Forever's Promises (Forever In Luck Series Book 1) (2 page)

He
couldn’t help but smile. Jake had always liked the rush of adrenalin. “Yeah, I
went airborne.”

“Sweet!
So tell me,
when they threw your ass off the plane, did you piss all over yourself?”
 

Nate
started laughing, and felt his tension ease. It was good to be back with Jake. Grinning,
he looked over at his friend, and promptly flipped him the bird.
Times two.
 

Jake
chuckled, taking it all in stride. Smiling back, he said, “Hey now, don’t go getting
all mushy. I missed you too, GI Joe.” Then reaching over, he punched Nate in
the arm. “I’m glad you’re back, and no matter what happened, or didn’t happen, it’ll
all work out. You’ll just need to give it some time.”

“Fill
me in,
Jake,
tell me what I want to know.”

“Well,
let’s see. Your Mom and Dad are doing fine. Your Dad still has the plumbing and
heating business. Your Mom’s stays busy helping out at the library and church. They
look good, some gray hairs, some wrinkles, but good. Your Dad had a bit of
heart trouble a couple years back, but it worked out, and he takes heart meds
now. Your mom lost some weight worrying so much. They’re still in the same
house.”

Feeling
thankful, Nate ventured on, “And?”

“Mmmm,
Naomi had a baby boy, moved to Hayward,” he replied awkwardly.

Nate
died a thousand deaths. He didn’t want to hear about Naomi, and Jake knew it. He’d
spent years thinking about Linnie, and it wasn’t like Jake to beat around the
bush. It appeared he wasn’t going to make this easy, so Nate came right out and
asked, “Is she happy? Tell me she’s happy.”

Jake
gave him the oddest look. Then turning back to the road, he let out a stuttering
breath and answered tentatively, “Yeah…I think so.”

“You
think so? As in you don’t know for sure?” Had something happened to Linnie? Could
he handle it if something had happened to her? Oh hell, this was a minefield he
couldn’t traverse. Heart hammering, he said, “Jake, where’s Linnie?”

“Chicago.”

“Chicago?”
he echoed in confusion. He couldn’t have heard right. Jake nodded. What the
hell? Well, at least she was alive. He was able to take a small breath. “Jake,
come on, you’re talking, but not saying much. I’m dying here. What’s going on
with Linnie?”

Jake
blew out a long breath,
then
ran a hand over his head
and down his neck. Looking as though he was going to say something, he stopped and
focused on the road ahead. Nate watched as his jaw clenched. Oh hell, this
couldn’t be good, but he gave his friend time to say what needed to be said.

While
looking away, Jake started, “She waited. We all knew she was waiting for you,
but she never said it. Then about two months after you left,” he paused, “Mom
was killed when she struck a deer coming home one night. Linnie changed during
that time, we all did, but Linnie the most. You know how she is, the more
stress she’s under, the more controlled she is.

“Well,
we never saw her cry. She was just sooo…quiet.
Sad.
She
went through the motions of life, but rarely talked, except to maybe answer a
question. She’d just sit in the house staring out the window, or she’d go for
long walks. This went on for weeks. Then one day, we managed to get her out of
the house for dinner. It was there that we ran into Naomi. You could see she
was starting to show, it was obvious she was pregnant.

“That
did it. Linnie was gone the next day. She left a note saying she’d call when
she got to wherever she was going. Dad about went crazy with worry, and then,
just as he was about to call in a missing person’s report, she phoned. She was
in Chicago, and had found a roommate, and a job.

“Several
months later, Dad sent Nik and me to check on her. She looked good, had lost a
little weight, was living in a decent place, and had started taking classes at
the community college. She still seemed sad, but overall, she was a lot better
than when she’d been at home. So we let her be, figuring she’d come home from
time to time, but she hasn’t. She’s never come home, and she rarely calls. She’s
a nurse, and is about to finish her four year degree, if she hasn’t already,
and she’s getting married.
Soon.
To
a doctor.
No big wedding, just eloping. We’ve never met the guy, and
that’s all I know.”

She’d
suffered. Nate was without words in his desolation. He’d wanted to know, and
now that he did, he felt achingly empty. In his mind, he’d had her forgetting
about him and moving on without a second thought. He figured she’d be married
by now, probably have some children, but whatever the circumstances, he’d always
imagined her being happy. Disillusioned, time regressed.

