Page 18 of Natalie's Nighthawk

“Understatement,” Logan muttered under his breath. “I had a friend like that growing up too,” he told them sadly.

“What happened?” Graham could sense that there was a story there.

“Same as you, I guess. We lost touch.” Graham didn’t think that was all. There was something behind the sadness in his eyes. A loss that had buried itself bone-deep. Graham could sense Logan was troubled about something in his past, but he was closed off about it. Maybe, someday, the SEAL would open up to them. He’d learned long ago it wasn’t healthy to let things fester.

David swept his light upriver. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

He shrugged again, having often wondered that himself. He figured he had wanted to keep that unusual time to himself. It was precious to him. He’d felt guilty for not telling his brother and business partner since they usually shared everything with each other. Why, then, had he never told David the truth about that day? He didn’t have an answer.

David shook his head in disbelief. “And you never slept with her?”

“Nope. Just a conversation. Well, that and a kiss.”

“Ha!” David exclaimed. “I knew there had to have been something else. Damn, if she’s that important to you, what are you doing here now? We could have handled this one without you.”

“I know, but it’s my job.”

“Shit, there’s your superhero complex again.”

“What are you talking about?” Graham was shocked at the tone in David’s voice.

David sighed. “You have this need to always be the one to save the day. It’s admirable, but you are allowed to have a life of your own.”

“You’ve trained us all well,” Logan added. “We can occasionally handle a mission without you. Especially those of us with special forces training.” Logan grinned, his amusement that Graham thought they couldn’t do the job without him shining behind his eyes. “I know that,” Graham insisted.

“So, maybe we need to make some changes. We’ve spent so much of our time and energy developing Nighthawk, building our reputation, that maybe now that we are doing so well, it’s time for us to loosen the reigns a bit.” David had a valid point. But SAR had been his life for so long that he didn’t know how to let go. He’d never forgive himself if he did, and something happened that he could have prevented. For a chance to spend more time with Natalie, he just might consider it.

“Two o’clock, guys!” Logan shouted.

The brothers both looked ahead to the right, seeing the kayakers waving their hands in the air to get their attention. Logan maneuvered the RIB closer to the men who were relieved someone had spotted them and doubly grateful it was a team of Nighthawks. They were all uninjured and dry, just lost. They loaded the men into the RIB, tied the kayaks together to the back, and took them to their launching place. It took another hour to get back to the Nighthawk’s dock and securely store the boat.

Graham looked at his watch. It was too late to call Natalie, but he’d promised her he’d let her know when he was safe. He typed a quick text as he made his way to his truck.

The text came through at two in the morning, allowing Natalie to finally relax enough to fall asleep. Her dreams were filled with the man who currently occupied way too much space in her head. It had been only two days since they’d reconnected, but she already felt like she knew him better than she’d known her ex-fiancé. She’d never felt like her ex had truly let her in; that should have been her first clue to the type of man he would later show himself to be.

Natalie had been disappointed when Graham had had to cut their evening short, but she’d also been extremely proud. He did important work. She had firsthand knowledge of that since he’d found Colin and Lucy so quickly, a feat the Sheriff was still complaining about even as he took credit for the decision to bring the Nighthawks in. Of course, the entire town knew that for the lie that it was.

After he’d dropped her off last night, she’d done an internet search and found the interview everyone had been talking about, curiosity getting the better of her. It was an hour-long episode of 20/20 featuring Marcus Rayne’s rescue and Graham’s life history. She, of course, knew at least half of his history, but the rest was fascinating. What was most surprising was how predominantlyshefeatured in that history even though he’d never named her. Graham told the reporter how a “special friend’s” advice to him while helping save his brother after the tornado, had stuck with him ever since.

Twelve years ago

Natalie watched in horror as the tornado made a beeline straight forGraham’s house.It was like a living thing, eating up everything in its path, leaving nothing unscathed.Roof shingles and siding torn off houses on both sidesof the street. Trees pulled out by the roots and flung far.Even carsdidn’tescape the destruction.The image of atwo-toncarbeingtossed around like a toywouldforeverbe imprinted in her memory.

The tornado shifted slightly right as it barreled towards their houses. Natalie’s house was to the right of Graham’s, the vortex sucking thesiding off the side of the house.Her favorite tree in the front yardwasreduced to kindling.But it was watching what was happening to Graham’s house that was the most heartbreaking.Thewhirlingcreaturecutthrough the house,as if it entered through the front door and walkedstraightto exit out the back door.Walls disappeared, windows, furniture,books, electronics,stairs-everything gone.The only thing remainingafter thetornado wreaked itshavocwasoneoutside wall,the back corner,and a small section of roof attached to that wall.

“I think my brother was in there,” Grahamblurted outin horror.Nataliestaredat him. Shedidn’tknow how anybody could have survived that.She gave a brief thought toMaddie and her parents,though shedidn’tthink any of themhad beenhome, but the damagetherewasn’t as devastating asit was at Graham’s house.Shedidn’thave any time to think about her family as Graham had thrown the car into gear again and was speeding toward what was left of his house,not caring about the debris he wascrashing through as heracedto get home as quickly as he could.

Slammingthe car in park, Grahamthrew himself out the doorto raceto his brother,Natalie right on his heels.Shenoticedthe remaining wall trembled, ready to collapse,andinstinctivelyknewitwouldn’tbe a good idea to enter. She yelled for Graham to stop,buthisfocuswas entirelyon getting to his brother.Itwasn’tuntil she placed herself directly in front of him,seta palm flat on his chest,and screamed for him to stopthat he finally paused.

“You can’t go in there right now!” she cried. He made a choked sound ofdenial;his eyeswide,dartingaround,andunable to focus.His thoughtswerecompletely onhis brother. “Look,” Natalie indicatedtheprecariously wobblingwall. “That might come downany time,and if you areinthere when it does…” she let the thought trail off,toodisturbed to even think about it.

“The sirens went off before the tornado, right?” she reasoned. “David probably heard them.Where do you guys go whenthe sirens sound?”She could tell Grahamwasn’thearing her.He was too panicked, too worried to focus on her words, his breathingway too fast.“Graham!” she yelled louder. He looked at her, eyes wide, the pupilsdilated. Okay. She had toget him to focus. Had to get him to understand before he did something stupid and got himself killed.“Where would David go when he heard the sirens?”

She could see reason slowly returnto his brain. “Umm…basement. Yeah, the basement. That’s where we were always told to go.”

“Okay. Basement. Good,” shewasthinking out loud. How were they going to get to the basement with thepilesof debrisall over? Not to mention that unstable wall.“Where…where are the basement steps?”It had been a long time sinceshe’dbeen inside the Whitakerhouse and couldn’t recall exactly where the basement had been.

“Umm…” he muttered.

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