The Hero's Sweetheart Read online

  She grinned so wide, Olivia smiled, too.

  “I’m edgy around him for several reasons. For one, I’m shy and awkward and never know what to say to someone so heroic and formidable, powerful and commanding. He’s not exactly the type of guy to talk about the weather.”

  Patrice laughed. “True.”

  “The thought of riding with him all week to and from the trauma center is utterly nerve-racking.”

  “In what ways?” Patrice sipped her smoothie.

  “Not only is time spent with him sanding the rougher edges off my initial bad impression of him, his kind acts are turning my irritation with him into intrigue.”

  To top that, every minute around Jack reminded her of how attracted to him she was beginning to feel. But she didn’t feel free to say that to Patrice, on the off chance Jack did like her.

  “What are you afraid to tell me?” Patrice said, pegging her.

  “What if you weren’t with your boyfriend? Would you date Jack if he asked you?”

  A weird scraping sound came out of Patrice’s throat and she motioned Olivia down the stairs. “No. I’m just going to tell you. Jack and I may be siblings.”

  Olivia almost stumbled down the last few stairs. At the bottom, she turned and gaped at Patrice. Her serious expression told Olivia she wasn’t kidding. “For real?”

  She nodded. “We’ve suspected for years, but because we weren’t sure Sully knew, we never said anything. But his mom and my dad apparently cavorted with each other when Sully was overseas and my mom was out of town on her business trips.”

  Olivia shifted slightly on her feet as the truth sank in. She studied Patrice’s bone structure and for once did see a slight resemblance to Jack’s. The probability that Patrice was Jack’s half sister put Olivia’s attraction for Jack in a whole new light.

  The more she knew of him and his acts of kindness toward employees off the job, the more that knowledge was wreaking havoc with the well-guarded walls she’d employed around herself.

  Things like arranging for a babysitter to use his apartment for the children of employees who have had childcare issues. He’d also given an advance to Darin when his pipes froze and burst in the last storm. Then Jack had shown up to help repair them, plus clean up the mess.

  He’d also given evening-shift employees equally kind treatment, including various kinds of off-the-job assistance when they needed it. There were tons of other things she’d caught wind of that Jack didn’t know she knew about.

  She imagined there were many kindnesses he’d performed in quiet that she wasn’t aware of. In short, he was vested with and invested in his employees. Not just on the job.

  They’d all tried to get him to engage in friendship off the clock, but other than help people, he drifted back to being the mysterious hermit he’d become known as.

  * * *

  Olivia was pale when she got into the truck. She glanced at Patrice, who waved at them before getting into her car.

  The funny look on Olivia’s face as she studied him and Patrice clued Jack in that Patrice had told her they were likely half siblings. She caught Jack studying her, and focused on folding her brown sack tighter.

  “I hope she’s not going out with her boyfriend again,” Jack said, watching Patrice pull out ahead of them.

  “Not unless she’s planning to break up with him.”

  “In which case she should have backup with her,” Jack said.

  Olivia nodded. “Darin and Naem are following her, after she goes to the doctor.”

  “And the police department, I hope?”

  “I couldn’t get her to press charges yet. He has her believing he’ll get away with it and destroy her in the process.”

  Jack felt like punching the ceiling. Or wringing Patrice’s boyfriend’s neck.

  A few miles down the road, it became clear Olivia had clammed up. She sat stiffly, breathing evenly, almost purposefully, as though she had to concentrate on even that.

  Normally the silence was welcome. But for some reason Jack felt the need to get Olivia talking. “So...” he started as he pulled away from a stoplight at the edge of town that had turned green. “I’m guessing Patrice told you.”

  Olivia’s shoulders loosened. So he was right in that it had been weighing on her whether to say something or not. “Yes. Will you ever be certain?”

  “We could have DNA tests. But we’re pretty certain now, considering the fact that my dad was overseas when my mom conceived her, and our parents admitted they were involved with each other.”

  Wanting Olivia to open up about her dyslexia, and also wanting to show her he was beginning to trust her, or at least trying hard to give her the benefit of the doubt, he decided to extend her the courtesy of telling her about his diner plans. He figured now was a good time to discuss them. If she disagreed with him, though, as she often did, it could backfire in his face. But it was a risk he was willing to take. “Since I have your undivided attention for the next ten minutes or so, I thought I’d let you know some more changes I’m instituting at the diner soon.”

  “More changes?” She stiffened and immediately, in his opinion, went on defensive alert.

  “I know change is hard for you. Which is why I’m bringing it up now, rather than springing it on you without warning later.”

  She seemed to relax at that.

  “Also, I’d like your input. I’m trying to determine where I can cut diner costs without losing customers.”

  She nodded as they pulled onto the interstate. “Okay.”

  “For years, Dad has catered to the locals and given away freebies to some of his buddies. How detrimental do you think it would be to veer away from that for the time being?”

  “They’re war veterans, Jack. And if you’re going to plan to stop catering to them, I think you’re making a big mistake,” she said thoughtfully, yet still a little guardedly.

  “Fair enough. So, what do you suggest?”

