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John swallowed, feeling emotional at the depth of understanding from his friend and co-worker… who was now family.
“You always have someone you can talk to – and I hope you know that,” Jace replied softly. “You aren’t alone.You arefamily. I won’t say a thing about what you told me, because that isn’t my story to tell or share with anyone – and none of their business, frankly.”
John let out a sigh of relief as Jace continued speaking.
“I will tell you that if you show Emily that you love her,heart and soul, then everything will be alright… and you just need to relax, because I guarantee she is as worried and nervous as you are.”
“Thank you,” he murmured gratefully, just needing to talk to someone, and glad Jace was available. The man was quiet, loyal, and when it came to family? There was an unshakeable protective bond there… it was like that with his sister, Jana, and he was honored to have Jace as a brother-in-law through marriage.
“Where are you anyhow? I hear a lot of noise in the background…”
“Downstairs getting Emily something for dinner and giving her a little privacy,” John admitted.
“Being thoughtful and kind works well with the ladies… but find a way to make her laugh. It works as an ice breaker, because I guarantee she’s just as nervous as you are. I would say ‘have a drink’… but you’ve already done that.”
“Har har har, Hot Cakes…” John said flatly.
“Goodness, you even sound like Emily…” Jace laughed easily. “My timer is beeping and I’ve gotta hit the chow line. Go have some fun, brother, and I’ll see you when you get back on base.”
“Jace?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“You betcha.”
John hung up the phone and sighed heavily, realizing that he might not have many people in the world he could call family – but the ones that he had in his life, were some of the best that there were… including his bride.
… And with that thought, John got up and went to order something for them to have for dinner in their room.
CHAPTER25
EMILY
Emily soakedin the jacuzzi tub for almost an hour, before getting out and donning the hotel robe over her pajamas nervously. Glancing at her watch, she saw that John had been gone over an hour, and almost texted him to see where he was at… but didn’t want to come off as clingy.
Instead, she waited, and turned on the television, trying to keep herself distracted. It was weird, because there were no clocks anywhere in Las Vegas, and if she didn’t have her watch or hadn’t seen the sunset over Lake Mead… she wouldn’t have known what time it was.
It was almost midnight.
She was incredibly tired, hungry, and feeling very much alone… only to hear a knock at the door of the hotel room.
Nervously, she peered outside the peep hole and saw John standing there. Unlatching it, she opened the door…
“Did you forget your key…oh!”
John was standing there with a rolling tray… and roses.
“Your dinner is served, my love…” he smiled tenderly. “Are you hungry?”
“What are you…”
“Spoiling my wife,” he answered. “Stand back and let me carry the tray inside. Can you hold the door?”
Nodding, Emily held the door open, and plucked the flowers out of his hand so he could use them both to carry in the tray laden with dishes covered by silver lids.
A few of them were stacked on top of each other, and there was a silver container holding ice that looked very similar to an ice bucket for wine.
