“You know what keeps running through my head?” They all shook their heads at him with sympathetic grins. “I was in Micronesia when she arrived. We were told to get the hell out of there, that they were sending in some hotshot mediator from the U.N. I was right there and missed her.”
“Timing is everything, my friend,” smirked Angel. Ham stood from the table and looked at the leadership team.
“So, I’m good? My job is safe?” he asked. Marc, Angel, and Wes all stared at him, then at Cam, Luke, Eric, and Hex.
“Brother, your job is safe. You worry about you and Sadie.” He turned to leave the room, then looked back at Wes.
“I really do love her, sir. I hope to show you just how much your daughter means to me.” Wes gripped his shoulders, pulling him in for a hug.
“You already have, son. You already have.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
“How are you doing today?” asked Bree.
“I’m getting there,” said Sadie, sitting up a little straighter. She pushed aside the tray of food, and Bree shook her head, pushing it back.
“No, ma’am. You are not getting me in trouble with Dylan and the others. You’re going to eat your lunch.” Sadie smiled at her, nodding.
“I know you’re right, Bree. I know that all of you are right. You can’t wish away a pregnancy any more than you can wish to be pregnant. It was all such shit for timing.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that.”
“Ham has been amazing with me,” she said, taking a bite of the chicken. She shook her head and then looked up at the other woman. “He never left my side, Bree. Not once. When I needed to shower, he put me in the shower and never touched me inappropriately. He washed me, dried me off, put clean clothing on me, brushed my hair. Every day he made me breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Why would a man do that for someone they barely know?”
“I think you know the answer to that,” said Bree. “Why do you think he did that?”
“I don’t know. My brothers asked him to? My dad asked him to?”
“No, honey. No one asked him to do that. He volunteered to go out there with you, remember?” She nodded, then took another bite and looked up at Bree.
“I think I have feelings for him, Bree.”
“That stands to reason. What kind of feelings? Friendship? Loyalty?”
“I’m not a golden retriever,” smirked Sadie. “No, it’s something more. I mean, after what happened in Micronesia, I swore I wouldn’t date or marry anyone that was in security or the military, but that was unfair of me. Ham has been absolutely wonderful. Caring, loving, gentle. He saved me, Bree. When I thought I was losing my mind, he saved me.”
“That sounds like one special man,” smiled Bree. She stole a piece of chicken from Sadie’s plate and winked at her.
“He is special,” she nodded with a sad expression. “But why would a man like that want me? He saw me at my absolute worst and didn’t run the other way. Why?”
“Sadie, you’re asking me the questions, but you have the answers,” smiled Bree. “Whatever Matilda did to you was making you behave unusually. Now, I know that our sweet Sadie has a temper, but these last few weeks, it was pretty bad.”
“God, I know,” she said, leaning back on the pillows. “I was horrible to my brothers.”
“They understood, honey. My point is Matilda was making you behave abnormally, and although Ham didn’t know you very well, even he knew that it wasn’t the real Sadie. He didn’t leave you for one moment because he cares for you, honey. That man has deep feelings for you, and I think he’s afraid to admit it to you for fear you’ll run.” Sadie shook her head.
“No. No, I’m not running. I’m not going anywhere. This is my home and family, and I belong here. I may not be ready for a cottage yet, but I know this is where I should be. But what if Ham wakes up one day and decides he’s made a terrible mistake? What if he turns around and figures out that he married a crazy woman?”
“What if he doesn’t? What if he takes your hand and loves you for the rest of your lives right here? What if you have a family together? Children that you both want. What if, Sadie? What if you can have it all?”
Sadie took the last bite of food from her tray, staring at Bree. What if? Could she see herself with Ham forever? She’d thought that she could be with Davis long-term, but looking back on it now, she realized that she never had any thoughts of introducing him to her family.
“Are you okay?” asked Bree.
“Yes. I’m just thinking about something. I thought that maybe Davis and I could have something long-term. But don’t you think it’s strange that I never once thought about introducing him to my family?”
“Hmm. Why do you think that is?” Sadie stared at Bree, then down at her hands.
