“Oh,” was all River managed before Vaughn came bursting onto the porch, hair standing in several different directions, obviously having cut through the side yard. His exhausted gaze seesawed between her and the colonel, before sticking on her, softening. “You didn’t tell her, did you, Colonel Moriarty? My River…she shouldn’t have to hear terrible things like that.”
“No, he didn’t tell me. But you will,” River whispered, answering for the colonel. Something important was playing out here. She had no idea what. She only knew Vaughn had kept something huge from her, something he’d just confirmed was terrible, and it had happened prior to their breakup. Sensing she wouldn’t get a word out of Vaughn until they were alone, she broke their stare and faced the colonel. “How does he receive the honor? Where?”
“I could have brought it with me, but that would be far too easy, De Matteo, after I’ve spent four years looking for you.”
Pain slashed across his features. “I made it pretty difficult to be found.”
The older man’s eyes briefly floated between Vaughn and River before he took three crisp steps forward. “But find you I did. And we’re having a ceremony at Fort Hamilton in two days. It would bring my family great pleasure to have me present you with the medal.”
“He’ll be there.” River blurted the promise, but once it was out, she straightened her spine and owned it. “If you leave me the details, I’ll make sure of it.”
Vaughn rolled his neck, clearly uncomfortable with so much attention focused on him, but his voice was firm. “Riv, I’m not leaving when I just came back. No way, no how.”
She thought back to the young man everyone had discounted except for her. The guy who’d treated her like spun gold, hating himself for bringing her to a motel or his tiny studio apartment. The guy whose parents had abandoned him to TV dinners and an impersonal upbringing via his uncle. And she decided if Vaughn had done something worth honoring, his next of kin should damn well see it carried through. “Marcy and I will come with you. To the ceremony.”
His chest lifted and then shuddered down. “You will?”
“Yes,” she breathed.
When they managed to break eye contact, the colonel was no longer standing on the porch with them, but they found a note with the time and location of the ceremony inside on the kitchen table. As she scanned the blunt-scripted words, River felt Vaughn’s breath coast up her neck. “Come out with me tonight.”
Oh Lord, she needed to be with him. Needed the gaps of their history filled in…hell, being around him would be enough. Even now, she felt stronger just having him in the room. More substantial. “I’d have to find a babysitter.”
He dragged his bared teeth up River’s nape. “Got it covered, doll.” They both released a shaky laugh when Marcy screamed for mommy out in the living room. “Be ready at seven.”
River nodded, practically deflating when Vaughn released her and backed out onto the porch. Before he could vanish, she murmured, “Are you going to tell me what happened, Vaughn?”
His throat worked. “As much as I can.”
He left her wondering exactly what he would leave out. And if, once again, they would be the most important parts.
Chapter Fourteen
Duke dropped off his sisters at seven o’clock sharp and burned rubber down River’s street, leaving Vaughn to herd the bickering women into River’s house. River had insisted on speaking with Duke on the phone before agreeing to let the sisters watch Marcy, and seemed satisfied with what she’d been told. But it occurred to Vaughn as they arrived at the door that maybe…he wouldn’t mind being comfortable, too. His time with Marcy so far had been minimal—which he would change as soon as he and River were on even footing—but his daughter’s safety had become his concern the moment he’d found out about her.
“Excuse me, ladies,” Vaughn said, attempting to cut through an argument about someone’s cousin’s cousin, who’d apparently married the hairdresser who styled the Real Housewives of New Jersey, but hadn’t invited any of them to a filming. Which they all agreed was some righteous bullshit. None of them so much as batted an eyelash at Vaughn’s attempt to break into their conversation, so he put two fingers in his mouth and whistled, which in retrospect, might have been a mistake.
“Did you just whistle at us?”
“Do we look like a pack of golden retrievers to you?”
“I knew your uncle, Vaughn De Matteo. He was an asshole, but he sure as shit never whistled at nobody.”
“Where’s this kid? Are we here to watch a kid or what?”
Vaughn looked down for a moment, before he took a deep breath and tried again. “Look, I’m sorry about the whistling, all right? I’m nervous as hell.” He slicked anxious fingers through his hair. “This was my idea. And Marcy’s only been my daughter a few days. She’s…you know. Perfect. So could you ladies just take good care of her for me?”
There was a long silence—and then Vaughn was smothered by four sets of arms and bosoms, perfume snaking into his throat. Someone was patting his back with such force, he was pretty sure his shoulder blades were being relocated.
“He’s cute when he’s not demeaning us.”