Southern Exposure (Southern Desires Series Book 2) (15 page)

When he returned to the bedroom, Hannah was gone. He was tempted to call her, but he had too much to get done. It was best she went and rested. He’d see her tomorrow at Casey’s wedding.
She knows where to find me if she needs me. And I hope she does need me again because I need her. But right now I need to make sure she’ll be safe. I can’t risk worrying about her fucking with my head on a mission.

He called his team in Savannah. It was time someone went in. Even though he trusted them to get in and get out unnoticed, he wished he was there. All they needed was a picture and/or a name. Having neither left them trying to trace his cell phone calls, which hadn’t been easy. The guy had too many, and they were burner phones, not easily traced unless you stayed on the phone long enough.
This guy might be good, but I know we’re better. Get ready. We’re coming.

He updated the men on the situation. O
fficially, no one knows what we’re doing, but my team works as one. On duty and off.
All he could do was wait for the word. The next twenty-four hours would tell a lot.

Putting his cell phone back on the nightstand, he lay down on the cool sheet. He could still smell Hannah’s sweet scent. If she hadn’t left, he would’ve spent the entire weekend making love to her.
I have never shared my bed with anyone so responsive to my touch, my words. She’s the right combination of sugar and spice.

Knowing the effect she had on him, he was glad she’d left. A mission was fast approaching. Although this one was supposed to be in and out, there was no room for errors. And a distraction, sweet as she may be, wasn’t something he could afford.

I can’t bring her back to the hotel room. No matter how badly I want her, I can’t. Best I leave her with the memory of what we shared, instead of giving her false hope there could be anything more than one night. One fucking amazing night that I’ll never forget.

Mark flipped open his laptop.
Might as well work.
That he could depend on. Work. Routine. Control. Success.

But then it hit him hard.

Work was all he had.

All he was.

He’d
never
yearned for more before. It was an unfamiliar feeling, and he didn’t like it one bit. It made him angry.
What the hell, man?

He was angry at Hannah.
Why?

He closed the laptop.
She fucked with my head. Something I’ve been immune to all these years. That can’t happen. I serve the United States, not my hormones. Lust.

No, it’s time for me to bring my walls back online. I don’t make the same mistake twice. And kissing her, making love to her was just that. A mistake.

S
he couldn’t believe Bailey agreed to suddenly change her plans again. She apparently wasn’t all that excited about a wedding either.

“I have watched enough friends get married. I don’t need to watch people I don’t know. But I would’ve thought you’d want to be there because of Mark. It is his sister.”

“Yeah, but like you, I don’t know Casey. I would prefer not going.”

Bailey put the last few items into her suitcase. Then she sat on the bed and stared at Hannah. “I’m packed, but I’m not budging until you tell me what really happened last night.”

Hannah was watching Bailey. “I love you dearly, but I don’t want to talk about it.”
At least, not now. Not here.

“And keeping things bottled up inside you is going to help how? Trust me. I know from personal experience.”

Hannah noticed Bailey’s eyes were showing worry and pain. “You’re right. So let’s talk. You first. Why the sudden visit?”

“Aren’t you happy to see me?” Bailey smiled, but Hannah knew it was a fake smile.

“Always. You’re my best friend. But that means we lean on each other, not just one of us doing all the leaning. So tell me, Bailey, what’s going on? Guy trouble?”

Bailey looked down and was very somber. Hannah’s heart started to race. In all the years they’d known each other, she had never seen her friend with this expression.

This was no longer about Hannah standing her ground but about being a supportive friend. She joined Bailey on the bed, reached out, and grabbed her hand. “You’re not alone, Bailey. I’m right here. Please, whatever this is you can tell me; we’ll get through it together. You know how I jump to conclusions with the unknown. And it’s always better than I pictured. Now spill.”

It wasn’t even close to the truth. Hannah usually downplayed things and found out later how wrong she was. Right now so many horrible things were going through her mind that there was no way it could be worse than she was picturing.
God, don’t let it be.

“I know, Hannah.”

They sat quietly for a few minutes. Hannah wanted to give her all the time she needed.

“I was doing my monthly breast exam, and I found a lump.”

