As he waited, he again took in the familiar surroundings and made a note to thank Poole for ditching the normal doctor-office trappings. There were no two-year-old magazines or depressingly cheery plants, fake or otherwise. The place was sparse but comfortable but not patronizing. It didn’t exactly make Cody happy, probably didn’t others either, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. And Cody also noticed for the first time that there never seemed to be anyone in the waiting room.
“Sommers, you need to see me?” Poole said as he stepped from his office.
Cody stood. “If you have a minute…?”
“You know the way,” Matt said as he turned to trail back into his office.
“How come there’s never anyone here?” Cody said after Matt had closed the door.
Matt chuckled lightly and then raised a brow. “Don’t tell anyone; it’s a trick of the trade. But I have two doors, one for incoming and one for outgoing and I schedule so that people don’t cross. That avoids awkward encounters and makes the guys feel more comfortable with coming to see a psychologist.”
Cody nodded. It made sense.
“Speaking of which…” Poole said.
“I was at Blake’s yesterday,” Cody said.
“From what I understand, that’s nothing out of the usual. And please spare me the details,” Matt said, narrowing his eyes.
“I wouldn’t do that anyway, man. But not her house, her parents’ house.”
That had Matt leaning back and shaking his head.
“How did you find your way out there?”
“I went with her. She—”
“Blakely took you to her parents’ house?” he said, voice brimming with disbelief.
“I pressed the issue,” he said.
“Understatement of the fucking century. I’ve known Blakely Bishop since I was a toddler. Spent pretty much every day with her from nursery school through high school graduation. And she’d never let me set foot on the road leading to her house, let alone take me there.”
“You never were as charming as me,” Cody said.
Poole did not acknowledge his attempt at humor. “Is everything okay? It had to be a really bad issue for her to let you out there,” he said, concern apparent.
“Yeah, it was. The sheriff—Cyrus Thornehill”—Poole nodded—“he came by her house yesterday. They had the paramedics out there and her father refused to go to the hospital. He thought maybe her parents would be more cooperative with her around.”
“Your tone suggests that was not the case,” Matt said.
“It was not.” Cody sighed. “It got pretty ugly, man. He was in bad shape, but they were pretty adamant about not leaving.”
“Is it as bad as rumors have it?”
“I don’t know what rumors, but I’ve never seen—or smelled—anything like it.” He shuddered. “It’s as awful as anything I’ve ever seen anywhere. If it’s been like that her whole life, it’s a wonder she made it out even halfway as good as she did.”
“It is indeed,” Matt said.
Cody turned angry. “How did they let this happen? Let her grow up in that kind of squalor?”
He didn’t intend to blame Matt, but the thought of Blakely being forced to live in those conditions and being ostracized for something she couldn’t control enraged him.
“I don’t know. Maybe they just got used to it, didn’t know any other way,” Matt said wistfully.
“That’s no excuse!”
“What’s the alternative? Send her to some state-run home?”
“Something. I don’t know how the good people of this town could sleep at night knowing about those conditions,” Cody said.
“You’d be amazed what the good people of this town could sleep at night knowing,” Matt said, his tone laced with venom. “And as bad as it was for her, and I don’t doubt that it was bad, others have it a whole lot worse.”
“That’s no excuse. And if the people here won’t protect those who can’t protect themselves, why stay?”
“It’s not all bad, Cody. There are people here who cared about her, who cared about all of us. Maybe they didn’t do all they could, but that was a different time. People tried.”
“Not good enough,” Cody said.
“Probably not, but there’s nothing that any of us can do about it now.” Matt spoke with a deep resignation that Cody had never heard from him.
“Well, what are we going to do now?”
“About Blake?”
He nodded but didn’t expand. He didn’t think Poole knew of Blakely’s own struggles, and he wouldn’t betray her privacy, but there was nothing short of that he wouldn’t do to help her.
“Whatever she’ll let us.”
“You know she’s not going to ask for help.”
“Then we won’t be able to,” Matt said with finality.
“So what? We just leave her to deal with the shit by herself?”
“We will be there for her. You’ll be there for her. But Blake can’t change her parents. And we can’t change Blake.”
On some level, Cody knew that Poole was right but that didn’t lessen the frustration boiling through him. He fixed things, but this might be beyond him.
“So I do nothing? Just let her suffer alone?”
“No, not alone. But you can’t force her. And I’m sure you know her well enough by now to know that if you push it, she’ll shut you out completely.”
“I know. But I’m not giving up on her.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re there for her.”
They sat in somber silence but then Poole lit up. “Have you ever heard the one about psychiatrists and lightbulbs?”
Chapter Fourteen
“Cody, where are we?” Blakely asked after he’d driven through the security checkpoint.
“It looks like a naval base to me, Blake,” he responded.
She scoffed and then looked over at him. “I can see that. Why are we on a naval base?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“I hate surprises,” she said sternly.
“I think you’ll like this one,” he countered.
“Doubtful. And I’m not supposed to be here, am I? If I end up in jail or get whisked away to some black site—”
“I’d rescue you, baby,” he said, smiling at her harshly exhaled breath and the incredulous expression on her face.
“It better not come to that, Sommers.”
He reached over and clasped her hand. “It won’t. Just trust me.”
She squeezed his in return, and he hazarded a glance at her, feeling a funny little tickle in his chest at the soft smile that now covered her face. He suspected she did. In the weeks since her father’s hospitalization, she’d opened up to him more, shared her fears, her hopes, her struggles, and she wouldn’t have done that if she didn’t trust him on some level.
“I do,” she said softly and much to his surprise, saying so out loud for the first time. And then her smile was replaced with a stern expression. “And I must. There’s no other explanation for me letting you take me God knows where.”
