Finally Home (Home Series) (22 page)

"She'll know," Whit said, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"Most likely."

Whit walked toward the opposite corner as he spoke on the phone.  Mike turned back to the computer while Lainey looked on.

"Whit is close with Melissa?"

"Zig was his best friend," Mike replied, eyes still on the computer.

She glanced back at Whit who was pacing while on the phone, then back at Mike.

"Does he have feelings for her?" she asked.

Mike did lift his gaze then, glancing at Whit then back to her.

"Yes, but he hasn't acted on them."

"His best friend's wife.  Feels like a betrayal," she surmised.

"Pretty much."

"Poor Whit.  That's a tough one."

A dimple appeared in Mike's cheek, though he didn't smile.

"She cares for him, too."

Lainey sighed.  "Well, maybe they'll figure things out once she moves here."

A gleam she couldn't quite place ran through Mike's eyes.  "You think she'll agree to move here?"

"With all of you showing up to visit and ask her to come?  I think she will have a hard time saying no."

The girls couldn't believe the change that came over the guys when they were on Mike's uncle's Lear jet.  These normally boisterous men all sat quietly, some with eyes closed, some looking out the window.  They were nervous about seeing the widow of their friend.  Lainey found that sweet and troubling at the same time.  They all spoke of Melissa as if she were a borderline saint. 

Across from her, Colt's tenderness toward Sarah made Lainey smile.  He sat with Sarah nestled in his lap, one big hand resting on her belly, the other stroking her hair.  Lainey had seen the fierceness on the big man's face when Tessa was in danger and found it amazing that this was the same man she was seeing now. 

Cam laughed at something Riley said, drawing her attention to her cousin and his little family.  He was teaching Cam to play Texas Hold 'Em poker with Coop, who'd come back with his wife, who was Colt's sister, Claire.  Claire was just as gorgeous as her brother, tall with amber colored eyes just a shade or two lighter than Colt's warm brown ones.  Claire had two daughters and she and Coop had a son together, all of whom were staying home with grandparents for this trip.  Of their unit, only Mike and Whit remained single, though she knew they both had prospects.

Her gaze shifted to Mike.  Was that what she was now?  Mike's prospect?  If she were honest with herself, she knew that was exactly what she was.  Whatever it said about her, she knew that all he really would have to do is crook his finger and she would be right there doing whatever he wanted.  It was a sobering thought but she decided not to analyze it too much.  She'd been attracted to him from the beginning.  Now, even though he thoroughly exasperated her, she was drawn to him
nonetheless.  He was gazing sightlessly out the window, lost in thought.  For a moment, she simply studied him.  The sunlight coming through the window made his eyes stand out even more than usual.    After a moment, most likely feeling her gaze on him, he turned and the full icy blast of that gaze settled on her, causing her breath to catch.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

"You seem distracted."

His eyes swept her face, then locked on her eyes. 

"Was thinking about the last time we were all together at Melissa's.  Was after she had her son, Petey.  She was pregnant when Zig was killed.  I didn't get to go to his funeral and was still in the hospital when Petey was born.  I didn't get to see him until he was almost four months old.  That was the first stop I made when the docs cleared me for travel.  The guys all came with me.  Coop and Claire had just gotten married."

"And now Riley and Colt are both married."

He nodded.  "Life goes on."

"Yes, it does, for those who chose to let it."

"What are you implying?"

She shook her head.  "Not implying anything, Commander.  Just stating a fact. 
You left the Navy and started Orion and threw yourself into that as part of your rehab from your injuries, but you have yet to allow yourself to start living again."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Don't you?" she said, turning her attention to her seatbelt when the pilot announced they'd be landing soon.  When she looked up at Mike, a muscle in his jaw was ticking but he didn't speak.  She shifted her gaze, watching Colt put Sarah back in her seat and help her with her seatbelt. 

Two black SUVs awaited them on the tarmac of the private airfield they landed at.  Lainey and Mike rode with Riley, Jenna and Cam with everyone else loading in the other one.  She noticed that Riley had grown quiet now, both men looking a bit apprehensive.

"Come on, guys, relax," she said, looking back and forth between the two of them, "Melissa is your friend, remember?"

"It's been so long," Riley said, "going back is hard.  Seeing Melissa and that house.  We all practi
cally lived there when we were stateside.  Zig was our youngest member.  Your age, actually," he said to Lainey, "but Melissa was like a Team Mom.  She took care of all our affairs when we were overseas.  She did our laundry for us when we were home.  Cooked for us.  God, she and Zig were awesome together," he said, clutching Jenna's hand.

"They were complete opposites," Mike said, "but they worked.  Zig was this little scrawny kid but he was scrappy."

"And fast," Riley added, "Gave Colt fits.  Even worse than me.  I'm glad, actually, that Colt wasn't there that day.  We probably would have lost him, too.  Zig was our other computer geek.  He and Colt worked close together."

"Melissa said Colt took Zig's death hard.  Blamed himself.  Said if he'd been there that day they wouldn't have gotten Zig," Mike said.

"That's absurd," Jenna said.  "He probably would have been killed, too because he'd have been right there with Zig, right?"

"He'd have been in front of Zig," Riley said.  "He'd have taken that bullet because he wouldn't have let Zig go out there to the woman alone."

"This happened after Colt had already left the unit to be with his sister, correct?" Lainey asked.

"Correct," Mike said.

"And what about you two?"

"What about us?" Riley asked.

"I sense that both of you are having some guilt issues with this as well."

Riley shrugged.  "You know how it is.  You always look back and wonder what you could have done different.  If you had done this instead of that."

"I didn't trust my instincts," Mike said, looking out the window.

"What do you mean?" she pressed.

That muscle in his jaw ticked again, then his eyes cut to her.

