Then, another explosion and the screen went blank.

Dylan froze. When the news program returned live, Laura Littmans face was stunned. "Were having a bit of trouble with our connection," she said in a professional tone. "Well go to a break and be right back."

Twenty minutes later, Dylan walked into the NSMBC studio. Weeks ago, before shed been ill, Rachel had given him a pa.s.s to clear entrance, and he hadnt returned it after their breakup. Heading to the fifth floor, he entered the newsroom with worry clawing at his gut. He caught sight of Jeannine on the far side of the room, in front of a bank of televisions. Hed had some contact with her in the weeks hed been with Rachel, so he strode over. "Jeannine?"

She turned, and her face was ravaged.

He gripped the edge of a nearby desk. "Oh, my G.o.d, do you know what happened to her?"

"No word yet. We lost contact and cant get it back."

The news show ran with fillers.

After a bit, Dylan asked, "Do you think I could wait here? Youll be the first to get word from her."

She gave him a quizzical look, then said, "Rachel needed a cab from your house one afternoon."

"Yes. Were close, Jeannine."

She nodded. "You can wait in her office. Theres a set on the wall."

Dylan walked into the s.p.a.ce hed visited many times. He inhaled. It still smelled like her French perfume and something else, the potpourri she kept in a round gla.s.s bowl.

Suddenly, he saw her sitting behind her desk on the phone, badgering some reluctant person for an interview.

He saw her face her mother with a look of dread.

He saw her bending over the conference table, working with Crane, meeting with Jeannine and other staff.

Bereft, he sat down in the semidarkness to wait to hear if the woman he loved was still alive.

With his brothers behind him, Pat opened the door to Dylans house with Liams key. The interior was dim, with one light on in the corner of the living room off to the right. He could make out Dylans silhouette on the couch. "Dylan, its me, Paddy."

A sigh.

"And me, Aidan."

"Wheres the other one?" Dylan asked in a gravelly voice. "Coming right over. He had to check on the kids."

"I made Hogan go sleep over there."

"We know." Pat strode into the room, took off his jacket and threw it on a chair. Aidan followed suit. Pat dropped down close to Dylan, on the couch. "How you doin?"

"s.h.i.tty. Why are you here?" There was no rancor in his voice. "You, too, Aidan."

"Because we saw the show." Aidans voice was raw. "We knew youd be devastated."

"You hate her."

"None of that matters now, Dyl." His little brother sounded sincere. "Were here until shes found."

"One way or another."

"Lets try to stay positive," Pat said calmly.

In an uncharacteristic move, so much so, it made Patrick gasp, Dylan laid his head on Pats shoulder. Pat slid his arm around his brother. Aidan got up, and knelt before Dylan, grabbing his hand. "Were here for you, bro. If something happens to her, well get you through it."

"I promise," Pat said.

"This reminds me of when Pa left when we were little. We made a fort on the floor and spent the night in it on our sleeping bags for a week, remember?"

"Yeah." This from Pat, as Aidan wasnt born yet.

The door opened and closed and Liam entered. "Sorry Im..." He startled, probably at the tableau they made. "Did you get news?"

"Nope. Come on over, Liam."

Liam crossed the room, sat on the edge of the couch and touched Dylans arm. Thats all they could do for now.

Later, at two a.m., Pat made coffee and they sat around the dining room table, playing euchre. The TV played low in the background with the all-night coverage on NSMBC of the bombing that had involved a team from the station. There was still no news on their...survival. Oh, G.o.d!

Dylan was in a daze, barely aware of the sound of shuffling cards, the guys mumbles when they got new hands, the low rumble of the television. He kept thinking about the way Rachels eyes sparkled in the light that day at the race track, how she danced that one time in her studio, how she moaned when she was under him. He wouldnt have been able to stand the wait if the guys hadnt been here with him, if they werent taking care of Hogan. His brothers were the bright spot in the night-he knew now that no matter what their objections to Rachel were, they would always be there for him.

Aidan noticed first. "Turn up the sound, Pat."

Dylans heart thunderclapped in his chest as he saw Breaking News in big letters flash across the set. Rachels beautiful face, a publicity headshot, came on-screen.

Fear thundered inside him. "Oh, G.o.d."

"Read the caption, boy." Pats voice was full of joy. "Shes okay. Her team, too. Shes in a hospital in Turkey, but theyre all alive."

