Rescuing Annie Excerpt
“Hello?”
“It’s me.”
Every muscle in Frankie’s body seemed to relax at hearing Annie’s voice. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” She sounded tired.
“I was worried,” Frankie told her.
“I know, and I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry.” Annie’s voice hitched—and Frankie’s breath froze.
He could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen Annie cry. She wasn’t a crier. Much like her mother, she straightened her shoulders and carried on no matter what was going on in her life. He hated that he wasn’t there with her. That he couldn’t see her. When she was deployed, they couldn’t FaceTime, were restricted by the functionality of the satellite phone she carried with her to communicate.
“Don’t be sorry,” he told her firmly. “I’m good. Everything here is fine. You just need to take care of yourself and come home to me.”
“Well, the good news is that I’ll be home sooner than I thought.”
“That’s great, baby. When?”
“Probably four days or so. We need to make a detour to Germany before heading home.”
“Annie?” he said, his muscles tensing all over again. He knew what that meant. The base in Germany had a full-fledged hospital, and was the first place many soldiers were flown when they’d been injured in combat while abroad.
Frankie heard her inhale deeply. “Some of my guys are hurt. We’re all being flown to Germany as a team to be assessed, then those of us who are cleared will be headed home.”
“But you’re okay?” Frankie asked.
“A few broken ribs and a nasty cut on my head,” Annie said.
Frankie appreciated her honesty, even as he felt sick inside. He hated when Annie got hurt while on a mission. He knew it was a potential consequence of her job, but he couldn’t help worrying about her being killed. He couldn’t protect her. She wouldn’t want him to protect her…but God, did he want to.
“I love you,” he said softly.
“Not as much as I love you,” she returned. “How’re things there? Have you gotten any new clients?”
Frankie knew what she was doing. Trying to change the subject away from herself. He ached to hold her. To see for himself that she really was all right, wasn’t downplaying her injuries to try to keep him from worrying. Which was impossible. He’d always worry about her. “They’re good. No new clients, but remember that major I’ve been working with?”
“The one who lost his arm and hearing in the IED explosion six months ago?” Annie asked.
“Yeah. I think I’m finally getting through to him. We actually had a conversation via signing today.”
“I knew you would,” Annie told him, the pride easy to hear in her voice.
Frankie chuckled. “He’s been having such a hard time accepting his disability. But this past weekend he was at the zoo with his grandchild, and he witnessed a kid slip and fall into one of the duck ponds. He saved the kid before anyone knew what was going on. I think that made him realize that even with his loss of hearing and his arm, he isn’t helpless. That he can still make a difference even though he’s not in the military anymore.”
“That’s good,” Annie said softly.
Frankie heard someone yell for Annie in the background. “You need to go,” he guessed.
“Yeah, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I know how busy you are. Thank you for calling,” Frankie said.
“I called as soon as I got back to the post and could get my phone,” Annie told him. “My commander’s on my ass to get over to the hospital.”
“Jeez, Annie, you haven’t seen a doctor for your injuries yet?” Frankie asked.
“No. I needed to hear your voice.”
Again, he wished he could see her. She sounded off. Which wasn’t like her at all. Typically after missions, she was hyped on adrenaline, or worried about the men on her team. Today she sounded…defeated. Which didn’t sit well with Frankie. At all. “Well, you’ve heard it,” he said sternly. “Now get your butt to the doctor.”
She laughed, a sound that made him feel better. But only a little.
“Okay, okay, I’m going. I’ll call when we get to Germany and when I have a bit more of a concrete timeline on when I’ll be back.”
“Sounds good. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
“See you soon.”
“Can’t be soon enough for me,” Annie said. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
Frankie clicked off the phone, but didn’t move. He stood in the middle of the living room staring off into space for a long while.
Something was wrong.
Well, maybe not wrong…but definitely different.
Rescuing Annie, Feb 8, 2022
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3aJldsu
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08W59971J
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08W59971J
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08W59971J/
Paperback: https://amzn.to/2Xk5mNP
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/resc...
B&N: http://bit.ly/3rrJSbE
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/.../rescuing-......
