Barefoot Bay: Silhouettes on the Sand (Kindle Worlds Novella) (12 page)

"That's when you became a nurse?"

C.J. laughed. "You make that sound so easy. If I had a do over, I'd find a way to get my Bachelors of Nursing before going in. Getting into a nursing program while active-duty enlisted doesn't happen often. It's hard, competitive, and takes forever—"

"But you did it?"

She couldn't stop herself from smiling if she had wanted to. "I did. We've handled six hundred trauma cases in a single year."

He hissed in another pained breath. "So what happened?"

Everything. Nothing. "The pressure of constant deployments, the stress of saving soldiers’ lives—it starts to take its toll. Then one day I realized, if I had to send home, in parts or a body bag, one more boy—because most of these soldiers are just kids—I’d wind up in a padded cell."

Somehow, without her noticing, his hand had breached the distance between them, and Chase had partly covered hers, his thumb making slow rhythmic movements. His gentle concern was soothing in a way nothing else had been.

"When do you go back?" he asked.

"I don't." She chose to ignore his strong hand folded around hers and to draw much-needed strength from him. "I resigned my commission. I had to."

His thumb continued to gently caress the back of her hand. "Then what's the plan?"

"I don't have one."

"Isn't there a nursing shortage in this country?"

C.J. nodded.

"Surely a local hospital has need of a nurse with your skills and background?"

"I don't doubt they do. I just don't know that I can keep doing this. I can't see myself taking temperatures and blood pressure in a doctor's office, and I don't think I have it in me anymore to work in a trauma center or emergency room."

"So, instead, you're pretending to be an asshole's date for a wedding."

"You're not an asshole."

"Don't get me wrong. There's nothing easy about running a Fortune 500 company and answering to an aging, stubborn old man. But none of what I do at my job comes close to the hard work or sacrifices you've had to make."

"Not me." The boys she couldn't save, those were the heroes. "The innocent women and children caught in the crosshairs, no one is telling them
job well done
. Thanking them for their—"

"I'm sorry." He inched up and, settling as close as he could without touching, let his fingers lace with hers. "
Thank you
isn't enough to the men and women who serve. And sacrifice. But you are one hell of a woman, Cassandra J. Lawson."

* * *

Pins and needles pricked at Chase's fingers all the way up to his elbow. The faint scent of vanilla tickled his senses. He recognized that scent. It belonged to C.J. As did the weight resting on his forearm.

For hours he'd listened as she had told him story after story of the horrors and successes of being in a war zone and wished he could do something to wipe away the hurt and pain that played in her eyes. Though he distinctly remembered her drifting off with her head on the pillow, sometime in the night C.J. had inched her way closer, until they slept spooned like an old married couple.

And wasn't that an interesting thought. And why didn't it scare the living hell out of him? Probably because, when he'd told C.J. that she was one hell of a woman, he wasn't trying to get into her pants. He'd meant every word. From her kind heart to her quick mind to her sense of play to her loyalty to both family and country to her ability to stand strong under the heavy weight of the Ivory dynasty's leader. Chase’s new challenge was, what to do with C. J. Lawson? How could he find a place for her in his world? If she belonged at all.

At first light C.J. had been a little surprised to wake and find the bed empty. For a split second she considered she had just dreamed about talking with Chase for hours. She hadn't meant to go into so much detail about herself, but talking to him had been so easy.

Somewhere the conversation had shifted to a history of the Ivory family. The great-grandfather's glass formula that the Colonel had turned into a family fortune. What it was like growing up as the eldest in his branch of the Ivory clan. The constant need to prove himself to be better than his playboy father. Always setting the example for his younger siblings. The pride and joy in Chase's eyes as he spoke of Nate finding
the
woman for him. From the sound of Naughty Nate's escapades, C.J. was surprised the entire family didn't have gray hair.

Breakfast at Ivory Tower South was almost as elaborate an event as dinner the night before. "Sorry I wasn't there when you woke up." Chase sidled up beside her. "Grandfather wanted to meet with my brothers and me to go over the week's schedule."

"And Beth?"

Chase shook his head. "The Colonel is very old-fashioned in more ways than we sometimes like to admit."

"In other words, he's a bit of a chauvinist."

"I wouldn't go that far, but he does believe in taking care of the women in his family."

C.J. shrugged. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't run into more than one marine who thought women had no place in the military outside of a veteran's hospital, but right now she was in too good a mood to discuss the Colonel and any archaic mind-sets. She scooped a steaming spoonful of scrambled eggs from the silver platters on the massive buffet onto a china plate. "Have you eaten yet?"

"With the Colonel, yes."

"Oh." Scanning the room, her gaze settled on the massive table and the family members scattered about. From what she'd gathered last night, she, Emily, and Siobhan's young friend were the only nonrelatives in attendance. It was one hell of a clan.

"From here we're all heading back to the resort." Chase poured himself a cup of coffee. "The official wedding celebrations begin with grandmother's afternoon tea."

"Good morning." Siobhan came up behind Chase and picked up a plate. "I really am sorry for intruding last night. I thought you had your own room."

"No problem, kiddo." Chase flicked the tip of her nose. "We were just talking."

Siobhan batted at his hand. "Right. Talking."

"Talking," Chase enunciated clearly.

Shaking her head, Siobhan rolled her eyes. "Mum would tan my hide if I gave her an excuse like that."

Chase opened his mouth and immediately snapped it shut. He was a smart man, smart enough to realize he could not win this debate with a teenager.

"Devlin thinks we can take the
Aristophanes
out Thursday when the rest of the family is on the
Fidelis
."

