Page 113 of Lucky Charm
He rapped a quick one-two on the door. “Sir, can I speak with you?”
The commander sat at his desk, an array of paperwork in front of him. He signaled for Hunt to enter. “How’s the doctor?”
“Out of surgery. I can’t see her yet. I’m sorry I haven’t talked with you. I needed a bit to wrap my mind around the whole situation. Doogie said he applied for leave. I’d like to —”
“Sit, Hunt.”
Hunt couldn’t read Scott’s expression. He sat.
“I already sent your request up the chain for approval. I have a call pending to CommanderCollins. I’ve been notified the team is heading home. Deployment cut short. I need your report on the IQS mission, then it’s closed out.”
He could write that while sitting with Cait. “Is there a hang up with Commander Collins?”
“Not that I know of. You have the leave. The team is going home. Makes no sense for you to drop into San Diego, ask for leave, and then fly to Germany. What I’d like to know is are you sure? Is this a spur of the moment relationship? Are you getting in deeper than you should?”
“I’m going to marry her. Nothing else to say, and it’s not spur of the moment. I’ve known her for a while.” She’d been living in his heart for over a year.
Scott stayed silent, possibly waiting for more. But Hunt wasn’t giving him anything else. “I want to be on that plane and with her when she wakes. Her body is broken, Harrison. She’s going to need help. I want to do that for her.”
“It’s not your fault she’s hurt.”
“Maybe not. It’s still important to me.”
Harrison shoved a paper across to him. “Sign that. I’ll do what I can.”
“To be clear, Cait and I haven’t talked about details. I will go with her to Germany and be there until they move her back to the states. From there, I have no idea. Depends upon surgeries and healing and the Army.”
“Understood. Keep me apprised.” Scott raised a brow, giving him a stern look. The onlyadmonishment he’d get for putting the man off. Gratitude flooded him.
“Yes, I will. Thank you.” Hunt stood.
“I’ll see you back in San Diego.” Scott slid the paper back to his side of the desk and put it on a pile. “Get me your report as soon as you can.”
“Done.” He left in a rush before Scott could add anything else – a nagging sense of needing to get to Cait unleashed.
Chapter Nineteen
December 3, 2019 - Early morning
Day 29
“Why isn’t she waking up?” Hunt looked to Duncan.
It was the early hours of a long, dark night. Report done and handed off to Doogie, a phone call to Jackie, and no answer yet from Scott, he sat with nothing to do but hold her hand. He had no idea how long it had been since he’d slept. Intel was still coming in about the bombings, and news had broken that IQS was dead, killed by a drone strike called by Special Operations. Thankfully, his team’s name wasn’t in the mix yet. They’d be home before it was.
Hunt held fast to the warmth of Cait’s hand. Successful surgery long over, she had yet to stir.
“Head injuries are dicey like this. She could wake any minute or could be days. All her vitals are solid. If she stays like this, she’ll go to Germany on the first flight. Are you going with her?”
“Yes. I’m working on that.” He’d heard nothing from Scott, and if the answer was no from Command, he’d sign his paperwork right now and get out. That idea was an overreaction, but he would walk away from the only life he had and fall into Cait’s arms, and she would take him. He knew that with a surety that settled him.
“Thanks, Major. For taking care of her.”
“She’s my friend, Hunt. My family. I’m sorry I gave you a hard time earlier.”
“Accepted. I wasn’t in a frame of mind to listen, Duncan. Thanks for making me. She needs all of us.”
“Yes, but I’m here for another four months. What about you?”
