Page 76

Lucas Caldwell.
“I really would like that drink,” Ryder muttered. If Lucas knew what Ryder had been doing to his goddaughter before his untimely interruption the other evening, Ryder would already be dead.
“Let’s get you to the bar. Then we need to rescue Nathan from Admiral Dane and his mates.” Lachlan lifted his tumbler at the painting of George Washington mounted on the wall at the far end of the room.
Nathan stood beneath it, dressed in a navy suit. He tugged at his bright blue tie and took a healthy swig of the beer in his hand, his expression one of a man about to be court-martialed.
Next to him was Emily’s father, a commanding figure with salt and pepper hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. Other older men with the same military bearing as the admiral surrounded them.
Ryder suppressed a grin. Nathan was as deadly as they came, but Emily’s father intimidated even him. Hell, the man intimidated all of them. Admiral Dane had once been their commanding officer as head of the NATO Taskforce Command, overseeing combat operations in Afghanistan.
After their trip to the bar, Lachlan and Ryder rescued Nathan from the admiral and a veritable “who’s who” of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and military secretaries, past and present.
“Thank you.” Nathan breathed a sigh of relief once they’d gotten out of range of the admiral and his cronies. “I never want to be surrounded by that many officers with stars on their shoulder boards again.” He drained his beer and handed off the empty glass to a roving member of the wait staff. “I’ve had to referee between Emily and her father ever since he insisted on holding this engagement party for us. She’s threatening to elope so her dad can’t turn our wedding into the Washington social event of the season.”
His icy blue gaze focused on Ryder. “Glad you could make it, amigo. I see you brought Nathalie.”
“She needed the opportunity to socialize in a safe environment.” It was the same half-truth Ryder had given to Lachlan. He wanted his friends to get to know her.
Funny, he hadn’t cared what his family thought of Nathalie when they were lovers during his university days, but it was important to him now that his friends accept her.
“What happens between you and Nathalie when our contract with Williams Advanced Avionics is over?” Lachlan asked.
Ryder searched out Nathalie in the crowd. She was with Sophia and Emily, a glass of red wine in her hand, laughing at something Emily said.
As if she could feel his gaze on her, she turned her head.
Their eyes met.
She smiled. A sweet, genuine smile that arrowed straight to his heart and crumbled more of the flimsy barrier he still had erected against her.
When he pulled his gaze away, he saw his two friends were watching with knowing looks. “I don’t know.”
Nathan crossed his massive arms and snorted. “I know when a man is done for,” he declared. “Hell, I knew Lachlan was a goner for Sophia way before he did.”
“Aye,” Lachlan agreed. “He did, thebawbag.”
Ryder quirked a brow at Nathan. “Says the man who followed a four-star admiral’s daughter across the ocean and got himself all buggered up, rushing to her rescue.”
Nathan shrugged. “Ya gotta do what ya gotta do. It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely worth it.” He snagged a glass of white wine off the tray of a passing server. “Now, if you gentleman will excuse me, I’m heading back into the fray.” Raising his hand in a mock salute, he sauntered toward the women and handed the glass of wine to Emily.
A strange tightness gripped Ryder’s chest as Emily reached up to grab the back of Nathan’s neck and bring his face down for a lingering kiss.
Sophia laughed and pretended to throw water on the couple.
Even from this distance, Ryder could see Nathalie’s head dip, her cheeks tinged with color before she sought him out again.
“Nathan’s right.”
Ryder tore his gaze from Nathalie to meet Lachlan’s eyes.
“I’m not going to pretend to like this situation, but if she’s the one whose memory has stayed with you all these years, you need to either work it out or find a way to move on without her.”
Lachlan wasn’t saying anything he hadn’t already told himself.
Ryder contemplated his whisky. His two best mates had found love and were happier than he’d ever seen them. Was it possible for him to move on from the past and have the same happiness again with Nathalie?
“Okay, you two.” Sophia’s voice interrupted the silence growing between the men. “I need to steal my husband. Admiral Dane wants to introduce us to some potential clients.”