"And who’s going to talk the Colonel into that one?" His hand on C.J.'s lower back, Chase guided her to the table, Siobhan on his heels.

"Why, me of course!" The teenage girl's grin took over her face. C.J. could see why Chase had a soft spot for his youngest half sibling. She had a warmth about her that spread out and hugged the people around her.

"You probably are the only one who could."

Siobhan took the seat beside C.J. "Has Chase told you about the
Aristophanes
?"

C.J. shook her head. They'd had other things on their minds last night.

"It's a fifty-foot racing yacht. Devlin and Chase were runners-up with her in the America's Cup."

C.J. turned to Chase. He'd made no mention of sailing. And racing.

Chase shrugged. "It was a very long time ago."

Where Chase was modest, his youngest sister was full of information. C.J. learned all about the vessel and how the interior had been refitted for more comfort, but she could still fly on a windy day. It quickly became clear to C.J. that Siobhan adored Chase. The teen practically glowed with pride for her brother's accomplishments and could barely sit still at the prospect of him and his cousin Devlin letting her help crew the sailboat. The young man with Siobhan, Michael, a cousin on her mother's side, ate like a true teenage boy with a hollow leg, only glancing up to offer the occasional smile before diving back into the mound of food on his plate.

C.J. was on her last bite of French toast when Beth came up behind them.

"Greg and I are heading out in a few. The Colonel and Mimsy are all set also."

Chase looked C.J.'s way and, only with his eyes, asked if she was ready. With a quick nod, she set her napkin on the table beside her and pushed her seat back.

"Come on, Michael." Siobhan stood, tugging at her cousin's sleeve. "We'll follow them."

"We who?" Chase frowned.

"That would be me, sir," Michael spoke his first words since inhaling his food.

"Are you old enough to drive?" Chase asked sternly.

"I'm eighteen, sir."

"And drive on the wrong side of the road."

"Opposite, sir. But I do fine on the right side. Siobhan’s mum made sure of that before she let me drive us here from Miami."

"Except for the windshield wipers." Siobhan laughed. And Michael shot her a stern glance. "Sorry," she added with a bit of unrepentant mischief in her eyes.

"Habit had me reaching for the wipers instead of the turn signal a time or two. But I can assure you, it has not been a problem. I've corrected in sufficient time for other drivers to know my intentions."

"And we have a very clean windshield." Siobhan's eyes flashed with humor. This time C.J. smiled with her, though Chase hadn't been drawn in.

"You should ride with us," Chase finally said.

Siobhan’s gaze went from amused to determined in a heartbeat. "Now don't you go all paternal on me. We're not competing in a grand prix. Besides, each car is full."

"That's right," Beth interjected. "The Colonel and Mimsy want to ride with you and C.J."

Chase's head whipped around. "What?"

"You heard me. He sent the limo ahead with Oliver's family. And, for what it's worth, we rode behind Siobhan on the way here. Michael did just fine."

The young man smiled appreciatively at Beth but said nothing.

The Colonel's cane thumped on the hardwood floors as he entered the dining room. "Let's get this show on the road."

Yes, indeed, and what a show it was going to be.

* * *

"Did you know the Irish boy was driving Siobhan?" Chase addressed his grandfather in the passenger seat of the car.

"I did. The boy has accompanied Siobhan to the States before. He's proven to be a sound driver."

Despite the Colonel's reassurance, Chase felt anything but assured. "Maybe, but I still don't have to like it."

The Colonel's stoic expression didn't change, but Chase could see his grandmother smiling in the backseat.

"You'll make an excellent father," Mimsy said, delight dancing in her eyes.

"Grandmother," Chase admonished softly. He wished he could see all of C.J.'s face. He didn't know which would be worse, having his grandfather grill his date or his grandmother kill her with not-so-subtle innuendoes.

"Did you enjoy your stay, dear?"

C.J. bobbed her head. "Very much, thank you."

"South Tower is much smaller than the main house. Though the architect does have plans ready to expand as the family continues to grow. You know, room for grandchildren."

C.J. nodded. Chase sighed.

"We are so looking forward to having small children in the house again." Mimsy directed her comment to Chase and then turned a softer smile on C.J.

"Listen to your grandmother," the Colonel bellowed beside him. "You've all played around long enough. It's time to get serious. You've got a nice girl here—"

"Colonel!" Chase should have insisted Beth and Mitch take the Colonel and Mimsy.

"Don't you Colonel me. You're five years older than Nathaniel. It's time, boy. It's time. Do you like children?" The Colonel asked over his shoulder.

"Why, yes. Doesn't everyone?"

"Starting to wonder," the Colonel mumbled. "I should have a passel of little children around on holidays and weekends."

"Colonel," Chase cut in, "with Nate and Liza living in Mimosa Key, you'll see plenty of Dylan."

The old man's eyes softened. "That boy is an Ivory through and through."

And so went the conversation for the next hour, battling back and forth, with Chase making every effort to redirect conversation to anyone besides himself and C.J. And, bless her, she held up like a trooper. Fit in well. Very well. So well that, by the time they pulled into the parking lot at the resort, C.J. had the Colonel retelling in painful detail the path of Ivory Glass and the empire he'd built with his father's formula. But rather than Chase finding her eyes glazed over with boredom, the Colonel held her attention. She'd asked key questions at the right moments and had the Colonel smiling more in the short car ride than Chase had seen at countless family dinners. Apparently he wasn't the only Ivory man who C.J. was winning over.

Chase blew out another relieved breath as Michael pulled up to the resort entrance. Siobhan climbed out of the car, leaned into the passenger window for just a second, and then turned to continue inside while her cousin headed to a shady spot in the lot to park.