Page 31 of No Regrets

Taking a deep breath, Sophie forced her heart rate to slow down. How could he affect her this much with a simple look? She sighed, chiding herself. Christ, it’s not like the feeling was mutual with him. A man like Ryan could have any woman he wanted, probably had them eating out of his hand. She was just an average-looking, ordinary girl. He’d never given her a second look. Not that it mattered. She’d dated a Navy man once. It hadn’t worked out well. And what with their training, deployments, missions, and her irregular hours, it was just too damn difficult. God, the hours she worked made any relationship difficult. Too bad she wasn't a hook-up kind of girl, because if he ever showed any interest, she would certainly consider a hook-up with Ryan Baxter. She mentally shook herself and refocused as she stepped into the hearing room.

KELLY AND SOPHIE SAT on the patio of the small Italian restaurant. It was early evening, the sun was still warm, and the restaurant was close to full. As she looked around, people were enjoying themselves. Cutlery clattering on plates mixed with laughter and conversation. The aromas of freshly prepared food filled the air. It was all so normal. She’d been to this restaurant more times than she could remember, many with Dex. It felt good to be here.

“If you want to leave at any time, just say and we’ll go.” Sophie looked at her with concern. Kelly shifted in her chair. Her ribs still hurt a little and although most of her bruises had faded, some of the cuts were still sore. Despite all that she felt calm, which pleased her. She’d been excited about going out and dreading it all at the same time.

“Thanks, but I’m OK.”

“You sound surprised.”

“I am a little. I thought I’d be more nervous, but I know this restaurant. This feels familiar. It feels right.”

“Well then, how about a little wine?”

Kelly smiled and, damn, it felt good to smile. “That sounds like a plan.”

They ordered a choice of appetizers. During her captivity and hospitalization, she’d lost seven pounds. On her slim build it had been noticeable, leaving her gaunt enough to see the outline of her lower ribs. She was eager to gain the weight back. It would give her strength, but her appetite wasn’t big. So, slow and steady. That seemed to be her mantra these days.

“So, you’ve been home over a week now. What are you filling your days with?” Sophie asked as their drinks were delivered.

“Therapy, nurse visits, walking on the beach. You know, all that exciting stuff.” Kelly rolled her eyes, then she took a sip of her wine, savoring the taste. Mmm, she hadn’t had wine since Cuba. With Dex.

“What else? Come on that doesn’t take up all of your time.”

“I’ve been reading a lot. Binge watching TV. When I get this thing off...” She held up her hand, showing the cast. “I want to swim.”

“Another couple of weeks. By that time, your ribs should be good enough for a gentle swim too.”

“Looking forward to it. I logged into my laptop today, cleared out my inbox. Work emails and stuff. There were some nice messages there.”

Clearing her inbox hadn’t been her primary reason for logging in. Kelly couldn’t let it rest. Ever since her conversation with Sophie yesterday, her mind kept going over the facts. Dex was home. Too much. The team didn’t appear to have come by in a week. Sophie had been called to speak at a hearing. Yes, they could be unrelated, but it seemed unlikely.

Thank God, she had a high security clearance. She’d signed in and started scouring through documents. It took exactly ten minutes to find the document she was looking for.

Lieutenant Commander Dexter Dawson appearing before preliminary review board regarding violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

“Are you thinking about going back to work?” Sophie asked as the server brought their food, bringing Kelly’s attention back.

“I’m going to reach out and have a conversation. The Navy has been great. Told me to take as long as I need, but maybe a routine would be good? Does that make sense?”

“It does make sense. I can only imagine that too much time alone, not doing anything, gives you way too much time to dwell on things.”

“Exactly. I’m hoping I can maybe start doing some work at home and then a gradual return to the base.”

“Sounds like you’re really making progress.”

Sophie filled her plate with appetizers while Kelly picked at a few. They tasted delicious. Then again, everything tasted delicious since she’d got back.

She wanted to ask Sophie about the hearing. Finding the information about Dex had been shocking and unfortunately there were only limited details. Dex disobeyed a direct order from his commanding officer, Joe Johnson, on the day she was rescued. He’d also given orders to his pilot, used military resources? Why would he be in trouble for any of this? Unless...unless he had been ordered not to come and get her? She’d been struggling to make sense of it, and maybe Sophie could fill in some blanks.

“So, how was the hearing today?”

Kelly saw the look of uncertainty flash across Sophie’s face. “It was fine.”

“Is it over?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Do you have to go back?”

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