Leaving
her with the way things were, had nearly killed him. He hated thinking about
it, prayed for a respite from it, but it never left him. She never left him. It’d
been a stupid fight. He should’ve listened, but he’d been mad when she said she
wanted to go to nursing school in Minneapolis. He’d been selfish, thinking only
of himself. The problem hadn’t been that she wanted to go to nursing school,
but that she’d wanted to live there while in school, to avoid having to travel
the roads during inclement weather. Which meant time apart, and he was having
none of that.

To
drive his point home, he’d told her that if she loved him and wanted them to be
together, she wouldn’t move to the city, but would go to the technical college
closer to home, or commute. Then Linnie, smart as she was, turned the tables on
him, and told him that if
he
loved
her,
he
would want her to go to the school
where she could get the best education, and live
there
while doing it, so she wouldn’t be on the road two to four
hours a day during the worst weather Northwestern Wisconsin and Minnesota had
to offer. Then she challenged him, that if
he
liked the idea of commuting so much,
he
could drive to the city to see her every day!
 

Staring
at her, he couldn’t help thinking she was so pretty, with her long dark hair
and equally dark eyes, sparking with irritation, as she met him head on. He
knew she was the one for him, without a doubt. But being stubborn and immature,
he wouldn’t give, and they continued to quarrel to the point that he’d blurted
out he thought they maybe needed a break. Ohhh, she’d been quick. Linnie had
always been quick, and able to keep her wits about her when in tough situations,
unlike him at the time. It was one of the reasons they felt she’d make a great
nurse. She was always controlled.

Dropping
her hands from her hips, he watched as she slowly made her way over to him. She
was furious, he could tell, because the more stress she was under, or the
madder she was, the more calm she’d become. It didn’t affect him though. It
should’ve, but it didn’t. He continued to stand his ground, even though what he
really wanted to do was take her in his arms and love her till the end of time.
Getting in nice and close, she looked up at him, taking her time to study his
face. Then in a gentle whisper, she said, “You sure are full of ideas today,
Nate, and this last one is by far the biggest one. You want a break,
then
consider it done.” Then she turned and walked from the
room.
 

He
closed his eyes, thinking back on his stupidity. He should’ve gone after her. She’d
been angry, and he’d been a demanding ass. But he didn’t, deciding to give it a
week or so. He’d been foolish, and she’d been right to call him on it. They’d
broken up, and although he intended for it to be temporary, he went and made it
permanent by leaving without a word. There was no question about it, he’d let
her down, and if there was ever a reason for him to never go home,
it
was her.

He’d
survived Basic and Advanced Training, Airborne School, the Ranger
Indoctrination Program, as well as Ranger School, and several tours of duty in
Iraq and Afghanistan, and yet none of it compared to the torment he endured
knowing that he’d foolishly let her go. He’d see her again.
Beyond
a doubt.
Even so, as an elite warrior, battle ready and trained to
overcome the toughest challenges, and the most impossible odds, he knew one
look from her would be a full on assault he might not survive. No, there’d been
nothing in his years of training with the Army that lent his heart protection
from her.

Jake’s
ringing cell phone cut into his thoughts. Looking around, he realized they’d
crossed over into Wisconsin, and were nearing Luck. He’d made it, he’d
survived. I’m so close to a new beginning, he thought, and I never want to have
anything more to do with the Army, ever.

“Something’s
going on at the house, and I need to get back right away,” Jake said,
interrupting his thoughts. “So, we’ll head there first. You can take my truck till
you figure out what you’re doing, and I’ll use this one in the meantime. If
things don’t go well with your Mom and Dad, come back to the house and we’ll
get you set up.”

“Everything okay?”
Nate inquired,
looking over.

“I
think so. Dad just called to say he needed me home right away, that’s all.”

“Jake.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m
sorry about your mom, and I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me,” Nate
offered with complete sincerity.

“I
know,” Jake replied, with a nod of his head. “You would’ve been there if you
could’ve. Things happen. The most important thing
is,
that you’re here now, and that’s good.”

“I
appreciate that, and all you’re doing for me, and I’m glad to be here too.”

Pulling
into the farmyard, and rolling to a stop outside the barn, they got out of the
truck. Standing in the yard were Jake’s dad and brothers. Making their way
towards one another, Jake’s dad held out his hand, and upon taking it, Nate was
pulled into a warm embrace. It’d always been like that, the Albrecht’s treating
him like he was one of their own.
 