“Did you go and get it checked out? I know people sometimes get lumps from too much caffeine, maybe it’s from all that coffee you drink.” She tried to control her voice as not to show her own fears. Bailey needed her to be strong now.

Bailey nodded. “I went for a mammogram and then they sent me for a sonogram.”

“What did they say?” Hannah was holding her breath praying for good news. None came.

“It’s abnormal. I need to go in for a biopsy.”

Hannah’s heart sank. She wanted to pull Bailey into her arms and tell her everything was going to be okay. That it wasn’t cancer. It couldn’t be cancer.

Don’t cry. Be strong. She needs you.
“Oh, Bailey, I’m so sorry. Would you like me to go with you?”

Bailey looked Hannah and said, “You have so much already going on. I can’t ask you to come to Providence to hold my hand for a test.”

“Of course you can. And you know, I’ll be there too. That is what we do for each other. In good times and bad.”

Bailey laughed. “For richer or poorer too?”

“Is there a richer option? Because I haven’t seen that one yet,” Hannah added, laughing.

“I stand corrected. For hard up, poor, or broke ass.”

The both fell back on the bed holding their sides from laughing so hard.

Once they stopped, Hannah asked, “Tickets to Georgia or Rhode Island? Wherever you go, I’m going with you.”

Bailey gave her a hug. “Let’s get this test done and over with. But after that, I want you to promise me one thing.”

Hannah nodded. “Anything.”

“I want you to try to work out whatever went wrong with Mark. I have a strong feeling about him, Hannah. But I know you. You run from what scares you, and loving that man scares the hell out of you.”

And for good reason, Bailey. He’s got my heart but I can’t have his. Apparently it already belongs to someone else.

“One thing at a time, Bailey.”

“Hannah, I want you to promise me. Right after the biopsy, you go to Mark.”

“Fine. I promise.”
But what I am going to say is not what he’ll expect.

“So now you go and break the news to your cousin that we’re leaving, and I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to see Don. Don’t worry; I’m not going to say anything about you and Mark.”

“Are you telling him we’re leaving?”

Bailey looked at her strangely before she sat back on the bed. “I almost forgot. We still need to talk about you and Mark. You told me to go first, now it’s your turn.”

No, we don’t.
“There’s nothing more to tell. It was fun, but that’s all”

Bailey said nothing. Hannah knew she wasn’t buying the bull she was dishing. She had no choice but to sit back down. She would talk but not about everything. Not after what Bailey shared.

“There is no doubt in my mind, Hannah, that you genuinely like the man. I have never seen you like this with a man. You’re normally indifferent to them, but with Mark, you blush at the simplest things and your eyes light up when you see him.”

Hannah’s feet were dancing. Bailey was right. She was different around Mark. He made her feel something she’d never thought she would. She was twenty-eight, but he made her feel like she had a schoolgirl crush. She daydreamed about him and peeked at him through the blinds of her window when he was outside cutting wood for whatever they were building upstairs.

Knowing the effect he had on her didn’t change anything. It just meant it was going to hurt more.

“Bailey, it’s not about how I feel. Mark isn’t . . . doesn’t want anything serious with me.” That was the closest thing she could say without divulging her suspicions. The truth was, right now that’s all she had. No facts, but it didn’t look good.

“Did he say he doesn’t want you?”

“No.”

Bailey’s voice was filled with frustration. “You’re dancing around not saying what really went down. How am I supposed to understand if you don’t give me the facts?”

“Because I don’t want to think about it, Bailey. It’s only going to make me start crying all over again.”

“What did he do?”

“Nothing.”

“Hannah, do I need to go and ask him myself, because God knows I will?”

Always the protector. If I had a big sister, I think she’d be just like you: loving, supportive, and bossy as hell.

“He has a girlfriend.”
There. I said it.
She wasn’t sure if she felt better with it out in the open or not. But by the look on Bailey’s face, she was shocked.

“Did he tell you that?”

“No. When we were in bed Mark got a call, and when he looked at the number, he tensed up and needed to leave the room. He was gone for about five minutes when I decided something wasn’t right.”

“Maybe it was his sister or parents or—”

“Don?”

“No. I was with Don. But it could’ve been someone else. Don’t jump to conclusions without asking.”

