The Nurse's Secret Suitor Read online

  If her heart was going to get slaughtered, it was going to happen with her running toward the relationship front lines, not away. She’d never been a coward, except with relationships.

  Time to put her proverbial combat boots back on and Kate-it-up.

  * * *

  Caleb couldn’t help but feel antsy at the rehearsal dinner. Not only did Bri seat him next to Kate, she’d been smugly secretive about a conversation she’d had with Kate. The only thing she’d admitted they’d discussed was Kate’s plan to see the bandit again.

  Oh, joy. Could he actually pull this off without bloodshed?

  Maybe he should have waited until after the wedding. If he couldn’t keep his identity secret tonight, Bri’s wedding could turn into a disaster. He would have a tough time forgiving himself if he put tension before or during her big day. But Kate was expecting BB, so Caleb had to go through with it.

  God, help this to go well. Don’t let the bandit ruin Bri’s wedding. Help that go well, too. In case You really have sent this into Kate’s life to woo her into transparency, thanks. Don’t let me be called away.

  Only an hour later, when Caleb stood at the precipice of walking Kate down the rehearsal aisle did he realize his prayer hadn’t mentioned getting called away early. Just called away. Subconscious slip?

  Kate clung to Caleb’s arm at the aisle precipice as though doing so would string out the rapidly dwindling time they had left. He found himself wishing for the same thing.

  To lighten the mood, Caleb and Kate did the monkey walk down the aisle, which doubled Bri and Ian over laughing.

  After the rehearsal ended and dinner guests departed, Caleb knew it was time for him to slip out. He really did have a headache. Probably high blood pressure, thinking of tonight.

  Bri was standing with Kate, so he couched his request carefully. “Hey, mind if I beg off? I’m not feeling the greatest and I have my military physical coming up. I need to preserve energy.”

  “Of course, go home and rest. Drink fluids.”

  “Will do.” He grinned, glad to see Bri smirk as she gave him the same water-drinking advice he lavished on her anytime she was sick. He was struck again with how he’d miss his sister.

  He eyed Ian. At least he was leaving her in good hands.

  Caleb waved in the general direction of Kate, who watched him with a concerned expression.

  “See you tomorrow, Caleb,” she called after him.

  He kept walking.

  No, actually, Kate. You’ll see me tonight.

  After taking a legitimate two-hour nap—and drinking some water—Caleb donned the bandit costume with mixed emotions. He walked quietly to the dock early, just as he had before.

  At three minutes to midnight, the most beautiful moving portrait began gliding down the dock path.

  Wow. She’d dressed up. Really dressed up.

  Caleb smiled when he realized she wore the latest pair of heels he’d ordered in her shoe subscription. The remaining subscriptions, though, he’d told the company he’d let her choose.

  Kate got to the dock in an elegant party dress. The top was white-gold satin, the bottom a shimmery, elegant black. Replaying their last scene, Caleb stepped out from the shadows.

  She stopped. Smiled. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  He nodded, afraid to reply with the words that wanted desperately to slide off his tongue. You look so lovely, Kate.

  She didn’t make a move to get closer or to peer around the dock pillar partially hiding his face. So, perhaps she felt safer not knowing his true identity. He could hope.

  “Thank you for all the gifts, and these shoes—” she lifted a very shapely leg “—totally rock.”

  He smiled, and she smiled in return, which caused her eyes to sparkle like faceted sapphires.

  He struggled to think of something to say in reply, but nothing came to mind. So much for the bandit making Caleb feel suave.

  He felt like a total dork, to be honest.

  When had he grown to feel more comfortable as Caleb around Kate? When had his shy self-consciousness fled?

  “You should know that I’ve decided your official name is Benevolent Bandit. You really came as a gift in a dire time of need. So, thanks for showing up—here, and everywhere else I’ve needed you to be. I don’t know who you really are. Not sure I want to because that might make things awkward for us both. But, whoever you are, I hope you know how much your gifts have meant to me.”

  He put a hand to his heart and gave a mini-bow this time.

