Montana SEAL (Brotherhood Protectors #1)(12)

“Nonsense,” Hank’s father said. “I might have been in pain, but I’m not blind. Whoever was shooting only took one shot at me and two at you. In fact, if you hadn’t moved when you did, that first bullet would have hit you instead of me.”

Hank turned to her, his brows furrowed. “Is that the way you saw it?”

Sadie thought back to where she’d been, and her movements prior to Mr. Patterson being struck by a bullet. She’d been standing in front of him and bent to catch the broken bag of feed when the shot was fired. Her breath left her lungs, and her vision blurred. Damned if the man wasn’t right. She looked up at Hank and nodded. “I was standing in front of him. If I hadn’t moved, the bullet would have hit me. Then, when I tried to get to my vehicle, two more shots were fired close to where I was on the ground. Both bullets missed, but were close enough to spit gravel up on me. When I made it into my Jeep, another shot went through the window.”

Hank slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him.

Sadie was glad for the support. Not only had she had a near miss, Mr. Patterson had taken the hit meant for her. “If someone is after me, I’m not safe to be around.” She pushed away from Hank. “Thank you for thinking of me, Mr. Patterson, but I can’t put Hank at risk.”

Hank reached for her hand. “Sadie. Don’t be ridiculous. As a Navy SEAL, I’m used to being shot at. If you were the target all along, whoever was responsible might come after you again.”

She shook her head. “Then I’ll hire a bodyguard. I don’t want you to be hurt because of me.”

“If you’re hiring a bodyguard, I’ll apply,” Hank said. “I don’t have to report back to my unit for four more weeks. I could use the work to keep me busy.”

Allie stepped toward Sadie. “Let Hank help. He’s got combat experience. If you hire someone to be your bodyguard, you don’t know what you’ll be getting. Hank’s a Navy SEAL, he can probably do the job with his hands tied behind his back.”

Sadie backed away from Allie and Hank. One Patterson was hard enough to stand up to—three was impossible. “Okay. But only until I can interview and hire a bodyguard from a reputable agency.”

Lloyd Patterson lay back in his bed and closed his eyes. “Now that we have that settled, you can all leave my room. Seems the pain medication they gave me is kicking in.” He yawned. “Allie, tell the nurse to wake me when the doc gets here. I want my discharge papers as soon as possible.” His words faded off, and he was snoring a moment later.

Sadie turned to leave, the urge to turn and run almost too strong to resist. As she pushed through the swinging door, Hank’s hand descended on her shoulder.

“We need to talk,” he said.

“I know.” Sadie dreaded having that talk. As soon as they got someplace they could be alone, she’d tell him never mind. She would risk being on her own.

Hank took her hand in his and led her to a nearby waiting room. A family of five adults turned toward them when they entered, probably hoping for a doctor with news of their loved one.

“Not here.” Hank pulled Sadie to a stop and swung her out of the room.

They walked back toward the nurses’ station. Along the way, Sadie spied an empty room. “In here.” She grabbed Hank’s hand and pulled him through the door.

Hank disengaged the doorstop, and the door swung closed. Light shined through the window onto a bed made up with fresh sheets.

Sadie crossed to the window and looked out onto the parking lot. The usual big, blue Montana sky had clouded over while she’d been visiting Mr. Patterson. “Hank…” she started, struggling to find the words to inform Hank that she didn’t want to hire him as a bodyguard, without telling him why. How could she tell him she didn’t want him to work for her because it meant they would be together? That she couldn’t risk her heart, when she knew it would be broken again as she returned to California and he returned to active duty? “I don’t think…”

Hank gripped her shoulders, turned her and drew her into his arms. “That’s your problem,” he said, staring into her eyes, making it difficult for her to remember what she was about to say.

Oh, yeah. “You’re fired,” she blurted out.

He chuckled. “You haven’t hired me yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“You haven’t actually made me an offer, and I haven’t accepted.”

She frowned. “You mean you don’t want to work for me?” She hadn’t thought in those terms. Sadie had assumed Hank might still have feelings for her, and that she would be hurting him by sending him away.

“I didn’t say that.” He smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear. “What I want to make clear is that, if I do agree to be your bodyguard, the condition will be that we go into this as a business deal. You’re the client. I’m the paid labor.”

Sadie’s eyes narrowed, and disappointment stirred a flash of anger in her belly. “And?”

He brushed his knuckles along her cheek.

It was all Sadie could do to refrain from leaning into his palm.

“Look,” he said, his gaze locking with hers. “What we had when we were kids was puppy love. We’re both grown. Our lives and careers have taken us in different directions. I don’t expect anything more from you than a bodyguard would expect from his boss, and vice versa.”