Christmas with the Marine Page 16

  “It’s just as well he’s gone, Ainsley. He’s not our kind of people,” her father said.

  That was it. “What kind of people is that, Dad? The Todd Rightner kind? The man you secretly set me up with on Thursday night? Want to know what kind of man he is, Dad? He likes to hurt women. Only gets his kicks a certain way. Not really my thing. Pain. Yep. Not into it.”

  Her dad’s jaw dropped. Good. “Oh, and Mike Anton? He’s a crook. Been siphoning cash off the books for years. Wake up, Dad. You need to start reading between the lines sometimes, keep your ears open. That’s right. Deal with that.”

  “Ainsley!”

  “What, Mom? You know it’s true. You know what kind of people Ben is, Dad? Hardworking, kind and caring. He’s been looking after his family since he was twelve years old. Twelve. He puts his life in danger for his country every day. He’s smart and funny and he treats me like a queen. He adores me, and wants the best for me. He believes in me. Or at least he did until he met you. And though it kills me to say this, Dad, I don’t blame him. You’re right, we aren’t his kind of people. Brave. Wonderful, exceptional people. And that makes me sad for us.”

  Then she turned on her heel and left. In the grand foyer, she stood there, circling. She had to get out of the house. More than anything she wanted to talk to Ben. But maybe they needed more time. She had to sort through her feelings, and she had to be strong and sane when she faced him again. And she was really far from either of those traits right now.

  After grabbing a few things from her room, she headed downstairs to find her sister on the landing.

  “Not in the mood,” she said.

  Her sister took her keys out of her hand. “I know. I’ll drive, since you’re too upset. I mean brava telling off Pops, but you’re a mess.”

  She sighed. Her sister was faster and fitter—there would be no getting the keys from her without a fight. “Fine. But do not talk to me.”

  “Okay. Got it. No speaking. But just so you know, I’ll drive you home and Mom can send a car for me later. I’m sorry about before. I was just giving you a hard time. I thought you were hiding Ben in your room, and I couldn’t help but tease in front of the parentals.”

  It wasn’t her sister’s fault her life was a wreck. “It’s okay.”

  Her sister unlocked the car and five minutes later they were on the highway. “About the ‘no talking’ thing,” her sister said. “Yeah. That’s not going to hold up. You need to tell me what Ben said. And did you know that Bebe punched that dopey Todd last night? What was that all about?”

  Bebe punched Todd. Ainsley started laughing hysterically. And then it all came out. Everything that had happened.

  Megan exited the highway and then pulled into the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel. When they were kids, it was the only place they ever wanted to go when her grandma was visiting from England, much to the chagrin of their parents.

  “This requires pancakes.” Megan turned off the car.

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “Yes, but I am. I skipped breakfast to drive you home.”

  Ainsley sighed, but followed her inside the restaurant.

  Once they were inside, the smell was irresistible. They ordered pecan pancakes and hot chocolate. When they were done, her sister blew out a breath.

  “So, I didn’t hear the conversation, but I saw Ben alone with Dad. They were both pretty serious-looking. And then I followed Ben. I don’t know exactly what he heard, but he’d been listening to you and Todd for a bit before he walked in. I thought for sure Ben was going to start yelling at him, and then you hauled Ben out to the beach, and I didn’t keep following because you had that scary look on your face. By the way, I might have accidentally spilled red wine all over Todd’s jacket. Right after Bebe punched him. I didn’t know why she was so mad, I just figured it had something to do with you after the thing in the hallway.”

  “He deserves all of that and so much more. Why does Dad think he’s a good choice over Ben? I can’t see the logic. Money doesn’t necessarily make someone a decent human being. Surely, Dad, who came from nothing, would understand that?”

  Megan shrugged.

  “I don’t blame Ben. He must hate me. There’s a good chance something he heard Todd say was what broke the camel’s back. That’s where all the stuff started about him believing I wouldn’t wait for him while he was away.” First her dad and then... It was silly, but she could see how he might think he was doing them both a favor by letting her go.

  It was all a big misunderstanding.

  Idiot. Well, they’d both been so ready to believe the worst.

  “I have to talk to him. No wonder. It all makes sense. Why he left like that.”

  She rubbed her temples. “And who knows what Dad said to Ben. I’m not sure I can forgive him for this.”

  Her sister shrugged. “Dad loves you, and that’s hard to see right now, but he means well. He just wants to make sure you’re taken care of. He didn’t have the kind of security we do. And, I’m the last person to take up for Dad, but he doesn’t mean to hurt you. He wants you to be comfortable and settled. But he goes about it in the worst way.”

  Ainsley held up a hand. “Enough. Hurry up and eat. I’ve got to find out exactly where Ben is so I can go apologize. That is, if he’ll even speak to me. What a mess.”

  Her phone dinged and she pulled her cell out of her bag. “It’s him.”

  But it wasn’t.

  The text said, This is Ben’s sister, Amy. I thought you would want to know. He’s at the VA Medical Center fourth floor in South Austin. Hurry.

  No. No. No. Tears burned and ran onto her cheeks. Ben was hurt or sick.

