The Laws of Attraction (Love is a Destination Book 2) Read online

  “It looked good. I debated asking you for a bite, but decided to mind my manners.” Birdy smiled up at him.

  “You should’ve asked. I would’ve shared.” He couldn’t get over the enthusiasm in her eyes when she was happy. It took his breath away.

  Birdy looked down. “Thanks again for helping me out on the water this morning. I still can’t believe I freaked out so badly.”

  “Anytime. But, hey,” he paused and took her hand. “Don’t feel bad about it. Sometimes fear grips us for no reason. It helps if you allow yourself to discover why.”

  She nodded. “I will.”

  “Are you still up for doing something with me a little later?”

  She eyed him warily. “I think so.”

  He smiled. “Good.”

  They walked along in silence while Ella gave them the tour. The King Fisher was enormous.

  “Hey, bro, why didn’t you tell us you booked the Love Boat? I would’ve worn a different outfit,” Dean joked, his eyes on Georgie.

  “That would make you the cruise director,” Toby said. Now he was cracking jokes? He’d really loosened up since they’d first met.

  “Good one,” Max said, slapping him on the shoulder.

  “If you’ll follow me over to the lido deck,” Ella said, playing along. Everyone laughed.

  As they rounded the corner, Ares realized she was right. It really was the lido deck. There was an enormous pool surrounded by patio chairs, tables, and lounge chairs. It also had a slide and a diving board. To one side was what looked like a hot tub as well.

  “Nice,” Birdy said.

  Josh moved so that the camera panned the whole area.

  “Once we get to the right spot we’ll drop anchor, then there will also be a water trampoline,” Ella continued, smiling broadly.

  “That’s what I’m looking forward to,” Dean said.

  Ares glanced at Birdy and saw that her face had gone white. “The water again?” he whispered.

  She nodded. “It’s ridiculous. I don’t know why I’m so afraid. This has never happened to me before.”

  Ares knew from experience she was taking the trauma of the murder charges and being jailed, and transferring that fear, which no longer existed, to something that did. “Trust me when I say I completely understand.”

  She blinked back tears. “You do?”

  “Yep.” He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her until she felt better. But he knew she wasn’t ready for that.

  “Let me show you to your cabins. You can use them to change, relax, and enjoy the afternoon and evening.” Ella walked them back around and took them downstairs.

  “I’ll tell you more about it later,” Ares said.

  Birdy and Katie had a cabin to themselves. Max, Ares, and Toby got another, and Thea, Marcy, Georgie, and Meredith shared a third. Josh was behind the camera and wouldn’t be changing. Ares almost felt sorry for the guy. Almost.

  Ares changed quickly, a habit leftover from his time as a SEAL. Max and Toby were still getting ready, so he sat in one of the red leather chairs and took a moment to check his phone. It wasn’t ideal trying to keep up with work while he was on vacation, but it was important. His associates were working several cases for him while he was away, but one needed extra attention because it was directly for Mr. Bird.

  Pammy Feet was a sock company that had grown much more quickly than the owner, Jane Whitfield, had expected and Mr. Bird wanted Ares to draw up an iron clad contract to purchase the company. Ares had seen Jane’s business model. It was impressive and had great potential. But with half of the net profits going to children’s charities, Jane had thought it would take longer to get Pammy Feet up and running. Consumers had other plans. They loved her socks and the cause. With sales skyrocketing Jane was floundering, unable to keep up with the demand. However, Ares believed she could keep the company, and accommodate the sales with a few easy tweaks. Instead, Mr. Bird had offered to buy her company outright.

  From what Ares could tell, Mr. Bird was offering more for it than it was worth, something that went against everything Ares knew about the man, and Ares wanted to know why. Mr. Bird called the company his pet project, saying that everyone needed a hobby, but Ares believed there was more to it than that.

  He emailed back the junior associate with some ideas, then texted Mr. Bird his progress, still oblivious of the man’s motives.

  In the background, he overheard Max and Toby discussing an injury Toby received in the Army.

  “Ares got shot too,” Max said.