“I know where and besides, we’re having fun. Just relax.”
“Said the wolf to the lamb.”
He laughed but remained silent as did she, for the final few minutes of their journey.
“This looks like a hangar,” she said when he stopped and unbuckled his seat belt.
“Yep.”
“Is there a plane in there?” she asked, voice rising and eyes wide.
“More than one, I presume,” he said as he got out of the car and rounded to the passenger side.
She hadn’t moved, so he opened her door, reached inside, undid her seat belt, and grabbed her hands, which were as stiff as the rest of her.
“Why are we going to a hangar, Cody?” she asked in that stern voice that he found so sexy, though based on her expression, that was far from what she intended.
“Blakely, darling, one must be on a plane to jump out of one,” he said as he pulled her from the car.
“Jump out… You mean… Oh, fuck no!” she practically screeched as she leaned away from him. “Cody Sommers, take me home this instant!”
“I will, but we have to do something first.”
“You’re not serious,” she said, giving him a once-over.
He didn’t respond, just watched her face as she watched him, certain he saw the instant that she understood he had no intention of leaving until they’d finished.
“Oh my God. You are serious.”
She balled her tiny hands into fists and for an instant, he wondered if she was going to slug him. It wouldn’t surprise him if she did, but it would be worth it just for the chance to see the expression on her face. Enraged would be an understatement. Collected, meticulous Blakely Bishop was on the verge of a full-blown tantrum.
She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
Tossing the concern about the violence in her eyes aside, he grasped her face between his hands and leaned down to kiss her, brushing his lips against hers once, then twice.
“You’ll be fine. I’ll be with you all the way,” he whispered against her lips before kissing her again.
She reached up and wrapped her hands around his wrists and then pulled back, staring up into his eyes, searching for what, he wasn’t sure. Whatever it was, she must have found it because she released his wrists and let her arms hang at her sides.
“Well,” she said after a moment, “let’s get on with it before I change my mind. And I’m so mad at you.”
“You’ll get over it,” he said as he pulled her from the car and then swatted her ass, which earned him another censorious glare. “Right this way.”
After linking his arm with hers, he led them into the hangar, where the pilot waited.
“’Bout time, Sommers. Hurry up before we both get court-martialed.”
“Nobody is getting court-martialed, Royal, so stop being such a pussy. You got the gear?”
“Here.” He gestured at the suit and parachute.
“Blake, put this on,” he said.
Cody thought he saw a tremor in her hands, but she dressed without complaint, though the suit was far too long for her. He adjusted it as best he could and then gave her brief instruction.
“I’ll wear the parachute and you’ll be attached to me with this,” he said, pointing at the harness.
“I don’t get my own parachute!” she bellowed, her eyes practically bugging out of her head.
Her expression was so comical, he was more than halfway tempted to continue the ruse but he took pity on her.
“You have an emergency chute here.” He tugged on the pack that was on her back. “But don’t worry, Ms. Bishop. I’m a professional, and I’ll be with you the whole time. Just stretch your legs out as far as you can, and hold on tight. Oh, and enjoy the ride,” he finished with a smile.
Blakely gaped, mouth opening and closing as she stared at him in disbelief. He took the opportunity to double-check her suit, buckle the helmet on her head, and slide the protective goggles over her eyes.
“You’re adorable,” he said, dropping a kiss on her nose.
She narrowed her eyes and glared at him, looking like she wanted to punch him again, something Royal apparently found hilarious, because he laughed like a hyena as he walked toward the cockpit. Cody stepped behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, nudging her forward. Grudgingly, she moved. When they reached the plane, he stepped around her and got in, offering her his hand. After she took it, he pulled her in and they made their ascent, the roar of air filling the belly of the plane. Royal radioed that they were nearing jumping altitude, so Cody took his position and settled Blakely in his lap, where she promptly gripped his thighs with an iron hold. Even though he knew fear was the thing that made her cling to him, it was a good feeling, having her physically attached to him like this. He enjoyed it for as long as he could.
“Blake,” he said a moment later, “stick your legs out. In about thirty seconds, we’ll start the jump.”
She nodded but didn’t speak, and he could see the tic in her jaw where she clenched her teeth, her usually lush mouth pulled tight with worry. When he brushed his mouth against hers, she squeaked but he didn’t let up and a few seconds later, he felt her mouth slacken, felt her little huff of breath as she began to respond.
Then he pulled back and she glanced up at him, and he smiled when he saw that her face was almost normal.
“That’s better,” he said, to which she responded with a slight smile.
When they reached jumping altitude, he tapped her on the shoulder.
“You ready?” he screamed to be heard above the rush of air.
“No,” she screamed but then she nodded.
“On three, two, one. Go!”
He propelled them out of the aircraft, that first disorienting feeling of weightlessness followed by the rush of free falling hitting him. Blake was silent, didn’t release a sound, but he felt the tension in her body.
“Look,” he said into her ear. “You don’t want to miss this.”
He couldn’t see her face but in a heartbeat, her scream hit him and made him pull her closer. And then he smiled as the sound morphed from terror to pure, unadulterated joy. Jumping out of a plane had lost most of its novelty, but it felt like an entirely new experience with her. She squeaked when he pulled the chute, and she gripped his hand tighter than she ever had. Despite the beauty and serenity he usually felt during this kind of descent, he paid no attention to his surroundings and kept his gaze trained on Blakely, the sight of her far, far more amazing than anything that passed them by. He wondered if she realized how tightly she clung to him and what she would do if she did. Granted, he’d sprung this little trip on her without warning and it wasn’t like she had alternatives, but he couldn’t help but believe she held him so tightly because she trusted him, cared for him.