Page 45 of Keeping Amanda
He chuckled. “I’m not saying it would be smart, but if you’re going to be crushed, go into a mental decline, hole up in your apartment and become a depressed hermit, I’ll make it happen.”
It was hard to believe she was chuckling after she’d just beenready to sob, but this man had a way of making her see the brighter side of things. “I really, really, really want to take him with us. I think he’d be confused and scared if he was left behind. But I understand that might not happen, so as long as we can leave him with someone who’ll take care of him, not abuse him, I’ll be okay with that.”
“All right. And last…are you okay with coming back with us? It’ll be a long trip, and flying in a chopper isn’t exactly the most comfortable mode of transportation. We have an expanded fuel tank and, if needed, can refuel in flight. But again…it’s not the most pleasant way to fly.”
“I’m more than all right with that,” Amanda reassured him. She wanted to admit that she felt more comfortable being with him and Obi-Wan than being left on her own, but decided just reassuring him that she didn’t mind flying in the helicopter was enough.
“Okay. Let’s go feed Rain, then meet with Colonel Khan. You can tell him your story, then we’ll go back to the school so you can talk to Blair and say goodbye to the kids.”
“I guess there was more to my stuff being packed up than her just not wanting the children to suffer bad memories, huh?” Amanda asked.
“Looks like it.”
“I can’t believe this. I really thought Blair was becoming a friend. I know she’s in her seventies, and I’m not even thirty, but I still thought we clicked. Guess I was wrong. I’m ready. Let’s get this done.”
“If at any time you need a break, don’t be afraid to speak up. The colonel can seem gruff, but he’s fair and a good leader,” Nash told her.
“I will.”
Then Nash leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. “I’m proud of you, Mandy. None of this has been easy, andyou’ve held up extremely well. Just a little longer and you’ll be home safe and sound, and all this will be a memory.”
“All of it?” she blurted, then blushed with how desperate she sounded.
Nash eased back and put a finger under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Not all of it. In case you’re wondering, my mind hasn’t changed about wanting to date you when we get back to Virginia.”
Relief made Amanda almost dizzy. “Mine either,” she said shyly.
He smiled at her. “Good. I was afraid you might change your mind, now that we’re out of the jungle and you aren’t so reliant on me anymore.”
He was worried thatshewould changehermind? Hardly. But she felt a little smidge of relief that he wasn’t as sure of what was happening between them as he sometimes seemed. “Not a chance,” she reassured him.
In response, he leaned forward and kissed her briefly. A mere brushing of his lips against hers, but that small touch made most of her doubts disappear. He wasn’t regretting telling her he wanted to date her. Wasn’t backing off to put space between them. If anything, he seemed to be doing his best to get even closer. Which Amanda was completely on board with.
“Come on, let’s do this. Hopefully after your meeting with the colonel, Obi-Wan will have more info on Rain’s situation.”
“Will you stay with me while I’m talking to him?”
“Do you want me to?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll stay.”
“Thank you.” Amanda didn’t like how needy she felt. How off-kilter. But for some reason, instead of feeling completely safe, as she had when they’d first arrived at the base, it now felt as if a black cloud was hanging over her head.
As she walked out of the cafeteria with Nash at her side, herhand in his, at least she felt as if she wasn’t alone. Like if the sky fell in, Nash would be there to help her get out from under it. Maybe that was premature, but he’d shown himself to be someone she could not only rely on, but lean on when things went awry. She could only hope it continued, because she had the sudden idea that life wasn’t done kicking her in the teeth.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“And that’s why, all things considered, I think it’s better if you cut your time here short and head back to the States now.”
Amanda was sitting in Blair’s small office at the school, listening to her explain why she was essentially firing her. It wasn’t because she wasn’t a good teacher, or because she didn’t get along with the other staff, or because the children didn’t like her. It was simply a precaution…or so she said.
But Amanda couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to it than that. Blair wouldn’t look her in the eyes for more than a few seconds at a time. She fidgeted and shuffled papers around as they spoke. It made no sense, and while a part of Amanda was relieved she was going home, it also felt like a slap in the face that Blair wasn’t trying to get her to consider staying on…or apologizing for what she’d been through.
It wasn’t as if Blair was paying her, other than room and board. She was there as a volunteer. So being fired was…weird.
Something occurred to her then. “Have you heard something the military hasn’t about those men coming back?” she asked.
