Fighting Redemption (6 page)

“Jeff, Ray, and Becca are having a barbecue over by the beach today. Let’s go, okay?”

Fin cringed as she reached for her cat’s Fancy Feast Royale. “Actually, I have to go into work.”

“Dammit, Fin.” He was obviously irritated and Fin paused to rest her hip up against the kitchen bench. “You’re leaving for six months soon. Don’t they get enough of your time?”

“I’m sorry. There’s just so much to do …” she trailed off as Crookshanks head-butted her leg.

“Well, I’m going anyway then.”

“That’s good,” she replied, bending over to spoon food into the cat bowl on the floor by the fridge. “You should go. Tell them I said hi, okay?”

Ian exhaled loudly into the phone. “Fin …”

Shoved out of the way by her cat, Fin stood and rinsed the spoon in the sink. “Hmm?”

“Nothing. I’ll see you tonight?”

“I’ll give you a call,” she told him.

“Yeah, sure, okay,” he replied and hung up.

“Well that went well,” she muttered to the cat and tossed the spoon into the sink with a clatter. Turning around, she realised she was talking to herself; Crookshanks was already gone.

Later that afternoon, Fin was sitting at her desk at the DEC putting the finishing touches to some reports for the research project when her phone buzzed, startling her out of a paperwork coma. Seeing Jake’s name on the display, she picked it up with a frown.

“Hello?” she answered cautiously.

“Fin!” came the shout down the line.

Fin frowned, wondering why Jake was ringing on her mobile. He only ever rang the house phone when he was away.

“Jake?”

“Wow, are you quick this morning or what? I thought you were the smarts of the family.”

“But—”

“I’m home!”

“You are? Like Australia home? Or home, home?”

“Home, home, Fin. I’m looking into Crookshanks’ evil mastermind eyes as we speak.”

Fin’s heart leaped in excitement. The urge to throw all her paperwork to the wind and rush home was overwhelming. She grinned like a maniac instead. “Oh my God, Jake. I can’t wait to see you! Does Mum know? And Dad? What about—”

“Whoa, whoa, Fin. Don’t tell anyone we’re home early. We both want a couple of days to get some sleep before the entire family descends, okay? Please?”

Fin nodded, adding an “of course” when she realised he couldn’t actually see her nodding. She was used to talking to him on Skype. Then her brow furrowed. “Wait a minute … We?”

“Yeah, me and Ryan. He’s staying here in the guest room. That’s okay, right? You’re gonna be gone most of the time we’re here, honey, so I didn’t think it would be a bother.”

Fin spun around wildly in her swivel chair at his words, knocking a stapler flying. It whacked the wall divider between her and Paul, a fellow researcher. He bobbed his head up like a meerkat at the clang, and she smothered a laugh. She shook her head at him, and he bobbed back down with an eye roll when he spotted the stapler on the floor.

“Fin?”

“Yeah, that’s like umm, cool. Okay.”

There was a pause. “Are you okay? You sound odd. You’re not getting sick, are you?”

She hadn’t been, but the thought of seeing Ryan again after six long years had her stomach churning. She exhaled deeply. Why was Ryan suddenly deciding to re-enter her life now?

“No. I’m fine.” She cleared her throat and checked her watch. “I can’t get out of here until after five. I have so much to get through. I’m sorry. Do you want me to pick something up for dinner on my way home?”

There was a pause where she could hear Jake conferring with Ryan. She didn’t hear what Ryan said, only catching the murmur of a deep voice that sent shivers down her spine.

Jake came back on the line. “Okay. That would be great.”

“Alright. Message me what you want me to pick up. Jake?”

“Yeah?”

“Can’t wait to see you.”

“You too,” he replied softly. She went to hang up when he called out, “Oh, was Crookshanks fed this morning? The evil ball of fluff keeps head-butting my leg and I don’t believe it’s because he missed me.”

“Yes he was so don’t let him fool you. Just shoo him outside.”

“Okay. See ya, Fin.”

“Bye, Jake.”

Fin hung up the phone and spun her chair back around, flinging the phone on her desk and staring blindly at the paperwork in front of her. How was she going to concentrate now?

Heart pounding, Fin stumbled through the front door weighted under by an armful of paperwork and dinner. After hearing from Jake, focusing on her reports had been a lost cause. She would have to work through Sunday now. She winced at the thought, realising that would irritate Ian even more. She hadn’t had a chance to call him yet and cancel on tonight.

Kicking the door shut behind her with the shiny, four inch heel of her shoe, Jake wandered out from the kitchen.

The files slid from her arms, scattering carelessly to the floor.

“Jake,” she breathed, tears burning her eyes.

He grinned at her. “Hey, Fin.”

Her eyes roamed over him quickly. In two long years he was bigger than she thought possible—his shoulders wider, his hair lighter, his eyes brighter.

Jake opened his arms, and dropping her bags to the floor, she rushed down the hall and flung herself into them, burying her face in his chest. Picking her up, he spun her around.

“Missed you so much,” she mumbled into his shirt when she was set back on her feet.

Jake pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Not as much as I missed you.”

“Rubbish.” Fin pulled back, her lips twitching as she wiped at her tears with shaky hands. “It’s all just one big party, isn’t it? That’s why you joined the SAS.”

