The hairs on the back of Harper’s neck stood up. Try something. The idea was so simple, and so complex, and so right. It was as if she’d turned the headlights on at night—she could see a little of the way. And a little was enough for now. All she had to do was figure out what to try first, and she was good at that—research, weighing options and making decisions. She could do this. Help Nick.
“Thank you,” Harper said, gripping Emily’s hand in hers. “I think that’s exactly what I needed to hear.”
“And in the meantime,” Sophie said brightly, “we should order another bottle of bubbles. Between the three of us, we have four babies on the way!”
Harper laughed. “You’re right. We’ll be Royal’s own baby boom.”
“To us!” Emily said.
* * *
When Harper’s car pulled into his driveway after work on Monday, Nick was ready. Living as something of a hermit, he’d fallen into a few bad habits, and he realized now that he had a wife, he’d have to raise his game. After an afternoon session in his home gym, he’d usually shower, throw on the first pair of shorts his hand fell on and then order some takeout.
Today, though, he’d found an ironed pair of cargoes and a T-shirt and even managed to use a comb on his hair instead of simply running his fingers through it. And to really ensure he was turning over a new leaf, he’d made a start on chopping vegetables for a stir-fry.
All in all, he was feeling pretty pleased with himself. Perhaps he could pull off this husband thing.
Well, except for the nightmares and not being able to share a bed. And the constant, all-pervading fear that he was going to let Harper down the way he’d let down Ellie and the men who’d died under his command. And the blackness that surrounded him more often than not, and the constant fight not to let it seep into his relationship with Harper...
Gut churning and hands trembling, he swore and dropped the paring knife onto the board.
When he felt the blackness descending, all he could think was that he’d done the wrong thing by dragging Harper into his world. He should have let her go back to Connecticut, where she’d have her mother and be unsullied by his issues. The idea had been haunting him badly today, which was why he’d made a special effort to be the model husband when she arrived home.
The internal door that led from the garage opened and Harper appeared, her hair swinging around her shoulders as she turned to close the door behind her. He took in her long legs in her knee-length charcoal skirt and how her eyes softened when she saw him, and his heart surged. He knew he couldn’t give her up. There was a radiance about her, soul-deep, and he couldn’t look away. Now that she was his wife, he’d work as hard as he could, do whatever it took, to keep her in his life.
“Welcome home,” he said as he reached for her briefcase.
As she handed the case over, she smiled. “If this is marriage, I think I could get used to it.”
“It gets better—I’ve made a start on dinner,” he said, depositing her bag on the coffee table and heading back to the kitchen. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Actually, there’s something I want to do, but I’m not sure how you’re going to react.”
He shrugged and dug his hands in his pockets. “We’re still getting to know each other’s routines, so it’s probably best at this stage that we’re up front.”
“Okay, but this isn’t about routines.” With a rare display of nervous energy, she picked up an apple from a bowl on the counter and rolled it from hand to hand, then dropped it back in the bowl. “In fact, it’s pretty random.”
Surprises weren’t something he normally liked, but he was already enjoying this one—or more precisely, he was enjoying watching Harper deliver it. He rocked back on his heels. “Now you have me intrigued. Tell me.”
“I heard about this dog today,” she said in a rush. “His name is Frank, and he’s in a pretty desperate situation.” She took Nick’s hand and laced their fingers together. “I think we need to rescue him.”
His brows shot up of their own accord. A dog? That had been the last thing he’d expected his wife to say. And despite the childhood dogs she’d mentioned to Ellie, she’d struck him more as a cat person. He, on the other hand, was a dog person through and through, and if a dog was in trouble, he was ready to help.
“What sort of rescue?” he said, thinking through the logistics. “Will we need bolt cutters and grappling hooks?”
She chuckled. “You know, you can take the man out of the SEALs, but... It’s nothing that drastic. Can we do it?”
“Tell me a bit more about the dog and its situation.”
She started for the steps and said over her shoulder, “How about I tell you in the car?”
Ah, there was his Harper. She might not be a dog person, but she was a good negotiator. In fact, she seemed to have just undercut the negotiations.
He planted his feet shoulder-width apart and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting. She wasn’t the only one with negotiating experience.
After a few beats, she retraced her steps and stopped in front of him. “Nick?”
He dropped his hands and grinned. “Sure, let’s go take a look.”