Touch Me (8 page)

“So, I take it you resolved the issue with the dog?”

“You could say that.” Then they lapsed into silence drinking their coffee. His father looked a little older, but the tan from Hawaii was still there. He didn’t have it a few weeks ago at Jesse’s wedding.  “What are you doing here, Dad?”

His father rolled his eyes as he poured another cup of coffee for himself. “Why is it that every time I stop by to see one of my kids, you think there’s something wrong?”

He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. He didn’t want to tell him exactly what he had been thinking.

“Spill it Jack, you were never good at keeping secrets.”

“You’ve been so busy these past few years, we rarely heard from you. So when you do stop by or call, we always think there’s a problem.”

He sighed as he sat down at the small kitchen table. “And I regret that.”

Now, Jack was starting to worry about his father. He looked fine, except for the signs of being tired, but he had just flown overnight to come out to California. Not always easy on a man his age.

“It isn’t like any of us have had time to hang out. Now with my brothers abandoning me for wedded bliss, it’s going to be worse.”

“There is that.”

The regret he heard in his father’s voice really had him worrying. “Dad?”

“I’ve been offered a job that I should want, but I don’t.”

Of all the things he expected, it wasn’t that.

“What is it?”

“I’ve been approached about being the head of J-7.”

J-7 was under the directorate of the Joint Chiefs. It was just a step or two away from being considered for the highest job in the military.

“Joint Force?” he asked. The position had a lot of long hours of organizing deployments across the military. It was seen as a very high-powered job because a member had access to all the services. It also prepared an officer to move up to a higher position.

He nodded. “I should want it.”

“But you don’t? Do you want something else?”

“That’s it. I’m not sure I do.”

He stared at his father. “Come again?”

“I’m seriously thinking of retiring.”

“From the military? As in, not being a Marine.”

His father gave him a small smile. “Now, son, you know there is no such thing as not being a Marine once you’ve served.”

He waved that away. “But you’re thinking of getting out.”

He nodded. “Not sure what I’ll do, but I want to get out of DC.”

That stunned Jack even more.

“Out of the Pentagon?”

“Out of DC in general. The rat race is starting to get to me. With Jesse gone soon, I see no reason to stay at the moment.”

That much was true, and if it were anyone else, he wouldn’t think twice about it. This was his father who had spent over twenty-five years preparing for this.

“I have to ask you something and I want the truth, Dad.”

He looked Jack directly in the eye. “You got it.”

“Are you sick?”

His father chuckled. “No.”

“Are you sure? Because this is very…not you.”

“Well, that’s a mistake I would like to rectify. First, I need to take a shower to wipe off the grime of travel.”

“Sure, everything is in there.”

As soon as he heard the shower start, he grabbed his phone to call Jesse, but it rang before he could. Joey Santini.

“Hey, Joey, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine. How’s your father?”

He held the phone out to look at it, then pulled it back. “How did you know he was here?”

“Marco told me he was going to stop there on the way back.”

“Stop here? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I thought you knew he had been out to Hawaii. He stayed a week and stopped by to have dinner.”

And he hadn’t told any of them. If his father had told any of them, it would have been MJ and she hadn’t said anything.

“Nice to know.”

“Don’t get so irritated. Your father is an adult and can handle himself.”

He sighed knowing she was right, but with the newest bit of information, he was getting kind of worried.

“I know that.”

“I also called to thank you for everything you did for Dante.”

“No problem.”

“I know that, but he’s not your blood family and you treated him that way. Thank you. Say hi to your father for me.”

He agreed and hung up the phone. By the time he was off the phone with Joey, he heard the water shut off. He couldn’t call his brother now and he sort of wanted to wait.  MJ would freak out when she found out if they didn’t have the entire story.

He needed another cup of coffee and to decide what to have for dinner. Steak would be best and make his father happy. He smiled, and if he knew Hannah’s taste, she would probably be happy with that decision. He grabbed a piece of paper and sat down.

