WATCHING (38 page)

Chapter
48

****

Georgia sank onto the leather couch in her father
’
s office. He just looked at her.
“
Dad
.
”

“
Hellbrook
, sweetheart? Can I at least ask how the impossible happened
?
”
His bewildered expression was one she wasn
’
t used to seeing on his handsome face. She smiled.

“
I
’
m not sure. And it was more improbable than impossible
.
”
Six months ago, six weeks ago,
six days ago,
if someone had told her she
’
d be sitting in her father
’
s office talking not about her new team, but about her new relationship with Hellbrook, she
’
d have told them they were insane.

But now, it somehow didn
’
t seem that insane. She shook her head.
“
No, that
’
s not true. I do know how it happened
.
”

“
Care to share? I mean, I
’
m happy you were
—
are
—
ready to start dating again. Bryan wouldn
’
t have wanted you to spend your life alone
—
or with just Matthew and me. He
’
d want you to be happy. Even if that meant with someone else. But
Hellbrook
is not who I would have pictured that person being. Someone like Brockman, maybe. Not Hellbrook. I thought you despised him, to put it mildly
.
”
His dark eyes still showed his confusion. She wanted to laugh, for an absurd moment.

He was a good father; he never once mentioned his issues or disagreements with Hell. Was just concerned with how happy she was. If she told him right now that Hellbrook made her ecstatic and was all she wanted from this world, he
’
d be completely happy for her. Period.

For a moment, she had the urge to tell him just that. And that feeling had her pausing. Why did she have that urge?
“
Daddy...I didn
’
t despise him. I was afraid of him
.
”

“
Excuse me
?
”

“
Afraid of risks. Like always. Personal risks. Even with
Bryan, you remember
.
”
She
’
d found the ring Bryan had bought for her in his personal affects when she
’
d picked them up at the East St. Louis morgue. She still wore the ring on a chain around her neck, as a reminder that time was precious, and as a reminder that she
’
d been afraid to get married, afraid of the changes it would bring to her life, her career. Had been afraid she couldn
’
t make a marriage work
—it wasn
’
t
like she
’
d had a great example to follow with her own parents
’
marriage. Bryan had helped her work through those fears. Had been holding the ring until she was absolutely ready to wear it. It hurt her, that he
’
d never known she
’
d gotten to that point. That she
’
d been too afraid for so long. She
’
d wasted so much of their time together. She
’
d vowed not to ever waste time with someone she loved again.
But did she love Hellbrook? She didn
’
t even want to think about
love
yet. But, suddenly that was
all
she could think about.

“
Yes. But you worked through those fears with him. How did Hellbrook scare you? And what made that change? Why now
?
”

“
I know you don
’
t understand it, but you when look closer at him...it makes the risk less frightening
.
”
She loved him. She was in love with Michael Hellbrook. Why hadn
’
t she realized before that moment?

Because she
’
d been afraid.

“
You sound confused, sweetheart. Are you absolutely sure Hellbrook
’
s what you need right now
?
”

“
Yes. And he
’
s what I want right now
.
”
The words came slowly. Determined, for all that they made her feel ill.

“
Is there anything I can say to that
?
”

“
Probably not. When we
’
re together, that tension, the need for constant control is gone, Daddy. I don
’
t feel like I have to watch, weigh everything. If I
’
m angry at him, I can let him know. In whatever words or terms I want. When I
’
m happy, it
’
s the same. Just like with Bryan. But different, too
.
Does that make sense?
”

Bryan
’
s love had been gentle, comfortable, for the both of them. It had grown softly. Hellbrook had been a fire that blinded her for a while. Six months to be exact.

“
Yes, sweetheart. It does
.
”
Her dad
’
s smile was slightly sad.

“
I
’
m not sure I want to transfer
.
”

“
About that. I was hoping we
—
Hellbrook and I
—
could talk you into taking on one of the new CCU teams. I think it would be a good career move for you
.
”

“
Does he know
?
”

“
No. Not yet. I wanted to see if you thought you could work for him, just in a different capacity. This was...before
...
I found him making pancakes half naked in your kitchen
.
”

“
He had on his jeans. I just had his shirt upstairs
.
”
Georgia smiled at the pained expression on his face.
“
I don
’
t know. I want him to have the choice of team leaders. He
’
s worked hard to get the CCU to this point. I don
’
t want to take any control from him. Not now. And I
’
m not certain I want to be on a different team than him. If I was, we could potentially not see each other for days, even weeks at a time
.
”

And she
’
d learned one thing losing Bryan the way she had. Time with the ones she loved was the most precious thing on earth.

“
Think about this very carefully. Because if six months down the road you want out of the CCU, I
’
m not certain I
’
ll be able to arrange it
.
”

“
I understand
.
”

“
A week to decide, then
?
”

“
I think that will be long enough
.
”

Tonight she
’
d talk to Hell. See where he envisioned this thing between them going. Talk to him about her transfer request and what he wanted for the CCU. Give him an equal say in what happened. She didn
’
t need a week, one night would be long enough.

