Page 44 of Keeping Laryn
Next up on his list of people to call was his twin.
Nate answered after only one ring. “You okay?”
Casper was right; Nate had known something was up. “Yeah.” He gave his brother the quick and dirty details about what had happened. Including how he’d woken up and had absolutely no recollection of the incident and how disorientating that had been.
“But you’re all right now?”
“Yeah. Thanks to Laryn.”
“Are you sure she wasn’t in on it? That she and this Barb bitch weren’t working together?”
Anger rose hard and fast within Casper. “What the fuck, bro? No! She wasn’t working with Barb! I can’t believe you’d even say that. I’ve known Laryn for three years, and I have no doubt whatsoever that she has my back. She literally has my life in her hands because of the work she does on my helos. If she wanted to hurt me, she’s had more than her fair share of chances to do just that.”
“She could’ve been doing what she accused the waitress of doing. Trying to trap you.”
“You’re making me regret calling you, Nate. Laryn’s too honest to do something so awful. If she was interested in me, she’d just come out and tell me.”
“Would she?”
Something in his brother’s tone had Casper pausing.
“All I’m saying is, I saw the two of you together on that naval ship, after you rescued Josie, Kevlar, and me.”
“Yeah, you saw her sniping at me for crashing her helicopter,” Casper retorted.
“Yes, but it was the way she looked at you. With relief. She was using anger as a shield.”
The argument Casper had ready got stuck in his throat. “How do you know?”
“Because I’ve got eyes. Look, you guys have worked together for years. You’re amazing. Good-looking, if I do say so myself…”
Casper snorted. Since he and Nate were twins, it was hilarious his brother even said that in the first place.
“And you’re polite, appreciative, and kind. Whywouldn’tshe fall for you? And if you showed no inclination to return any feelings she might have for you, always giving her shit like she’s one of the guys, why would she open herself up to possible rejection? Seems like one sure way to have you for herself is to get knocked up…just like she claimed that waitress was trying to do.”
Casper was done listening to his best friend, his flesh and blood, denigrate the woman who’d been there for him again and again. Who’d gone out of her way to make sure he was safe. Who’d calmed the anxiety coursing through his blood when he’d woken up with no memories of what had happened to him the night before.
“She’s not like that. I’ve never been a POW, but I imagine when you realized what had happened after you were captured, you were as stressed out as you’ve ever been,” Casper said in a low, controlled tone. “You didn’t know what the future held, you were probably confused, hurting, and even scared. And then you realized you weren’t alone. That Josie was there in that cell next to yours. It gave you a focus. Something else to concentrate on. That’s how I felt, Nate. Adrift, disorientated, anxious. And then I turned my head and saw Laryn, and I realized I was safe. She’d never let something happen to me when I’m up in the air in one of her babies, and she’d never let anything happen here on the ground. And since when did you get so damn chatty, anyway? I think I liked it better when you weren’t talking,” he finished, sounding like a three-year-old who’d just had his favorite toy taken away.
Instead of getting pissed at him for his honesty, Nate simplychuckled. Then asked, “When we were in Iraq after that chopper went down, remember how I told you that I didn’t know where Josie was from, or anything about her except that she was mine?”
“Of course.”
“When I’m with her, I feel the way you just described feeling when you woke up with Laryn. Safe. And I’m sorry. I was kind of playing devil’s advocate there. Wanting to make sure about Laryn. My advice for you? Don’t get lost in your head. If you like your mechanic, go with it. Don’t second-guess yourself or your feelings. She could be the best thing that ever happened to you, like Josie is for me. Doesn’t matter that it took three years for you to see what was right under your nose. Just that you finally did.”
“Yeah,” Casper agreed quietly.
“I want to meet her. I meanreallymeet her, not just in passing like we did on that ship. I expect you to make that happen, Tate.”
“Not sure what’s going on with us,” he hedged, even though he knew what hewantedto happen between them. “Or when I’ll get the time to go out to California. We’re headed back to the Middle East in less than a week.”
“Shit. Keep me in the loop if you can,” Nate ordered.
“I will. Same goes for you.”
“Yeah. Tate?”
“Still here.”
