The Marine's Red Hot Homecoming (16 page)

Steven gave a lopsided, half smile, and used his good arm to balance Jason. “No time to waste,” he said, his voice halting and the words slurred. Still, his eyes held a glint of the man he was before the stroke had robbed him of full mobility and the ability to articulate easily.

Beside her, Caleb stiffened. Hannah, however, let go of a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding until Janet had spoken. “You made the right call.” She crossed the room to give her the bouquet. “Happy Mother’s Day.”

“Oh, these are lovely,” Janet said, admiring the brightly colored flowers. “Nancy, please put these in a vase. Bring our gifts for Hannah and Jason out to the veranda.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Nancy said, then took the bouquet from Janet and exited the living room.

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Hannah said.

“Nonsense.” Janet shot Caleb a pointed look. “Every mother should be remembered on this day. Don’t you agree?”

Hannah followed her quasi mother-in-law’s eyes and met Caleb’s guilty ones. He tugged his collar and cleared his throat. “Totally,” he agreed. “I’ve got all the bases covered.”

“The best present is time with family,” she said quickly, hoping to avert anymore negative waves. “Jason has missed you.”

“And we’ve missed him. But now we’re home for good.” Janet walked to a sideboard, lifted a carafe, and poured three cups of coffee. “We’ve found an excellent physical therapist and she’s working with Steven three times a week at the house. His progress has been remarkable.”

“That’s wonderful news.”

“Yes,” Janet said, handing her a cup. “You still take your coffee with extra cream?”

“Yes. And Caleb still likes his black.”

“I wouldn’t know what Caleb likes given that he’s managed to avoid dining with us since he became an adult,” Janet said, then compressed her lips into a razor thin line.

“He’s here now.”

“True,” Janet said, then sipped her own coffee. “However, I doubt he’ll be here for long.”

“He always did like to cut and run.” Steven added while sneaking a cookie off a plate that had been placed on the table next to his chair and giving it to Jason. “Officer McAuliffe had a hard time keeping up with him.”

“Without me that man wouldn’t have had a job,” Caleb said. “I’m surprised they didn’t name one of the cells after me.”

He sounded nonchalant. But when she darted her glance over at Caleb, he leaned against the door jamb with his arms crossed and a scowl marred his handsome face.

“He did retire shortly after you left Sweetbriar Springs.” Janet tilted her head toward the grand archway separating the living room from the dining room. “We’ll plate up our brunch and head out to the patio to dine al fresco.”

Though the casual brunch arrangements should have alleviated some of her tension, worry still tripped along her spine. “Sounds great.” She crossed the room to Steven’s chair. “I’ll take him and meet you outside.”

“As long as I get him again, I suppose I can let you have him for a few minutes,” Steven said as Hannah took Jason into her arms.

Janet positioned the walker in front of Steven’s chair. “Here you go, darling.”

“Thanks,” Steven said, then gripped the handles and pulled himself up only to falter on his feet when he began to walk.

Within seconds, Caleb was at his father’s side, steadying the walker. “I got your back, Dad,” he said.

Steven’s face turned bright red. “I don’t need your help.”

A muscle jumped in Caleb’s jaw and the veins near his temples stood in stark relief against his bronzed skin. “I’ll leave you to it,” he said after a beat of tense silence. “But I’m here for you whenever you ask.” More than the offer of physical assistance underpinned his bold statement.

“Try laying that bullshit on someone who might swallow it.” Steven nudged the walker forward and took a halting step. “Because we all know it took my stroke to bring you home. You’ll leave the first chance you get.”

“I’ll return every chance I get, too,” Caleb said.

“You’ll be nothing but a part-time father.”

“Right. But when I’m here, I’ll be here 100 percent for my family, especially my son. Unlike you.”

“I stuck by your mother to raise you from the minute I learned you were conceived.”

“I didn’t have that luxury, but I’m trying my damned best to make up for it now.”

“Cash doesn’t fix everything.”

“I realize that, but I won’t change who I am and what I do for anyone,” Caleb said, then scraped his hand over his head.

Hannah’s blood crystalized into ice, chilling her to the bone. Slowly, she lowered Jason to let him toddle into the dining room with Janet. Walking behind them, she realized that Caleb was no closer to walking away from the Marine Corps than he’d first arrived in Sweetbriar Springs.

