Her Lieutenant Protector. Lara Lacombe

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СКАЧАТЬ her friends. She missed them so much at times it was a physical ache in her chest. But they were here now, and she was determined to enjoy every minute of this trip.

      Even though she did have to work.

      “I’m so glad you could both come,” Mallory said, leaning back so she could look at her friends. They both looked good. Olivia’s dark eyes practically glowed, and there was a spark in Avery’s blue gaze Mallory hadn’t seen before. She glanced beyond her friends to the men standing a few feet away. They must be the reason for her friends’ newfound joy.

      “Hello,” she said, nodding to them both.

      “Hi,” said the man on the left. He stepped closer to Olivia and put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m Logan.”

      “Nice to meet you,” Mallory replied with a nod. Both Olivia and Avery held her hands, so she couldn’t offer to shake his. They were protecting her, giving her a socially acceptable excuse for not touching the men. They knew how much she dreaded physical contact, and she felt a flash of gratitude for their efforts.

      Logan looked nice enough. He was tall, with dark brown hair and angled eyebrows over intelligent green eyes. He smiled, revealing twin dimples that made him look a little boyish, in a charming sort of way.

      “So you’re the one who saved Olivia in Colombia,” Mallory said, referring to Olivia’s misadventures on her last medical charity trip.

      Logan snorted. “I think it was the other way around,” he said, giving Olivia’s shoulder a squeeze. She lifted her free hand to cover his and looked up at him, love shining in her eyes.

      “I’m just glad you got home safely,” Mallory said. “Both of you.”

      She turned to the other man who was standing next to Avery. “And you must be Grant.”

      He offered her a quick smile. “Guilty as charged.”

      Mallory nodded, taking in his slightly curly hair and hazel eyes. There was a humorous slant to his mouth, and she could tell by the fine lines at the corners of his eyes that Grant was a man who laughed a lot.

      “Have you thawed out from your stint in Antarctica yet?”

      He wrinkled his nose. “Oh, yeah. Atlanta gets downright steamy in the summer.”

      “Told you,” Avery said softly.

      Grant put his arm around Avery’s shoulders and drew her close. “It’s a small price to pay to be with you,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

      Mallory couldn’t help but smile at her friends and their partners. Olivia and Avery had both chosen well, it seemed. They’d both been through a lot, and it was good to see them so happy.

      “Let’s grab a table,” she suggested. People were starting to trickle in, wanting before-meal drinks. It wouldn’t take long before the bar was packed.

      “Do you have time?” Olivia asked. “I know you’re on the clock.”

      Mallory glanced at her watch. “I said I’d be back by five, so we’re good. Besides, they can page me if they need me.” She led them to a round table in the corner, away from the growing bustle of the room.

      The women sat down while the men remained standing. “Ladies, what can we get you to drink?” asked Grant.

      Olivia and Avery both requested a fruity cocktail. Grant nodded, then looked expectantly at Mallory.

      She hesitated only a second. “Water for me, please.”

      Olivia and Avery exchanged a shocked look, but if Grant noticed it, he didn’t react. “Sure thing,” he said.

      Avery waited until Grant and Logan were out of earshot. “Okay, now I know you must like them,” she said, leaning forward with a smile. “That’s the first time I’ve seen you order a drink from someone who wasn’t me or Olivia.”

      Olivia nodded in agreement, her expression hopeful. “She’s right. Does that mean they get your seal of approval?”

      Mallory smiled and shook her head. “You guys don’t need me to tell you they’re great.”

      “Yeah.” Avery leaned back, a dreamy smile drifting across her face. “We’re really lucky.”

      “Tell me about the new house,” Mallory prompted. Avery and Grant had recently bought a house and moved in together. She’d seen a few pictures, but it would be good to hear about the details firsthand.

      “Oh! It’s fabulous!” Avery dug in her purse and pulled out her phone, talking excitedly as she pulled up photos.

      The men came back just as she handed her phone to Mallory. Olivia leaned over to view the images, as well.

      “Is she showing you pictures of the house?” Grant asked. “Did she tell you about the table she wouldn’t let me bring inside?”

      Avery rolled her eyes, but it was clear from the look on her face she wasn’t upset. “I told you, baby. That thing is hideous.” She leaned forward and addressed Olivia and Mallory. “A bottle-cap tabletop, can you believe it? He thought it would make a good coffee table.”

      Grant shrugged and looked at Logan. “The guys and I made it in college. It’s still got a lot of life left.”

      Logan nodded and took a swig from his bottle. “Sounds legit to me.”

      Olivia glanced at him in horror, and Mallory couldn’t help but laugh. “Where is this table now?”

      “The garage,” Grant and Avery said in unison.

      “Seems like a fair compromise,” she said.

      “For now,” Grant replied. He leaned forward, a conspiratorial glint in his hazel eyes. “I’m just biding my time until we move to a bigger house and I can have a man cave. Then I’m bringing it inside.”

      “As long as I don’t have to look at it,” Avery remarked.

      Mallory held up her glass of water, capturing the attention of the table. “A toast,” she said. “To new beginnings.”

      “And to friendships,” Olivia added. “Old and new.”

      “Hear, hear.”

      Their glasses touched with a delicate clink, and everyone took a sip. Then the conversation started up again, an easy back and forth between them all. Mallory relaxed into the flow, enjoying the comforting push-pull of talking with her friends. She felt revitalized by their company, and the knowledge that she could let her guard down and speak freely about anything; Olivia and Avery were her support system, and she knew they wouldn’t judge her. They all managed to stay in touch via the phone or the computer, but seeing them in person was a huge boost to her mood.

      She had just started to tell them about her last cruise when the pager on her belt began to vibrate. “Sorry, guys,” she said, pulling it free to examine the display. Crap. It was an emergency. Her heart sank as she stood to take her leave. “I have to go. I’ll catch up with you later.”

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