The Hardest Part
Pulling herself off the floor, she leaned against the bathroom sink and stared at her pale reflection. “This just can’t be happening to me,” she muttered. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself the luxury of a few self-indulgent tears.
The tinkling of music snapped her eyes open. Her cell phone was ringing. Grasping her robe more tightly around her, she abandoned the bathroom for her bedroom. Rustling around in the mess she’d left on her nightstand, she finally found it and answered, somewhat breathless. “Hello? Lt. Hart.”
A soft chuckle filtered over the line. “Morning, Cookie. Did I disturb you?”
Blake. “No, Cowboy, not at all. I was… just getting out of the shower. Sorry I took so long.” Please God, don’t let him hear that I’ve been crying.
The earlier chuckle became a throaty, all-male laugh. “Nice visual there, I think I like it.”
“You are a pig,” she teased.
“And it’s why you like me so much, isn’t it?”
He knew her too well. “But of course!” She felt her heart fall into her stomach at this easy banter. She still hadn’t been able to break the bad news to him and now, now… this. “So, why are you calling me so early in the morning? Or are you just coming home?”
“Yeah, just got in,” he muttered, sounding slightly embarrassed. “Two shows tonight.” He paused, thinking quickly and deciding to move forward. “I am going to be near you soon and I wanted to see you again.”
Her heart plummeted even farther. “Can’t do that,” she whispered, dreading the next words out of his mouth.
“Busy?”
“No,” she hedged, “not quite.”
“What’s ‘not quite’ mean, Cookie?” His voice had taken on a hard edge.
“Forgive me, but I don’t know how to say this without hurting you.”
“Then just say it,” he spat angrily.
Ali bit her trembling bottom lip, angrily forcing the tears back into their ducts. “I’ve been ordered to stay away from you.”
“What the fuck?” he screamed. “Why? What the hell is it now? It’s not like you’re still my baby sitter or anything!”
“No, I’m not, and I almost wish I was.” The tears had fought back and won, streaming steadily down her cheeks now.
“What’s wrong? Why this, why now?” At least he didn’t sound like he wanted to rip her throat out any longer.
“General Stone. Or, rather, Bryan and his best pal, Caleb.”
He understood now. Her ex and his upper level best friend were out to not just break them up, but keep them apart as well. “Why are they doing this to us? I only just found you and now I have to let you go? I won’t. I can’t. Cookie?”
“I’m sorry, Blake, but I don’t have any choice. Bryan’s jealous, and he’s involving Caleb because he knows I’m encouraging Shana to break away. And Stone…” the tears were close to choking her now. “Stone at least makes sense. Your life is very high profile. By the nature of my job, I have to stay very low profile. A relationship with someone like you is sure to blow my cover. I don’t like it…”
He sighed. “But it does make sense. I never meant to jeopardize your job, or you. I’m sorry.” Blake could feel the tightness closing in on his throat suddenly.
“But it sucks.”
“Yeah, it does. Do I at least get to say good-bye?”
“You’re giving up, just like that?” She was incredulous; he would let her go without a fight?
“I don’t want to, but I’ve met that general of yours. He’d toss me in the pokey without a second thought if I did anything other than what he says. He told me so and I believe him.” The invisible hand clenching at his throat moved lower and squeezed at his heart. “Is there anything either of us can do?”
She shook her head and laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“Other than me shaking my head at the phone? Nothing.” The sound of his laughter eased the ached in her soul just a bit. “Sadly, once General Michael E. Stone makes up his mind, there’s no changing it.”
“So, no good-bye then.” It was a statement, not a question.
“No,” she whispered. “Our last night together was our good-bye.”
“If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have ever left.”
“I know, Cowboy, and I’m sorry.” And you don’t know just how sorry, either. “I’m going to miss you.”
He looked out the kitchen window and stared absently into his back yard. “I’m going to miss you, too. “
“Good-bye, Blake.”
“Good-bye, Allyson. Thank you for not allowing the bad guys to fill me full of holes.”
The corner of her mouth quirked up at that. “Anytime you need a bodyguard,” she teased and hung up.
~*~
“General, I’m worried about my sister. “
“It’s a bit of heartache, Rogan, she’ll get over it,” Caleb Lockhart spat out. “And probably not even heartache at that.”
“Yeah,” Bryan snorted, “more like a loin ache, I’d guess.”
“Lockhart,” General Stone growled, “and Tracey, that will be enough!” Looking at Lt. Rogan, he glared. “And why are you so worried about her. She’s a grown woman.”
“I know that,” he replied indignantly. “But, she’s not eating, she’s not sleeping, and Shana says she’s been physically ill these last few days. She won’t talk to me or to Shana.”
He stared hard at his lieutenant while considering his options. If he didn’t at least agree to talk to her, there’d be hell from both Rogan and the irrepressible redhead. “I’ll talk to her. Go back to work.”
Albert saluted. “Yes sir.”
~*~
“You requested my presence, sir?” she tried to joke, but without any real heart in it.
“Yes, Lieutenant, I did. Have a seat.”
Allyson sat, worried about was was coming next. “I have been doing as you requested.”
General Stone gazed at her, not understanding at first, and then the realization hit him. “For once, he is not the reason you’re here.” She visibly relaxed and he wondered at that briefly. “No, rather, this time it is because of your brother.
She groaned and rolled her eyes. “What did he and Bazooka do this time?”
Stone gave a belly laugh that shook the small office. “Oh, no, nothing like that. Not today anyway. However, he is concerned for your wellbeing.”
Ali blinked. “Huh?”
“He and Shana are concerned about your health. She says you’ve been ill and your brother concurs.”
Aw, hell. “I feel fine, General.”
“And emotionally? How are you there?”
Double hell. “As well as can be expected, considering.”
“Considering what?”
Considering the fact that I’m almost positive I’m pregnant with the baby of a man I’m not even allowed to see? “Considering you took one of my best friends away from me and insisted I never see him again.”
“You barely knew him!”
“Yeah, and sometimes you just click with someone. Sometimes, General, it’s just right. May I go now?”
“Yes. Dismissed. And shape up or there will be trouble.”
She rolled her eyes inwardly. “Yes. Sir.”
~*~
“Albie?” Ali poked her head into the rec room and looked around for her brother. “You in here?”
“Over here, cutie,” called Bazooka, head down over a foosball table.
“Hey sis,” Albie greeted her, not taking his eyes from the heated match he was sharing with his friend. “How are… OUCH!” He looked up at her then. “Why’d you just hit me?”
She frowned hard at him. “I know you mean well, but please, stop trying to help. I do not need to be grilled by General Stone over my current emotional state. It’s fragile enough as it is.”
“I’m sorry,” he told her honestly, leaving the game half finished to hug her. “He said he was just going to talk to you.”
“I know,” she reassured him, “but you know how he is, especially where Blake is concerned.”
Albie looked at his feet. “If I hadn’t…”
“Shana would. I know. And I’m thankful you beat her to the punch. She’d have made a mess of things. But now? Just leave it alone, okay? I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“Bazooka? You stay out of it too.”
“Sorry,” he muttered.
“Don’t be, but you are all causing me grief with your well-meaning help. Got me?” They both nodded, not happy, but knowing she was right. “Now , someone call Red so we can get some dinner. I’m starved.”
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