  She sighed. “Can I be honest, though? As much as I’ve loved everything you’ve done for me, and as much as I appreciate the gifts, I think the time has come to end the masquerade.”

  Caleb’s heart leaped into his throat. Was she going to ask him to unmask, right there and then? This had the potential to go so very badly.

  “I don’t feel right accepting your notes or presents anymore because this—” she gestured between the two of them “—is just make-believe for both of us, right? And what’s true, what’s real, is that I really am not looking for romance with you because I—I’ve fallen in love with someone else. I fought against it, I tried to stop it, but it was no use. I’m head over heels for my best friend’s brother, even though he’s leaving in two weeks for good.”

  Caleb froze. Did she say she loved him? He’d known her feelings were growing, but he hadn’t realized they’d gotten so far.

  “I didn’t expect this to happen. In fact I took every precaution against it. I just...I’m so heartsick because I really don’t mean enough to entice him to stay and miss ranger school.”

  Caleb shifted, feeling extremely like a detonated bomb. Becoming a ranger had been his dream for so long that he’d stopped thinking of it as a goal and more as a clear and unquestionable path for exactly how he wanted his life to go. He never stopped to think what other opportunities he might be missing along the way. But here was Kate, urging him to take another route—one filled with love, family, happiness and her. He’d spent so much time telling himself that dreaming of a life with her was pointless that it was a shock to the system to see the possibility laid out before him.

  “But he’s said a hundred times that there’s no chance for the two of us. So how can I tell him how I feel? Would it even make a difference? We still want different things.”

  Caleb shifted foot to foot, hoping to hurry this along. He needed to go somewhere and think. Somewhere away from her and the truth she’d confessed. Yet hope plumed inside and he needed to figure that out, too.

  “You look like you need to go.” She looked disappointed, but resigned.

  He nodded.

  “Well, thanks for listening and coming back again. I wish you luck in your life. And thank you again, for everything you’ve done.”

  With that, Kate turned and dashed away as if wanting to get as far away from him as fast as possible.

  Caleb looked at Kate’s disappearing form. He looked down at his gloved hands and black attire.

  For the leather-clad life of him he could not figure out what in the world had just happened here.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Beautiful,” Kate breathed as she tucked the last pearl bobby pin in Bri’s jeweled hair veil. “But you’re trembling.”

  Bri blinked tears and smiled. “It’s an emotional day.”

  “It’s your wedding day!”

  “Yes, but Caleb got orders today, too. He’s been accepted into ranger school. He’s over the moon. And I’m sick with worry.”

  Kate’s heart fell through the floor. “Don’t think about that now.” You either, Dalton. She still hadn’t made up her mind about how to tell Caleb of her feelings—or whether she should tell him at all. “Focus on your vows and the fact there’s a happy, handsome groom out there waiting fo
r you.”

  “Yes, I’m grateful and overjoyed but I’ll miss my brother.”

  “It was shoddy of him to tell you on your wedding day—that doesn’t seem like him.”

  “He didn’t. I heard the guys talking about it in the hall.”

  “I’m sorry, sweetness.” Kate flushed at her use of the bandit endearment. But it wasn’t just the bandit’s endearment—it was Caleb’s, too. That made the flush deepen, causing Bri to laugh.

  “What’s that about?”

  “Just thinking about the bandit.”

  “Oh! I forgot to ask. How did it go?”

  “Fine, I guess. I...I told him I didn’t feel right about accepting his gifts and notes anymore. I mean, they were amazing—seriously amazing—and I’ll always be grateful for everything he did for me. But even when he was standing there in full costume, looking gorgeous, all I could think about was your brother’s smile as he said what your mom told him when she knew she was dying.”

  Bri raised her chin and smiled sadly while remembering. “That he was stronger than he realized and that...” Bri choked up.

  “That God promised never to leave or forsake us and that He’s very near to the broken-hearted. Caleb was God’s arms for me that day, Bri. Not the bandit.”

  Bri’s eyes lit. “Really?” she breathed. “Tell me more!”

