In the Likely Event(43)

“Not planning on it.” A corner of his mouth lifted, but it wasn’t a full smile.

I blinked. “That’s what you said—”

“I know.” He backed away, shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts. “I remember everything about you. Now get on that plane so I can remember this too.”

“Possibilities?” My chest ached so deeply that it hurt to breathe.

“The very best of them.” He gave me a grin, flashing that dimple, and disappeared into the crowd.





CHAPTER THIRTEEN


IZZY


Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan

November 2021

“Serena!” I wrapped my arms around my shocked older sister, locking them above the backpack she wore, and held on tight, my heart beating so wildly I half expected it to jump out of my chest. It worked. She was here. Every string I’d pulled to take Newcastle’s place had been worth it because she was here. It was almost too easy, too simple, but I wasn’t about to curse my good luck.

I was bringing my sister home.

“Iz?” Serena tensed for a second before her arms closed slowly around me, her camera caught between us, secured by the neck strap. “Isabeau?” Her hands moved to my shoulders, and she pulled back, her brown eyes wide as she scanned my face. “What the actual hell are you doing here?” she shouted, something akin to horror etching her features, two lines appearing between her brows.

“Tell me how you really feel.” There was no stopping my smile. I’d found her. Well . . . Nate had found her. She looked like she could use a solid month of sleep and might need to wash the very serviceable button-down shirt and blue headscarf I’d inadvertently pulled down by hugging her so tight, but those were all easy to remedy.

“I’m not kidding!” Her fingers dug into my shoulders, and her voice pitched higher in panic. “You shouldn’t be here!”

I blinked. Thinking she might have been annoyed at my interference and actually seeing it were two different things. “But I came for you.”

“You what?”

Okay, she was a little more than annoyed. She was pissed.

A commotion erupted behind Serena, and she whipped her gaze over her shoulder. “He’s with me. He’s my interpreter,” she said to one of Nate’s teammates. White? Gray? Brown? Whichever one it was.

The operator—to use Nate’s terminology—lowered his weapon and let a lightly bearded man in. He quickly moved to Serena’s side, looking between the two of us with surprise and obvious recognition I didn’t share.

“Izzy, this is Taj Barech, my interpreter,” Serena said. “Taj, this is the sister I’ve told you so much about, the one who is supposed to be in Washington.” She bit out every single one of those words in my direction.

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” he said with a nod and an energetic smile.

“Likewise,” I assured him as Nate moved to my side.

Serena’s eyes widened to impossible dimensions, her jaw dropping as she stared at him. “You have to be kidding me.”

“Nice to see you, Serena,” Nate said, one hand on the rifle that hung from his shoulder. “No pictures of me or my guys.”

“I know the rules when it comes to your type.” Her gaze narrowed, and her hands fell from my shoulders. “I can’t believe you actually let Izzy—”

“He didn’t let me do anything!” I snapped, backing up a step. “Trust me, if he had his way, I’d be on the first flight out of here.”

“If I had my way, you wouldn’t have come here in the first place,” he grumbled before addressing Serena. “She took another aide’s place. I didn’t even know she would be in country before she stepped onto the tarmac, or I would have done something to stop it.”

“Okay, well, screw you both.” I folded my arms across my chest. “I’m a grown woman who makes her own decisions, which is something neither of you seem to understand.”

“It was a bad decision, Isabeau.” Serena’s voice rose again. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is here?”

“I’m sorry . . . what? I can’t walk three steps outside my bedroom without Sergeant Sour here shadowing my every move.” I gestured toward Nate. “So, yes, I get just how dangerous it is here. Do you? Because I don’t see armed guards with you.”

Taj glanced between the three of us and cocked his head to the side. “This seems like a family matter. I’ll be . . . somewhere else.” He backed away slowly, but it wasn’t like there were a lot of places he could go in the nearly empty room.

“Look, as fun as it is to finally have someone on my side regarding Isabeau’s field trip to Afghanistan—” Nate started.

“Assuming I’m on your side about anything is a gross error.” Serena glared at Nate.

“—we have to get on the bird,” he finished, completely ignoring my sister’s jab. “They’re waiting on us.”

“So, get her out of here already,” Serena countered.

“Great, then let’s go,” I said, turning toward the exit. “We can finish fighting at the embassy.”

“Hold on. Do you think I’m going with you?” Serena asked, jogging to catch up with me and taking hold of my elbow.