Claiming Holly (Holiday Cove 1)

“Holy shit,” Aaron said, the words leaving him like an exhausted sigh. He reached for the back of his neck and held his hand there for a moment. “I had no idea. I tend not to watch the news and, like I said, it’s been so busy around here, I haven’t had much of a chance to check in with Jack. I didn’t know anything was wrong.”

“Sorry to barge in like this,” Rachel said.

Aaron shook his head. “No, no. I’m glad you’re here. I don’t know how much help I’ll be but let me check with a few guys and see what I can find out.” He turned back around and opened the side door that had swung close behind him. He held it open and ushered Rachel and me forward, and then herded the dogs in after us. “You guys can follow me.”

We followed behind as he passed through the central bay of the museum, and as we walked, more memories of my day spent there with Jack came back to me. We ended up going to what appeared to be an employee lounge, with a long, navy blue couch, which looked well-worn and comfortable. Opposite that was a small, but workable, kitchen with a fridge, microwave oven, and a large espresso machine. In the center of the room was a round table with four chairs.

“Help yourselves to anything in the fridge. There’s water, juice, sandwiches. Or, if you can figure out how to work that behemoth—” he pointed to the espresso machine, that upon second glance was so shiny that it looked like it had just been taken from the box it came in, “—you’re more than welcome to an espresso. Had the damn thing about six months and haven’t been able to get it to do anything.” He smiled politely at us.

Rachel returned it easily, but I found it hard to muster up anything even remotely resembling lightness. “Thank you.”

With a curt nod, he backed up to the doorway. “Anyway, I’ll be in my office just down the hall from here, and I’ll be back as soon as I find out what the hell’s going on with Boomer.”

“Boomer?” Rachel repeated once he was gone.

This time I did smile, only slightly. “It’s Jack’s call sign. You know, like Maverick and Iceman.” I explained, laughing softly as I remembered that was how Jack had explained it to me the first time. And the horrified look on his face when I’d confessed, I’d never seen the movie Top Gun.

Rachel crossed to the fridge and opened the door. “You didn’t tell me Jack’s friend was such a hottie,” she teased, her head buried in the refrigerator as she rooted around through the contents. When she turned back around, she was holding two bottles of juice and wearing a broad smile.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stifle a giggle. “I know. Worst best friend ever.”

Rachel tossed her head back, letting her long sun-bleached hair fall down her back as she laughed.

“Wanna know something else about him?”

“Sure! You know secrets?” She replied as she handed me a bottle of juice.

“His call sign? Player.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me, you mean like a player-player, or just a player?” She laughed again.

“Let’s just say, I’m not talking football!”

It felt good to laugh again. With the pressure of talking to Aaron off and Rachel, Hunter and Princess by my side, it was easier to relax.

I just had to hang on long enough for Aaron to get us some answers.

33

Holly

“Do you think it’s a good sign or a bad sign that this is taking so long?” I asked Rachel, pacing back across the small employee lounge space for the countless time since Aaron had left to go make phone calls.

Rachel shrugged. “Why don’t you come sit down?”

I shook my head and wrapped my arms around myself. I glanced at the clock on the microwave and calculated how long Aaron had been gone. It had been an hour and twenty-two minutes. I spun and paced back across the room.

“Holly…” Rachel said, her voice gentle but firm. “Come on. Have a sandwich or something.”

With a sigh, I gave into her request and crossed back to the couch she was occupying. She handed me one of the sandwiches we’d taken from the fridge and I peeled back at the plastic wrapping with the tip of my fingernail. The last thing I felt like doing was eating a sandwich, or drinking coffee, or anything else that would make it seem like my life was normal right now.

Hunter and Princess came back into the room, trotting side by side, their nails making clicking sounds against the laminate flooring. Hunter cut away to come over and investigate the food Rachel and I had. “Huntey!” Rachel squealed, pushing his head away from her lap, right as he’d been about to snag the second half of her lunch.