Jana Leigh (7 page)

“
We don’t know,” Jessie admitted.  “Which is why we are going to move the families to somewhere secure and safe.”

Grant looked at Brin and frowned.  “
Who will be watching them?”

“
Alex, one of my teammate's family is in security business.  We are moving them to an island they own,” Jessie said and began to explain the situation in detail.

Brin and the baby drifted off to sleep while they were talking and both of the men stared down
at her when they were finished speaking.

“
Is that all of it?” Grant asked.

“
Yeah,” Jessie said softly and touched his child’s head.

“
So, ménage relationships?” Grant asked curiously.

“
That is what you got out of it?”  Jessie chuckled.

“
Well, the rest I am sure is fine.”  Grant laughed.

“
Three of my teammates have taken to the lifestyle.  I have to admit, it is something I have actually thought about,” Jessie said.

Grant nodded, “
Well you know about my family, my uncle had a ménage relationship, and now my cousins.”

Jessie smiled, “
Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that.”  Jessie remembered when they were children and his family came to visit.  He had plenty of questions for them.  He chuckled as he remembered asking his mom about ménages, she had been drinking ice tea at the time and spit it all over the place.  One thing he did remember was that she was very accepting of it.  Told him that he should respect people for who they are—not what went on behind the bedroom door.  Looking back, he knew that was why he didn’t have such a hard time accepting Alex, and his family.  They were great people.

“
I always thought it would take a special woman to make me contemplate that, you know without feeling jealousy and stuff,” Grant said slowly and Jessie looked at him.

“
Yeah, it would,” Jessie agreed.  “Who would you consider being your partner in a relationship like that?”

“
Only one man I can think of.”  Grant smiled and looked at Jessie closely.

“
Me too,” Jessie admitted.

“
It has been a long time since we were together,” Grant said slowly.  Even though they had been close when they were younger, Grant liked to think they were still close enough to share a woman together.  It had been something they had talked about when they were growing up.

“
What are you thinking?” Jessie said.  “I mean, I have issues, sometimes nightmares, and the woo woo doctor says I have PTSD.  I'm not sure I am the same man I was before.” 

Grant stared at his friend. 
Jessie was the same, he just didn’t realize it yet.  Grant wanted to be there for his friend, help him get back what he thought he had lost.  Being without close friends for the last few years made him realize what he lost when Jessie left.  Grant wanted it back, seeing his friend again made him yearn for something he knew was missing.  But changing his whole life was crazy, wasn’t it.  For a woman he just met, and a man he thought he knew?

“
I don’t know.  I feel something for Brin, maybe it was going through such an intense situation with her.  I just feel like somehow she belongs to me.  Seeing you again makes me hopeful we can build our friendship back.  It may be crazy, but I really want to see where this leads,” Grant admitted.

“
You know, sometimes you don’t argue with fate.  I learned the hard way with the guys.  I thought we were going to be together forever, but it wasn’t in the cards.  Now, I just want to be happy.  I don’t know if I can handle committing to someone and then losing them, or letting them down.  Alex, my teammate, and his friend are the perfect example.  Slone is his back up, though they would never think that one of them is less involved.  They work as a team, and I want that,” Jessie admitted.

“
We have a lot to talk about then,” Grant said.  “You know my uncle always said when he and his brother met my aunt it was like a lightning strike, both of them kinda knew.”

Jessie nodded and looked up at his friend.  “
Yeah, that is what my friends said too.”

“
Their children were just that too…theirs,” Grant said and touched the baby boy's face. 

“
It gives a man something to think about.”  Jessie smiled.

“
Plus, when one of them is gone, the other one could handle the home base, you know, in case there was danger,” Grant said.

“
It would take a commitment from all of them,” Jessie said.

“
That is the good thing about these relationships, knowing someone always has your back.  I missed that over the years,” Grant said and Jessie nodded.

They continued to talk quietly in the corner as they watched over Brin and the baby.  It seemed like only a few minutes before they heard
the baby stir.  Jessie stood, went to the bassinet, and looked down at his son.  He would never grow tired of looking at him, Jessie thought as he picked him up.

He felt Mark standing next to him.  “
It’s time
,” his friend whispered and Jessie looked back at Grant.

“
Grant, do you believe in ghosts?” Jessie said and Grant laughed.

Brin tried to open her eyes
.  She was just so damn tired.  It took her a moment to remember where she was.  But when she did, her eyes popped open and she looked frantically for her baby.  Had she slept through him waking up?  The nurse explained for the first few days, adjustments would be made until they got a routine down that worked for them. 

Of course, she knew that.  With her future so unsure, she had no idea how this was going to all work.  The feeling of helplessness flowed over her again.  She was going to have to face reality
soon, where was she going to raise this child? 

Her gaze settled on Jessie and Grant who were in the corner whispering.  Jessie was holding their son in his muscular arms and she wanted to cry.  They looked so handsome together
.  She wished it were real.  Then her gaze landed on Grant and she felt confused.  Looking at both men sitting there, she knew she was attracted to both. 
Why could she never do anything easy
? she wondered.

