SEAL's Embrace - Makenna Jameison Page 0,21

in the search and rescue and they had a highly classified mission to conduct.

His stomach clenched at knowing Hailey’s friend was missing. At the thought of Hailey being worried. The scene yesterday had been chaotic, and he hoped it was just a misunderstanding. Women had been moved to new buildings; some had been hospitalized. Her friend could very well be fine and just unaccounted for. He’d ask around and see what he could find out.

Hailey hadn’t even mentioned how she was feeling. Clearly it was somewhat serious if she was flown out. If she’d been fine to return to work in a matter of days, she’d still be here. He remembered her ribs hurting yesterday and wondered if she had internal injuries.

“Damn it,” he muttered, stuffing the paper in his pocket.

Would the nurses here even tell him anything? He wasn’t her boyfriend. Medical records were kept tightly sealed. If he wanted to see or talk to her, he’d have to find a way to get ahold of her in Germany. Sure, he could look up her work email, but damn. It’s not like she’d be checking it in the hospital.

Cursing to himself, he nodded at the nurses and then moved back out the front doors.

He had a lot on his mind, and for the first time ever, he had something else as important to worry about as his assigned mission.

Chapter 6

Two days later, Hailey woke up in her hospital bed in Landstuhl. Amazingly, some of her smoke-damaged belongings had been recovered and were being shipped back to the States. Although her clothing and such had to be trashed, her purse, wallet, and identification had been boxed up, according to the nurse who’d updated her.

Blowing out a sigh, she looked around her hospital room. She’d spoken with her family and a friend back home in the U.S. They’d all been horrified and had wanted to rush to Germany ASAP. She’d assured them she’d be home within a matter of days though.

It made no sense for her parents to rush here when they could get things ready at home for her.

Hailey’s ribs still ached, and she looked positively ghastly. The black stiches in her wound stood out against her pale skin. She’d have another surgery later this afternoon, where they’d remove the original stitches and put in a dissolvable kind. Hopefully her wound would heal nicely after that, but Hailey had the feeling she’d have a scar as a reminder of her time in Bagram.

She’d been able to shower that morning and carefully wash her hair. It had been painful with her ribs, but she’d managed. It was hard to even imagine another long flight just to get home and then eventually to move across the country.

How could she move into her new apartment when it hurt just to comb her own hair?

Sighing, she looked down at the magazines piled around her. Someone had loaned her an iPad, but she wished she had her own cell phone and belongings. The U.S. embassy was issuing her a new passport before she returned home to the States. And despite several emails and calls, she still hadn’t been able to find any word on what had happened to Kim.

“Knock, knock!” the nurse said, walking into the room. She looked excited about something, and Hailey looked at her in confusion. “You have a guest downstairs. A very attractive guest, I might add.”

“A guest?” Hailey asked, baffled. Who on Earth would come see her here? The military men and women assigned to her office in Bagram certainly would still be at work. They wouldn’t fly here just to pop in and chat. Her friends and family were at home—not that any of them would necessarily be described as “very attractive” by the young nurse.

“Yes, ma’am. Can I send him up?”

“Him? Do I know this person?” Hailey asked, mystified.

“Well, he seems to know you. And if not, let him up anyway. He’s hotter than sin.”

Hailey flushed, suddenly wondering if Grayson had shown up here. That was crazy though—he’d been in Afghanistan with his buddies and would fly back home to California, wouldn’t he? He couldn’t just leave his mission to check on her. It’s not like they were married or something. They weren’t even dating.

She couldn’t imagine who else would come see her though.

Suddenly, her stomach was filled with butterflies. She looked and felt awful. Her stitches were scary-looking, and she was in a hospital gown. The only thing going for her was that she’d showered and washed