Rio shook his head. “It’s never public information—where they’re going, what they’re doing. He’ll contact me when he can.”
“Do you want to turn around?” she asked. “Go back to San Diego. It’s okay with me if—”
“No, it’s okay,” he said.
She was still sitting there, wide-eyed, just gazing at him, nearly stricken.
“Really,” he added. “I didn’t say fuck because I’m worried about Dave, I promise you. Because I’m not. I said it because I wanted to ask him something and now I can’t—not ’til he gets back, which could be a while. But he’s okay. And he’ll be okay. We go out like this all the time, for little things. Stupid things. And even if it’s not little or stupid, he’s not just a SEAL, he’s one of the best SEALs in the Teams. He’ll be fine. I’m not worried about him.”
Casey nodded.
Rio gestured to an approaching and brightly lit billboard that advertised a 24-hour truck stop at an exit ahead. “Let’s make a pit stop, okay?”
She nodded again.
Rio knew that the idea of SEALs going into the real world and facing danger was a frightening one for most civilians, and it was clear that Casey was completely freaked out into total silence.
It was a little strange, riding with her that way, since she was obviously wide awake.
But at least she wasn’t asking him any more questions about his so-called oddly same-named cousin, Luc.
Yay...?
Rio signaled to move right, ready for the exit, wishing that she would challenge him—that she’d push it. That she’d narrow her eyes and give him that already now-familiar WTF-look and say, “What aren’t you telling me? Because what the hell kind of family gives their kids the same name? That’s not just confusing, it’s weird as hell. Like, pretty damn close to George Foreman weird.”
Instead she whispered, “It’s really okay if you want to go back.”
“I promise you,” Rio told her again. “I’m not worried about Dave.”
Casey nodded, but he knew she didn’t believe him.
Welp. Okay.
Chapter Twelve
Luc finally let Casey drive for about an hour, during which time he’d yawned once then fallen instantly and deeply asleep in the passenger seat.
But then, after another quick pitstop, about an hour from her parents’ new house in Napa, he’d taken back the wheel.
They drove in silence for a while, but after it was no doubt clear to him that she wasn’t going to sleep—possibly not ever again, not with her concerns for her brother churning in her stomach along with her new worry for Dave—Luc cleared his throat and glanced at her.
That was, she’d learned, one of his signals that he was going to start a conversation that made him a tad uncomfortable. He was a really good communicator, though.
Casey made a mental note to urge Dave to talk to Luc about the man who’d broken his heart—in the event that they hadn’t already discussed it. Somehow, when Luc had confided in her the way he had, she’d gotten the feeling it was not something he’d spoken of very often. If ever.
Beside her in the car, Luc cleared his throat again.
“Come on already,” she said. “Just say it!”
He laughed a little, but then sobered, and said, “It’s possible Jon’s already back home.”
“No, my mother would’ve called.”
“Well, it’s possible he’s back but, um, hasn’t gone inside.”
Light dawned. “Ah, you mean we might find him passed out in the shrubs next to the house,” Casey translated. And yes indeed, Luc was right about that possibility. But... “I thought you were on Team He’s-Not-on-a-Drunken-Binge.”
He laughed again, but again the look he shot her was serious. “I am,” he said. “But I could be wrong, and I know you’re not—on Team Not—so there’s probably a lot of noise in your head about the best way to handle it—him—if he is, you know...”
