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It really didn’t.
But for a man accustomed to conducting business operations with an airtight and well-developed strategy firmly in place before formal engagement ensued, the uncertainty of what lay ahead—not only Sean’s condition but also with Holly and his nieces—unnerved him. Hell, inserting into war-torn countries had never produced the level of angst and trepidation currently tying his entire body into a bundle of knots.
Besides, in his previous missions as a Ranger and his current assignments for SSI, Chace had multiple options at his disposal for nearly every scenario he may encounter. Presently, his intel was scarce. And where Holly was concerned, his experience had always been that less was definitelynotmore.
He doubted this situation would be any different. Oh, he didn’t anticipate opposition from Holly regarding the care ofhisnieces, but he and Holly were no longer together for a reason.
Well, several reasons really. And one superseded the rest—the constant threat of danger surrounding his career choice, first in the military and now as a security specialist with SSI. Risks Holly proclaimed were in no way conducive to marriage and family life.
Case in point, the situation they now faced. The irony certainly wasn’t lost on Chace that his return to Hickory Ridge at his sister’s request to take care of Emme and Wren was also precipitated by their father’s service-related life-threatening injury. Precisely what Holly feared would happen to him.
Chace couldn’t help but wonder how long it would take her to point out that his sister, her BFF, was now thrust into what had scared Holly to the point that she’d ended their engagement.
Regardless of their history, Chace was bound and determined to honor his sister’s request. If for no other reason than because Lyss rarely asked him for anything. That she had in this incident proved how much she needed him, and Chace had no intention of letting her down.
Resigned, Chace pulled his truck into Lyss’s driveway behind a late-model SUV he assumed belonged to Holly. Shutting off the engine, he hopped out of the truck, grabbed his duffel from the back seat of the dual cab, and followed the lighted stone pathway toward the front porch.
He raised his hand to press the bell, but the door swung open before his finger made contact with the illuminated button. And just like every other time since Chace had been fourteen years old, his heart skipped a beat at the mere sight of Holly McCade.
He’d long ago accepted it probably always would.
Fortunately, Chace had mastered the art of compartmentalizing. Though he was still a ball of nervous energy about what lay ahead, he’d successfully managed his feelings for Holly in the past, and he’d do so again. Being the twins’ godparents often threw them together during holidays and special occasions, so he had plenty of practice outwardly pretending Holly still didn’t reside in a large portion of his heart.
“The girls just fell asleep,” Holly whispered by way of greeting. “I didn’t want the doorbell to wake them.”
Obviously, someone had alerted her to his impending arrival—if not Alex, probably Thelma.
Stepping aside, Holly gestured for him to enter.
As he crossed the threshold, her signature vanilla and cinnamon scent enveloped him like a welcoming embrace, reminding him of when they greeted each other with affectionate hugs and passionate kisses. Chace rerouted his thoughts from the little diversion down memory lane since there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of that happening today.
Holly closed the door and followed him into the living room. “Can I get you something to drink? Or eat?”
“I’m good. Thanks.” Alex must have tipped her off to his arrival, since Thelma would have included the fact that he’d eaten while at the diner.
Holly sat in the corner of the overstuffed sofa, and Chace dropped into the matching slate-blue recliner diagonal from her. She hadn’t dressed for company. Instead, she looked ready for bed in her red reindeer-patterned pajamas and black wooly slippers. Even her caramel-brown hair was already twisted into the dual braids she employed to keep her thick tresses from tangling into a nest while she slept.
Not helping, his subconscious reminded him as his mind flashed with images of her lying naked in his bed, her glorious hair splayed across his chest because he’d asked her not to plait it as she curled her luscious curves against him.
Clearing his throat, Chace banished the scene from his mind, along with the feelings it elicited and could become embarrassing if he wasn’t careful. “Have you heard from Lyss?” No better way to cool his libido than to bring up his sister.
Holly nodded. “Yes. She arrived in Germany yesterday evening, their time, but Sean hasn’t been transferred yet. Apparently, he lost a lot of blood, and the doctors want to ensure he’s stable enough to travel before discharging him. Lyss is worried sick.”
In hindsight, Chace wondered if he should have flown to the medical center in Landstuhl from Cairo rather than returning home. Or, “Maybe Lyss should have waited until Sean was transported to the hospital before flying out to be with him.”
“You are aware we’re talking about your sister, right?”
Holly had a point. Once Lyss received the call informing her Sean was injured, nothing short of a SWAT team could have kept her grounded. Chace would bet money her decision was made before the call even ended. She was probably searching the internet for flights while still on the phone with Sean’s unit representative.
Kicking off her slippers, Holly folded her legs on the sofa cushion in crisscross applesauce style. “She said she’d call when she knew anything more.”
Leaning back, Chace propped his right booted ankle atop his left denim-clad knee. “How are Emme and Wren?”
“They seem okay,” Holly answered tentatively. “But Lyss only told them she was going to visit Sean. She didn’t mention his injury.”
Made sense, Chace guessed. “And they didn’t badger her to go along?” His nieces were nothing if not tenacious when it came to something they wanted. Clearly a trait they’d inherited from their mother.
“She never gave them a chance. As soon as Lyss got the call at work, she set her plans in motion. I assured her I’d take care of everything here.”
