Maybe her mom knew that Hannah would fail miserably, no matter how strong she was, no matter how many times she tried to get the men in her family to work things out.
As O’Malley held her safe in his arms, she cried. Cried for all the lost years where she put other people first. Cried over her dreams that had slipped away from her as she struggled through the last year of college, distraught at the loss of her beloved mom. Cried because sometimes, no matter how many times she told herself she’d made the best of things and that her mom would be proud of the way she picked herself up and made a life and a successful business for herself, she’d failed at the one thing she craved.
A loving husband and children of her own. Small, huggable children, not the grown men-children who were her father and brother.
“Shh. Let it all out, honey,” O’Malley crooned gently as she sobbed so hard, she left a wet patch on his paint-splattered shirt.
“I’m so sorry.” She finally lifted her head off his chest and sucked in a shuddering breath.
“Don’t apologize.” He smiled and patted his shoulder. “This is here for you at any time. And so is the rest of me.”
“You don’t know me. And I’ve come here with my problems because I thought you were Karl’s best friend. I feel so stupid.” She managed to stop herself from erupting into fresh sobs.
“Don’t.” His forehead creased and he shook his head. “There is nothing foolish about asking for help.” He studied her face for a moment before he got up, went to the bar, and came back with a box of tissues and two glasses of a dark amber liquid. “Here. Take them in whichever order you need.”
“Thanks.” She smiled weakly.
He placed one glass and the box of tissues in front of her and sat down with the second glass of liquor in his hand. “Take your time. I can fix us some food and we can talk over dinner if you need some time.”
She sniffed loudly and then downed the shot in one. Wincing, she took a tissue and blew her nose while alcohol-induced warmth threaded through her veins. “I don’t want to impose.” She took another tissue from the box and wiped her tears from her cheeks. “Any more than I already have.”
“I promise you, you are not imposing. I’m happy you came to me. Even though I still don’t know why you need my help.”
Hannah nodded and composed herself, not wanting a repeat of the uncontrollable sobbing episode. “Karl is missing. The last time we heard from him, he was hiking into a remote mountainous area in the Himalayas. He called me to tell me he might not have contact with us for a couple of weeks.”
“And how long ago was that?” O’Malley urged her to continue even as her bottom lip trembled.
“Six weeks.” She pressed her lips together, trying to hang onto her self-control as it threatened to slip away.
“And what’s been done to contact him?” He kept his voice level, his tone neutral but he was not as successful when it came to his expression. O’Malley knew exactly how bad this could be. A lot could happen in six weeks.
“At first my dad was adamant that Karl could take care of himself. He’s highly trained, I get that.” She nodded toward O’Malley. “You would be able to look after yourself. Wouldn’t you?”
“I would, depending on the conditions.” He sighed, he was going to say something she didn’t want to hear. But there was nothing he could say that she hadn’t already thought of. Hannah was certain she’d contemplated every possible scenario. You didn’t live in her father’s house without learning how to handle a crisis. Even if her father had failed at handling the biggest crisis in his life—losing his wife.
Chapter Three – O’Malley
“Say it.” She looked at him directly, her eyes commanding him to speak.
She’s strong, his cougar said. She might not realize it, but she has deep inner strength.
Good. Because I think she’s going to need it.
“If Norton…Karl fell and injured himself, he might not be able to survive for long at all.” His words were harsh, brutal perhaps but there was no easy way to tell his mate she needed to prepare for the worst.
“I know. I understand that. But am I supposed to sit and wait until his dead body turns up?” she asked bluntly.
“No.” He gave a hint of a smile. “I don’t think that is what you are expected to do.”
“That’s what everyone has told me to do.” Her jaw tightened. “A local rescue team has gone out and searched the route Karl said he was taking but they have found nothing.”
“And the search has been abandoned?” O’Malley asked.
“More or less. They have sent messages to any remote towns and villages in the area. A photograph of him and the details. But there is no ongoing search.” She pushed her hair back from her face. “I realize that there is little they can do in that there is no way to search a whole mountain range.”
“But sitting by and doing nothing is impossible for you.” O’Malley could understand Hannah’s point of view. No man left behind.
“My dad thinks Karl is capable of looking after himself and he’ll come home when he’s good and ready. I think he’s afraid to admit that Karl might be hurt. He’s afraid because he’s afraid of losing Karl. It’s as if he thinks that no news is good news. I refuse to sit back and do nothing.” Her cheeks flushed pink, the color creeping over her cheeks making her look adorable.
But strong, his cougar reminded him. Adorable and strong.
O’Malley agreed. There was no taking away the inner strength of his mate.
“What do you need me to do?” O’Malley asked, pushing
