His Hart's Command (Nothing Special 6)

God grimaced, turning his eyes away.

“What, bighead? Tell me.”

“Think about it for a second, captain.”

Hart stared at God. What was he getting at?

“You pulled rank on him on that op, Ivan. You two have never worked like that before,” God said.

“I had to make a hard call.”

“And a wrong one.” God gripped his shoulder when he opened his mouth to object. “Too many people have told you that already for it not to be true. You’re Fox’s best friend, Ivan. Not just his captain. I’ve never seen him so terrified, wrecked. For four petrifying minutes he thought—everyone thought—that you were burning alive in that building. Don’t you get that?”

“Cash,” Hart sighed. Damn. Maybe they were right. It had been irresponsible. That was the closest he’d ever come to dying, and he had to admit it’d scared the hell out of him. He should’ve trusted his second to get them out of the jam…like he always did. That was why he was the Fox.

“Shit, Hart mumbled. “He didn’t resign, did he?”

“No. He’s just blowing off steam. You know how it is. But you got some ass-kissing to do when you see him.”

“Great.”

“Look. I’ll talk with him some more. You just go and enjoy whatever your boy got cooked-up and come back refreshed and ready to work.”

“I plan on it.” Hart’s attention was drawn to the quiet, white Volkswagen pulling into his driveway. “Oh no. That’s Reese.”

“Wonderful,” God grumbled. “What the hell is she doing here? Don’t you have a restraining order?”

“No,” Hart gritted out. “I was pretty sure she’d taken the hint after I threatened to have her fired.”

God folded his arms over his chest and stood in front of Hart when his ex got out of the car and strode up the walkway. Her bright red hair was pulled into a conservative ponytail, and she was dressed in an attractive, mint-green pantsuit, as if she’d just left the office.

When she stood on the bottom step she looked up and squinted at God, “Hello, Cashel. Long time no see.”

“Mother Teresa. How are you?” God jibed.

His ex jeered, giving God one of her classic you-don’t-want-none glares, “Do you mind terribly if I speak with my husband, or are you gonna keep playing his bodyguard.”

“Ex-husband. And I ain’t playing, lady,” God growled.

“Cash. I got it.” Hart firmly eased his friend to the side. “What is it, Reese?”

“I, um.” She glanced over at God, who was still standing imposingly close. “Can we talk someplace in private?”

“No. He can stay right here.” God inched closer. He’d been well aware of Reese’s physical abuse over the years and had lived through it with him.

“Reese. Say whatever you need to say. God doesn’t need to go anywhere.” Hart glanced in the direction of Free’s RV. He had to have heard Reese’s car pull up behind his camper. Hart could only imagine what he was thinking.

“Fine,” she sighed. “Can we go inside then?”

“No,” Hart and God said in unison.

Her arms sagged at her sides, her face falling. “What?”

“Please leave, Reese. After what you did to my boyfriend last time you were here you’re no longer welcome.”

“And therefore trespassing,” God added for good measure, then yanked a zip tie out of his jacket pocket.

“God,” Hart said calmly. “That won’t be necessary.”

“I’m not here to upset you. I wanted to apologize,” she hurried to say, nervously eyeing the cuffs. “I saw you on the news, Ivan. I saw what you did.”

Hart wasn’t sure he’d heard her right. The woman had never apologized for anything and she’d certainly never cared how he performed on his job. Not knowing how to comment, he didn’t say anything at all.

Teresa adjusted her purse on her shoulder and stared up at him. He was sure he saw sorrow and maybe some regret there too. “I’m…I’m seeing a therapist now.” She looked as if she hated admitting that in front of God, but she kept going, “After what happened last time, and you yelling at me like that…I knew I’d gone too far. You never yell at females.”

“I didn’t yell,” Hart tried to clarify.

“Well. Talked forcefully.” She nodded, her eyes starting to mist.

Has she suddenly developed allergies in her forties? She’d never gotten emotional over him. He had no clue what the hell was going on.

“You almost died the other week, and the last thing I would’ve said to you was…”

Hart flinched. He remembered everything she said. “It’s okay.”

“The hell it is,” God added, still scowling at Reese. It took a lot more than a few sniffles to convince him.

“God, let her finish,” Hart said softly. If this was an awakening for Reese and her terrible behavior, he didn’t want to discourage it. He was elated she was getting help so maybe she could be a better wife to her next husband.

“I just wanted to say I really am sorry for everything. Everything.” She sniffed. “You were a good husband, Ivan, and you deserved better than me.”