Prescription: Makeover (21 page)

She braced herself for an explanation of why William should return to the Bureau, how his country needed him, regardless of what she needed.

Instead the FBI director leaned over the admissions desk, returned the borrowed handset and said, “Ms. Rombout is with us. Give her whatever she needs.” He straightened and nodded to her. “It’s been a pleasure. We’ll be in touch.”

He departed with those ominous words ringing in the sterile hospital air. Ike watched him go, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened and why.

“Ma’am?” the nurse said, drawing her attention. “Can I get you anything?”

“No, thanks,” she said automatically, then said, “Wait, yes, actually. I need to borrow a Web-linked computer and a phone.”

Then she pressed a hand to her suddenly queasy stomach. She couldn’t fight for William until he returned and they were face-to-face, but there were two other things she could do in the interim, one of which she’d put off for far too long.

I
T TOOK
W
ILLIAM THREE
stores and an hour and a half to find exactly what he was looking for, and his nerves were nearly shot by the time he got back to the hospital. A couple of calls to the front desk had assured him that neither Max nor Kupfer had suffered any setbacks while he was gone. However, the same could not be said of him and Ike, he realized when he entered the waiting room and saw her sitting beside Raine.

She’d gone somewhere for a change of clothing and had replaced the ruffled dress with trim slacks, a tailored shirt and high-heeled boots. They were all black, of course, but more feminine than severe, and she’d swept the long hair away from her face with a clip of some sort, leaving a few wisps to drift down and soften the effect.

She’s lovely,
he thought on a fist of emotion. Unfortunately she also looked thoroughly upset.

Oh, hell. He’d given her too much time to think about their half-assed conversation, to consider what it would mean for them to make a go of it. A relationship, maybe even marriage. The ultimate emotional trap to a woman like her.

Raine’s eyes lit and her lips curved slightly when she saw him. “You made it back.”

“Of course.” William advanced into the room, his eyes fixed on Ike, who deliberately looked away. “I wouldn’t let Max down.” The words were directed at Ike.
I won’t let you down. Trust me, please.

Before either of the women could respond, the far door swung open and a nurse waved them in. “You can see your friends now.”

Raine was up and through like a shot, leaving Ike and William to follow behind her. Where only a couple of hours earlier it had been easy for him to reach for her hand, now William found himself hesitating.

He’d made love to Ike. He loved her. Yet he didn’t know how to start now, what to say. This was too big, too important to screw up.

His timing had to be perfect.

Raine gave a glad cry and rushed past the nurse into a room off the long hospital hallway, arms outstretched as though she was going to fling herself onto her heavily-bandaged husband. Just at the edge of the bed, she slammed on the brakes and put both hands to her mouth, eyes brimming with worry and love. Her voice came out in a broken whisper when she said, “Max?”

“We got him.” His eyes opened and fixed on her. “He’s never coming after you ever again. You’re safe.”

To everyone’s surprise, Raine cut loose with a very un-Raine-like curse and glared down at her husband. “If you think that’s the most important thing right now, then you’re an idiot.” Her eyes filled when she said, “You could’ve died. You almost did. I’d rather spend the rest of my life running from The Nine than lose you.” Her breath hitched, her strong facade crumbled and she burst into tears.

Max smiled and opened his arms to her. “Come here.”

As husband and wife embraced, first tentatively and then with increasing force, William turned away.

Ike followed suit. “Looks like they could use a moment. Let’s check on Kupfer.”

When they reached the scientist’s room, they found him in tougher shape than Max, but incredibly his spirits seemed excellent. He grinned when he saw them in the doorway. Or, rather, his face lit when he saw Ike, which sent a quick stab of jealousy through William.

“Lucille called,” he said, reaching a hand out to Ike. “How did you know?”

“I saw the picture on your desk.” She shrugged, looking faintly uncomfortable with the sentiment. “So I looked her up. She sounded nice on the phone.”

With that, William’s jealousy fled and was replaced with surprise. Every time he thought he had Ike figured out, she did something unexpected.

“She’s wonderful.” Kupfer’s eyes filled. “When Matthew died, I kept working, probably worked harder than I had before. I should’ve been there for her, but I couldn’t be, because it was my failure. I let him die.”

“You did everything a man could do,” Ike said quietly, not bothering with the easy platitudes. “And you’ll have a chance now to keep other kids from dying. Matt would’ve liked that.”

“Yeah, he would’ve.” Kupfer nodded, wincing when the motion pulled on his injuries. “Lucille’s flying in tonight to see me. He would’ve liked that, too.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. And here. I think you’ll be needing this.” She pulled a small spiral-bound notebook from her back pocket and handed it to Kupfer. Then she squeezed his hand and turned for the door.

She pushed past William and back out into the hall, walking with her characteristic loose-limbed stride, but William was aware of another level to the motion — a deep tension, an almost frenetic sense of pace, as though she was afraid to slow down long enough for them to have the conversation they both knew was necessary.