  “The extended hours, while a sacrifice for workers, was a good idea. Business is picking up. What would you think about doing catering for local businesses or events? There’s no one doing that in Eagle Point.”

  Jack thought about that for a moment. “Who would handle that?”

  “Molly, the single mom on evening shift, has always dreamed of running a catering business. But with her triplets and having lost her husband, she’s not been able to. I think she’d be perfect for it. She has a fairly new van, and I’m sure she’d be willing to use it to deliver, if you’d reimburse her for gas, mileage, and wear and tear.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. I’ll think about it.”

  Olivia examined him like he was an unknown specimen.

  “What?” Jack arched his eyebrow.

  “I’m just surprised you didn’t argue with me about it.” She gave him a smile that nearly stopped his heart.

  It actually hurt to see her like that, because he had the feeling she was not going to like the next things he had to say. Not at all.

  He was right. By the time he’d finished sharing his thoughts about possibly selling the diner, Olivia looked as though she were about to explode. It was a really good thing they were turning onto the trauma center road.

  Jack’s cell phone rang. The caller ID said EPTC. His heart leapt into his throat.

  Dad.

  Speeding up, he asked, “Can you answer that?” since he’d forgotten his Bluetooth.

  Olivia took the call and he relaxed when she shrieked and said, “Hurray! When?” She covered the phone. “Sully is awake. He’s asking for us.”

  Us?

  Alongside his joy over Dad’s improvement, Jack realized with alarm that he liked hearing them referred to as “us.” Jack used all his will to shift back to wanting to protect himself.

  She bea
med and he seethed inside. Why did Dad see them as equal? Made no sense.

  Other than the fact that Jack was living on another continent and Olivia was here with Dad.

  Maybe it made perfect sense. Still, he didn’t like it and didn’t fully trust her. Perhaps it was a product of all the betrayal he’d been through in his life, but he felt it was better to err on the side of caution.

  After parking, Jack held open the door to EPTC for Olivia.

  “I’m texting Patrice, Darin and Naem,” Olivia said as they practically sprinted down the halls toward Sully’s room. “They’ll be so excited Sully’s awake.”

  Jack wanted to tell her not to have everyone converge at the hospital, but in light of the crew’s kindness, he fought the urge to be a control freak about it. Really, they cared about his dad, so what was the harm? Other than the fact that it might cut into his time with his father or overwhelm him. Then again, the nursing and medical staff would put a stop to it if they felt there was a risk.

  Olivia was so excited that she practically sprinted down the halls ahead of Jack.

  Jack gritted his teeth against being the jerk to hold her back and strode to the nurses’ station. They waved Jack in. He turned to see Olivia waiting by the desk. He simmered down, realizing she may be holding back to let him have time with his dad first.

  “After her doctor’s appointment, Patrice is getting the card that she made,” Olivia said. “We haven’t had a chance to give it to him because he’s not been awake to enjoy it. Most of the regular customers and all the employees signed it. Can she bring it by so we can give to Sully?”

  Jack remembered it now, the gals taking it around to all the customers that week, and in fact he’d signed it, too. “Fine. But tell her we’ll have to make it brief.” He headed in and said on his way, “You can see him when I’m done.” Then, at the disappointment in her pretty eyes, he softened. “If his doctor says he’s up to more than one visitor at a time, I’ll come get you.”

  Clearly he was drawing the line as to who belonged here and who didn’t.

  The combative but conflicted look on her face gave him the impression she was deeply hurt but trying to be understanding and was grateful for anything she got in terms of being able to visit Sully. Again, Jack wanted to get to the bottom of how this stranger had gotten so close to his dad in Jack’s absence. Especially if Dad’s faculties had been failing, as the bank officer had gently suggested. Jack still felt there was more to the missing funds than his dad’s massive accounting errors. He’d get to the bottom of that, too. Eventually.

  So far no one showed signs of being a thief at the diner. But some thieves were very conniving and convincing.

  He glanced back at Olivia, expecting to see anger in her eyes. Instead, she smiled, as though happy for him that his dad had woken up.

  Which, of course, made Jack felt like an even bigger jerk for walking in without her.

  But he really wanted—no, needed—private time with his father. It had been so long.

  He stepped around the curtain to see his dad aiming a remote at the TV and clicking back and forth between a home shopping network and a war-history channel as a woman in a blue lab coat gathered some type of machine and a clipboard up in her arms. She looked like a specialist of some kind and said goodbye to his dad as she got ready to leave.

  As Jack looked on, he couldn’t believe the difference in his father’s health, the change for the better.

  Jack smiled and tension rolled off his shoulders as relief flooded in at seeing his dad awake and with color returned to his face. And with the typical channels being flipped through. “History and war channels, huh? Some things never change,” Jack said, since his dad and the woman hadn’t seen him step in yet.

  Sully’s gaze skipped off the TV and onto Jack. “Jug!” He set the remote down and held out his arms, gathering Jack into a desperate, un-Sully-like hug. “Moy bug jug!”

  “Hey, Dad.” He hugged his dad as though he was hanging on for dear life. Surprisingly, tears pricked Jack’s eyes at the emotion and desperation in his dad’s embrace.

  “Jug! Moy! Bug!”