"The whole mission felt off.  We were being sent to rescue someone who...let's just say wasn't a good person to begin with, but he was considered an asset by the government."

"What he was, was an opportunist, ready and willing to help the highest bidder," Riley spat out.

Mike's eyes shifted to Cam briefly, who was listening with wide-eyed attention.  Focusing on that innocent face helped to center him and after a moment, looked back at Lainey's almost angelic face, concentrating on Cam's innocence and Lainey's beauty to help him push past the memories of that day.

"I didn't have a good feeling going in.  I didn't trust Ashadi, the woman Zig had befriended.  But we'd never been in that area, we weren't in uniform and needed a guide..."

"Why weren't you in uniform?" Jenna asked, horrified.

Riley raised her hand to his lips.  "Didn't wear them half the time we were there, babe.  We were trying to blend...can't do that in camo fatigues with the US flag on our shoulders."

"So, you mainly did Black Ops?" Cam asked excitedly.

"We did whatever Uncle Sam told us to," Riley hedged.

Lainey and Jenna exchanged alarmed but knowing looks.  They both knew what Riley wasn't saying: their missions were never entirely above the table types.  Always covert.  The kind that if they were captured, their own government would deny their existence, which was why they'd gone back for Mike when he'd been taken.

"How did Melissa handle receiving the news that Zig was killed?" Lainey asked, trying to pull their thoughts away from that horrible day.

"Melissa is...really strong.  She came from a military family as well.  Her father was killed in Desert Storm when she was just a little girl," Riley replied. 

"Oh, no!  And she lost her husband, too," Jenna gasped.

Lainey's heart hurt for their friend.  So much loss.  She turned to watch the beautiful Virginia scenery flash by, not wanting to show too much pity for the guys, knowing they wouldn't appreciate it.  As they neared the residential area, she glanced quickly to Mike, then back out the window.  This area was much to affluent for an enlisted member of the military to afford.  She suspected that Mike had something to do with it.  When they pulled
into the circular drive in front of a nice home with a huge wrap-around porch, her suspicions were more than confirmed.  The house and property were lovely, and spoke of money...Casiano kind of money.

"There she is," Riley said, smiling.

Lainey's eyes widened as she took in the young woman who stood waving at them from the front porch.  Whatever she expected Melissa Zigler to look like, the woman on the porch was not it.  This woman brought to mind Abby from the TV show NCIS in all her Goth-girl glory.  She wore her blonde hair in high dog ears like Abby.  Dark red lipstick.  A spiked dog collar around her neck.  Black T-Shirt with a skull that oddly enough had a red bow on its head.  Black jeans.

"
That
is Melissa??" Jenna laughed.

Riley smiled.  "That is her.  We all thought Zig was crazy when we met her."

"She's a sweetheart, though," Mike said and Lainey could hear genuine affection in his tone, making her smile.

Melissa stood on the porch until all five of the guys were out of the SUVs and then squealed, "MY BOYS!!!!" and ran down the steps, directly into Mike's arms, leaping up and wrapping her arms and legs around him, causing him to laugh when she planted a big kiss to his lips. "Oh, my gosh!!  I've missed you!!" she said, hugging him tight. 

"Unca Mike!! Unca Mike!!" a little voice called and Lainey looked away from Mike and Melissa to see a little tow-headed boy scampering down the steps.

Mike put Melissa down and scooped the little boy up, tossing him up in the air causing the little one to squeal in delight.

"Hey, Petey!! Did you miss me?"

"Lots!!"

Lainey watched Mike with the little one, amazed at the transformation in him since stepping out of the SUV.  Melissa greeted all the guys in turn and Lainey did notice a bit more formality between her and Whit than with the others.  Oh, yes, there was a definite attraction there on both sides.  Jenna and Melissa embraced and Lainey learned that they'd started an online friendship but hadn't met in person until now.  After she met Sarah, she came full circle to face Lainey.

"You must be Riley's cousin, Lainey," Melissa said, holding out her hand to Lainey.  "I can see the family resemblance."

Lainey smiled and shook Melissa's hand, glancing over her shoulder at Riley.

"It's so nice to finally meet you.  The guys talk about you all the time."

Melissa's smile grew broader.  "I miss my boys...by the way, guys...food's on the table."

"Hot damn!" Colt and Coop said in unison.

Mike put Petey down and let him follow Cam inside, then stepped back to Lainey, placing his hand on the small of her back to escort her inside.  Lainey saw Melissa's eyes widen and flash over to Riley before looking back at Mike and Lainey. 

"Got something to share with the rest of the class, Commander?" she asked him.

Eyes on her, he shifted his hand from Lainey's back to capture her hand in his.

"Now you're caught up," he said with a wink.

"Holy shit!" Melissa cried.  "Really?"

"As much as it pains me," Riley said, causing Jenna to poke at his stomach.

"Be nice," she admonished.

"That's great, though," Melissa said.

Lainey looked up at Mike's profile, watching him studying Melissa, then looked back to Melissa.

"Jury's still out," she said, tugging on Mike's hand.

"On what, cara mia?" he replied.

"Everything."

Chapter Fifteen

Lunch at Melissa's house was even more relaxed than dinner at Mike's.  Maybe it was because they were a few hundred miles away from Conroy and all the threats of him, but Mike was more relaxed than she'd ever seen him.  He was different here with Melissa.  Even his body language was more relaxed.  She realized for the first time, she was really seeing the real Mike Casiano, the one that had been Riley's friend since they were young teenagers.  He still wasn't as animated as the rest of the guys, and she supposed he probably never would be.  But he smiled and laughed a lot and, dear Lord above, he had an awesome laugh. Little Petey was devoted to him and had him laughing more often than she'd ever seen.