Van couldn't shake the weight of loss. Even though the mission was finished, every one of his teammates was gone. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, not really seeing anything, until Dane walked in. Only then did a little light come back into his eyes.
"So, when did you get yourself a fiancée without telling any of us?" Van asked, trying to sound playful even though his voice was weak.
Dane smiled, pulling up a chair. "The families agreed we'll make it official in two years."
Van looked him up and down. "Two years? She's so pretty. Aren't you worried someone will swoop in and steal her from you?”
He figured Dane would never agree to anything unless he truly wanted it. No way could his family push him into it.
“She's with me. No one's stealing her,” Dane replied. His gaze was steady, almost fierce.
Van managed a real smile then. He always knew Dane was stubborn as a mule. "Alright then. I'll just wait for my shot at free wedding wine."
Dane got up to leave. "I'll drop by another day. Try to get some actual rest. Don't overthink things."
Claire hadn't told The Churchill Family she was in Cabinda, mostly because she barely had a moment to breathe, let alone handle their endless questions. Still, she and Dane agreed that they really should stop by soon.
They had barely reached the hospital room door before someone else arrived. A woman swept in, dressed to turn heads. She was striking, beautiful, and carried herself like she owned the place.
She lit up as soon as she saw Dane. "Dane, you're here too? Seriously, no one told me Van was in the hospital. If I hadn't overheard Grandpa chatting with Walden, I'd still be clueless."
Dane looked a little surprised. "Hey, Tilda."
Everyone knew Tilda was
completely unapologetically into Van. She was the kind of girl guys fought over when they were kids, always the most dazzling person in the room Plenty of rich boys would have done anything for her, but her eyes were always on Vam-the stubborn one who'd never given her the time of day. Their families even tried to set them up, but nothing came of it. If one person isn't
interested, plans fall apart.
No one knew if Walden let her know on purpose this time, or if her grandpa just blabbed by accident.
Tilda finally noticed Claire, who had stepped into the hall with Dane. Eyeing her up and down, she asked, "And you are...?"
Dane didn't give her a chance to stir up any trouble. "This is Claire, my fiancée.”
For a second, Tilda looked surprised, then her face broke into a wide, genuine grin. She grabbed Claire's hand in a friendly shake. "So you're Dane's fiancée! Claire, right? I'm Tilda. Honestly, I've known Dane since he was a kid. He acts cold, but he's a good guy. If you need
anything, find me. I work for the
national news-maybe you've seen me on TV?"
Claire finally placed her. She'd seen Tilda on news reports more than once, but in real life, she seemed even prettier Maybe her Ty wardrobe just didn't do her justice.
ΛΟ
"Nice to meet you, Tilda. You're gorgeous. You look even more amazing in real life
than on camera,” Claire said with total sincerity.
Tilda laughed and squeezed her hand. "You too! When I first saw you, I thought I might have actual competition. You're so beautiful, I nearly panicked."
She was so honest, it made Claire relax instantly. Inside, Van could already feel the beginnings of a headache.
Dane put a hand on Claire's back. “We've got stuff to take care of. Tilda, say hi to Van, but don't wear him out. He really needs to rest.”
And with that, Dane guided Claire out, leaving the whirlwind of Tilda behind.