Page 53 of Weston

They were ending the call with their handler when the back door flew open, slamming into the opposite wall, and Lottie raced in like the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels. Her Caribbean blue eyes were wide and fearful, her curls in disarray.

It looked like the blonde had seen a ghost.

“Lottie?” Ellie frowned, alarm filling her.

Chaz popped up, his chair scraping backwards, nearly tipping over in his haste to get to her. He stalked over to the bar in three long strides. “What happened?” he demanded.

Instead of answering, tears sprang into Lottie’s blue eyes and she threw herself into his arms. Wrapping her in his protective embrace, he held her close while she softly cried. Over her head, he exchanged a concerned look with his teammates.

“Lottie, honey, what’s wrong?” Chaz asked gently. Ellie had never heard the man’s voice sound like that before. Normally, his words were edged in sarcasm. Now, however, they were laced in quiet concern, all the usual gruffness gone.

With a sniff, she lifted her head, swiped at her nose and abruptly stepped back, moving out of Chaz’s arms. When she wobbled, his hand shot out to steady her. “I’m sorry. It was nothing. I thought I saw something, but…” Her voice trailed off, sounding shaky. “I must have just imagined it.”

Her explanation sounded lame, and judging from the looks the others were exchanging, Ellie didn’t think she was the only one who thought so. But Lottie was done talking about whatever had happened outside. Chaz, however, wasn’t quite finished.

“Is someone out there?” He turned toward the back door, but Lottie caught his arm, halting him.

“No,” she answered far too quickly. “It’s fine. Everything is fine.”

Chaz’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t push it, and Lottie moved away from him, scurrying behind the safety of the bar. Ellie studied her new friend closely as she began to pull racks of clean glasses out of the dishwasher, and she didn’t miss the way Lottie’s hands shook.

Something was definitely going on, but, for whatever reason, Lottie didn’t want anyone to know what. After a minute, Chaz wandered back over to the guys and shrugged his shoulders. Maybe later, after things had cooled down, she would ask Lottie about whatever happened outside. But, right now, she didn’t want to push her.

???

“Do you think Lottie is okay?” Ellie looked up at Wes. They had just walked out of Old Glory and were slowly making their way across the gravel parking lot to his SUV. He grabbed her hand, twining their fingers together.

“Something definitely spooked her. I have a feeling Chaz will pester her for answers.”

“He really likes her.”

“Yeah, I think he does,” Wes agreed. “If anything is wrong, we’ll all protect her.”

Ellie nodded. “You know, I’ve been thinking about things that need protecting...”

Wes knew that altruistic, Ellie-wants-to-save-the-world tone and braced himself for what was coming.Deep breaths, Murph. Deep fucking breaths.

“I read an article the other day and the sea turtles are in more danger now than ever before. I was thinking—”

“I hate them,” he gritted out.

“Wes, they need saving and I am a marine biologist.”

Although he couldn’t deny her anything, if she thought she was returning to the scene of the crime, she had another thing coming. He stopped walking and turned to face her. “Elizabeth Marie, there will be no more pirates, no more Indonesia and the sea turtles can go extinct for all I care!”

She frowned. “That was harsh. You even middle-named me.”

He allowed his shoulders to relax, letting some of the tension and frustration drain away. Softening his tone, he said, “I’m sorry, my love, but I’m never letting you go that far away from me again.”

Turning her hand over, he lifted it up and pressed a kiss to her open palm.

“Florida has sea turtles in need of saving, too,” she said softly.

Wes threw his head back and laughed. “Tenacious.”

Her sea-colored eyes glittered with determination. “I can’t help it. I love them.”

“More than me?”

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