  Her sister grabbed the phone and then threw two twenties on the table. “Come on,” Megan said, lifting her up by the elbow and dragging her out. “We’ve got to go. Now.”

  No longer did Ainsley care if Ben forgave her, or if he couldn’t get past her crazy family.

  She just wanted him to be alive and okay.

  Please, God, let him be okay. Please.

  16

  BEN COULDN’T HELP but notice there was a loud commotion outside the door of the hospital room. People were screaming, and the noise was giving him an instant headache.

  “He’s here, I’ll show you. See, fourth floor. The Austin VA? We’re at the VA.” The voice sounded so much like Ainsley’s that Ben thought he might be hallucinating.

  He handed the Christmas gift to the Sergeant he’d been visiting and smiled. Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him. He hadn’t slept very well.

  “Please,” the woman wailed. She was definitely upset. He felt for the poor families who had loved ones here. It was awful being in a hospital, but especially during the holidays.

  “Ma’am, if you don’t calm down, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. We have to keep things quiet on this floor. You’re going to upset the patients.”

  “Please.” The woman was sobbing. It really did sound like Ainsley, but why would she be here?

  “Excuse me. I’ll be back in a minute,” he said to the man.

  Ben poked his head out of the room.

  There she was at the desk, dressed in a rumpled sweater and worn-out jeans, and no makeup. He’d never seen a more beautiful woman.

  He turned back to the guy he’d been talking to. “I’m awake, right? You hear her, too?”

  The guy chuckled. “Maybe you should have them check you out while you’re here. But yes, I hear her.”

  “Good. Good. That’s the woman I love and she’s here. Why is she here?”

  The guy shrugged. “Maybe you should ask her?”

  The nurse was staring at Ainsley as if she had two heads.

  “I’m telling you, we don’t have a patient by that name.”

  “Ainsley,” he
called out to her, his voice a coarse whisper. “What are you doing here?”

  Her head snapped to the right. “Ben!” She ran to him, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing tight. He patted her back, breathing in the vanilla scent that followed her everywhere.

  Then she started patting him down. And lifting his arms as if she was looking for something. “Are you okay? I got the message from your sister. I thought maybe you’d been in a wreck or something.”

  “What message? I’m fine.”

  She backed up, rubbing the tears away with the heels of her hands. “She said you were here.”

  “I am, I’m visiting vets. It’s Christmas Eve, I told you. I always do this when I’m home. Not that I’ve been home much the last several years.”

  “But I thought...”

  And then it clicked for him. She’d thought he’d been hurt.

  “I’m going to kill Doodle. And now I know what happened to my phone. I couldn’t find it when I left this morning. Brat has it at the house. I’m so sorry. I’m fine. I don’t know why she did that. She shouldn’t have made you worry.”

  Ainsley half coughed, half laughed. “I don’t care. You’re okay. I was so scared.” She hiccupped. “After everything...”

  He moved toward her. But she took a step back. “You left me. I mean, I ran away. But you left me before that. Those things you said...” She chewed on her bottom lip.

  And he had. Abandoned her. The one thing he’d promised he’d never do.

  “I understand if you don’t ever want to see me again. My family, namely my dad, is going to regret whatever it was that he said to you. Believe me, he’ll get an earful when I see him again. But I wanted you to know, I love you. Nothing happened with Todd. It couldn’t. I love you.”

  She loved him. Him. Even after he’d been so foolish.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, taking a step toward her. This time she didn’t move away. “Do you think you can forgive me?”

  She shook her head. “I need you to tell me the truth. What happened? Why did you say those things? You left, but I think we pieced it together. My dad, well, being himself probably was the trigger. I couldn’t figure out why all of a sudden, after defending me all night, you changed so drastically.”

  He started to speak, but she kept talking. She did that when she was nervous. He wanted to smile, but he bit the inside of his cheek. She loved him, and this was her way of venting. Of working it out. And he’d let her.

  “I told him off, by the way. Just so you know. But you didn’t believe in me. And that’s something.” She paused and glanced left and right, as if she’d forgotten they were in public. “We have to talk about that. I do love you, Ben. Did I already say that? I know you don’t think I’m strong enough to be yours—I am, though. I’m strong enough.” Tears streamed down her face.

  And that’s why he should have stayed. Deep down, he knew she was. “I was a coward,” he said. “I didn’t want to believe with everything you have that you could love someone like me. I can never give you all of that, Ainsley. The mansions or fancy cars. But I love you more than life. I will spend eternity trying to show you just how much, but I’m always going to be just me.”

  She leaned forward and fisted her hands in his shirt. “You’re so dumb, and yes, I realize that’s a mean word, but I can’t come up with a better one,” she said, grinning. “I meant what I told you last night. I know who I am and what I’m capable of, and I can take care of myself. I know that you know that. That you respect that.

  “I didn’t ask you for anything. Except to be there for me when I needed you, and I will always do the same for you.”

  “You are the most gorgeous, intelligent, funny woman I’ve ever met,” he said. “Every time I see you, my heart thumps hard in my chest. I have a feeling that’s never going away. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

  She beamed. “You’re sounding smarter all the time, Marine.”

