Ihad decided that tomorrow was going to be the day. I was going to ask that beautiful, brave, smart, and slightly crazy woman to marry me. She had shown me that love was possible, even for a tough, old warrior, like me.
It was later in the morning than it usually was when I woke up. I felt for her in the bed next to me, but she wasn’t there, and that side of the bed was cool. She had been up for quite a while. I got to my feet and headed into the kitchen. As expected, she had made coffee for me. My heart dropped to my feet when I saw there was a note next to the coffee maker. Notes were never a good thing.
I read her words. Forgetting about the coffee, I sat down hard on the couch, trying to think about everything. Did she leave because I took too long to say something to her? Did she think that I didn’t love her like that?
She ended the note, “with love,” so that meant something. What kind of love, though? Was it hero worship? Guilt? Or was she in love with me, too, but didn’t know how to say something about it?
I was going to drive myself crazy if I just sat here thinking about this all day.
I hated guessing games. I hated not knowing and not having answers.
Although I had healed extremely quickly, I struggled to pull on my jacket. I hoped that my arm and leg would heal and get back to normal. Although I did want to marry and settle down with Elise, I still wanted to be able to be fit enough to go on missions.
It was another complete struggle to get into the car. My left side just didn’t want to cooperate. For the first time in my life, I was glad that I had given up my standard transmission for an automatic. My left leg would not have cooperated.
I should have called a cab, but I hated weakness in myself. I would never succumb to any weakness, even if it killed me. It wasn’t just my military training that made me this way. When I was a kid, my mother used to say that if I was out cutting firewood and cut my leg off, I would just wrap duct tape around it and keep going. Smiling at the memory, I shrugged.
The guys all clapped for me when I walked in. I would have taken a bow, but my side was still hurting a bit.
Gage, Damien, and Lucien slapped me on the back and hugged me.
Then, Gage stepped back to stare at me. “Did you drive over here?”
I pretended that I didn’t hear his question, hobbled over to the couch we kept in our reception area, and sat down with a sigh. I pretended to look everywhere but at him.
“You did. You drove over here. Did the doctor tell you that you could?”
“The doc doesn’t have to know everything,” I answered.
“I should beat the living tarnation out of you,” Gage exclaimed, only half-joking.
“Pretty sure that already happened recently. No need for you to add to the injuries,” I said.
After I sat there for a minute, the guys scattered and went back to work.
Gage got us both a cup of coffee and sat across from me. I took a sip and moaned with happiness. I loved Elise, but she was right about her kitchen skills. Her coffee tasted a lot like that mud she smeared on her face in Iran.
“Bet you made that sound while you were having sex with your damsel in distress,” Gage joked.
“I made more sounds than that. And how did you know?”
“I’ve known you for too long, brother. I know you. Plus, I saw how Elise looked at you while you were on the chopper and fading in and out of consciousness. She is a lady in love, my brother,” he said.
“Well, that is why I’m here,” I said. “I feel the same way about her. Marriage and a bunch of baby wolves seem to be suiting you just fine. I know that I’m in love with Elise, and wouldn’t mind a few pups running around.”
“Why are you telling me? We aren’t in eighth grade anymore. I’m not going to ask her for you. I could see it now. Elise, I have a friend who loves you, but only if you love him first.”
I opened my eyes wide, going along with his teasing. “Would you do that for me? Then, if she doesn’t love me, you could tell her that I really didn’t love her, either. You were just teasing.”
“Why are you here?” Gage asked, sounding exasperated. “Just go with your heart. It will never lead you astray.”
“Yeah, and what does a messed up wolf shifter have to offer a millionaire’s daughter?” I asked, even though I knew that I was going to go after my woman anyway.
“You have the world, brother man.”
“I’m not exactly sure what to say,” I said, hating that I did sound like a pathetic high school boy who wanted to ask someone to prom. “Don’t think I can exactly go up to her and say, ‘me Tarzan, you Jane.’”
Gage made a face at me and said, “Don’t you think that, ‘me wolf shifter, you my woman,’ would work a lot better?”