Page 15 of Second Chance Serenity

A buddy of mine had been the one who’d kept him from doing it then, and I’d been such a hothead that I would have fought back—and probably won. But now, I prepare for a fight, more than willing to take a few hits if that’s what will help him move on from his current view of me.

“Check your anger, Carter,” Henry tells him. “Michael is the only reason your little sister is alive.”

Carter stops in his tracks. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Michael saw her being attacked in the parking lot. He rescued her,” Lance tells him.

“You did?” His angry glare is pinned to me.

“I did.”

Carter nods, but his expression toward me doesn’t soften. “Is she okay?” he asks his father.

“She’s okay. Banged up. Scared. Sheriff Vick just left the room a few minutes ago. He’s talking to Doc now.” Henry turns to me. “Said he’s coming out to talk to you next.”

I cross my arms. “I’ll be here.”

“Can I see her?” Carter asks. “Is she awake?”

“Yes, of course. Come on.” Henry leads Carter out of the waiting area.

As soon as they’re through the doors, I take a seat in a chair and do my best to steady my breathing. I’ve loved Reyna Acker my entire life. From the moment I saw her in the fourth grade, I’d known she was someone special.

I hadn’t understood it then, but my life without Reyna just doesn’t make sense. While I don’t expect her to ever give me a second chance to be the man she loves, I would settle for being an acquaintance. Someone who gets to see her in passing.

But tonight, she’d nearly been ripped from this life.

From me.

God has a reason for everything, but why this? Why her?

“Are you okay?” Lance asks.

I nod. “Fine. I’m not the one in a hospital bed.”

“No, but you’ve taken some hits,” Elijah says, and I know he doesn’t mean physically.

The doors open yet again, and Sheriff Vick steps out, his expression angry. “Hey, boys,” he greets. Creeping up on sixty, he’s getting close to retirement, and lately things have been far more stressful here in Hope Springs than in the years before.

In the last three years, we’ve had a dangerous stalker, murder, kidnapping, vandalism…and now this. A violent attack at a school with an otherwise impeccable safety rating.

“Sheriff,” Elijah greets, shaking his hand.

Lance does the same, and then the sheriff turns to me. “How are you holding up?” he asks.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that? I’m not the one who was attacked tonight.” My throat is tight, emotions raw.

“You care about that girl,” he says. “And you’re the only reason she’s alive.”

I swallow hard. “I was in the right place at the right time.” I consider the fact that I had nearly stayed to play Halo with Matty but had the feeling I needed to get home before the storm hit.

If I had stayed, I wouldn’t have been anywhere near the school when Reyna was attacked. She would have been gone.

Thank you, God, for getting me there at the right time.

“Can you tell me what happened tonight?” the sheriff asks, reaching into his pocket.

“I was driving home from Margot’s. As I was passing by the school, some lightning flashed, and I saw her being attacked.”

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