“I’m
glad to see you son, and wish we could catch up some, but we can’t, and you
need to leave, now.” Karl Albrecht said firmly.

“Dad!”
Jake responded,
shocked at his father’s welcome.
 

“No,
I’m serious,” Karl said firmly. “You need to go. You can’t stay.”

Irritated,
Jake replied, “What’s going on? Someone care to explain?”

“Don’t know,” his younger brother, Nik, answered,
while shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head.
“Good to see you,
Nate.”

“Yeah
Nate, glad you’re back,” Jake’s older brother, Kris, added, as he turned to the
group. “Not sure what’s going on though, I’m confused as ever, but just so you
all know, there’s a car coming up the drive.”

They
all turned and watched as the car approached.

“Hell
and damnation!” Karl Albrecht spat.
 

“Dad!
Who is it?”
Jake
asked,
a look of confusion and concern on his
face.

Clearly
annoyed at being caught between a rock and a hard place, he responded amidst
tight lips, “Linnea.”

They
all groaned as the full impact of the L-bomb hit.

Hell
and damnation indeed, Nate thought, taking a fortifying breath. He braced
himself as he stood taking it all in. In a matter of seconds, a tiny microcosm
of time, he would see the love of his life again. Truth be told, the only
reason he’d survived all he’d been through, was for this moment. She’d been his
reason to live.

CHAPTER
2

She
was back. Seeing the welcome sign for Luck had her smiling. Their motto,
you’re either in Luck or out of Luck
, struck
home. She definitely needed some luck, and if she were honest, some rest too.
She was drained. Linnie winced when looking back over the last month. It was
like it’d been when Nate left, and her mother died. Except now it was her
coworkers talking and whispering, asking all types of questions, while giving
her sympathetic, sorrowful looks. And just like before, she’d wanted to scream.

She
couldn’t help it. Purdy had made her feel like such a fool, and to add insult
to injury, she’d run into him after leaving the hospital library, only to have
him tell her he was sorry, and that he’d loved her at one time, but then
something happened, and he felt for her what a brother feels for a sister. Hah!
What a joke. She wasn’t prone to violence, but she sure had wanted to slap him
then. Instead, she promptly reminded him, that brothers don’t have sex with
their sisters, and if memory served correctly, they’d had sex aplenty, so he
could take his sorry excuses, and all their belongings, and shove them where
the sun didn’t shine.

Oh
yeah, she needed a break. She refused to waste any more time on Purdy. She was
done with him. She had her degree, which is what she’d set out to get, and she
was on paid leave from her job, with no real plans of returning there. Better
yet, she was single, with every intention of staying that way. The only men she
was interested in seeing right now, were her father and brothers. A lot had happened
in the last five years. She’d changed, and long gone was the naïve girl who
believed in the false promises of forever.

The
closer she was to home, the more anxious she became, and despite having talked
with her father earlier, she felt uneasy. The fact that she’d been gone five long
years, with minimal contact in between, made her feel exceptionally guilty. But
the pain from that time in her life was still very real, and she was returning home
now with the hopes of dealing with what she hadn’t been able to at the time.

Turning
down the road to her family’s farm, she saw them all standing in the yard. Her
heart began to beat rapidly. It’d been years, and she was both happy and scared
to see them. They were familiar, yet different to her. Pulling up, she stopped
and turned off the car, leaving the keys in the ignition. Tired of being
anxious, she quickly got out of the car and shut the door. She was so nervous. Turning
and looking at the shocked faces on her family, she focused on her father and
said, “Hi, Daddy. I’ve missed you so much.” Then she moved quickly into his
outstretched arms, where he held her. He held her so tight, she felt grounded. Finally,
she was home.

**********

Nate
stood shell shocked. Blinking, he was seeing, but not believing what he saw.
Linnie.
Was.
Gorgeous.
Nooo, no that was not true.
She. Was. Stunning. He never,
in his wildest dreams, imagined her as she was right now. From top to bottom, she
was breathtaking, and his vigilant-trained mind soaked up every detail about
her it could.

Her
shiny, cocoa colored hair, clipped short around one ear and in the back,
revealed in great detail the gentle curve of her ear, and the graceful column
of her neck. The top and opposite side of her hair, held long full layers, with
a heavy bang coming forward to make a dramatic swoop over her right eye, before
blending with the ever increasing length of fringe following the angle of her
jawline, that ended just above one slim shoulder. The dramatic, asymmetrical cut,
accentuated her heart shaped face and beautifully arched brow. Thick dark
lashes and a deep, yet subtle, smoky blue shadow, outlined dark eyes that
shimmered like black diamonds. Her caramel colored skin was a flawless blush, with
high rounded cheeks, separated by a fine straight nose, tapering down to her
pointed chin. Delicate lips, colored a soft rosy brown, curved into a beautiful
smile, so generous, it revealed perfect gleaming white teeth.