  Kate sat on the church nursery glider footstool. “I’m in so much trouble. I’m heart deep. I’m ready to admit it—I’m in love with Caleb.”

  Delight filled Bri’s eyes, then tears. Happy ones, yet she fought off a smile, too. “I’m, uh, uh, sorry, Kate.”

  “No, you’re not. You don’t look one bit sorry.”

  Bri stood and hugged her. “He’s my brother. You’re my best friend. What can I say? I can’t lie and tell you I never wished for this. But you’re right. I don’t want it to end in heartache for either of you.” Bri looked as conflicted as Kate felt.

  Kate sighed and straightened. “Well, the ball is flying downhill and there is no way to stop it now, outside of him leaving and me being left to live with the void. I have no idea how to tell him how I feel.”

  “You need to find a way. He’ll have to live with it, too, Kate. Because whether he admits it to you or to himself, he cares about you. He can walk away, but he can’t escape his own heart. The care he has for you will follow him wherever he goes. Maybe it’ll keep him alive.”

  Kate surged to her feet, suddenly ill at the thought. “Or maybe it’ll distract him dead. Bri, he needs a clear head for spec ops. Not an emotional entanglement. Maybe it’s better if I don’t tell him at all.”

  Bri went silent, the way she always did when she knew she was right.

  Kate wished she could rewind time and, what? Not have met Caleb? No. She couldn’t bring her mind to go there, because frankly, right now, the thought of him not being in her life made her sadder than anything else going on.

  “Wow. I’m in free fall.”

  “I know.” Bri nibbled her lip. Free fall. Was Caleb?

  Did it matter? “In two weeks, he’ll be out the door and chasing the life he really wants.” Unfortunately, that life couldn’t include Kate. It hurt more than he could ever know. Not just her, but Bri, too. She’d encourage it, which would complicate an already convoluted situation.

  Kate needed to buck up and be strong. Find a way to deal with this.

  “It’s nothing to worry about,” Kate said, seeing the concern grow in Bri’s pretty face. Eyes that should not be reflecting angst on this special day. “I’m in a vulnerable place right now. Once I get out of this atypical life season, he’ll get out of my mind and heart. Don’t worry.”

  Bri drew a shaky breath. “I don’t know if you’re right.”

  Kate braced hands on Bri’s shoulders and gave her the look she’d given war prisoners she’d interrogated. “It’ll be fine.”

  Kate would make sure of it. She was not going to let her struggles ruin Bri’s special day. “Look at you!” Kate whirled Bri around in front of the mirror. “You’re the most beautiful bride in the world. It’s almost time. The music’s started. Go get that groom!”

  Bri’s face erupted in smiles, so Kate’s act must have been convincing. Kate stomped all her struggles underneath her surging joy for Bri, Ian and Tia and what this important day meant for them.

  Kate succumbed to the joy until the moment she saw Caleb’s handsome beaming face; the moment he offered her his arm to walk. “Ready?” he whispered, stirring the hair near her ear.

  “Yep.” She nodded and just for the moment, let herself feel. Let herself enjoy walking down the aisle with the man she loved. After all, she’d never get to experience it again.

  He leaned in halfway down the aisle. “You look stunning, sweetness. Sapphire suits you.”

  Kate nearly tripped. She stared at him, feeling the wind knock a void in her stomach. As he guided her on, she studied his profile. He gave her a pointed look then stared ahead. Not a muscle flinched in his face. Yet, the way he’d said that seemed intentional. And very much like—well exactly like the bandit. But how could Caleb know? Her mind whirled possibilities, but if she thought too hard, she’d faint right in Bri’s wedding aisle. She wasn’t going to let anything ruin Bri’s special day.

  There was only one way in the world Caleb could know.

  Not possible. No. Way.

  Caleb could not possibly be BB.

  * * *

  He’d taken a big risk with that. But it was past time to start dropping hints. Forget hints, he was about to drop a bomb. Not here, though. Not at Bri and Ian’s wedding. He’d do it soon, though.

