Chapter 1
Mike walked down the now familiar halls of theBarstow Community Hospital. He had come a few times over the past two months. Not because he was always injured, though that was the long-standing joke between him and his teammates. At six foot nine he was an easy target for the enemy. Not that he tried to be, but he more than made up for his awkward height in his demolition skills and the ability to get into even the tightest of places that none of his team mates could accomplish. It defied physics, but he didn’t question it. It was a skill that had saved his life as well as his fellow teammates more than once.
Mike had been coming to the hospital on a almost weekly basis since an old injury flare up. He had been out on a drive just to get some fresh air when something in his shoulder pulled. The base hospital was closed since it was the weekend, so he went to the closest hospital, which happened to be an hour drive from base.
He had debated going to the hospital close to base where friend, and fellow teammate, Carter volunteered at in between missions, but he didn’t want to risk himself or anyone else on the road so he pulled over.
He never understood Carter’s drive to volunteer at these places. They smelled funny. Also like disinfectant. It was loud with people yelling, crying out in pain.
Carter was immune to all that, and said he went to hone his skills since he needed to patch Mike up so frequently. Mike assumed it was because he had been bored and wanted something to fill in the time.
Now Carter was dating Kinsley, an ex-FBI agent and Abigail’s best friend, who was dating another friend of his, Aaron. Their team that once consisted of just the guys had now grown with the women. One was even expecting, Cora. She recently became engaged to Liam. Only Mike remained as the single man out. Hopefully for not much longer.
It wasn’t that he disliked being the last single guy of the group, it was because he was getting up the nerve to ask a woman out. Who knew giant Mike Hunter, bad-ass Delta Force Operative that did some of the most dangerous work in the world, was shy. It was almost laughable, only he hated it.
He wasn’t a virgin, but he wouldn’t call himself a ladies man either. Most women eyed his size and wanted to know if he was big all around. Mike didn’t believe in casual sex. Sex was intimate and should only be shared with someone he cared about. With his line of work and the secrets he kept, on top of his wacky schedule, it was hard to connect with a woman.
Then he mether. She was like a burst of sunshine after a lifetime of rain. Mike never felt such joy as he did with her. Destiny. He knew the moment he met her she was the one meant for him. It sounded corny, love at first sight, but it was. The moment their eyes met, it had been like being struck by lightning. If only he didn’t get so silent or tongue-tied when they were together. Destiny didn’t mind his quietness. She talked enough for the both of them.
Every time he was with her, he laughed harder than he had his whole life. She brought such joy to his life. If only he could tell her how he felt. Just say, ‘Destiny, I’d like to take you out on a date.’ In his head it sounded so simple. He must have gotten close to saying it a thousand times, but then he would chicken out. Maybe today would be the day.
Yeah right. You’re going to die a lonely old man because you can’t ask a beautiful woman out. Because she’ll never see you as anything more than a friend.
They had met the day he was being discharged. Mike waswalking down the hallway when he heard her lithe voice coming from a room that had the door partially closed. Curious, Mike walked toward the room and peaked in seeing a woman with chestnut hair pulled into a messy bun sitting next to an older woman who had her eyes closed.
If it wasn’t for the rhythmic beeping of the machine next to her, Mike would guess the old woman was already dead. She was as pale as the sheets she laid upon. Her face contorted in pain. Her body looked frail. What struck him most, was seeing this beautiful woman clinging to the old woman’s hand as if trying to will her to get better just by being there, he wished with all of his might he could do something about it.
As if sensing he was there, the woman glanced over at him. She had a sweet round face with a button nose and large green eyes. They were so hypnotic he didn’t try hiding the fact he had been spying on her.
The woman just looked up at him and blinked a few times as if not sure he was real or not. Her face was blank not giving a hint of what she was thinking or if he was intimidating her. His height could frighten some people. But this beautiful woman didn’t look scared of him. He couldn’t tell her height from her sitting position and the bed hid her lower half.
She wore a grey shirt that hung off her shoulders revealing the straps of her black tank top underneath and the swell of her breasts. They were on the small size yet sat high and pert. She had a trim waist, almost looking too skinny as if the stress of the older woman’s sickness was affecting her eating.
Mike wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them and take this nameless woman in his arms and tell her everything was going to be alright. Instead he stood frozen in the doorway, unable to decide if he should stay or run.
The woman took the decision out of his hands when she whispered something to the older woman and approached him. Up close, the top of her head reached his chest. A little shorter than six foot. Good. He liked taller women. Short women made him feel even more like a giant. “Can I help you?”
It was obvious he wasn’t a doctor or staff member. His jeans and leather jacket an easy giveaway. “I’m sorry.” He muttered. “I didn’t mean to invade your privacy, I only…” How did he explain he was drawn to her without sounding like a weirdo. “I’ll go.” He started to back away when like a siren of folklore she spoke, drawing him back to her.
“I need a break anyway. I’m going to get a coffee, would you like to come with me?”
Mike could only nod. Like a little puppy he followed her.
“By the way, I’m Destiny. Destiny Sheppard.” She held out her hand.
“Mike Hunter.” He shook her hand making sure to be gentle and not squish hers. His hand easily engulfed hers.
Destiny smiled at him and Mike fell head over heels for her. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.
It had been the same ever since. He found out she worked on base as a decoder, but their schedules hardly meshed for them to see each other much outside of the hospital. It sucked, but any time with her was worth it. Neither of them complained.
Until he always got the call from Destiny that her grandma was back in the hospital. Doctors could never figure out what was wrong with her. She’d come in looking like death. They’d run tests but never find anything. A few days later she’d be cleared to go home and then just when she started getting her strength back, she’d be back in the hospital.
Destiny was so worried about her, and he was worried about Destiny. Though he did like her grandma. She was a spunky old lady who always spoke her mind.
Mike went straight to Destiny’s grandma Carol’s room, but only Carol was there napping. Where was Destiny? There was only one other place she could be. The cafeteria.
His long legs ate up the distance quickly, eager to see Destiny even though he had just seen her the other day. Her text had sounded frantic. After two months he was learning to read her and decipher her texts as good as she was at deciphering codes. Destiny was putting on a brave face, always staying optimistic this would be the last hospital visit, but he could see through the cracks of her façade. Every trip to the hospital he could see more and more of her spirit breaking. Her grandmother was sick and there was nothing anyone could do for her.