On wooden legs, Hannah moved into the dining room, then loaded food onto her plate. But her appetite had plummeted along with her hopes for a positive family reunion. Clearly, his parents hadn’t forgiven Caleb for his teenaged transgressions, nor had they accepted his ultimate rejection of his birthright when he’d turned his back on the family business to fight overseas on a third tour of duty.

She didn’t like the coldness in Caleb’s tone. That ran too close to what she’d experienced with Brandon when he’d first arrived back in Los Angeles from his last tour of duty. She wanted to believe that Caleb was different, but today she questioned her instincts. She couldn’t go through that hell again. And she’d secretly hoped that he’d choose her over the Marines. Yes. That was selfish of her. But for once she’d like to come first, not last, in his life. Had she pinned her dreams on a schoolgirl fantasy once more?

###

Hannah's face turned the color of parchment when she heard Steven’s accusation. While the stroke had robbed the old man of his confident stride and powerful voice, it sure as hell hadn’t stolen his ability to strike like a rattler and spit out his personal brand of vicious venom.

“I’m here now. Doing what it takes to keep Gibson Technologies a hot commodity.” Caleb moved away from his father, giving the man space to push his walker behind Janet, Hannah, and Jason, who babbled happily on his way to the dining room.

His father shot him a steely-eyed glance over his shoulder. “You never wanted to follow in my footsteps, boy. You accused me of putting the company over everything the last time I saw you?” he asked. “But you’re not much different than me from where I sit. The Marines are your mistress. You’re choosing it over being with your family.”

A sharp pain lanced through his sternum. Caleb had spent years denying his father the one thing he demanded: a carbon copy who emotionally vacated his family to eat, sleep, and live for the only mistress that satisfied him: his company. But right now the world tilted dangerously beneath his feet because his dad’s hard ass crap hit him straight in the gut.

“I’m not using my commitment to the Marines as an excuse to abandon my duty to my family,” he said. “Nor will I use Gibson Technologies as an escape from doing what’s best for Hannah and Jason.”

“Then I had better double check the company’s financials.” Steven turned his head around to face the dining room and continued his slow progress to the archway. “I won’t let you run my life’s work into the ground.”

“Go for it.” Caleb resisted the urge to remind his father about the precarious position he’d left their family business in during his last few months at the company’s helm. What would it take to get the jerk’s approval for once in his life? Nothing. But that no longer mattered. He only wanted Hannah to accept him—all of him—no matter what he decided to do about his future. “You won’t be disappointed. I busted my butt to save Gibson Technologies. I’m damn proud of the results.”

Still, acid burned in his throat belying his assertion. Because right now his way freakishly mirrored his dad’s self-centered modus operandi. Caleb had spent the better part of the last two days working to shore up the company’s financials, which meant he’d missed out on time with his family. The business needed his attention, but he’d make up for the lost time, unlike his father. Balancing the demands of running the Gibson conglomerate with being a good father and husband would be a helluva lot easier than returning to his post for another long tour of duty. He couldn’t buy back two years of time, all the new firsts he’d miss with Jason, or the lost moments of shared intimacy and love with Hannah.

Steven shot him a challenging look. “I’ll go over the numbers with the board next week,” He nodded to Nancy who had re-entered the living room and stood waiting by the dining room. “Take my plate to the veranda. You know what I like.”

“Yes sir.”

Gritting his teeth, reminding himself that he no longer had to act out his frustration like a kid, Caleb stepped through the archway into the dining room, then took a double take. “Wow, looks great,” he said. A whole lot different than he had expected. Instead of heirloom bone china, crystal glasses, and the polished silverware he was accustomed to using growing up, melamine square plates in neon colors along with plastic matching goblets greeted his eyes. Clear, plastic cutlery and paper napkins with Jason’s favorite cartoon character added to the tableau.

His mother smiled. Her grin reached her eyes, making them sparkle. “I wish I could take all the credit. But I borrowed Hannah’s kid friendly party ideas from her Pinterest board.”

“Snap the Turtle is big right now.” Hannah lifted an orange plate and a green one. “He’s got a show coming to Asheville next month.”