  Once they split at the end of the walk and took their respective places, Caleb nodded to Ian, who was grinning like crazy. It warmed Caleb’s heart and he couldn’t help but smile, too. The guy was crazy in love with his sister. Ian would take good care of her. Thanks, Lord. You rock for that. The prayer came easily, naturally. His faith journey wasn’t over yet, but Caleb felt closer to God than he had in years. It was a good feeling.

  As the rest of the wedding party walked the aisle, Caleb glanced over at Kate.

  She was still as white as Bri’s lovely gown. His statement had shocked her, no doubt. But now her spine was straight as a rifle barrel. She’d definitely made the connection, but her facial gestures and body language now told him she’d talked herself out of thinking the bandit could possibly be him.

  When the wedding march cut into his thoughts, Caleb’s throat muscles constricted as Lem, a surrogate grandpa to Bri, led his sister down the aisle to give her away. Caleb could not describe the emotion and happiness welling in his heart for her. He watched Ian’s eyes glaze and his grin explode. Tia giggled incessantly, which started others doing so.

  Everyone shared the tremendous joy. It brought Caleb assurance that life would look up for Levi, Asher and Kate, too.

  He slipped into the coatroom after the ceremony and planted the note in Kate’s purse. His last note as the bandit.

  I’m sorry for my silence last night. Tonight, we need to talk. Really talk. Please meet me back out on the dock at sunset. Yours truly, BB.

  Hers truly? Not really. Hers, yes. But not truly—not until she knew the truth.

  Caleb avoided Kate as much as possible over the reception. She had to have gotten the note because she’d freshened her makeup, which he’d seen in her purse. She’d have had to move the note to get to her makeup bag.

  “Caleb, can I talk to you a second?”

  Kate.

  Caleb turned, making a play of sipping punch. “Hi, Kate. You look nice.”

  She seemed distracted and waved his compliment away. “Thanks. Listen, congratulations on making ranger school.”

  “You know?”

  “Bri told me before the ceremony.”

 
“How did she find out?”

  “She overheard the guys. Everyone is really excited for you, Caleb.”

  “Including you, Kate?”

  She raised her chin. “I’m happy for you. I know how much you’ve wanted this. Bri will be okay. I’ll make sure.”

  “Bri’s not the only one I’m concerned with.” He stared into her eyes, willing her to share how she really felt. Her words from the previous night still rang in his ears. For better or for worse, Caleb is the one I want to be with—ranger or not.

  No words he’d ever heard had stirred him so deeply. To know that he meant so much to her that she’d be willing to take that risk for him made his heart soar.

  But she’s said it to the bandit, not to him. Once and for all, would she be willing to reveal her heart to the man she loved—the man who loved her?

  She stood as impenetrable as a tank.

  This was it. Their breaking point. If he couldn’t get through, perhaps they really didn’t have the future he’d begun to envision.

  He sighed. She rubbed her arms as though cold, yet the room was plenty warm. “So, I’ll catch you later.” She turned.

  “Yeah, later tonight.”

  She stopped, back facing him, steps stuttered...then continued on.

  She didn’t want to believe the evidence now, but soon she wouldn’t have a choice. He’d reveal himself tonight. He’d unmask himself and tell her the truth. It was definitely time. He wished she’d take her mask off, too.

  When Caleb arrived at the dock as the bandit, Kate was already there. He walked up to her, seeing her profile before she realized he was there. Tears glimmered off her cheeks in moonlight, causing his heart and gut to clench big-time.

  “Kate.”

  She whirled and didn’t even attempt to swipe her tears. Very unusual for Kate. Frustrating because if she knew it was Caleb standing here, she’d be swiping and hiding like mad.

  He stepped closer, peering into her eyes, hoping she’d recognize him before he had to say anything.

  To his shock, she surged forward into his opening arms.

  “I’m so glad you’re here. You’re the only person I can talk to.” Her voice gutted his insides. She swallowed convulsively, speech apparently difficult for her. Caleb held her closer.