  They both glanced over at Ares.

  He put away his phone and stood. He didn’t like talking about it, but for Max he’d make an exception. “Right here.” He lifted his board shorts, exposing the puckering scar from the bullet wound on his left thigh.

  Toby came closer. “Whoa, that’s a doozy.” He had on a white tank, but lifted it. “Here’s mine. It was a through and through. Nicked my liver, but I survived.” He chuckled softly. “Obviously.”

  “How long were you in for?” Ares asked.

  “Nearly six years. They discharged me after my injury. You?” Toby asked.

  “About the same.” Ares smiled, hoping he wouldn’t have to say more.

  “He was a SEAL,” Max said.

  “No kidding.” Toby shook his head. “From a SEAL to a lawyer. You must crave the spotlight.”

  Ares hadn’t thought about it like that before. “I didn’t think I did.” He paused, laughing at himself. “But maybe you’re right.”

  “It’s all right, man. You can be president of the Max Legend fan club.” Toby grinned at him.

  “Awesome.” Ares extended a fist and Toby bumped it with his.

  “Knock it off, Whitaker,” Max said to Toby. “Let’s go.”

  Ares stared at him, surprised to hear the name. “Why did you call him Whitaker?” It seemed too coincidental that he’d been working on Jane Whitaker’s file minutes before. “Do you know about my case?”

  Max’s expression was puzzled. “No, man. Whitaker is Toby’s last name.”

  Ares was confused. “It’s not Legend?”

  Toby answered, clearing things up. “My senior year of high school, I changed my name to my mother’s maiden name, which is Whitaker.”

  Ares swallowed. “So, does your mother happen to be Jane Whitaker? Owner of Pammy Feet.”

  Now it was Toby’s turn to be surprised. “How do you know that?”

  Ares tried to remember whether Mr. Bird had said the offer was confidential. As far as he remembered, it wasn’t. Neither he nor his team had had to sign non-disclosures. “I’m in charge of a case involving your mother.”

  “A case?” Toby immediately became defensive.

  “It isn’t anything criminal.” He lowered his voice though he didn’t know why. “Mr. Bird has offered to buy your mother’s company. I’m drawing up the contracts.”

  “What a small world,” Max said, trying to cut the tension.

  Toby’s light demeanor immediately turned sour. “I see.”

  Ares raised his eyebrows. “Is it a bad idea? Mr. Bird’s offer is very generous.”

  Toby snorted. “It most definitely is.” Without another word, he turned and pulled the door open so hard, it slammed against the wall, causing the wall to shake.

  Max reached out a hand. “Chill, bro. What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing.” He left without another word, leaving Max and Ares exchanging confused looks.

  “Sorry, Max. I didn’t mean to…” Ares trailed off before trying again. “I don’t know what I said, but I am sorry he’s upset again.”

  “Don’t even worry about it. Toby goes hot and cold more often than a broken faucet.” Max patted Ares on the back. “Let’s go. I hear the water trampoline calling my name.”

  They walked up the stairs and over to the pool.

  “Talk to you later, man. I see my bride-to-be.” Max went on ahead, toward Katie.

  Ares chuckled, completely understanding. “I
see how you are.”

  He took note of their surroundings and spotted Birdy between Katie and Georgie. She lay flat on her back, her eyes closed, and one knee popped up. The knee swayed back and forth slightly, probably because she was still suffering from nerves. He debated whether to go over and talk to her, then decided he might as well.

  “Hey, Birdy,” he said when he reached the foot of her chair.

  Birdy shaded her eyes before opening them. “Hi.”

  “Can I talk to you?” He glanced at Katie, who was smiling smugly, and then at Georgie, who was still focused on her phone.

  “Sure.” Georgie stood. “Be back later.”

  “Don’t forget, we need to discuss how you want to handle that, uh—” Birdy glanced at Ares and it looked to him like she blushed. “That item.” Birdy rolled over and extended a hand to Georgie who helped her up.

  “We will. I haven’t forgotten.”

  Ares turned and led Birdy away from the others. He knew what the two women were discussing had to do with him. But what? “Something going on?” he asked when they were out of earshot.

