tell you that you were the last person on his mind. Said he loved you, and that he’d fu—sorry, messed up big time.”
Holly’s tears came faster, rolling down her face not in drips but sheets.
Presley nodded. “Evan told me the same thing. Seems like he wanted to make sure you got the message. Here’s the thing, Holly. I’ve known Benjamin for a while now, and while the term ‘player’ isn’t exactly accurate for him, I’ll say he was never without a woman if he wanted one. Women flocked to him, and he let them—until this summer. He had eyes only for you. Evan used to razz him about how he looked at you.”
“I know, right?” Dani said. “Nick told me Benjamin was a totally different guy this summer. So much happier. The team had talked about it, behind Benjamin’s back, of course.”
“Yep,” Casey said. “Same.” She touched Holly’s hand. “He’s going to make it and then you’re going to have to deal with an Alpha male the rest of your life.”
“They’re a handful,” Dani agreed.
“But I’d not give up my Alpha guy for anything,” Presley said.
All the ladies nodded.
Casey’s phone buzzed. “Sorry. I thought I had that turned off.” She pulled it from her pocket and read the screen. “It’s from Jacob. Holly is cleared to see Benjamin.”
Holly leapt to her feet. “Thank you for coming and telling me about Benjamin, but I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”
Katie stood. “I’m coming with you.”
Holly hugged her. “I don’t think you can. But I’ll go and find out what I need to do so you can come with me next time.”
Her daughter’s eyes filled with tears. “What if there isn’t a next time? What if Ben dies, just like Dad?”
“He’s not going to die,” Holly said with determination. “We won’t let him.”
When Holly stood to leave, the three women stood also.
“We’ll come with you,” Casey said.
Holly drew in a deep breath for strength. “Thank you, but no. I want to go alone, but I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
The drive to base seemed to take hours, when in reality it was only forty minutes. Still, Holly’s heart raced and showed no intention of slowing. She’d cleaned her face and put on makeup. If there was even a second of wakefulness, she wanted, no, needed to look strong for him.
At the guarded gate, she was given a pass for her car and directions where to go and where to park. Once parked, she hurried through the entrance and toward an information desk.
“I’m looking for the ICU,” she said to the petty officer on duty.
“No visitors in the ICU, ma’am. I’m sorry.”
“Master Chief Benjamin Blackwell. I’m Holly Maxwell. I have permission to see him.”
The young petty officer checked something on the computer in front of her. “Sorry, ma’am. I didn’t know.” The woman pointed. “Go to the elevators over there and head up to the third floor. There’ll be signs.”
Holly hadn’t thought her heart could race faster or her nerves get shakier, but she’d been wrong. On the elevator, she leaned against the wall and prayed she wasn’t too late.
She followed the signs to a small, four-bed intensive care unit and stepped up to the nursing station.
“I’m here to see Master Chief Benjamin Blackwell. I have permission,” she added to avoid the no visitor routine.
“Holly Maxwell?” the man behind the desk asked.
“Yes. That’s me.”
“We’ve been expecting you.”
“How’s Ben. Is he awake?”
The man smiled. “Awake and mad as hell.”
The rigid muscles in her back relaxed for the first time in a month, and she chuckled with a smile. “Good. Glad to hear it.”
“We are, too. This way, ma’am.”
The man led her to the fourth room and let her enter the room alone. Her heart, which had at last slowed to a normal beat, fell to her knees when she saw Ben. Lying amid white sheets, his beautiful hair stuck up in all directions. His ruddy cheeks and tan skin were wan under the hospital lighting. When she gently closed the door behind her, his stunning blue eyes opened, and he turned toward the noise.
She froze, not sure if she should run across the room and throw her arms around him, or wait for him to invite her in.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice gruff and just short of rude.
She took a step forward, confident in the knowledge that he loved her. “I’m here to kick your ass for scaring me.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “Is that so? And who’s going to