Page 65 of Operation: Integrity

“What is it?” Connor crossed his arms and frowned.

“Nadine. She contacted me about a week ago and told me to tell you to back off in contacting her. She doesn’t want to be found. Her message said that she would hack into Wayside security and destroy it.”

Connor just stared at him. “So, why didn’t you tell me?”

Edwyn ducked his head. “I didn’t think she’d really follow through. Nadine was as smart as they come, but not a criminal. At least, she wasn’t then.”

“What are you saying?” Sam didn’t want to believe that this threat could rip down the peace he’d only just found.

“She’s not playing,” Edwyn said. “I just checked with Brendon who was watching the cameras this morning. He said that one third of our cameras are out and a cryptic message came up on his screen. It said, ‘I told you to leave me alone.’”

“Well, I can leave her alone now, but what can we do about the security breach? I can’t just call in the Guardians every time we have an issue. I wish we had an experienced tech person here all the time.”

“Maybe you should just hire them.” Sam snorted, knowing that as much as Connor liked and admired the other team, they wouldn’t mesh well for long.

“I can’t do that. Dominic mentioned they were needed back home, anyway. So, either I hire someone now or we figure this out. In the meantime, I’m sorry Edwyn. Your mission is on hold.”

Edwyn visibly swallowed. “I figured as much. I told her I was sorry. It didn’t matter. She just wants anonymity. I guess I can’t blame her. How did you find her?”

Connor shrugged. “I didn’t. Lacy did. She finally had to resort to searching the dark web. Not a place anyone wants to go.”

Kelly watchedSam’s body language as he spoke to Connor and Edwyn. He was very different with them than he was with her. When he spoke to her, he was relaxed, mostly. Though when he tried to visibly hold back, that made her feel a tension she hated. It was like waiting for a touch that never came.

Anna turned the page in her Bible, the onionskin paper making a sound that was so different from every other book.

“Is this how your family would’ve celebrated?” Kelly asked, trying not to interrupt her in the middle of a sentence.

Anna glanced around her. “Yes, and no. My parents didn’t decorate. They would gather all the resources they could and invite as many people over as possible. They would explain what thankfulness was, and then they would lead with a prayer of thanks. Everyone around the table would offer one thing they were thankful for.”

Kelly leaned into her friend for a moment, bumping her shoulder. “And if you were there, part of their prayer today, what would you be thankful for?” Though she was listening to Anna, she watched Sam, waiting for him to finish.

“I’d be thankful that I’m still alive.”

Kelly grinned, totally understanding. “I’m not sure if I’d be more thankful for that or for the chance to talk to Sam again.”

Sam turned away from Connor and headed back to her. Kelly glanced at Anna and Anna laughed. “Go, I can see you want to talk to him. I’ll see you at supper.” She shooed her away with one hand while she found her place at the top of the new page with the other.

Kelly took a deep breath and met Sam halfway across the room. Each time they talked was a little easier than the time before. Each time, her mind was a little quicker to calm down. She couldn’t wait for the day when seeing him wouldn’t cause a tailspin of emotions. Or rather, when all the emotions were immediately positive.

Sam glanced around the room like he was hiding asecret. “Hey, come talk to me over in the hall.” He drew her out of the loud room and toward the hall where Connor and Brendon’s offices were. Everything was quiet and peaceful since the majority of the people at Wayside were in the dining room, helping to prepare for supper.

He grinned at her and took her hands in his. “You look great.”

His attention made her chest flutter. The feeling was so strange after blocking emotions for so long. “Thank you. I’m almost starting to feel great again. At least, sometimes. I’m a work in progress.”

“We all are.” He drew her close and kissed her forehead.

Every kiss he’d given her had been gentle, and never on the lips. He seemed to prefer the top of her head or her forehead. In her heart, she knew that he was letting her take the reins in the relationship. She would set the pace. That was wonderful in the sense that she needed to go slow, but awful in the sense that she wanted him to choose to kiss her. He would at some point, that much she knew.

She ran her thumb along the red wax ring. “I can’t believe you still have that. I made it from the thick wax that covers those tiny rounds of cheese. It’s kind of silly.”

He released her hands and twisted the ring around on his finger. “I don’t think it’s silly. It shows you listened to me, that you cared. I hope you don’t think this is silly.” He drew a box out of his pocket. “Now, don’t get your worry up. This isn’t what it looks like.”

Her breath caught in her lungs at the sight of the little velvet box. Rings came in boxes like that. Could he really be wanting to take that step now?

“This is the ring I got you ten years ago. It’s small and, honestly, cheap compared to what I would buy now. So,”he took a deep breath, “would you accept this ring as a promise that I will stand by you? No matter how long this takes. You’ve got me until you don’t want me anymore.”

Words escaped her as she looked at the diamond ring with a small, round center stone and waves of gold surrounding it to look like a flower. It was delicate and beautiful, better than she could’ve imagined. Her voice cracked. “That will never happen. I want to be with you always. It’s just . . .”

---