  “Yesterday on the beach, when those girls got our autographs? Well, a paparazzo must have been around because a magazine got a picture of the two of us and now they’re speculating online about our relationship.”

  “Oh.” Unsure what else to say, Ares glanced down at Birdy, noticing she wore a bright blue bikini with little white birds everywhere. His board shorts were the same color blue. They matched, but he didn’t say anything about it. She was preoccupied anyway. “How are you going to respond?”

  “That’s what Georgie and I were talking about. I don’t know that we need to respond. A little gossip is fine. Meredith likes it because it keeps the show’s ratings up, even when it’s rerun season.” She lowered her voice. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was someone from the show who took the picture and leaked it to the magazine.”

  “Really?” That seemed shady.

  “It’s a cut-throat business,” Birdy said, shrugging.

  They’d reached the bow. Birdy leaned over the edge and looked down. Ares followed her gaze. Tinged various shades of blue and green, the water was so clear, he could see every detail in the bands of corral to the right.

  Birdy’s eyes widened. “Wow, that’s beautiful. But what about the water trampoline? Won’t it pop if it hits the coral?”

  “It would, yes, but I’m sure the captain won’t get any closer. The boat won’t fare any better than the trampoline if we crash into the reef.”

  Birdy nodded, glancing out at the vast ocean to the left. The water was a much deeper blue out that way. She shuddered.

  He turned back to face her. “Are you cold?”

  “No.” She shook her head and turned away.

  Chapter Nine

  The sight of the dark blue ocean made Birdy’s heart race. It bothered her so much that she felt this fear. But she didn’t know how to make it go away.

  Beside her, Ares remained silent. After a moment, she turned back toward him. He was leaning on the railing, staring into the ocean. By the look on his face, he was lost in memories, none of them good. She leaned on the railing beside him, so close their arms were almost touching.

  For several minutes, neither spoke.

  “Can I tell you a story?” Ares asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

  “Sure,” Birdy said.

  “It was my last mission. As commanding officer, I was in charge of my team of five. All of them were smart. They excelled at their training and were confident in their abilities. The mission was supposed to be easy. Go in. Rescue the hostages. Get out.” He paused.

  Birdy waited, enthralled. She didn’t know whether it was the way he spoke about it or what, but she was captivated by this part of his life. It made him seem so mysterious, almost other-worldly. Before, she’d only seen him as a lawyer, but he was so much more. In some ways, he reminded her of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Whenever they met in New York, he’d always worn a suit and tie. Even when he met her, Katie, and Max for dinner. She’d seen him as nothing more than a patsy for her father. Soft. Weak, even. Though she’d noticed his muscles, she’d figured he worked out for health reasons. But now she knew better. He’d looked death in the eyes and come out on top. Knowing that about him made him almost unbearably desirable. All of the things she’d noticed before—his kindness, even his handsomeness—were now amplified a hundred-fold.

  “But,” she finally encouraged.

  “But it didn’t go as planned.” He shook his head. “My best friend, Cole, was with me on the mission, and would take my place as team leader after we returned. I could tell he was nervous, but in an excited, I-can-rule-the-world kind of way. I was happy for him.”

  Birdy could tell things weren’t going to end well by the look on Ares’ face. And even though whatever had happened went down years ago, Birdy still worried for him. Because she knew remembering would bring back all the pain. “Was?” she asked gently.

  He glanced over, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was already back in the time the story happened. “We were helicoptered in. Everyone was pumped. So many times before, we’d been called in too late. This time we had good intel and we knew the hostages were still alive.”

  “What kind of intel?” Birdy asked.

  His eyes remained distant, the response almost automatic, as if he’d said it a hundred times before. “Thermal imaging of a group of four people huddled together in a room near the back of the compound.”

  She nodded, indicating he continue, though she still wasn’t sure he could see her.

  “We’d done our homework. Talked to a local CI who gave us a map of the area. Together with the satellite images, even my boss said the mission would be an easy in and out.” He gritted his teeth. “We parachuted out of the chopper and into the water. Swam to shore, and entered the compound.”

