Chapter 619 Chapter 619
Jesse flung the door open, he hated that he was panicking, but that was something he hadn’t seen coming. As soon as the meeting ended, Evanna exited the room fast. She’d said she was fine and for him to go for a run. Ten minutes into the run, his cat had put the brakes on and started back without communication. Calum had seen him leaving, so at least he didn’t have to worry about him out in the bush looking for him. He snorted as if Calum Dante would have trouble tracking him.
The room was empty. Putting his hands on his hips, he blew out a breath, where was she? He should have stayed with her. When Leah got up and smacked Nox, Jesse had been so stunned that it had taken him a minute to react. He didn’t blame her, Nox’s mouth was always a problem, but the fact that it was his gentle-hearted Leah had stunned the whole group.
Turning on his heel, he wheeled out of the room and ran into Christian Peck. “Sorry, Chris.”
“All good.” He stepped back from him, “if you’re looking for Leah, she’s in the kitchen with Yolanda.”
Jesse felt the stress drain from his shoulders, “thanks.” He started to go by him and then stopped, “How are the kids?”
Christian nodded, “growing.” Jesse could see the pain as he thought of his own children. “Driving their grandparents nuts.”
Jesse grinned, “Yeah, Jaide and Joslin said they’re a handful to watch.” His twin sisters spent a lot of their free time now helping parents look after the young ones; he was so proud of them.
“I appreciate their helping my folks so much. I stopped at home just before the storm, and I have to tell you, Thera is the most favorite thing in the village.”
Jesse chuckled, “Yes, and she knows it.” He wanted to say more, but what did you say to a man that had lost his mate and was left with two young children? “Are you going to be working with the teams from now on?”
Christian rubbed his hand over the scar across his jaw, “I think I need to—you know?” He sucked in a breath and nodded, “I just, being home always brings out some bad things.” He stood there. His expression was begging Jesse to just go with it and not make him talk about it.
“Trained medics with the teams will be great. Shaelan tries to be everywhere at once.”
“She’s amazing.” Christian glanced down the hall, “for someone that hasn’t had serious official training, she knows more than we do.”
“She is a force to be reconned with.” Jesse looked over his shoulder, “I’m going to go check on Leah.”
“You’re a lucky man, Jesse.” Christian gave him a pained look and then walked away.
Jesse watched him for a second and then breathed the trauma out. He couldn’t imagine anything happening to Leah and Evanna, so he had no idea how that man got out of bed and kept going day after day.”
When he reached the cafeteria, he skirted around tables and down one row of them. As he reached the window, he heard laughing. It was Leah’s laugh. She was fine. Leaning over the counter, he looked into the kitchen to see Leah and Yolanda grinning. There were pots and pans all over the floor. “Everything all right, ladies?”
Both women turned, and Leah’s face lit up with the brightest smile. He would never tire of seeing that. It didn’t matter if he was gone ten minutes or two; that was the first thing he saw when he got back.
“We had a bit of a kerfuffle,” Yolanda laughed, “the more we tried to recover from it, the worse it got.” She motioned to the mess on the floor. “We were trying to hang a rack for the pots, and we thought we had it…”
Leah chuckled. “It started to slip, and we thought we’d stopped it, but the other end gave away.”
Jesse looked at the metal strip on the floor. “I can get someone to put it back up. Maybe a little sturdier this time.”
Yolanda grinned. “I’m surprised every shifter here didn’t come running. We made quite the bang.” She tilted her head back and laughed.
Leah laughed, just watching Yolanda laugh. Her cheeks were flushed, and Jesse wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her this happy. “I’ll help you clean up.”
Yolanda waved a hand toward Jesse. “You go sneak a few minutes with your mate,” she winked at her, “with all the bodies around here, I’m sure a private moment or two is hard to come by.”
Leah’s face went red. She nodded and set the two pots in her hands on the counter. She looked at Jesse, “Can you get someone here to fix that?”
Jesse nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll message Gage.” He typed it quickly and hit send. His cat was still anxious, and despite her smiling and laughing, he still worried. Tucking the phone back in his pocket, he held out his hand to her as she came out the door. She took it, her cheeks flushing again.