She stopped at the doorway to Max’s room, then turned away with a half smile on her lips. “I’d say they need a few more minutes. They look…busy.” She paused, then said thoughtfully, “I wasn’t sure at first, but they fit just right. He needs to be needed, and I think he’s starting to figure out that he needs her right back. That’s good.” She nodded as though concluding a long-running internal conversation.

Seeing the opportunity he’d been waiting for, if not the ambience, William took a deep breath and said, “We need to talk.”

He thought he saw a flash of fear in her eyes before she banked the expression and turned away from the door. “I know. I’ve been thinking about what you said before.”

His mouth went dry with the fear that he was about to be royally brushed off. “You mean the I love-you part. I mean it, you know.”

If anything, that seemed to increase her tension. She knotted her fingers at her waist, an uncharacteristic sign of nerves. “I was talking about what Grosskill said about you returning to the FBI.”

“I don’t —” he began, but she crossed to him unexpectedly and laid one index finger on his lips, interrupting.

“Let me finish. I know I’m supposed to promise to follow you to the ends of the earth, but I think we both know that’s Eleanor’s style, not mine. I’m selfish and spoiled and I want what I want, which is for you to turn him down. I want us to live together in New York. I want us to work together. I want us to
be
together. None of that long-distance crap.” She lifted her chin as though daring him to let her down. “There, I’ve said it.”

She might’ve been all Ike attitude on the outside, but now that he knew her better, William could see the vulnerability beneath, the insecurity that she might’ve blamed on her cover story or the makeover but was truly part of her human core.

“You haven’t said the magic words,” he said, warmth unfurling within him as he finally started to believe that this just might work out after all.

“Pretty please?” she sassed, getting that go-to-hell glint back in her eye. Then her voice and expression softened to a woman’s warmth and she said, “I love you.”

Three simple words, right out there for all the world to hear.

Knowing that it was right, William reached inside his borrowed coat and pulled out a flat jeweler’s box. He flipped it open and held out the offering. “Then marry me.”

I
KE GAPED AS STUNNED
amazement collided with joy inside her. The large gemstone was matte black but glittered from deep within as invisible facets caught the overhead lights. At first she thought it was a naked stone for her to set the way she wanted. Then she realized what he’d bought to symbolize their engagement, and her eyes filled.

It was a black diamond earring.

“I figured you’d be needing a new one now that Odin and The Nine are finished.” He offered the box. “So…what do you say?”

She didn’t say anything, just reached out, released the earring from its velvet-lined holder and slid the post through the top hole in the rim of her right ear. The weight made her feel whole again. It made her feel like Ike again.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, his face finally betraying nerves that mirrored her own.

“Yes,”
she said, the word bursting out of her on an explosion of pure joy. She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, glorying when he caught her and held her tight and not a hint of panic came. “Yes!”

His eyes darkened with passion and he whispered, “I love you, Ike Rombout.”

They kissed on a burst of heat and power and joy, along with the great, spiraling relief that the danger was over, Odin was caught, Zed was avenged and they could move forward from there, into the future uncluttered by ghosts of the past.

Or almost uncluttered, Ike realized when she heard a small sound behind her, broke the kiss and turned her head to see an older couple standing in the hallway maybe twenty feet away. The man was tall and unbowed, his hair still dark, but years of sadness were etched in his face. The woman was smaller and light-haired, beautiful despite the sharp angles of her face — or maybe because of them.

Ike’s heart clutched at the realization that her parents looked so much older than she remembered.

Her father took a step forward, into a faint hallway shadow that softened the lines on his face and darkened his hair, and suddenly she saw Donny in the shape of his eyes and the square line of his jaw. His voice trembled when he said, “Eleanor?”

William stiffened in shock, probably realizing that was actually her given name, one she’d legally changed long ago as yet another in a long list of defiant acts. His arms went lax, allowing her to slide down and turn to face her parents on her own feet.

“Hey, Mom, Dad, thanks for coming.” It had been a surprise to find them still in the southern Vermont town where she’d grown up, though she couldn’t have said why. But as far as Ike was concerned, finding them less than an hour away had been a sign that it was time — if not past time — for the three of them to reconnect. Now she took a step toward them, then reached a hand back for William, feeling that click of connection when he grabbed on. “I’d like you to meet William. He’s my…” She paused, feeling as though this first use of the word was a milestone. “He’s my fiancé.”

“Pleased to meet you.” William shot her a look that promised a hell of a conversation later and shook hands with her father first and then her mother. “Ike, er, Eleanor is a wonderful woman.”

As the first moment of awkwardness eased, Ike felt laughter bubble up in her throat, a combination of excitement, relief and joy as she realized that she was pieces of both women, Ike and Eleanor. In bringing down Odin she’d found herself, and in doing so she’d found her other half, her lover and future husband.

Her partner. William.

Prescription: Makeover

Jessica Andersen

2007

novel

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ISBN 9781426800382

PDF

en

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Copyright © 2007 by Dr. Jessica S. Andersen