  Ares’ eyes grew impossibly more distant as the memories pulled him deeper. “It’s all going according to plan. We locate the hostages, lead them out, and get clear of the compound. The chopper flies in low, dropping a ladder. We help the hostages swim for it. I climb up first so that I can help the hostages get inside. They don’t look too good.

  “As I’m climbing, I feel a sting in my leg. It isn’t awful, but it doesn’t feel great either. I look down, but it’s dark and I can’t see anything. So, I keep going until I’m inside. That’s when I realize I’ve been shot. My pant leg is soaked with blood, but I can’t worry about that. I’ve got four hostages and four of my men to get inside the chopper.”

  Birdy watched his face. His hazel eyes were a shade darker than normal, his expression twisted with pain.

  “Two of the hostages are inside when everything goes sideways.”

  Birdy realized she was holding her breath, and blew out. “What happened?”

  “The last two hostages are nearly to the top, and my guys are all on the ladder behind them when I see a group of insurgents coming over the hill. They start shooting. A bullet hits my vest. One of the hostages falls off the ladder. I pull the third hostage into the chopper and get him buckled in. My guys are scrambling up as fast as they can. I pull in three of my team, but Cole isn’t there and a quick check tells me he isn’t on the ladder either. ‘Where’s Cole?’ I shout. Frankie tells me he went in the water after the hostage who fell. I pull out my night vision binoculars and see that Cole and the hostage are both alive and they’re in the water.” He shook his head. “I dove in after them.”

  Birdy gasped. The man in front of her truly was a hero. “You did?”

  Ares didn’t seem to hear her. “I swim over to Cole. The hostage is barely conscious. I sling him over my shoulder and tell Cole to go. He climbs the ladder and as I’m about to step on, something slices my other leg once and then it’s gone. I pull the hostage and myself onto the ladder. The enemy is still shooting, but I’m focused, only thinking about one foot after the other. Get to the top, you know?”

  “I can’t even
imagine,” Birdy replied automatically, though she didn’t really think he heard her answer.

  Ares glanced away, out at the water. “Cole is inside the chopper and he’s leaning out, telling me to grab his hand. I’m almost to the top when something flies in over my head. Then one of my guys shouts, ‘Grenade! It’s a grenade!’ Cole shouts something else, and then everything goes white.” He placed his head in his hands. “The next thing I remember, I’m back in the water. Somehow the chopper is still there, but the hostage is gone” He swallowed.

  “He was eaten by a shark?” Birdy whispered, horrified.

  Ares blinked, his eyes focusing on her at last. “No. His body protected mine when the bomb went off. He saved my life even though I was the one who was supposed to save his.” He squeezed his eyes shut and scrubbed both palms over his face, sucking in a deep gulp of air.

  Several moments passed and when he spoke again, his voice was rough. “Anyway, somehow I climbed up the ladder and the chopper flew away. I passed out from blood loss or shock, so it was only later, when I was in the hospital, that I found out Cole took the brunt of the bomb’s blast and was killed. Another of the hostages died as well. My other men had all suffered bullet wounds and I’d been shot and bitten by a shark.”

  Birdy gaped at him, stunned. “That was the pain you felt? You were actually shot and then bitten by a shark?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can I see?”

  “The bullet wound or the shark bite?”

  Birdy swallowed hard. “Both.”

  Ares pulled up the left leg of his board shorts, exposing the thick, round scar. “Bullet wound,” he said.

  She extended her hand, then hesitated. “Can I touch it?”

  “Sure.”

  He knew it was smooth in places and rough in others. Her fingers gently brushed the puckered skin, her touch so light he could barely feel it.

  Birdy took a deep breath. “And the shark bite?”

  Ares raised the right leg of his shorts, letting the other side fall to cover the bullet scar once more.

  Birdy could easily see where the shark’s teeth had bitten into him. It hadn’t been a large one, probably a reef shark. She traced the outline of several of the marks with one finger as she whispered, “I can’t believe you survived.”