“Oh, Steven and I will have to take him.” Janet followed Hannah around the table, loading her neon pink plate with food. “That’ll give you a day to pamper yourself, our treat.”

Hannah spooned a mixed green salad onto her plate and added strawberries to Jason’s. “He’d love that, wouldn’t you little guy?”

“Pawpaw coming?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” she said, then added, “But please don’t worry about me. I’ll use the time to catch up on work.”

“Oh no you won’t,” Janet argued. “Consider this our Mother’s Day present to you—belated, but I hope you’ll enjoy it just the same.”

“I know I can’t win an argument with you, so yes. Thank you so much.”

“Well, someone has to make sure our grandson’s mother is treated right,” Steven said giving yet another pointed look at Caleb.

“Steven,” Hannah said gently, stopping to place her hand on Steven’s. “Caleb has been wonderful to us ever since he got back to Sweetbriar Springs. He doesn’t have to buy me presents to show how much he cares. What’s important is the time he spends with Jason. That’s been a huge gift to me during the restoration of the spa.”

His father paused a beat as if struggling for the right response. Much to Caleb’s satisfaction, he read the guilt crossing Steven’s features as he digested her comment.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Steven glanced Caleb’s way. “Because there’s no way a person can make up for time he’s missed.”

Shit, he’d completely fucked up Hannah’s first Mother’s Day with him. She hadn’t said anything. Or complained. That wasn’t her style. But when she had insisted on going to the florist to get his mother a bouquet, he realized his mistake. And, to add to his guilt about being totally AWOL in the gift giving department, Zach had texted him a picture of Kennedy’s reaction to her gifts from him and Chelsea Anne.

“I’ve got something set up for you,” Caleb said. He’d quickly set up a special vegetarian dinner delivery after that text, and he’d ordered a huge floral arrangement online that would be delivered within twenty-four hours.

But flowers and food and being alone with Hannah didn’t erase the big problem he still faced when it came to convincing her to be with him no matter what he chose to do with his life. But even he had doubts about what course to take. Stay and deal with the company after his old man regained control? Lose his identity, maybe even become exactly like his father because of that choice? Or should he go? Serve his country and miss out on two years of being with Hannah and Jason? Either way, right now he was pretty much fucked regardless of his choice.

“I’m sorry I forgot to get you something today, but I will make up for it. Thanks for sticking up for me,” Caleb whispered to her after his parents left the dining room with Jason close on their heels.

“I meant every word,” she replied. “I know I would have been okay even if you hadn’t he’s is thrilled to have his daddy home. So am I.”

While he appreciated Hannah coming to his defense, he plated his own meal with a heavy heart. “You might not have expected presents, but you sure as hell deserve them.” He mentally thanked his iPhone and the Internet for his last minute Mother’s Day save. “But I guess it’s too late to pull together a homemade hand print in plaster for you like Zach did with Chelsea Anne.”

“Chelsea Anne looked adorable in a custom pink T-shirt claiming her as best big sister in the world,” she said. “A hand print would be nice, but please don’t think you have pony up the money to match Kennedy’s new mom-mobile Land Rover, top of the line SUV with a humungous red bow standing in the lake house driveway.”

“There’s always next year.”

“You don’t even know where you’ll be in a month, let alone a year,” she said.

“I’ll get you something. Hell, it’s not like I can’t afford to give you your own top of the line SUV.”

She paused and the pulse in her collarbone fluttered. “I don’t need expensive presents, nor do I want them.”

“Then tell me what the hell will satisfy you.” Not that he didn’t already know the answer. Shit. Shit. Shit. He didn’t want to go there with her yet. He had to reel her in with who he was today, then work on getting her to accept the fact that his commitment to the military was solid.

“What I need can’t be wrapped up in pretty paper.” She glanced at his neckline, then darted her eyes back to his. “And it can’t be neatly tied up with a bow.”

He rubbed the metal chain resting against his skin between his fingers and thumb. “You asking me to make a choice now?”

She shook her head. “I’m asking you to give me the one thing you once told me you always wished for because that’s the only thing I have to give to you.” Her voice wavered, but her gaze remained rock solid and sure, then she moved away from him and walked to the French doors that lead to the patio beyond.