He laughed down at her. “Of course. Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll.”

The smile died on her lips. “Two weeks and I’ll be leaving for Antarctica for six months. You’ll be gone again when I get back, won’t you?”

Jake nodded, his jaw tight, and her heart sank.

“I wish I wasn’t going now.”

“Don’t say that.” He forced a grin. “You’re saving the earth, one whale at a time. They need you.”

Fin pressed her lips together, her eyes on her feet. “I know.”

“Look at me.” Fin closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing tears, and looked at Jake. “Don’t forget about your own dreams, honey.”

She sniffed and arched a brow. “Would I do that?”

His smile came a little easier. “Of course not. You’re a Tanner. Nothing gets in our way.”

Dropping his arms, Jake stepped into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

Her brows flew up as she caught sight of the contents. “Did you get enough beer?” she asked, watching him pull one from the fully stocked shelves.

Jake offered it to her with a wink. “Enough for a couple of days.”

“No thanks,” she replied with as shudder. Beer made her feel bloated and tired. “I’ll have a wine though.”

He set the beer on the kitchen counter and reached for a glass from the cupboards above.

Fin looked around the living area, searching out Ryan and not seeing him. “I thought Ryan was with you?”

“He’s in the shower,” Jake told her as he poured out a red wine.

Trying to ignore the flutters filling her stomach, she returned to the hallway to collect the dinner and files she’d dumped on the floor.

Showered and dressed, Ryan rubbed a towel at his hair haphazardly. Hearing voices coming from the kitchen, he hung it neatly on the rack and leaned his knuckles down on the bathroom vanity, frowning into the sink.

What the hell are you doing staying here, Ryan?

It wasn’t the first time he’d questioned his own motives, but he couldn’t seem to find an answer. He missed her. It was that simple and that complicated.

Looking up, he saw nothing in the mirror except tired eyes and the ghosts of those he’d killed in the line of duty. He rubbed a hand across his face as though to wipe it all away and left the bathroom.

Back in the hallway, his eyes fell on the scattered files littering the floor. He crouched down and started pulling them together.

“Ryan.”

He froze for a moment, time standing still when he turned and saw Fin in the hallway. Her blonde hair was a tousled mess, reading glasses were caught in the neckline of her pretty top, and her legs—so damn long—were on display in a short, black skirt. His eyes skimmed the length of her before falling to her full pink lips.

She was utterly beautiful and it was like a punch to the gut. Despite tears filling her eyes, she smiled the smile that haunted his sleep at night, and seeing it right before his eyes left him breathless.

Fuck
, he swore to himself and dragged his eyes away from her mouth.

“Fin,” he murmured. He stood slowly as she reached his side. Her eyes went wide as they followed him.

“You okay?” he asked.

Was I okay?

Fin eyed the stranger in her hallway, realising she wasn’t okay at all. The person that left her bedroom six years ago had been a boy. The man that stood before her had dark eyes that should have been familiar, but they were hard now, and intense. Framed in long black lashes, they were studying her face, darkening when they came to rest on her mouth.

Despite Ryan being dressed casually in a fitted white shirt and navy blue cargo pants, his stance was imposing and powerful. His biceps were heavily muscled with thick veins, and tattoos ran the entire length of his right arm. The entrance hall was crowded by the bulk of his wide shoulders.

She drew a burning breath into her lungs.

“I missed you, Ryan,” she said thickly.

Those hard, dark eyes of his softened, reminding her of who he used to be. “I missed you too.”

“It’s been six years.”

Ryan nodded again, staring at her, and replied softly, “I know.”

A beat of time passed, and then another, until Jake called out from the kitchen. “Fin, are you going to bring that food in here or do I have to serve up Crookshanks for dinner? I’m starving.”

Flustered, Fin picked up her bags. “Hungry?”

He smiled slowly. “Always.”

Ryan followed her into the kitchen and took hold of the beer Jake held out to him. “Thanks.”

She picked up her wine and leaned against the counter as Jake pulled out plates. Ryan stepped into the room and suddenly the quaint cottage kitchen felt tiny.

“So … Tell me about Afghanistan?” she asked. Jake wasn’t able to tell her much during their Skype chats, and she wanted to know everything. She needed the distraction because her fingers were aching to touch Ryan, wanting to make sure he was real and not an illusion.

“It’s hot,” Jake replied.

“And dusty,” Ryan added.

“The bunks on base are small,” Jake told her as he carried their dinner to the table.

“Jake’s learning to play the guitar.”

Fin raised her brows at Jake as they all sat down at the dining table. “Really?”

Jake grinned. “Yep.”

Ryan looked at her across the table. “And it’s killing us. Your cat could play better than he does.”

Jake leaned over the table and punched Ryan in the arm with a laugh. “Ryan’s lazy,” Jake told her as they started eating. “He falls asleep during all our training exercises.”

Ryan, taking a sip of his beer, almost spat it out. “Fuck off. That was you!” Ryan looked at Fin, laughter in his eyes. “One morning Jake was sleeping like the dead and missed training. He was sleeping on a camp bed so we carried him out to the mess hall. Eventually he woke up, looking around at everyone eating breakfast and watching him snore like a freight train.”