Unstoppable (A Country Roads Novel) (25 page)

“This project…” She paused, the catch in her voice obvious to everyone in the room. She cleared her throat and tried again. “This project has been months in the making. There were many people involved, many people who thought that it was a worthwhile idea and who wanted to be a part of it. This wouldn’t have happened without the combined efforts of many people in Mirabelle. To all of the benefactors, the parents, and the kids, and to everyone who gave a moment of their time or money toward this project, thank you.

“Since I was a little girl, I’ve had two loves in my life that have always stayed with me: math and books. This project has been near and dear to my heart for many reasons, but the fact that it took math to make something that houses books? Well, it makes it that much more special to me.”

And then there was the fact that I fell in love with the man of my dreams while doing it.

Mel had to take a moment to collect herself after that little thought.

“I know I wasn’t the only person this project had an impact on, and I’d like to recognize a few people.” She went through her list, giving out the awards that she and Bennett had come up with together. She saved the one that meant the most for last, and Dale had looked humbled when he came up to accept his award for Most Improved.

Mel watched him walk back to where his mother was standing with Kylee and her family. Virginia beamed at her son as she pulled him into a big hug. When she let go, Kylee was by his side, stretching up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

Bennett. This had all happened because Bennett had helped.

“I can’t end this without mentioning the man who was at the center of this project. Bennett Hart volunteered his time and energy into this project without once asking what was in it for him. He couldn’t be here tonight.” She paused again, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. “But I know he would say how proud he was of all the kids and how honored he was to be a part of it. Thank you again to everyone, and Merry Christmas.”

Mel took a step back from the podium and the room broke out into applause again. When she went to walk away Mrs. Sylvester came up and stopped her.

“You know we really can’t end this ceremony just yet. Ms. Melanie O’Bryan, your students have something they want to give to you.”

Dale and Kylee moved to the side of the room where double doors led out to the hallway. They pushed them open and there stood a bookshelf.

“All of your students had a hand in making that,” Mrs. Sylvester said to Mel. “They all wanted you to know how much this project meant to them, and they wanted you to have something to remember what you did for them.”

It was a very similar design to the ones that had been made for the library, but it had a little something extra to it. The wood wasn’t the same. No, they’d used beachwood, and though they’d kept the natural wood for the outer part of the case, the shelves were turquoise and green. Mel didn’t need to get a closer look to know that Bennett’s hands had been all over that bookshelf.

He’d made this with the kids. He’d done this for her. And she needed to do something for him. She needed to be with him. Now.

On Friday night, Bennett was reading a book to Danny. It was around nine o’clock when Cindy walked into the room sans kids.

“What’s going on?” he asked, standing up from the chair next to Danny’s bed.

“That wonderful woman of yours is what’s up.”

“Huh?”

“Mel got here about two hours ago.”

“She’s here?” Bennett asked beyond confused. He’d talked to her two hours ago. She’d said she was picking up dinner. She’d failed to mention the part where she’d driven six hours to get it.

“Yes, and she brought food. I cannot tell you how great it was to sit and eat a meal that wasn’t McDonald’s. She’s watching the kids for me so I can be here.”

“She’s here?” Bennett repeated.

“Yes,” Cindy tilted her head to the side and studied Bennett’s face. “She didn’t tell you she was coming?”

Bennett shook his head.

“Well, she’s here. You want to go see her?”

How was it that going to see her hadn’t been his first instinct? No, he didn’t want to see her. Not like this. Not when his world had just been ripped wide open again and he didn’t have the option of just hanging up the phone to prevent her from hearing it. He was barely holding it together, and the little he was able to hold on to was solely for the benefit of Cindy and the kids.

Mel wasn’t supposed to be there. He’d told her not to come.

Part of him wanted to laugh that she hadn’t listened to him. Of course she hadn’t. But he couldn’t laugh because he was so pissed at her for coming.

She shouldn’t be here.

“Yeah,” Bennett nodded slowly. “I, um…I’ll go see her.”

He had no idea what he was going to say to her, but he’d go see her.

Cindy gave him a look as he crossed the room, but she didn’t say anything. Bennett walked through the stale hospital halls toward the elevator. He didn’t get any inspiration in there, or when he walked outside and crossed the parking lot. So he decided to walk for a little bit longer in the cold air.

Somehow it turned into an hour and he still didn’t have anything. He finally made his way over to the hotel room, and he stood outside and stared at the door for a good minute…or five.

The kids were in that room, so he needed to not get upset. And it wasn’t just for their sake. Mel had good intentions in coming up here. She wanted to help. She just didn’t realize that Bennett couldn’t take her help right now.

He pulled out the card and ran his thumb across the top for a minute, trying to figure out what was going on in his head. But he had no fucking clue.

He stuck the card in the slot, and when it beeped he opened the door.

Alex and Blake were asleep on one of the beds. Their heads were at the foot of the bed; they’d been watching cartoons on TV, which was still on. Mel was asleep on the bed he’d been using, curled around a sleeping June.

He was still frustrated at her for being here, but it didn’t stop him from what he did next. He pulled off his boots before he crawled in bed behind Mel, and curled up around her. She sighed in her sleep and pressed back into him.

He wasn’t sure how long he lay there watching Mel sleep, feeling her warm body up against his. But at some point his exhaustion got the best of him—not all that surprising, as he hadn’t slept for more than four hours straight since Monday night.

