Page 53 of Keeping Amanda
Nash.
He’d texted her. Not in a few days. But in only a few hours. Maybe he forgot to tell her that she needed to come to the Navy base for something. Maybe there was a meeting she had to go to because of the government sending the Night Stalkers down to rescue her and the kids.
Holding her breath, Amanda opened the message.
Nash: My apartment feels empty. I mean, it IS empty because I have to go to the store, but it’s weird that you aren’t here.
Every muscle in her body sagged. To have confirmation that she wasn’t alone in how she was feeling was an incredible gift. Nash didn’t have to admit that. Most men wouldn’t. They wouldn’t want to put themselves out there like he had for a woman he’d just met. But things between her and Nash were nothing like anormalrelationship, thanks to everything they’d been through together.
Amanda: Same here. I have Rain, but he’s currently snoring loud enough to wake the dead.
Nash: lol I can imagine. He’s settling in okay though?
Amanda: Yeah. I need to get him some real dog food, although I’m sure he’d prefer he kept getting olives and fresh jungle kill.
Nash: Not exactly practical here in Norfolk…the jungle kill, that is.
This felt nice. Joking. Chatting. Reminiscing in a way.
Nash: I realized after I left that I didn’t say nearly the right things. I didn’t ask if you were still willing to go out on a date with me. One that didn’t include sleeping in the dirt and walking in the rain. I’d like to feed you good food that I don’t have to kill and skin beforehand. I didn’t tell you how proud I was of you and how you handled everything. I didn’t tell you how hard it was going to be for me to walk away from your apartment. I’m sorry, Rebel. I fucked up. But I couldn’t leave it like that. I think I was just scared that, now that we’re home, you wouldn’t want to see me again. That you’d chalk up everything that happened to extraordinary circumstances and come to your senses.
Amanda was floored by what she was reading. That Nash would open himself up so willingly. He was definitely different from any other man she’d met in the past.
Nash: By the way, this is dictated. I’m not that fast of a typer on the tiny phone keyboard.
She chuckled out loud, and Rain stirred next to her. “Sorry, boy. Didn’t mean to wake you up. Go back to sleep.” She ran a hand down his back to soothe him, feeling his muscles relax once more. Amazingly, two seconds later, the dog was snoring once again. His ability to sleep was impressive.
Nash: Mandy? Did I freak you out? Are you regretting the decision to go out with me? Because if so, I’d never force you to do anything.
She rushed to respond.
Amanda: No! I was just feeling overly emotional at how awesome you are. I would love to go out with you sometime.
Nash: How about tomorrow?
Amanda: Yes!
Nash: I have to go into work in the morning, more AARs…after-action reviews. I have to give an in-depth report about everything that happened.
Amanda: Will you get in trouble for anything?
Nash: Doubt it. I’m a Night Stalker. We get away with shit other people don’t.
At least he was honest about it. Yes, a little cocky too, but since she’d been on the receiving end of his skills, Amanda wasn’t going to call him on it.
Nash: How about I pick you up around five? That should give you time to get some stuff done. I’m sure you need to get groceries and probably a million other little errands. Will that work? I want to take you to Anchor Point. It’s a bar, but it has awesome food. I’ve been craving their fries. They’re so damn good.
Amanda: Sounds perfect.
And it did. Suddenly all the fears she’d felt hanging over her were gone. She supposed she should be embarrassed that all it took was a man asking her out to make her self-esteem rise and forher world to feel right again…but Nash was no mere “man.” They’d been through a hell of an experience together. Had bonded in a way she never had with anyone else. She wasn’t going to beat herself up about wanting to be with him. To see him again so soon.
Nash: I feel I should probably warn you…when my team finds out that we’re going to Anchor Point, they’ll probably show up. Just because they love the place, and they’re curious about you. If that’s a deal breaker, we can go somewhere else. Or I can tell everyone to stay away.
Amanda: I’d love to see where you and your friends hang out. And I’d like to get to know them too…if you don’t mind.
Nash: I don’t. Thanks for being so easygoing about the possibility of them butting in on our date.
Amanda: Maybe they’ll give me some dirt on you. lol
