended up staying here where I had a support system. When I finally matured enough that I could have done something else, my father had a heart attack and died.”