Bennett woke up breathing hard and covered in sweat. He swung his legs over the bed and hung his head between his knees. His heart was still pounding out of his chest and he couldn’t take full breaths. He hadn’t had a panic attack in months.

He started taking slow, steady breaths, counting as he did so. When his breathing evened out he closed his eyes and started curling and uncurling his toes. When he had the feeling back in his hands, he did the same thing with them.

The damn nightmare had been more real than it had ever been before. Bennett had felt like he was back there in that hot, dry desert. He’d tasted the sand in his mouth, could feel the grit grinding between his teeth.

He took another deep breath before he lifted his head. The room was empty, and sunlight was streaming through the window. He looked over at the alarm clock. It was eight in the morning. He’d slept for almost nine hours.

“Shit,” he said, rubbing at his face. He stood slowly, making sure his legs were steady and headed for the bathroom.

The hot shower was good for clearing his head.

Mel sat across from Alex and Blake as they munched on pancakes at the Denny’s down the road. June, sitting at her side, dipped powdered-sugar-covered French toast sticks into syrup.

Mel had been a little nervous about what Bennett’s reaction was going to be to her being up there, but after this morning, her nerves had diminished.

She’d been more than a little surprised to wake up that morning with him curled around her, his face pressed into her hair and his mouth on her neck. Mel could count on one hand how many times she’d woken up before Bennett. He’d had an alarm clock hardwired in him because of his time in the military.

She’d done her best to pull away from him without waking him up, and she’d succeeded. The next mission impossible had been the kids, but they’d expertly gotten ready that morning without making a sound.

“Mewanie,” June said. “Can I see Daddy today?”

“Not today, sugar.”

June looked at Mel and pouted. “Why not?”

“He’s hurt.”

“Daddy doesn’t get hurt. He’s Superman,” Blake said.

If only that were true
, she thought.

Mel ordered Bennett and Cindy some breakfast to go, and then the four of them loaded up in Cindy’s SUV and went back to the hospital. When they got there, they met Cindy in the hallway as she was heading back to Danny’s room from the bathroom.

“Mama,” June said, letting go of Mel’s hand and running down the hallway.

“Slow down, Peachtree,” Cindy said, bending down and holding her arms out for her daughter. June didn’t listen and she flew right into her mother’s arms.

“Can I see Daddy?” June asked.

“Not today.”

“Why not?”

“He’s sleeping and trying to get better,” Cindy said, trying to keep the pain out of her voice.

“All right.” June pouted some more. “Here’s bweakfast for you and Uncle B.”

“And coffee that doesn’t taste like sludge,” Mel said under her breath so the nurse down the hallway couldn’t hear.

“Sounds like perfection,” Cindy said, smiling.

“Is Bennett here?” Mel asked as she handed Cindy her coffee. Dylan was holding her box of food, and Alex had Bennett’s.

“He’s with Danny now. I’m going to go eat this in the cafeteria with the kids.”

“I’ll take Bennett his,” Mel held out her hand for the white polystyrene box that Alex had, and then she headed down the hallway.

When she got to the room she peeked in the open door to find Bennett sitting next to Danny’s bed, staring off into space.

Mel knocked lightly and Bennett looked up, a frown plain as day on his face. He was not happy to see her.

“Hey,” she said softly. “I brought you food.”

Bennett stood up and crossed the room to her. “Thanks,” he said as he took the box and coffee from her outstretched hands.

That was it. One word. That was all she got.

He didn’t pull her into his arms. Didn’t kiss her. Didn’t touch her. His eyes were cold. Distant. Not anything she’d ever seen before.

“I’m going to spend the day with the kids. Get them out of the hotel room. Out of the hospital.”

“I’m sure Cindy will appreciate that,” he said as he set the food down on a table.

“All right.” She looked at him for a minute, trying to figure out what to say. “Bennett, I—”

“I’ll see you later.” He leaned in and quickly kissed her on the forehead, before he turned around, effectively dismissing her from the room.

There was some small part of Bennett that felt bad about how he’d treated Mel. But he was able to push it to the side. He couldn’t focus on her right now. All he could concentrate on was his best friend and not losing his damn mind.

With Mel watching the kids, Bennett and Cindy were able to spend more time at the hospital with Danny. Bennett gave Cindy the night watch again on Saturday, and much like the night before, Bennett spent an hour walking around outside in the cold trying to think. But nothing was processing.

He’d pretty much avoided seeing Mel all day. There was something about her being so close that made him even more on edge. Why? He had no freaking clue, but he hated how he was treating her. He knew she deserved better.

When he got back to the hotel room it was after midnight and everyone was asleep again. He lay there next to Mel watching her sleep. He could handle her being close like this, when she was asleep and not able to see how weak he really was.

He was screaming as he woke up in bed. The pain in his shoulder was real, or it sure as hell felt like it. He couldn’t breathe past it. Could barely hear anything above the gunfire that was echoing in his head.

“Bennett! Bennett!”

Mel’s voice was coming through like static, but it was too hard to focus on. The blackness was swallowing him. Eating him alive.

He wasn’t sure if it was just instinct or something else entirely, but he moved his legs over the edge of the bed. He dropped his head between his thighs and started taking deep breaths. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there for, but at some point he realized Mel was kneeling behind him on the bed, rubbing his back in circles.

“It’s okay,” she was whispering over and over again.

It was those two words that set him off. Everything wasn’t fucking okay.

“Stop,” he said barely above a whisper. He needed her hands to not be on him.