Page 85 of Protective Heroes

“More than anything.”

“Then you should go to him.”

“But how can he forgive me? I was horrible to him.”

“He’s your soulmate,” Mrs. Morgan said as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “When the connection between two people is that deep, there’s a lot you can forgive each other.”

Her words gave me hope “Do you know where I can find him?”

“I’d imagine he’s at his house by now. I can give you directions.” She stood and gave me a gentle shove toward the bathroom. “You might want to take a minute to fix your streaming mascara first.”

She waited and walked me to my rental car, giving me directions along the way and then sent me to find my soulmate.

Ten

Kami

Ifollowed Mrs. Morgan’s directions to the log cabin in the woods. It was exactly as I imagined it when Trevor described it to me last night. Of course, at the time, I’d imagined coming here under very different circumstances.

I trudged up the steps to the door and knocked. I got no answer.

I looked around the house. Trevor’s truck was pulled up out front so I was sure he was here. I gave the doorknob a try and found it open. Feeling like a criminal about to get caught, I pushed my way into his home.

“Trevor! Are you here?” I stood in the entryway as I called out to him. When I got no response, I wandered farther inside.

Tables and shelves were lined with pictures of him in his Navy uniform. Others of him with his unit at different functions. He built a life of danger and survived, I realized. He protected others and sacrificed all in the name of becoming a better man for me.

Humility and humbleness sank into every pour of my body.

How did I luck out to have someone so strong, caring and thoughtful of me as a soulmate?

I continued on toward the back part of the cabin. His home reminded me of a miniature version of the lodge. I would have loved for him to bring me home to a place that reminded me so much of where we first admitted our feelings to each other so long ago.

A quick check around told me the cabin was empty. I made my way to the windows that took up most of the back wall of the house and peered out to the forest beyond them. Did I see someone move out there?

I swallowed. Hard. And moved to the door that led to a deck. The apology I owe him lodged in my throat along with the bitter fear that kept stopping me from finding my happiness.

But no. I’m here to share that fear and let him know how I feel. It was scary though. I’ve never let anyone besides Asha that close since Trevor left me behind years ago.

Standing on the deck, I tried again. “Trevor! Are you here?”

Nothing.

“Trevor, please! I’m so sorry. I just…I need to see you, to apologize.”

Movement to my left caught my eye. I turned to see an enormous grizzly bear lumbering out of the tree line headed in my direction.

When he got about halfway to me, the beast stopped and let out a roar that almost brought me to my knees. It took every ounce of strength I had not to stumble backward. I might even have left imprints of my fingers in the railing of the deck.

I pulled in a shuddering breath, closed my eyes for a long second while I dug deep for my courage, and then opened them and took a slow step backward.

And then there he was. Walking out of the woods stopping next to the man-eating beast.

What?

“Trevor, he’s going to maul you. What are you doing?” Wide-eyed I stumble backward and fumble for the handle to the patio door.

Trevor chuckled. Actually freaking chuckled. “Sally here? Nah. She’s a gentle giant. I’ve cared for her for a while now.”

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