They both gave her the tingly feelings in the pit of her stomach.  Grant, al
though knowing him for a short period of time, he had been amazing while she was in labor.  Talking to her, and making sure she had everything she needed.  He was strong and caring, and if she had not been giving birth to another man's son, she would have hit on him.  As it was, the situation had spiraled out of control.

Brin pushed herself up and smiled.  “
Hey there,” she said when the men turned to look at her.

“
Hey,” Jessie said and Grant grinned and stood.

“
How are you feeling now?” Grant asked.

“
Better,” she admitted and then blushed when Jessie and Grant came to each side of the bed.  “Here, let me feed him,” Brin said and held out her arms. 

Jessie gently placed him in her arms and she looked down at her child.  The love practically burst out of her
as she ran a hand down his cheek.  Focusing on her son, she moved an arm out of her gown and arranged him so he was next to her breast.  When she dared to look up, she felt herself blush again as she realized both men were staring at her feeding her son.  Their gazes made her feel cherished, a stupid thought, she shook herself, of course not.  They were probably wondering how they could escape.

“
We have been talking,” Jessie said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“
Well so have I,” Brin said firmly.  “The Commander of the SEAL Team sent a message a few weeks ago saying if anyone needed anything to call him.  I think that would be the best solution.  Until all of this has worked itself out.”

Jessie sighed.  “
Honey, things have changed since then.  We are all on alert.”

“
Listen, Jessie explained the situation to me.  I think we have come up with a good compromise.  I happen to be in a good place right now, where I can leave my practice for a while.  Jessie doesn’t want you to be alone, and I have some free time, so how about it?” Grant said.

“
But…” Brin sputtered.

“
Honey, we don’t have a lot of choices.  I know how it would be uncomfortable to go off with people you don’t know.  Even though you and Grant just met, he seems to think you have ah...developed a good basis for a friendship.  That way you will know someone, and I will feel better knowing Grant was with you,” Jessie said.

“
So really, this is all about you making yourself feel better while you are off doing…whatever it is you need to do,” Brin argued.  “Well thank you very much, but I think we can handle this on our own.”

Jessie made a noise of frustration.  “
Where do you plan on going?”

Brin looked him in the eyes and said
, “Don’t worry, I will figure it out.”

“
I don’t think so,” Jessie growled.

“
What he means is, why not let us help you figure this out,” Grant said softly, drawing her attention away.

Brin felt a lump in her throat.  Her brother would say the same thing
, he was reasonable about stuff like that.  She really wished he were here about now, he would know what to do.

Jessie cleared his throat again and reached into his back pocket.  “
This is probably not the best place to do this but hell, is there a good time?” 

Brin looked at the torn and tattered letter Jessie was holding out and knew what
it was,
damn him
.  Her brother had written her a letter before he died.  With shaking hands, she reached out and took the paper.  Her son grumbled at the movement.  Brin laid down the letter, and silently finished feeding her child while trying to fight the tears that were already gathering in her eyes.

The baby must have picked up on her emotions because he started to fuss.  Brin tried to sooth him but he was
n't having anything to do with being soothed.  She felt her heart strings pull as she looked at her child and remember that she would never be able to show him off to her brother.  Sadness enveloped her as she thought of everything her brother would miss.

“
Shhh,” she whispered, still feeling upset with the letter lying on her leg.  She really didn’t want to open it, because it would make things more real. Brin looked at the two men and whispered, “I don’t think I can.”

G
rant shifted and placed a hand on her leg while Jessie touched the other one and both were rubbing her.

“
It’s okay, we don’t have to read it now,” Jessie murmured.  He felt a breeze behind him and knew his teammates were in the room.  He turned his head and watched as Emo walked to the head of the bed and looked down at his sister and their son.  The look of longing on his face was enough to make Jessie suck in a breath.

Brin looked at Jessie and whispered
, “What?”  The baby suddenly quieted down and Brin looked down in confusion.  She could see the soft new baby hair moving slightly, as if something was rubbing against his head and she frowned.

Jessie cleared his throat and said
, “Mark is here.”  Brin looked up at him in surprise and Jesse looked back down before whispering, “Long story, but I can see him.  He is touching the baby’s head.”

“
So, does this long story involve a stay at the mental institution?” Brin said slowly, and for the first time since Jessie arrived, she looked at him closely.  His looked the same, maybe a little thinner, and the twinkle in his eyes, which attracted her in the first place, was dimmed. 

Jessie rolled
his eyes, “No, but it probably could help.  There are probably a million reasons you shouldn’t believe me about this.  But it all started when Sable, Wolfman’s sister, needed help,” he said and explained how the whole ‘I see dead people’ came about.

Brin listened with awe, and thought either she was having a mental break or this was a dream because she really began to believe what he was saying.  Maybe it was the hope of knowing her brother was at peace, maybe it was the meds the doctors gave to her
while she was in labor, who knew.  What it boiled down to was that she believed him.