Here With Me (The Archer Brothers 1)

“Do you think Nate’s not coming home because he’s waiting for her to screw up? That would give him an easy out.”

I tip my bottle back and empty its contents. “He’s going to come home acting like he had no idea I was alive and be hurt. Shit thing is, my mom is on his side and kept reminding me that Ryley’s his. I beg to differ. That woman up there with your wife was made for me. It’s just a matter of time before I have her again.”

“Frannie likes her. She was there for her and EJ. She said it helped her cope with my death.”

“Man, this shit is so fucked up,” I say as I slam my empty beer bottle into the sand. “We’ve missed so much and for what? Nothing, that’s what, and no one is going to pay for the shit we’ve missed.”

River pats me on the shoulder. “Rask and McCoy are here. Let’s head back up there and start the bonfire.”

We walk back up the beach and as soon as Ryley sees me, her eyes light up. I don’t care what people think of me right now, this girl is mine. I either need to be patient or take that damn ring off her finger myself.

I sit down next to her and place my arm around her. She leans into me, warming me instantly. I kiss the top of her head, letting my lips linger there for longer than necessary but not long enough to satisfy me.

WATCHING THE SUNSET OVER the Pacific Ocean can only be summed up with one word: breathtaking. It could be the company I’m in, or simply the view. Either way, the pure beauty that is envel

oping my friends and me tonight gives me peace and a lot to think about. The more time I spend with Evan, the more I know I’m meant to be with him. He’s been home for almost two weeks, and it seems like it was just yesterday. We have so much to re-learn about each other, and he about EJ, but each day is like Christmas and we’re unwrapping presents one at a time.

The fire crackles in front of me as the guys and Frannie sit around and tell stories from years that have gone by. We don’t talk about the past six years. Most of us are trying to pretend they don’t exist. We all want answers but none of us have them. Evan told me earlier that my mom has been looking into why this happened, but is afraid of snooping too deep without proper evidence. I don’t blame her. I have a feeling this is bigger than any of us combined and if someone can make four men from a SEAL commando disappear, they can do anything to the rest of us.

“What if they come after us?” I blurt out before I realize what I’m saying. All eyes are on me instantly, and even though it’s dark I can see almost everyone’s eyes piercing through me. I swallow hard and look at Evan who’s staring at the fire with a scowl on his face.

“Don’t think like that, Ry,” Evan says firmly, and I know I’ve hit a nerve. McCoy opens a new beer and downs it without stopping. Frannie is looking at me, and River is staring at the fire. Rask is rubbing his head, and Evan’s leg is bouncing.

“I can’t help it and by the looks on everyone’s faces, you’ve all thought it too. Someone made you guys disappear for six years. You just don’t come back from the dead without there being repercussions.” I angrily wipe away a tear that’s falling down my cheek. I’m trying to be strong here, not weak and emotional. I’ve never feared for my life, but this situation is giving me a lot of concern. If my mom is investigating, someone is going to find out. That someone could want to remain anonymous and the easiest way to keep a secret is to eliminate the person or people who know. They’d have a lot of blood on their hands, but their secret would be kept.

“I think about it,” Frannie says. “I see lights shining through our bedroom window at night and wonder if someone is going to knock on the door.” River reaches for her hand to comfort her. “During the day, I’m constantly looking over my shoulder and brushing off people who ask questions about your return. I don’t trust them.”

“Neither do my parents,” Rask adds.

“How’d your meeting go?” Evan asks him, reminding me that Rask met with his parents while Evan and I were at his mom’s. I should’ve waited to take Evan home so we could stay and support Rask. That was a very selfish move on my part.

Rask shrugs and kicks some sand around. “My mom…” he shakes his head before covering his face. “She doesn’t believe. Says I’m an imposter, a clone. She’s convinced that I’m not her son and that hers was buried a long time ago. It didn’t matter what I said to her, or how many memories I recounted, she wouldn’t budge. I tried to hug her, but she recoiled and hid behind my dad.

“He didn’t say anything either. I finally gave up and left. I couldn’t sit there and watch them shun me over something I had no control over.”

I cover my mouth and hold back a sob for Rask. “I’m so sorry, Justin.” Frannie reaches over and grabs his hand, but he lets go quickly.

“Today’s Claire’s birthday. She’s nine and I’m not there to celebrate with her,” McCoy says somberly.

“Do you have any leads?” River asks, but McCoy shakes his head.

“I have nothing. Claire isn’t enrolled in school anywhere under her name. Penni isn’t working and if she is, it’s under a different social security number. I’m starting to think they’re dead, and I just don’t want to believe that they don’t exist. Why would Penni need to hide? None of it makes sense.”

The mood quickly turns somber after McCoy’s declaration. He stares at the fire, his eyes glazed over. I can’t help but feel sorry for starting this conversation, but it’s been weighing on my mind.

“Penni never came around after the funeral. I went over a couple of times, just like I did to check on Ryley, but no one answered. About a week after, people were there cleaning out the house and there was no sign of her or Claire. I asked, but was told they didn’t know anything. I wish I remember the name on the side of the truck.”

McCoy’s head pops up. “Do you think you can remember if you saw pictures?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Frannie and River answer at the same time. She looks at him questioningly, but his eyes are focused on McCoy.

“Ryley has brought up what we’ve all been thinking. We were dropped on an airfield and our CO is conveniently missing. Her mom has been snooping around, but isn’t ready to break into anything, and your wife and daughter are missing, McCoy. I think it’s all related, and I don’t want Frannie involved until she has to be. She and Ryley, they need to stay as far away from this as possible.”

“But if I can help,” Frannie pleads with River. He shakes his head firmly.