“Were you out for a run?”
He nodded, “A short one.” He steered them through the tables and toward the door. He wasn’t sure where he was going to take her to have a few minutes alone. She held onto his hand tight, which told him she wasn’t as fine as she was pretending to be. “Are you okay?” He switched hands, pushed the door open, and then put his arm around her so they could walk closer.
She leaned into him, “I think so.” Her tone said otherwise. She stopped walking and looked up at him, “I’m sorry for making a spectacle of myself.”
Jesse couldn’t help but grin, “Honestly, I’m shocked the whole room didn’t cheer when you smacked Nox.”
She looked mortified. “I shouldn’t have.”
“Someone needed to.” He leaned down and kissed her mouth softly, “I’m a little surprised it was you.”
“I just,” she chuffed, “what he said to her.”
Jesse’s cat didn’t like the anxiety coming from her. “I know. He shouldn’t have.”
“Evanna is probably miffed with me.” She whispered it and looked around.
Putting his hand behind her back, he encouraged her to start walking again so they weren’t standing in such a high-traffic area trying to have this conversation. “She’s not.” He glanced down at her, “she likely would have done worse.”
Leah’s eyes went wide. “Oh, that would have been bad.”
“Right. So, it’s a good thing you dealt with it because Evanna or any of the other women,” he cringed, “it would have been messy.”
“I felt so bad for Journee.” She put her hand against her throat. “I could feel it, Jesse, the pain and fear that she felt going through that.”
He turned her so they were in a corner and then stood in front of her, so no one would see her if they went by. “I know. She’s strong, like you, and she made it.”
“I’m not strong.” She rolled her eyes, “Evanna is strong, Minn is strong…”
“You are strong and just as brave as anyone I know.” He leaned down and kissed her mouth softly again. With a smile, he straightened, “Would you be happier if I got you a big fork to carry?”
The humor of that reached her eyes. “No. I loved Mari, but the fork thing,” she poked a finger into her chest, “even I don’t understand that.”
“It works for her, though.” He rested his forehead against hers, “which was the point I was trying to make, everyone is different, and we all have something that helps us cope with whatever life tosses at us…”
“I cope by turning into a cat and running for days.”
Jesse shrugged. “If I had the time, I’d do that too.”
She placed a hand on his cheek. “But you don’t because you have so much to help, Jesse and I’m glad you do.”
“My mate will always come first.” He kissed her again.
“I know.” She sighed, her breath brushing over his mouth, “I’m trying hard to be helpful, Jesse.”
He straightened again. “And you are. Everyone is happy you’re here,” he grinned, “I’m happy you’re here.” He put his arms around her and hugged her gently. “I miss you when Evanna and I are busy with the teams.”
“You do?”
He stood there looking down into her dark eyes and wished for a brief moment that he could spend the day doing just that. “Yes, I do.”
“Just don’t expect me to ever be there for an op because I will never be ready for that.” The sound of heels on the floor had her move away from him.
Jesse turned to see Dr. Collins coming toward them. He was thankful for her help with Leah and Evanna, but if she tried to corner him again to sit down and talk, he was going to growl at her. He looked down at Leah. “Why don’t you go get some face time with the doc?”
She smiled up at him. “It’s in-person face time here.” She nodded. “I wouldn’t mind.”
He kissed her again, lingering for a moment, and then moved away and looked at the Doctor. “Do you have a few? Leah wanted to talk.”
Doctor Collins smiled, “I have all the time.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m the black sheep around here.”
Jesse shrugged. “I don’t think that’s it. Most of the teams need to be motivated and focused to do what we do…”
“And your trauma is the fuel.” She nodded. “I understand, I do. I’m just worried about what happens when the tank is empty.”
Jesse squeezed Leah’s hand and then let go. “Then I guess you’ll be booked right up, doc.” He smiled and then pointed to the cafeteria. “I have to go; team leader stuff to do.” He winked at Leah and then made fast work getting across the lobby to get behind those doors and away from the doctor’s analytic gaze.