But first, she needed a baby-sitter. She
’
d arrange that with Jules while at lunch. Then she
’
d need to plan.

***

Thirty minutes after Bellows showed him the x-rays and reports, Brockman and Ana were gone, waiting on the roof for a helicopter to rendezvous with Handers and Stanton.

He was in his office with the door open, going through every report pertaining to the South Dakota case. Had he missed something? Had his attention been so focused on Georgia that one UNSUB had been an easy answer? He hoped not.

The sounds of people in the bullpen just outside his door drew his gaze.

He heard her laugh, the sound sweet and rich. Hell smiled. He
’
d heard that sound so rarely. He stood, moved to his window to see what had amused her.

She sat on the edge of her desk, her feet swinging where they dangled. The medical examiner and Edward Dennis stood in front of her.

Georgia hopped off the desk, then grabbed her purse. Going to lunch with her father and Dr. Bellows, he
’
d bet good money on it.

They headed to the elevators and he watched them, her. She turned back as they waited for the elevator and looked at his office. He made no attempt to hide that he watched her. She smiled, a slow expression that was just for him. It instantly had him replaying the events of the last evening.

The elevator opened behind her, and her father nudged her, diverting her attention away from Hell.

He wanted to be with her, wanted to be the one to make her smile.

He waited impatiently for her return, an hour had never dragged by so slowly. Tonight, he and Georgia were going to have a discussion concerning their futures. The CCU would not factor into it. Even if she left the unit, they
’
d still be in the same field office.

He could be content with that. He
’
d prefer she stay with his team, but if she wanted to leave...he could deal with that if he had to. They would still see each other, would still be free to explore this new relationship. Starting tonight.

He ran through what he had to say while reviewing copies of the South Dakota evidence over the next hour.

He
’
d tell her first that he
’
d never felt the way he did about any other woman before her. He
’
d tell her that he wanted the chance to be a part of her life—hers and Matthew
’
s. Tell her that while he couldn
’
t make guarantees and didn
’
t have a damned road map complete with directions of where they were going, he at least wanted to try for something serious.

Feminine voices just outside his door had him looking up. Georgia and Dr. Bellows stood in his door, snickering at him. How long had they been there?

“
Think he
’
s daydreaming
?
”
Dr. Bellows asked.
“
Bet he wants more chocolate pancakes
.
”

“
I wouldn
’
t mind some, myself,
”
Georgia said.
“
Maybe for dinner
.
”

“
Poor guy looks exhausted
.
”
Bellows studied him.
“
George, you should be ashamed of yourself. I think he has an actual hickey on his neck
.
”

“
That your professional diagnosis
?
”
Georgia asked as Hell smacked a hand over the area. He
’
d noticed a red mark in the mirror, but he
’
d thought his shirt collar covered it.

“
Yes, I believe it is
.
”
Bellows elbowed Georgia.
“
Poor guy...sleep must have somehow been disturbed
—
by monkeys, maybe. And one must have bit him
.
”

These two little comedians played off each other. That was evident. He
’
d bet they driven the Bellows
’
brothers crazy. They
’
d probably do the same to him. God, he hoped.

“
Something I can do for the two of you, ladies
?
”
Hell stood and rounded his desk.

“
No. Something we can do for you
.
”
Georgia lifted the sack she held and placed it on his desk. Dr. Bellows added the cup she carried.
“
Brought you lunch
.
”

“
Thank you
.
”
It surprised him, he couldn
’
t deny it. When was the last time someone had done something as casually considerate as buying him take-out? He couldn
’
t remember.

He grabbed her waist, lifted her straight up until her mouth was even with his. She squealed, then laughed when one of her shoes slipped off and hit the carpet. She said his name.

“
Close your eyes
.
”
He told the now giggling medical examiner. She did better than that, stepping out of Hell
’
s office and closing the door behind her. That left him within kissing range, complete with privacy. Hell did just that.

After several long moments he lowered her until her feet were once more touching the industrial brown carpet.
“
Mmm. Thank you. Very nice
.
”

“
You
’
re welcome. But it is just a sandwich
.
”
She rooted for the shoe that had somehow ended up beneath his desk.
“
I also wanted to ask you to dinner. I know this little Italian place. Jules has agreed to stay at the house and babysit
.
”

That sounded perfect to him. He
’
d wine and dine her, tell her how he felt. Then they
’
d go either back to her place and kick Dr. Bellows to the curb and celebrate, or back to his apartment and celebrate.
“
That
’
s great. I
’
ll pick you up at seven
?
”

“
Perfect
.
”
She smiled and kissed him again.
“
We
’
ve got a few minutes. Jules is probably guarding your door
.
”

Hell would make the most of those minutes.