Drained by relief, Dylan put his head down on the table.

Rachel moved, sending pain to every muscle and nerve ending. Even opening her eyes hurt. But when she realized she was alive, she was safe, all she felt was relief. Shed made it through the bombing. Oh, no, did the others? She tried to call out, but instead, a moan escaped her. It brought a nurse to her side. Her face was blurry. "Youre awake."

"The others?" Her voice was a hoa.r.s.e croak. "My producer and cameraman?"

"Better than you. The blast knocked you out, but they had only superficial injuries."

Rachel blinked to clear her vision. "Thank G.o.d. Where are they?"

"Waiting outside. Ill fetch them."

She glanced around the room. "Where am I?"

"In an American hospital across the border in Turkey." She smiled. "Let me get your friends."

When the woman left, Rachel tried to sit up, but pain shot out to all her extremities. Now that she knew the men who had come with her were alive, she lay back onto the pillows and let herself think about Dylan. Was he watching her coverage from home? If so, no matter how awful things were between them, hed be terrified about her safety.

The door opened and her colleagues walked in. Emotion swelled inside her at the sight of them. They crossed to the bed and stared down at her. "Youre a sight for sore eyes," Crane said, then leaned over and kissed her cheek. He had a bandage on his forehead, but he looked fine.

"You, too." She turned her attention to Tommy. "You okay?"

He chuckled.

"What?"

Crane socked Tommy on the arm. "He got some shrapnel in his b.u.t.t."

When she started to laugh, her ribs seemed to jut into her skin.

"But a pretty little nurse picked them out," Tommy confessed. "So there was some consolation."

They spoke about the bomb, about the footage theyd salvaged. It had been airing for the days shed been in and out of consciousness.

"We can only stay a few minutes. Youve got to rest."

"Im okay."

The men exchanged a look she didnt understand.

"Arent I?"

"What?" Crane asked. "Oh, yeah, sure. Youre good. The fact that you wandered in and out of consciousness had us worried, but now that youre awake, all is well."

They seemed in a hurry to leave as they turned, opened the door and walked out. Sounds of a P.A. and the low murmur of voices from the hospital staff filtered in because they hadnt closed the door. Someone else came to the entrance. Rachels eyes filled. She hadnt cried when she stepped into the melee at the city, when the bomb went off, or when searing pain shot through her. But seeing Dylan, big and beautiful, in the doorway, made her burst into tears.

His own eyes filled. He told himself she was fine, that all shed had to do was regain consciousness permanently, and now she had. But he couldnt stop the moisture that slid down his cheeks. Hed been crazy with worry.

He crossed to her. "h.e.l.lo, love." He held out his hand, and she took it.

"Im so glad..." she choked on the tears. "...youre here."

"Ive been here for a while."

He pulled up a chair and sat. She raised her hand to his cheek. "Your cheeks are wet." She wiped away the few tears.

"h.e.l.l, yes. I spent thirty-six hours with two men who hate my guts and took all my money in poker."

In truth, Crane and Tommy had been so worried about Rachel theyd forgotten their animosity toward him. And the cards had been a way to pa.s.s the time.

"You, too." He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her face.

She stared at him. "Dylan, Ive been thinking."

"Me, too. About us."

"Let me go first. Im sorry I reacted badly to the column incident. The whole time over here, I realized I should have come to you about it, instead of cutting you out of my life."

"Why didnt you?"

"Because I was in love with you."

"What? Then why..."

"It hurt so much to think wed gotten close and youd betrayed me."

"I didnt. Did you see the second column?"

"Uh, huh. And the one on KPRAY."

He shrugged.

"But wont the positive slant in them affect the book deal? I want you to have what you deserve in life."

"I turned the deal down. And Clive dumped me."

"Im sorry." She waited. "Was that what you wanted to tell me?"

"No." Leaning over he kissed her lips. They were parched and cracked. "I was crazy with worry. I realized all that matters is youre safe. And that we try to give this relationship a real shot, out in the open. Somehow Ill handle you going out into war zones. Aidan and Liam said theyd help me."

"Oh, Dylan. Thank you."

"For agreeing to try to handle all this?"

"For coming, mostly."

"Hmm." He kissed her again. "Now for some formalities."

"What?"

"I dont think weve ever said the words that count the most directly to each other."

She grinned.

"I love you, Rachel."

"I love you, too. For now, thats all we need."