  The specialist smiled kindly when Jack blinked at the words. “Jack, my boy?” she asked Sully in an effort to translate.

  Sully nodded quickly and pointed to her machine then to Jack. “Jug! Moy bug!”

  She slid an electronic keyboard tablet toward Sully and he spoke something into it, then poked through the keyboard and showed it to Jack. The screen message said, “Jack, my boy. I’ve never been so glad to see you, son.”

  To Jack’s surprise, Dad’s epic grin and bright-eyed face reflected the emotional pull of the clearly typed message despite the fact that his speech was slurred and garbled. One side of his mouth still drooped slightly, but not as badly as Jack had thought it would. And Dad was using both arms, though one appeared to be a little spastic. That he wasn’t paralyzed—only weakened on one side—was a great sign, maybe even a miracle, all things considered.

  Thank You, Jack said to the God he’d only spoken to three times in the past year. The first time was the moment his CO had given him the news about his dad. Jack had asked God to spare his dad’s life and livelihood. The second time he’d prayed was in the diner the other day, and the third time was just now, in giving thanks to God for answering at least the first prayer even though Jack had lost all faith and hope.

  “I’m glad to be here,” Jack said, hugging his dad again, tighter this time. They’d never displayed this depth of emotion. And yet he’d always known his dad loved him. He also knew that while Sully was proud of his military service, he worried about him, especially after Jack’s unit had come under attack and some were killed by a supposed ally Jack himself had trained.

  Being at death’s door had really changed Sully.

  Sully leaned back into his pillows and muted the TV volume. “Hairs Liver? Taught she’s whisker?”

  Jack blinked at his dad, then the woman, then the machine as the cursor continued to translate the words that Sully spoke. “Where’s Olivia? I thought she was with you?”

  “Oh, right. She’s out in the hall.”

  Sully scowled, making Jack feel like the jerk he probably was for not letting Olivia in already. But he really wanted time alone with his dad. That wasn’t selfish, was it?

  Sully’s scowl increased to the point where it became comical.

  Jack dipped his head and turned. “I’ll just go get her.”

  When Jack came back around the curtain with Olivia, his dad’s arms flew out again, as though expecting a hug. “Liver!” he said.

  Olivia shot forward as though to hug Sully, then abruptly braked, head snapping up to peer pensively at Jack. He nodded and extended his hand that it was fine to hug his dad. Free country and all that, right? As they embraced, Jack had to fight the urge to look away.

  But, really, he was ashamed of himself and no one else. He should have been here.

  As Sully hugged Olivia, her eyes closed with such intense relief, gratitude and joy, Jack couldn’t tear his eyes away. She held on and spoke such tender, caring words, Jack knew that she loved his dad like a father and he loved her like a daughter. When she opened her eyes, they glimmered with unshed tears and she swallowed hard while Sully hugged her.

  As the hug broke, Olivia darted a glance at Jack, as though scared he’d be upset.

  He kept his expression neutral, not wanting his selfish side to have the edge here.

  “Hello,” Olivia said to the specialist. “You must be Sully’s speech pathologist?”

  “Yes,” the woman answered Olivia. Then to Jack said, “I was about to introduce myself.”

  Jack nodded. “Nice to meet you. I’m his son.”

  “Then, this must be your daughter, Sully,” the speech pathologist said while looking at Olivia.

  Oli
via glanced at Jack again. “Actually, no...”

  “Like,” Sully said that word clearly, to Jack’s relief.

  “Oh, daughter-in-law, then?” The pathologist looked from Jack to Olivia, as though assuming they were together. Sully immediately started cackling and smacking his knee, probably at the look of sheer horror on Olivia’s and Jack’s faces.

  The speech pathologist straightened, studying the trio. “Oh, since he spoke of the two of you together, I just assumed you were either siblings, married or engaged.”

  Again, Sully whooped. “Liver and Jug Bug? A troll wash!” He punched a button on his speech tablet.

  The speech pathologist leaned over and read the message, and grinned alongside Sully. “This button does audio translation, Sully, remember?”

  His eyes brightened and he pushed the button she indicated. “A troll wash.” he repeated.

  “I truly wish,” the machine’s robotic voice translated. Then Sully manually typed in something longer. When he was finished, he pushed a button. The speech tablet’s robotic voice said, “She’d be a good little mama to my grandbabies and a wonderful wife to my son.”

  Olivia gasped and her eyes grew so wide that Jack almost joined his dad laughing.

  Except that the idea of Olivia marrying him and them parenting a child together was—well, nothing short of absurd. Right?

  The speech pathologist studied Olivia, with her edgy, rocker-girl attire, then Jack with his no-nonsense clean-cut but hard-boiled military style. “Well, you know what they say about opposites attracting.”

  Sully appeared to be having tons of fun with this because he typed something else into the little tablet and showed it to the two ladies but not Jack.

  And snickered with his new crooked grin.

  Whatever he’d typed had the speech lady giggling as they glanced at the tablet, then Jack. Olivia’s cheeks turned pink and she darted her gaze quickly away, while tugging sprigs of her spikey hair at the nape of her neck the way she often did around Jack.