By the time he was finishing up the list, his father stepped into the kitchen again.

“How long are you staying?”

“Just tonight. I have meetings Monday in DC.”

He nodded. “I need to hit the commissary if you’re up for a trip.”

“You don’t have to do anything special for me.”

He smiled. “I’m not. I’m doing it for Hannah. She’s coming over for dinner tonight.”

“I can make myself scarce.”

He chuckled. “No, I want you here. I want you to get to know her.”

The General stared at him for a long time. “Well, that’s the way of it?”

He nodded. “Do me a favor though, don’t tell her.”

“No problem.” His father smiled.

“I need a quick shower and then I’ll be able to go.”

His father nodded and Jack headed down the hall to his room. Maybe he’d get his father to spill the beans about his recent trip. If anything, he would get to know Hannah and Jack could ease her into getting to know his family.

One way or another, he would get her to accept they would be her family too.

*  *  *  *

Hannah couldn’t remember the last time she laughed so much.

“So, when Jack here woke up, he found himself without a set of eyebrows.”

“I still think you should have grounded MJ a year for that.”

His father shook his head. “You shouldn’t have messed with her dolls. If I remember, she made a very convincing argument why she shouldn’t be grounded.”

“The fact that her dolls were bald and I have no eyebrows was not even justice.”

“Why did you cut their hair?”

He shrugged.

His father wasn’t so closed mouthed. “See, Jack here thought he would do an experiment on them. He poured some concoction on them. What was in it?”

“I don’t remember. I do know she didn’t care much about those dolls until I did that.”

“And, as she said, you should have asked her.”

“What were you trying to do?” Hannah asked.

“I don’t even remember now.”

She could just imagine how horrible it would have been to deal with high school with no eyebrows.

“Did everyone find out how it happened?”

He nodded. “Yeah, Bran told them. Butthead.”

“But then we moved—”

“And it didn’t matter because the story followed me, again thanks to Bran.”

She shook her head. “I always wished for siblings but now I’m not so sure.”

“Bane of my existence. I think I would have fared better as an only child.”

“Then we wouldn’t have the twins,” his father said.

“That’s true.”

She noticed the time and knew that Jack’s father—Bryan as he insisted she call him—was leaving in the morning.

“Well, I better be getting back. Hercules isn’t used to all these late nights.”

At the sound of his name, the dog’s ears flicked.

“It was very nice to meet you, Hannah.”

She smiled. “It was a pleasure, Bryan.”

Jack walked her to the door and insisted on accompanying her until she made it to her front door.

“Thank you for dinner.”

“I wish we could spend another night together.”

She smiled and slipped her arms up and over his shoulders. “I wish you could too, but your father will be gone tomorrow. Go spend some time with him.”

He smiled. She would never get used to the fact that this man wanted her. He was smart, sexy, and sweet. And he wanted her. He bent his head and gave her a kiss. She thought he might have meant to keep it simple, but she couldn’t allow that. With a boldness she rarely showed, she slipped her tongue into his mouth and he groaned. The sound vibrated against her tongue and down to the depths of her soul.

Muttering under his breath, he pulled away from her.

“You are going to be the death of me.”

“Oh, I doubt that.”

“Goodnight, Hannah.”

She smiled and stepped into her house, rearming her alarm. As she headed back to her room, her phone rang. She wasn’t going to answer unless there was an emergency. When she saw the number, her heart lurched.

 “Agent Caulfield. Is there something wrong?”

“Hello, Hannah. We might have a problem.”

Hannah felt all the air leave her lungs as cold settled in her gut.

“What’s wrong?”

 “We’ve had another breach.”

She heard papers on the other end of the line and knew he was looking over something else, barely paying attention to her.

“But Walters is in jail for life.”

“Still, it makes us worried that only a select few of the people were breached.”

She sat down on her bed trying to calm herself down. It did little good to try to count backwards from ten. She couldn’t even remember her name at the moment, let alone numbers.