“It’s me.”
Every muscle in Frankie’s body seemed to relax at hearing Annie’s voice. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” She sounded tired.
“I was worried,” Frankie told her.
“I know, and I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry.” Annie’s voice hitched—and Frankie’s breath froze.
He could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen Annie cry. She wasn’t a crier. Much like her mother, she straightened her shoulders and carried on no matter what was going on in her life. He hated that he wasn’t there with her. That he couldn’t see her. When she was deployed, they couldn’t FaceTime, were restricted by the functionality of the satellite phone she carried with her to communicate.
“Don’t be sorry,” he told her firmly. “I’m good. Everything here is fine. You just need to take care of yourself and come home to me.”
“Well, the good news is that I’ll be home sooner than I thought.”
“That’s great, baby. When?”
“Probably four days or so. We need to make a detour to Germany before heading home.”
“Annie?” he said, his muscles tensing all over again. He knew what that meant. The base in Germany had a full-fledged hospital, and was the first place many soldiers were flown when they’d been injured in combat while abroad.
Frankie heard her inhale deeply. “Some of my guys are hurt. We’re all being flown to Germany as a team to be assessed, then those of us who are cleared will be headed home.”
“But you’re okay?” Frankie asked.
“A few broken ribs and a nasty cut on my head,” Annie said.
Frankie appreciated her honesty, even as he felt sick inside. He hated when Annie got hurt while on a mission. He knew it was a potential consequence of her job, but he couldn’t help worrying about her being killed. He couldn’t protect her. She wouldn’t want him to protect her…but God, did he want to.
“I love you,” he said softly.
“Not as much as I love you,” she returned. “How’re things there? Have you gotten any new clients?”
Frankie knew what she was doing. Trying to change the subject away from herself. He ached to hold her. To see for himself that she really was all right, wasn’t downplaying her injuries to try to keep him from worrying. Which was impossible. He’d always worry about her. “They’re good. No new clients, but remember that major I’ve been working with?”
“The one who lost his arm and hearing in the IED explosion six months ago?” Annie asked.
“Yeah. I think I’m finally getting through to him. We actually had a conversation via signing today.”
“I knew you would,” Annie told him, the pride easy to hear in her voice.
Frankie chuckled. “He’s been having such a hard time accepting his disability. But this past weekend he was at the zoo with his grandchild, and he witnessed a kid slip and fall into one of the duck ponds. He saved the kid before anyone knew what was going on. I think that made him realize that even with his loss of hearing and his arm, he isn’t helpless. That he can still make a difference even though he’s not in the military anymore.”
“That’s good,” Annie said softly.
Frankie heard someone yell for Annie in the background. “You need to go,” he guessed.
“Yeah, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I know how busy you are. Thank you for calling,” Frankie said.
“I called as soon as I got back to the post and could get my phone,” Annie told him. “My commander’s on my ass to get over to the hospital.”
“Jeez, Annie, you haven’t seen a doctor for your injuries yet?” Frankie asked.
“No. I needed to hear your voice.”
Again, he wished he could see her. She sounded off. Which wasn’t like her at all. Typically after missions, she was hyped on adrenaline, or worried about the men on her team. Today she sounded…defeated. Which didn’t sit well with Frankie. At all. “Well, you’ve heard it,” he said sternly. “Now get your butt to the doctor.”
She laughed, a sound that made him feel better. But only a little.
“Okay, okay, I’m going. I’ll call when we get to Germany and when I have a bit more of a concrete timeline on when I’ll be back.”
“Sounds good. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
“See you soon.”
“Can’t be soon enough for me,” Annie said. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
Frankie clicked off the phone, but didn’t move. He stood in the middle of the living room staring off into space for a long while.
Something was wrong.
Well, maybe not wrong…but definitely different.
Rescuing Annie, Feb 8, 2022
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3aJldsu
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08W59971J
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08W59971J
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08W59971J/
Paperback: https://amzn.to/2Xk5mNP
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/resc...
B&N: http://bit.ly/3rrJSbE
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/.../rescuing-......
No comments have been added yet.
