Letters from Home (Love Beyond Reason #1)(27)

“I can walk.”

“Not around here, you won’t. Hospital policy.” She helped him sit then wheeled him toward the nurses’ station where Mike was standing with the doctor. Maybe Mike hadn’t liked the idea of Zack getting involved with Lena, but when it came right down to it, Mike backed him up. Trust. Zack felt an overwhelming gratitude for his friend.

Mike took the chair from the nurse, and they hurried toward the main entrance. “We’re just going to borrow this for a little.”

Zack groaned as he maneuvered himself into the passenger seat of Mike’s car. Weak as a damn kitten. He drummed his fingers against the armrest as Mike threw the chair into the back, and they took off.

…

Lena tucked her backpack in the small space behind the seats. She’d never done the private jet thing. Even now, amusement over finding the mayor waiting for her at the hospital this morning warred with a huge lump in her throat. Gratitude, but also so much more. This was her town, her home. Love.

But, she’d extended her stay as long as possible. She wiped the stray tear from her cheek.

“Flight plan is in. You ready?” Mr. Parker stepped up into the cockpit and landed his trim frame with a bounce on the seat.

She smiled, nodded for him, and sent one last look back toward the terminal where her mother watched. She lifted a hand to wave, and the engines fired up, the noise filling her head and leaving no more room for thoughts of home and Zack.

Her mom turned away from the window.

Then the glass doors she’d exited twenty minutes ago opened and Mike walked out, pushing a…wheelchair?

Zack? Wearing scrubs?

Lena grabbed Mr. Parker’s arm and pointed toward the terminal.

Mr. Parker tapped the fancy watch on his wrist. “Lena, we—”

“Please. I just need a minute.”

When he nodded and turned off the engine, Lena stood, bent over, and opened the small door in the side of the cabin area, lowering the stairs. Without wasting any time, she ran in her heels, even more sorry that she’d worn them than she had been putting them on this morning.

Zack stood as she approached, and pain was etched on his brow. “Lena.”

The roughened texture of his voice brought her to the verge of tears. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

“I had to see you.”

She took his face in her hands and gazed into his eyes, studied them for any sign of concussion, weakness. But his pupils looked okay. It was the pallor of his skin that worried her now. And the way he was leaning. “Do you think I left you this morning so you could wake up and do something so stupid?” She gripped his arms, slowly moving her hands down to his wrists, and finally had his hands in her own. “You get back to that hospital. Mike, make him go.”

But Mike merely lifted his hands in surrender and backed off. She scowled and turned her attention to Zack. He gave her a tired smile and pulled her into his arms. Lena buried her face against his chest, and a sob broke loose. His deep sigh, the relief, rolled through her and smothered her anger.

“Don’t cry, babe.” Then he framed her face with his hands, held her for what seemed the longest, most perfect moment in her entire life. “I love you, Elena.”

“Oh, Zack.” She held on as tears tracked down her cheeks. “You know I have to go.” The doctor covering her shifts was scheduled to leave for Fort Benning. She had to go or there’d be hell to pay, no ifs, ands, or buts.

“It doesn’t matter how far you go, Lena. You’ll always be mine.”

Lena’s heart tore with the longing and ache. “I wish I didn’t—”

He smoothed back her hair. “A year ago, I watched you get on a plane and disappear.”

She frowned. “You were there?”

“I’m not going to watch you disappear again. As soon as the doctor gives me the go-ahead, I’m coming to Texas…or wherever you are.” Zack bent one knee.

Oh, my God. She reached for him, even held him steady when he wobbled under her hands. “Get up. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

He stayed down, took her hands. “I had grand plans for Christmas morning. Now, I don’t even have a ring to offer you. I want to marry you. I want to have every day from now until forever. Will you marry me, Lena?”

The lump, still lodged in her throat, disappeared. She touched the gash above his eye, touched the swollen corner of his lips. She loved this man. “Of course I’ll marry you, you idiot, but only on one condition.”

Then she laughed and helped him stand. She wrapped her arms around his waist, kissed him over his heart.

“What condition would that be?”

“Write to me while I’m gone.”

He smiled then, and his trembling hands lifted hers and turned them over. He kissed her palm, and the touch sent a streak of desire and longing straight to her center. “On one condition,” he answered.

“Anything.” Lena agreed without hesitation.

“This time, you write me back.”





Epilogue


Lena hadn’t told him yet, and nerves tap danced through her stomach.

Home, for good, an entire year early. Her pulse raced at the thought. No more long drives from Fort Lewis. No more short weekend visits from Zack, flying up between his own assignments.