“I don’t know if I can do it again.” She was being honest. Three times she had moved, and three times her position had been found out.

“You might not have a choice.”

She had built a life in Oceanside over the last three years. She had made connections, found her place…and a sexy new interest.

“There has to be another choice. I can’t keep doing this.”

“Just keep it in mind you might have to move. We aren’t doing anything right now, but I just wanted to give you a warning.”

Unlike the three times before this. “Okay.”

After hanging up moments later, she wished she hadn’t answered. It was just like the last time the marshal had called. Her life had been settled, and she had been happy enough. Then he showed up and let loose a bomb.

She didn’t want to think about the consequences or the idea of giving up the one true relationship she’d had in years.

She glanced at Hercules. And she couldn’t leave Hercules.

With a sigh, she realized she might not have a choice in anything. Again. One thing was for sure; she was going to have to make the break with Jack. She could be selfish and refuse to do it, but if there had been a breach. She would put him in danger.

Tomorrow, she would do it tomorrow. Tonight…well, she would just let herself have a good cry.

*  *  *  *

“I think things went well last night,” his father said as they watched a cab pull up to the curb.

“I wish you would just let me drive you to the airport.”

His father shook his head. “Naw, you’ve got stuff to do.”

As he walked him down the sidewalk, he realized his father and he never really discussed the job offer.

“I think you shouldn’t take it,” he said as they stopped at the end of the driveway.  His father looked at him, confusion filling his eyes. “The job.”

“Oh,” he said. Then, slowly he smiled. “Yeah?”

“I think if you don’t want to do it, don’t. You don’t need the job, and well, if you’re in the mood to be a civilian again, do it. Life’s too short.”

His father handed his bags to the taxi driver then turned back to face him. He gave Jack a hug. “Thanks, Jack. I needed to hear that.”

He stepped back, nodded, then sat in the car.

“Hey, Dad, why did you talk to me and not Jesse?”

“You understand me better.”

That surprised him. “I always thought Jesse was the most like you.”

His father smiled. “Maybe when he was younger, but you have the same determination I did. You see the Marines as your life; Jesse didn’t always see it that way. Just remember to have a life, Jack.”

“No worries on that part,” he said, glancing at Hannah’s house. “And, I don’t think of the Marines as the only thing I want out of life anymore.”

“Good. I’ll text when I land.”

He waved as the cab sped away. He looked at Hannah’s house again. He wanted to go over there, wanted to spend time with her, but he wanted to give her space. Besides, he needed a good run.

With that thought, he hurried back into the house ready to take on the day so he could have time to spend with her later.

*  *  *  *

Hannah had deliberately kept herself busy all day. She had been thankful Jack hadn’t popped in when his father left. When she saw him head out for a run, she decided to be a coward a little bit longer and head into work. She did get a lot of stuff taken care of just in case.

When she arrived on his doorstep, Hercules by her side as the sun was already starting to set. She raised her hand to ring the doorbell, but he beat her to the punch and opened the door.

“Hey,” he said smiling at her. “I take it the paperwork took longer than you expected?”

“Yeah, a bit,” she said, fibbing only a little. She had texted to tell him she was in the office working. She had spent most of her time walking through the clinic. With each step her heart broke a little bit more.

“I’m being rude. Come on in.”

He stepped back to let her walk by him.

“Did your father get off okay?”

“Yes.” He led her to the kitchen. “Want something to drink?”

She shook her head. “We have to talk.”

He eyed her warily. “About what?”

“I think this…Friday night was a mistake.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“I can’t…”she trailed off when she saw the anger in his eyes. She couldn’t lie to him. Not now, not ever.

“I’m under witness protection by the US Marshals.”

 “What the hell are you talking about?”

She could hear the anger in his voice and she didn’t blame him. She put him in danger and anyone associated with him. He didn’t even know that. When he did, he would probably never forgive her. She shouldn’t have done it, shouldn’t have taken a chance, but she had. Now they would both have to live with it.