Military Heroes Bundle: A Soldier's Homecoming / A Soldier's Redemption / Danger in the Desert / Strangers When We Meet / Grayson's Surrender / Taking Cover. Merline Lovelace
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fine,” the girl said. “Why is everyone pointing guns at my daddy?”
Connie answered. “Because he did a bad thing when he brought you up here.”
“No, he didn’t. I wanted to talk to him. He’s my daddy!”
Slowly, without permission, Leo rose and put his hands in the air. “So send me back to prison,” he said. “It doesn’t matter. I got to see her. And I’ll be gone in a couple of months, anyway.”
Connie’s hand wavered, and she lowered her pistol. “What kind of crap is that?”
“No crap,” Leo said. “You can check. Remember how you always said I should quit smoking? You were right. I got lung cancer. Nothing they can do.”
That explained why he looked so worn and way too thin. And now, as she stared at him, she could see lines of pain around his eyes and mouth.
Micah had appeared to one side, and now he spoke. “This isn’t a good place to talk. Let’s go back into town, where it’s safe and dry. We can sort it out there.”
Connie slipped her pistol back into its holster and snapped the guard strap into place, then turned to squat and hug Sophie as tightly as she could. “Do you know how scared I was? Do you have any idea?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Next time, talk to me first. Please.”
Sophie nodded, but she was watching Micah and Ethan walk her father away. “You won’t put him in jail, will you?”
Connie hesitated, but as she looked into her daughter’s eyes, she realized there could be a worse crime than the scare she’d had this morning. The seeds of it were already in her daughter’s clear blue eyes.
“Not if he’s been telling the truth. Fair enough?”
That seemed to satisfy Sophie, for now at least. Taking her mother’s hand, she followed her back to the SUV.
Connie sat on the edge of Sophie’s bed, holding her hand. She’d never felt so tired in her life, but the strain was mostly gone. The threat to her daughter had been eliminated. All the adrenaline that had been keeping her going seeped away like gas from a punctured balloon.
“I know he was bad to you,” Sophie said. “But he was nice to me.”
“And I promised you could see him here, in this house, if his story checks out.”
“I know. People can get better, Mommy.”
Connie had her doubts, but she wasn’t about to share them with Sophie. People could change, she supposed. After all, that was the basis of her religion. The fact that it didn’t often happen didn’t mean it never could.
The thought of Leo dying... Well, despite everything, that disturbed her. Saddened her. She didn’t have a lot of feelings about him one way or another anymore, but she could still be saddened by the news. As she would be for anyone.
She only cared that he treated Sophie well. It would have been kinder if he’d stayed away, so Sophie wouldn’t have to suffer through his death, but that had become moot. In the meantime, she could only hope that Sophie garnered some good memories to make up for not having a father all this time.
“Where’s Ethan?” Sophie asked.
“Downstairs, I think.”
“I want a good-night hug.”
“I’ll call him.” She wished she knew if this growing attachment was a good thing. Ethan had proved himself to be a good and caring man, but if he moved on, and he most likely would, Sophie would suffer another loss. But she could no longer prevent that. Too late. Amazing how much had suddenly become too late, even as the pressure of the threat lifted.
But life brought loss to everyone sooner or later. She couldn’t shield Sophie from everything forever. She’d learned that the hard way this week.
Ethan came up in answer to her call and bent over the bed to give Sophie a warm hug. “No more shinnying out the window, Missie, or I’ll handcuff you to your bed at night.”
Sophie giggled, the happiest she’d sounded all day. “I won’t, I promise.”
“Sleep tight,” he said, and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
Connie waited with Sophie until she slipped into sleep. Then, feeling as if she could barely lift her legs, she went to her own room. She stopped just inside the doorway, surprised to see Ethan there, standing by the window, looking out.
She hesitated on the threshold, then entered and closed the door. “I suppose you’ll be moving in with Faith and Micah soon.” And then moving even farther away. Her heart plummeted at the thought.
He turned from the window to face her. “Actually,” he said slowly, “I was hoping you would let me stay here.”
“Here? On the couch?”
He took a step toward her. “No. Here. With you.”
She caught her breath, feeling her fatigue drain away. A flicker of wild hope ignited. “Ethan?”
He seemed to glow with some inner strength and fire before her very eyes. His very presence pulled her, as if by magical force.
“I wasn’t looking for this,” he said. “I never expected to find it, frankly. I was just going to pass through, get a few questions answered and drift on until I found...something. I had no idea what it would be.”
“But?”
“But here it is. Right here. With you and Sophie. I was on a quest, and it ended right here. If I have to leave you, I won’t go farther than Micah’s place. And I’ll keep beating on your door and bringing you roses until you say yes. Because I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
For an instant Connie doubted her own ears. Then her whole body lightened as she realized she had finally let go of her own self-doubts and wariness, at least with this man. Then, as if carried on angel wings, she flew across the room to land in Ethan’s strong arms.
“I don’t want you to go. I never want you to go!”
He laughed and lifted her right off her feet. “I take it that’s a yes?”
“Yes, yes, yes, and I love you, too!”
He smiled down at her, his face warmer than she had ever seen it. “Will you marry me?”
She pressed her face to his shoulder, overwhelmed by joyful tears. Her prayers had been answered, including one she had barely acknowledged. Sophie was safe, and Ethan wanted her. Her heart swelled until she ached with gratitude. “Yes, Ethan. Oh, yes!”
“Do you think Sophie will be okay with it?”
“Let’s go ask her right now.”
A minute later the quiet house was filled with a little girl’s voice crying, “All right!”
The stranger had brought peace, and it settled gently over the house as happy voices talked well into the night.
Even bad things could bring some good, Connie thought much later, as she lay in Ethan’s arms, snug and safe.
And this was as good as it could get.
* * * * *
Rachel Lee
For my dad, who taught me that a person
is measured by their dedication to honor, duty
and loyalty.