  “I deserve that. It was wrong of me to leave last night. Your dad was telling me I wasn’t good enough, and then that guy said you... I knew better.”

  “You left me with them.”

  “We’re not all bad,” Megan said, as she came down the hall. “So he’s alive? And wearing a Santa suit. I’m so glad I didn’t miss this.”

  “Shhh, Megan. Ben is apologizing to me. He’s telling me how much he loves me. And that he’s never, ever going to leave me. Isn’t that right, Ben? Well, you will have to leave to save people and tackle important missions. But you’re never going to leave me here.” She pointed to her heart. “Right?”

  He smiled. “That’s one-hundred-percent right. And for the record, I was coming to see you tonight. I’d even called in the troops to help me rappel over that wall at your parents’ house. I was betting your dad wouldn’t let me in the front gate. I know you don’t need rescuing, but I was coming for you just the same.”

  “You were?”

  “He was,” one of the nurses said. “So this is Ainsley?”

  “Yes, Mom. This is Ainsley.”

  “Did you apologize?” His mom was smiling.

  “I’m working on it. We keep getting interrupted.”

  Ainsley turned toward his mother. “It’s very nice to meet you, ma’am. I apologize for causing a scene. There was a bit of a mix-up, and I thought Ben had been injured.”

  “I heard,” his mother said. “My daughter is going to be grounded for quite possibly the rest of her life. I apologize for her behavior.”

  Ainsley smiled, but it was a little wobbly and he realized she still wasn’t quite over the hurt. He had a lot of making up to do.

  “Don’t be too hard on her, please,” Ainsley said. “She’s the one who’s gotten us back together.”

  She turned back to Ben. “Actually, I’ll be grateful forever to Amy.”

  This woman is the one. How could he have let her go?

  Never again.

  “Ainsley, no matter what happens from here on out, I love you. Nothing is ever going to change that.” He took her hands in his. “I promise.”

  “You don’t make promises very easily,” she said.

  “I promise to always love you with everything that I am.”

  “I promise to do the same.”

  They stood there staring at one another, as Megan started a chant. “Kiss. Kiss. Kiss,” sounded out around them.

  “I know you don’t like PDAs, but if you don’t kiss me, I might die,” she said. “Right here. On the fourth floor of the VA hospital.”

  “Can’t have that,” he said, as he swooped in and captured her lips with his. Cheers went up, but he was lost in her.

  He poured everything into the kiss, a promise of a future and of the happiness he wanted with her. And she gave it all right back to him.

  “Merry Christmas,” he whispered against her lips.

  “Christmas with my Marine. Best present ever,” she said.

  “Oorah,” he shouted and swung her around in his arms. But she had it wrong.

  She was the best present ever.

  Epilogue

  One year later...

  “I DO,” BEN SAID. It was done. The woman of his dreams was his. She’d just pledged a lifetime of love to him on the beach in front of their friends and family. Life was good.

  No. It was great.

  “You may kiss the—”

  He didn’t hear what the CO said after that. His lips were on his wife’s. Ainsley smiled when they came up for air. “I love you,” she whispered.

  “I love you more,” he said, and then he showed her with his kiss.

  There were wolf whistles and clapping.

  “Get a room, you two. Shagging comes later,” Bebe, the maid of honor, said.

  He lifted his
head.

  “I present to you the happy couple,” the CO announced.

  He and Ainsley began their walk down the aisle. His mom was smiling, and Ainsley’s mom and dad were clapping and crying.

  After Ainsley had told him off, her father had not said another cross word about Ben and Ainsley, and he’d also given them his blessing. That was good, since they were inseparable.

  Brody and Matt were his best men, with Chelly and Mari a few rows back, holding their babies. He and Ainsley weren’t quite ready for that, although they had no problem practicing.

  He and Ainsley made it to the flowered arbor and headed for where the reception was going to be held at her parents’ Corpus house. Pictures would be done after they greeted their guests. But Ben didn’t mind about the formalities. With Ainsley by his side, he was happy. So very happy.

  Hours later, they were in bed at her house, preferring to wait on the honeymoon until after the holidays and her busiest season were over. “That was the best wedding ever,” she said, as she turned to him and brushed her fingers along his cheek.

  His body hardened at her touch. His cock was always at attention when she was around. They’d been together a year, and the passion was no less than the first time they’d made love. It had only grown stronger, as had their bond.

  “I agree. And Jake’s face when he caught the garter, that was priceless.”

  She chuckled. “I swear the CO ducked. But you’re right, poor Jake. He looked a little sick there for a minute.”

  Ben’s heart felt so full—his wife was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Even tonight in the moonlight, her soft features called to him. He slid a hand down her hips and then lower.

  “I love you, Ainsley. More than I ever thought possible. You’re it for me. Forever and always.”

  She looked so pleased. “I love it when you say things like that.” They both smiled. “I feel the same. And I keep wondering if this is as good as it’s going to get?”

  His fingers caressed her core, and she whimpered. He’d never get tired of that sound.