“That’s all I need to know.” He took out his phone. “Okay, I have a slew of numbers I need to give to you. Including the guys who run O’Malley’s in the city. You’ve met some of them. You can count on them for any help and advice you might need. If you are not sure about anything, call someone.”
O’Malley handed Axel a piece of paper. “I will.”
“When I get back, I’ll figure out a bonus for you.” O’Malley took a moment to compose himself. Was this the right thing to do? He was putting a lot of pressure on Axel.
He can handle it, his cougar told him. Axel can handle it all.
“There’s no need.” Axel waved O’Malley away. “The job opportunity itself is more than enough.”
“We’ll argue about it when I get back.” O’Malley grinned. “I need to get going, but I’ll just go and say hi to your mom if that’s okay.”
“You know she likes to see you,” Axel said. “I might have to bring her with me to the bar. I don’t like leaving her alone for too long.”
“You know she’s more than welcome.” O’Malley grinned. “When we open, I was going to buy your mom a nice comfortable chair so she can sit in the bar. I thought she might enjoy getting out and talking to people.”
“She would,” Axel agreed, “Although, now I’m definitely thinking you are trying to destroy my reputation.”
“Ah, you’re a momma’s boy. Accept it and learn to celebrate it.” He thought of Hannah who had lost her mom and his heart ached for her.
We can’t do anything to change what happened to Hannah, but we can help Axel and his mom.
His cougar was right. They could not change what had happened to Hannah, they could not bring back her mom, but they might be able to bring Karl back to her.
O’Malley made a silent promise to his mate that he would do whatever it took to find Karl and bring him home safely if it was possible.
Chapter Six – Hannah
Hannah arrived back at the bar while it was still light. She’d gathered up all the gear she might need, including some survival rations and a water bottle. She’d also bought sturdy hiking boots and some warm weather gear since the mountains were going to be cold.
Of course, she was willing to share her body warmth with O’Malley at night, in the two-man tent she’d have strapped to her back but sticking close to him during the day was just not feasible.
She sighed. Thoughts of O’Malley had plagued her all day.
That was unfair, he wasn’t a plague, he was a good guy who had agreed to help her find Karl. But she needed to think of O’Malley in a way that would make her less likely to wrap her arms around him and kiss his lips. Because that is exactly what she’s been fantasizing about doing all day.
Okay, so the fantasy went further than kissing.
“Hi.” O’Malley was in the bar when she walked in shouldering her pack, which was getting heavier by the minute. Hannah didn’t know how far she could carry the thing without resorting to crawling on her hands and knees.
“Hi.” She swung the pack down and it landed with a thud on the floor.
“Wow. You are prepared.” O’Malley was dressed in combat gear. He looked completely different than the man she’d met this afternoon. Gone were the jeans that clung to him like a second skin and the black T-shirt that hugged the contours of his chest. His black leather jacket was no doubt hung safely in a closet, replaced by a thick warm jacket with many pockets.
“It’s going to be cold. So I have lots of layers. I also have some rations and a tent.” She pressed her lips together feeling a little stupid. “Too much?”
He scratched his cheek before walking toward her. Hannah’s breath caught in her throat, he might be dressed for combat, but this didn’t detract from the raw magnetism he exuded.
“Let’s take a look. We can transfer some of the gear to my pack to even it out.” O’Malley hunkered down and snapped open the clips that were barely keeping the pack closed.
Hannah stood by and watched as he rifled through the contents of her pack. Luckily, she’d placed her fresh underwear and two changes of clothes in a separate small bag, which after a quick glance, O’Malley set to one side along with the small bag of toiletries. She was not willing to sacrifice her toothbrush for anything.
“Okay. Most of this we can use. I’ll carry the tent. Keep the rations, I have some of my own, so if we get split up for whatever reason, neither of us will starve.”
He repacked her pack, adding a couple of the lightweight pans she’d brought plus a small tin containing kindling and a flint and steel to her pack. After he’d transferred some of the gear including the tent to his pack, Hannah’s was about half the weight it had been. “Are you sure you can carry all that?”
“I’m a shifter. I have superhuman strength as well as superhuman senses.” He wasn’t joking. Which made her feel better.
Better about a whole lot of other things that had been worrying her. O’Malley could take care of himself. He could also take care of her. If they were in danger, he would get them out of it. The determination in the set of his jaw and the calm control in his voice reassured her she’d made the right decision coming here.
“What time is our flight?” Hannah looked at her watch. O’Malley had asked her to meet him at the bar before dark. He hadn’t given her any details of where they were taking off from or what kind of plane they would fly in.
O’Malley looked at the watch on his wrist. Karl had a similar one. He’d brought it home when he’d left the Army. Hannah closed her eyes and tried to stem the flow of tears that threatened. This was all too real. They were about to leave to find her brother.
She’d spent weeks trying to get someone to listen to her. Hours on the phone trying to persuade the authorities to look for Karl. But it had all seemed as though it was happening to someone else.
This was real. They were about to leave to go and look for Karl. Because he was missing.
She reached out and placed a hand on the back of a chair as the bar swirled around her.
“Hey.” O’Malley was by her side in a second. His speed certainly was superhuman. “Sit for a moment.”
He pulled out a chair and she collapsed into it, feeling weak and stupid. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” He watched her face, his own anguish real. “Let me do this for you. You could stay here, and I’ll keep you updated with whatever I find.”
She shook her head, at the same time she wiped the treacherous tears from her face. “No, I’m coming with you.” She sniffed loudly. “I don’t have the strength right now to argue that point with you.”
“Then we won’t argue.” He smiled up at her and brushed a tear from her cheek. “We go together.”
“Thanks.” She looked down into his soft caramel-colored eyes. “It just suddenly hit me that Karl is actually missing. I know it sounds stupid but before…”
“It was distant, you were still detached from it.” He showed complete understanding. “And now that you are going there yourself, it’s real. It’s tangible.”