She
was a picture, and she’d lost weight, a lot of weight. Despite her petite size,
she came off slender and elegant in her white, thin strapped tank, and hip
riding jeans, rolled at the hem a number of times, highlighting her thin toned
calves and slender arched feet held high in gemstone covered sandals. Nate
couldn’t take his eyes off her, nor did he want to. She was just…stunning.

Watching
as she was passed around, hugged, passed around again, looked at, and then
hugged again, he couldn’t help but smile. This was good. Her back to him now,
he took in her cute little behind, and toned arms, noting her hands, one on Nik's
chest and the other cupping his cheek. Everyone was talking and laughing at
once. Then he saw it. The slight indentation, the faint tan lines, outlining
where a ring should be. Left hand, third finger, no ring. His breath caught. Was
it possible she… No. No way. He dare not hope. He’d prayed to survive long
enough to see her one more time, and he had, so that had to be enough, right?

Heart
thudding deep in his chest, he sent rapid fire prayers to the heavens above,
thanking God for having mercy on him, and seeing him through to this moment. He
prayed. Prayed some more. For continued blessings. For mercy. For her. For him.
Then in the end, he promised the Lord that if she should ever be his again, he
wouldn’t waste a moment, not one single moment. He would forever promise to
love and cherish the gift he’d been given.

His
attention back to the scene in front of him, he was cognizant of her brothers
glancing his direction, then away, as they went back to attending to her. He
should leave. She hadn’t noticed him, and he could just step back and slip into
the ba—

As
if aware something was amiss, she straightened and turned quickly. Facing him,
she inhaled sharply, then stopped. Eyes wide open, she looked at him, moving
slowly from head to toe, and then back up, stopping at his name plate, and then
onward to his face. Their eyes met, and he saw the most agonizing pain reflected
in her glistening eyes. Over spilling, her quiet tears fell in steady streams down
her beautiful face. Then just as quickly as she’d turned to him, she turned
away, letting her chin fall to her chest, the length of her bangs shielding her
face, her arms coming around to hug her waist. Her shoulders shook, and she
sobbed long and low.

Heart
wrenching, he was stricken. Her pain and anguish more than he could bear. Taking
a step towards her, she stiffened, having heard the crunch of gravel under his
feet. Lifting her head and listening like a frightened animal, she stood stock
still. Stopping, he waited, then after a moment he said, “Linnie.”

She
shot out like a rocket, past her father and between her brothers, straight to
her car. Leaping in and starting it with a roar, the gears grinding and gravel spraying,
she sped off. Watching her car go down the drive, he headed to where she’d been,
only to be confronted by her defensive line.
 

“Oh,
no you don’t, Nate,” her father said, as he turned for his truck. “She’s
hurting, and you’ll let us handle it.”

Looking
at her father, he demanded information, “She’s not getting married, is she?”

He
stared at Nate, but didn’t answer.

“Is
she?” Nate pushed, feeling his temper rising, his mind seeing what he hadn’t
seen at first, the dark circles under her eyes, the sadness on her face, her
loose fitting clothing. He’d kill that son of a bitch fiancé of hers. Wait. No.
First, he would thank the SOB, then he’d kill him. When an answer wasn’t
forthcoming, he began to push past her brothers, heading for Jake’s truck. It
took all three of them, but he was still able to push forward. Nothing,
absolutely nothing, would keep her from him. So help him God.

“What
the hell they feed him while he was gone?” Kris ground out, as they worked to hold
him back.

“Holy
hell! I think my femur’s bending.” Nik grunted. “Jake! Talk to your boy.”

Getting
up into Nate’s face, while blocking him with his shoulder, Jake barked, “Nate!
Stop! Think!”

He
wanted an answer, he needed to know. “Answer me!” Nate yelled, while tossing
her brothers off him.

Taking
a deep breath, her father looked him straight in the eye and said, “No. She’s
not, and you’ll leave her alone. She’s come home, and I’ll not have her leaving
again because of you. She’s been through too much.” Then getting in his truck,
her father headed the direction she had gone.

