Page 81 of Tactical Revival

“Rosalie destroyed me,” he admits. “My confidence, my self-worth, she took it and crumpled it up, then tossed it in the trash. Getting into another relationship just never seemed like a good idea.”

“Chad did the same to me,” I admit. “I felt so unworthy, like I wasn’t worth him sticking around.”

“You know now, of course, that it wasn’t you, right?”

I nod. “Mostly. I still have moments of doubt.”

“When those moments hit, come find me. I’ll show you just how wrong they are.”

Turning my face toward him, I smile. When he leans in this time, the kiss is tender, a caress of our lips that I feel straight down into my toes. I long to reach for him, to bury my fingers in his thick, dark hair, but I pull back.

Jaxson lets out a breath. “I wish I would have kissed you months ago.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Hello?” I finish pouring my third cup of coffee for the day, then take a seat at the table where I’ve been going through my financials, looking for any way to reopen my doors by Christmas.

“I call with great news.” Beckett’s happy tone on the other side is like balm against the nerves that stirred when I saw her name on the screen.

“I could use some good news.”

“Well, Chad dropped the case this morning.”

“Really?” Relief removes a bunch of strain that had been on my shoulders. “You’re serious?”

“I’m not sure what got into him, likely knowing he was going to lose, but yeah. And he sent over a formal apology, which I forwarded to your email.”

“That’s amazing.”

“It really is. So, what are you going to do now?”

“Hopefully reopen the doors to my business.”

“What do you mean? What happened?”

“Someone lit it on fire.”

She’s silent for a moment, and I know it’s because she’s letting my words sink in. Beckett grew up here in Hope Springs until her family moved to Boston when she was in the seventh grade. We spent a lot of time helping out over at the B&B when it was owned by the couple I bought it from.

“Arson?” she asks.

“Yeah. There’s been a lot happening here in Hope Springs that you’ve missed. You know Lanetti Ester?”

“I do.”

“She was abducted. They found her under the Klines’ old barn.”

“Are you serious! Is she okay?”

“She’s fine now, but they still haven’t found who took her.”

“What does that have to do with your B&B?”

“Honestly? I’m not sure. But the detective who’s been staying there?—”

“Mr. Tall, mysterious, and buff? Yeah, I know of him.”

I laugh. “He believes it’s somehow related to him.”

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