“What I want has nothing to do with it.” Her dark eyes were earnest. “I’llsupportyou as you go back to work.”
The jet taxied off the runway and to an exclusive hangar.
Robbie licked his lips. She’d support him. Was the give and takealready happening, or was she letting him go because she wasn’t ready for a relationship and this would extend the deadline of them both having to commit to put each other first?
“You know I’m coming back to you as soon as I can,” he said firmly.
She nodded. She looked stiff, uncomfortable, and as if she was forcing herself to stay positive. Ah, Alice. Even if she was afraid of him being killed or afraid of him not coming back, she’d try to love and support him.
“I love you, Robbie,” she whispered.
His heart swelled at those endearing words. She loved him, but was love enough? Did she trust him? How could he earn her trust and be there for her if he left for a work assignment?
Robbie kissed her softly, pushing the worries away once again.
His phone buzzed again. He forced himself to pull back and answer the call.
The plane taxied to a stop as Aiden’s upbeat and charming voice came on, telling him they had a unique, dangerous, and time-sensitive job where his language skills and battle experience were a must. Nick was busy tracking a lead on Big Buddha or he would’ve called.
Robbie listened, and he thought he responded correctly. He remembered telling Aiden he’d cut his hair and shaved. Aiden responded to stop shaving, but it was fine. The job didn’t require a ‘hairy mammoth’. Robbie sort-of chuckled. He couldn’t take his gaze off of Alice as she stood and stretched from the long plane ride.
She was supporting him.
Still, he felt like he should say no and quit the career he’d been made for. He’d had no choice but to quit his Army Ranger unit to protect his teammates. Quitting Aiden was the last thing he wanted to do.
No. Losing Alice was the last thing he wanted to do.
Could he have both?
Right now, it felt like Alice was half-in, half-out. Was the miracle of being together even a possibility?
Chapter
Nineteen
The endof June and the first few days of July were some of the longest days of Alice’s life. Robbie was on a no-contact op for Aiden Porter. Being with him for those two weeks then having him yanked away again gouged at her. Alice had been smart to be wary and only wade into rekindling things with him. If she had gone in over her head, it would hurt so much worse right now. She dreamed of being together but didn’t know what that looked like long-term.
There had been nothing new discovered about Big Buddha or any hits on the dark web for Robbie. Robbie’s work associate, Nick Jacobs, had reached out to her and let her know that Robbie was safe. Similar to Juneteenth, Big Buddha would have no way of knowing where Robbie was with him deep into a mission.
At least he was safe. Would they be destined to have every holiday be a horror show?
Her mother was livid that she’d gotten back with Robbie. She kept repeating, “The ogre is not worthy of your angelic beauty.”
Alice still tried to visit her every day, but sometimes it was only for a few minutes. When she’d first returned home, she’d painted word pictures of all the sites she’d visited, showing her photos and videosonline since she sadly had none of her own. Then she’d told her about reconnecting and falling back in love with Robbie. Her mother had ranted and raved that the ‘behemoth’ was not the right man for her.
So Alice had focused almost exclusively on work. At least that was going well. The infusion of a million and two hundred thousand dollars in her account astounded her. Brandon revealed that Robbie had requested that his million be transferred into Alice’s account since they were ‘together’, and he had transferred some of his savings to make up the extra hundred thousand.
It was too much money, over the top really, a gift she’d never thought to receive. She met with a financial advisor for tax purposes and put some money in investments, but her business was soaring with the cash infusion.
Robbie could help her soar, even if he wasn’t here. But nothing was like soaring in Robbie’s arms, his kisses where all worries fled, and the happiness of being together.
Finally, it was the Fourth of July. She’d dreaded this day, but Nick Jacobs let her know that morning that there was no sign of a hit request on the dark web for Robbie. That was a miracle and a relief. Had Big Buddha given up, or did the murderer know Robbie was out of reach? He would be safe when he wasn’t with her. That hurt, but him being alive was more important than her selfish desires to have him close.
If she could only get through today, she’d be able to relax. Until Labor Day. Hopefully she would see Robbie before Labor Day. Being apart was worse than she’d feared, especially because they couldn’t even talk.
Her mother was hosting James, Preston, and Priscilla Lavity for an evening barbecue and fireworks show for the holiday. Alice had no excuse not to go. She’d been trying to make new friends at church and was really enjoying the new designer, Shelly, that she’d hired, but it took time to develop strong friendships like she’d had with Ruby and Natalie, and she was reluctant to do anything outside of work or church and give Big Buddha another target.
Alice made it through dinner on the back patio with only a few concerned looks from her mother. Preston was flirting nonstop withher, which grated on her nerves. His parents and her mother watched in delight, as if they were a match made in heaven.
