Page 9 of Embattled Return

Shannon blinked, taken aback. Then tears filled her eyes. “Thank you, John. I love you.”

“I love you too, babe. They did get a shot, and that about broke me. Wyatt cried, little badass that he is. Caden seemed more concerned that Wyatt was crying than why and he never even flinched.”

Yes, those were her boys. And her amazing husband had stepped up and been there for them. Though she hadn’t planned the trip or the emergency spring snowstorm, maybe it had been good for him to see what she dealt with every day.

“Everything else was good, though?” she persisted.

“Yes, Mama, everything is good. Wyatt is off the charts for his age and Caden is building. She didn’t see anything to be concerned about.”

“Good,” she sighed. That really eased her mind. She loved her boys and it was hard not being there for them when they needed her.

They moved on to other subjects as they drove to the office, but Shannon didn’t mind. As she took in the Denver skyline and the silhouette of the mountains to the west, she was just happy to be home. There was still snow on the ground right now, but the days were getting longer. Eventually flowers would start adding color to the rocky landscape.

The men fell into military chatter about bases and forts they’d each been to, and she watched Logan surreptitiously. His mood and the way he moved had been very...insulated, dark when she’d first seen him. Or maybe it was his aura that had been dark. She couldn’t explain it. Now though, he seemed a little... lighter? Maybe? At the airport she’d gotten the impression that he wanted nothing to do with the people around him, like they couldn’t understand what he was going through so he wouldn’t bother trying to connect with them. But maybe he could connect with John and Chad, and the others at LNF.

That snow storm in Toronto made a little more sense now. She was supposed to be at O’Hare today to connect with Logan. Leaning back against the seat, she smiled, her gaze, as always, drawn back to her husband.

4

John glanced in the rearview mirror again, Shannon’s knowing smile a damn siren song to him. She looked stunning, as always, and he couldn’t wait to get her alone. If he could just lay in bed with her for a few minutes...

That was their precious time, in the depths of the night after the kids had finally crashed or in the haze of morning before they got up to wreak havoc. The two of them didn’t even need to make love. Just laying there in the bed looking into her eyes filled his heart with more emotion than he’d ever felt with any other human being. It was more than he ever wanted to admit. When his mother left him as a child, he had had to learn the hard way to rely only on himself, no one else. Shannon was the only person that had broken through that barrier. And he was so glad he had finally let her.

It was her choice to go to work today, because that was the kind of person she was. She knew the big Columbus planning meeting had been scheduled for today and had wanted to sit in and take notes, though the entire thing would be recorded for dictation later. She liked to be in the middle of the planning and more often than not, Duncan pulled her in anyway, just for her insight in logistics. As the primary office manager, Shannon managed resources for almost twenty-five men and women, which included their health insurance, payroll, and five million other things he was sure he had no idea of. She found the men apartments, chased down problems and was basically indispensable.

Luckily, they’d recently hired Shannon an assistant, Marigold Lee. Though she’d settled in well, the girl had only been there a few weeks. John was sure that Shannon wanted to check on her progress and make sure everything had gone smoothly in her absence.

John sighed as he thought about Marigold. What a mess that had been. Every time he rolled into the office, she threw him the death stare.

When the name had come up in one of the partner morning meetings several weeks ago, John hadn’t been able to keep in an incredulous laugh. Who the fuck would name their kid that? It still made him shake his head. When he’d said as much to Shannon, she’d made an abrupt motion and snapped his name. It was only then that he’d realized that the unfortunately named young woman was standing out in the hallway, within earshot of Duncan’s office. Even Chad had given him a withering look.

When Shannon had gone to bring her into the office, she’d returned alone.

“Damn it, John, I liked that girl,” Shannon had cried. “You need to just shut your mouth and keep your opinion to yourself, especially at the office. Grow the fuck up!”

John had reeled back, not used to being on the receiving end of Shannon’s anger. Instinctively, his own anger had risen, but he’d tamped down the impulse to snap back. Shannon didn’t get angry often and this time, hehadbeen in the wrong. “You’re right,” he admitted. “I shouldn’t have done that. I’ll go find her.”

By the time he’d gotten to the first floor and out the door into the parking lot, he’d seen Marigold Lee climbing into an older model dark blue Volkswagen Beetle. At least, he thought it was her, since she was the only one in the lot. Knowing there was no way he could chase her down and maneuver the chair through all the cars, he’d gone to the lot exit and parked himself there.

The lot had been repaved last year and repainted, angling the parking slots and creating a delineated flow. Now there was only one exit. If Marigold Lee wanted to leave, she had to go through him.

For a minute, he didn’t think the woman was going to stop, and he was going to be a VW hood ornament, but she hit the brakes, making the tires bark. John caught a glimpse of her face and his gut twinged. He’d expected tears, and it looked like she had cried a bit, but anger was there now. She slammed the car into park and jumped out of the driver’s seat, stomping around to him.

“Let me tell you what, asshole. My dad named me Marigold. He was a Marine just like you, and was killed at the beginning of the war in Afghanistan. I was told this group helped veterans and I wanted to be a part of it, but I can see you’re just a bitter asshole. I never should have come here.”

Fuck.

“I’m sorry,” he growled, seeing the hurt on her young, mobile face. “I am an asshole, you’ve got that part correct, but my wife really likes you so I’m asking you to wait. You have the job if you want it.”

She stared at him, arms crossed over her chest, and John realized how very young she was, probably no more than twenty-two or twenty-three. She must have been really little when her dad had been killed. Dark, straight hair hung past her shoulders, and she wore a nice business outfit with smart, trendy black squarish glasses. It was obvious she’d dressed to come in today.

“I shouldn’t have said that,” he admitted. “It just took me by surprise and I opened my mouth before my brain could stop it. Come on back in.”

She shook her head. “Are you this much of an asshole to everyone that comes in?”

In spite of himself he flashed her a grin. “I kind of am, actually.”

The woman snorted and looked down at her feet, like she was trying to hide her own humor. Dark hair blew around her face, obscuring her expression, and for a moment John thought she looked a little familiar to him, but the impression faded away.

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