She had already thought that through; what other explanation could there be? “It’s not his family, and we know he doesn’t work. But you’re right. I need to talk to him. I’ll do that after I get back from Rhode Island.”

“Why not today? Why not now?”

“His sister is getting married in two hours. I’m sure he is busy with family obligations at the moment.”

Bailey nodded. “Good call. But, I don’t think Casey would encourage us to set you up if he had a girlfriend. Sissie is a good judge of people, Hannah. You know that. I didn’t see anything to doubt in the Mark I met. If you’re wrong, and I hope you are, you better not wait too long, or he might think you’re not interested.”

Since he hasn’t reached out to me since I left his room yesterday morning, I don’t think he’s stressing over it. When Mark undressed me in the poolroom, I felt embarrassed about my body. But he called me beautiful and worshipped my curves. All night. And I believed him. I need to leave.

“Okay, can we go now? Please?”

“I want to run across to the hotel and say goodbye to Don.”

“Are you two serious?”

“I have too much going on right now to think about something serious. It was fun working with him to get you and Mark together.”

“If that is what I would have to look forward to with the both of you, maybe I’m glad you’re not an item.”

“Don’t think we won’t do it again if we need to. Give me ten minutes, and I’ll be ready to go.”

Only a small intimate group attended the wedding, so Mark noticed immediately that Hannah wasn’t there.

“Don, I know you know something. Spill it,” Mark said quietly to the side as they watched Casey and Derrick cut their wedding cake.

“Are you asking about Hannah?”

“You know fucking well I am.”

Mark’s father turned and gave him a warning look. He knew this wasn’t the place nor the time, but when they last spoke, Hannah was going to be there. If something happened, he needed to know.

Don kept his voice low. “They left right before the wedding.”

“Back to Savannah?”

“I’ve been told not to talk to you about it.”

“Which you’re going to fucking ignore and tell me,” Mark growled under his breath.
Why is everyone willing to talk to Don, but not to me? I’m an approachable guy.
He almost laughed at himself. Approachable was not one of his traits. Arrogant. Demanding. Stubborn. Intimidating. All those and more. But never approachable.

“I’m sure you could get the information yourself if you’d call her.”

Mark glared at him. “Talk.”

“They are going to Rhode Island. Something Bailey needs to take care of. Then Hannah will be returning to Savannah alone. Is that enough information for you?”

“Do you know when?”

“No. Bailey was quiet about what’s going on. I even tried using my charm, and she clammed right up.”

Mark was glad Hannah was with her friend, but the timing could be tight for her return to Savannah. She was supposed to be gone a few more days than that. “Is all the construction going to be completed by then?”

“Cutting it close. I’ll have my guys work some overtime this weekend. They leave Monday morning, just as we’re coming in.”

“Do you want to fly out Sunday to be sure they’re on task?”

Don looked at him sternly. “My guys might only carry nail guns, but trust me, Mark; they know their shit. Anything that can be done will be done.”

Mark knew he came across as an arrogant ass. He could apologize, but it wasn’t the first time Don encountered it, and it wouldn’t be the last.

Casey and Derrick were walking in their direction. Although she had a smile on her face, Mark knew she was about to chew him out for something.

“Congratulations,” Mark said, extending his hand to his new brother-in-law. As they shook hands, Casey stood there, arms crossed in front of her, tapping her foot.
I don’t think you’re waiting for a hug. Okay, let it rip.

“Mark Collins, I can’t believe what you did.”

Me either. Whatever it is. I’m sure I did it.
“Nothing should shock you. But what did I do this time?”

“You scared that lovely girl off.”

“She had things to attend to with her friend. Not my doing.”

Casey shook her head. “Foolish man. Of course, it was your doing. You hurt her, and she left. Do you really think she had something urgent come up that she needed to leave on a Saturday? Don’t even answer that. Whatever they needed to do was only an excuse.” She threw her hands up in the air. “Even Derrick knows it’s ridiculous.”

Mark looked at Derrick who appeared to be as shocked by Casey’s comment as everyone else. He shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m staying out of this,” Derrick said.

“I have to agree with Casey,” Don added.

He looked at both men. “Really? Are you both going to take her side?”