 
Ohhh, they’d just see about that, he thought.
He’d find her. She needed to know the truth. He didn’t care if he’d have to
walk to the ends of the earth, but he’d find her, and then tell her what really
happened all those years ago. He’d stood back, and watched her walk away once,
but he wouldn’t let that mistake happen twice. She. Was. His.
 

**********

Alaska.
She’d go to Alaska. Just head there right now. Straight shot north, then a left
at Freeze Your Ass Off, Canada, and she’d be there. Perfect! Food up, then get
the hell out of dodge. What the... Why now? Who’d she piss off? She couldn’t do
this. No way. No how. Why now? Nate. Oh God, Nate. He was there. Right there.
Alive! Oh, God… Where to go? Where to? Where should she go?

In
a panic, she turned down Main Street in Luck, then up Park Avenue, right on 7
^th
,
then a right on Butternut. Well hell, she was back to Main. Short of some minor
residential streets, she’d just driven the whole town. She went around again,
passing the gazebo in Triangle Park. Nate. Then Luck Public School. Nate. Then
Sanders Plumbing and Heating. Nate. He was everywhere. Memories of the two of
them were everywhere. Oh, God… Nate.

Round
and around she went. He was alive, confirming what she hadn’t thought possible.
He’d left her. She was overwhelmed with…what? Sadness? Anger? Hurt? After everything
that’d happened as of late, she couldn’t believe she could feel anything right
now, but she did. She was shattered. Completely and utterly broken. Why hadn’t
she listened to Jules? She should’ve stayed in Chicago.

Stopping
midway down Main Street, she worked to get control of her emotions. Checking
the mirror and wiping away her tears, she stepped from the car. It was quiet. Cars
parked here and there, but otherwise quiet. It was suppertime, and people were
at home with their families, she thought. Looking around, she noticed a sign
for the Bon Ton, a local bar and restaurant. She’d forgotten about it, and as
they’d done extensive renovations, she’d missed it. Years before, it’d been
more like a hole in the wall bar, and being under age, she’d spent no time
there. Hey, that meant no memories of Nate. Perfect! Crossing the street, and
opening the door, she went inside, and was relieved to see it was nearly empty.
With the bar to the left, and tables to the right, she went left.
 

“Welcome
to the Bon Ton!” the twenty something bartender said, as he headed towards her.
“What’s your order, gorgeous?”

Not
sure, and ignoring his compliment, she looked at the wall of bottles, featuring
all different kinds of alcohol, and realized she didn’t really care what she
had. She just wanted something.

Grinning
he said, “Beer, wine, mixed drinks, shots, non-alcoholic, we got it all. What
are you thinking?”

“Liquor.”

“Okay.
Mixed or straight up?”

“Strong,
a shot, and make it a double,” she answered, having made a decision. Pointing toward
the wall of bottles, she said, “Some of that brown stuff.”

Turning
and looking at the shelves, lined with bottle after bottle of liquor all the
way to the ceiling, he chuckled and said, “There’s lots of brown stuff up
there, which one?”

“Don’t
matter, pick one.”

Grabbing
a bottle, he poured her a shot, and watched as she swallowed it whole, his eyes
opening wide. Damn, that burned, she thought, as the shot glass smacked on the
counter. “Again,” she demanded.

“You
sure?” he asked, hesitating as he stepped forward to pour another shot.

“Yep.”
Down it went.

Scratching
his head, he said, “It’s not often I have a pretty little thing stumble in here
slamming shots without a party. Care to tell me what’s got you coming in here,
looking for what I have to offer? I’ll be sure to make it good for you.” He
smiled, clearly proud of his inadvertent come on.

Not
happening, she thought, unimpressed. She’d fix this. “Well, let’s see,” she
said, gathering her thoughts. “How about this, walking in on your fiancé as
he’s getting it on with one of your coworkers, or better yet, running into your
high school love, who was supposed to be your prince charming, but he got
another woman pregnant, and then disappeared without a word, only to return
five years later. It was either come here and have a drink, or begin the
process of castrating all men. I came here. I wasn’t interested in cleaning up
the mess.”

“Ouch!
Okay. Right. Got it. I think I know just what you need to take your mind off
things. You new around here, I haven’t seen you before?”

Watching
him as he pulled bottle after bottle from the shelves, she answered, “I’m old
new.” That’s a lot of alcohol he’s pouring, she thought.