Page 4 of His to Unwrap

“A man's gotta have hobbies,” Caleb quips, his blond head bent as he slips something from his pocket and feeds it to Coop.

“If that's beef jerky, he's going home with you,” I tell Caleb. “He had gas for three days the last time you visited.”

“Payback for all the time we spent cooped up in small spaces during missions. Every damn one of you should have come with a government-issued air freshener.”

Everett laughs and I flip them both off. “Since you're here, help me bring the tree in. I found an old stand in the crawl space we can use.”

Caleb's smirk softens. “You went looking for a Christmas tree.”

I shrug, feeling uncomfortable. “Haven’t had one in a long time.”

Everett claps me on the shoulder and lifts the other end of the tree. “I think it’s great, man. Livens the place up.”

Caleb holds the door for us as we walk the Douglas fir inside, sidestepping Cooper, who is trying to help by barking and running ahead to the corner where I placed the rusty green and red stand.

Together, we set the tree in place and give it some water. With luck, it will last another couple of weeks.

“What brings you by?”

“Checking in. Came to see how the cabin is coming,” Caleb replies.

It’s me they’re concerned about, not the cabin. Making the transition to civilian life, to this new, fucked up version of myself, has been difficult. I spent months in physical therapy before I could function. Then I drifted. If it hadn’t been for our old team leader, Gideon Blake, tracking me down, I’d probably be living in a tent somewhere. He gave me this place under the condition that I renovate it. Turns out a decrepit cabin is better than living in my truck. It’s given me a focus that I desperately needed.

“Place looks good. Almost livable.” Everett lifts his chin toward the kitchen that I spent weeks updating. “You might not even starve up here.”

Caleb chuckles. “Which brings us to the real reason we’re here. Harmony says you can pay her back for all the food she sends you by helping with the gala tomorrow. Everett and I have been tasked with set up.”

Hundreds of people crammed into one space for a few hours? “No thanks.”

“Funny how you thought it was a request,” Everett replies.

“It’ll do you good to get out more,” Caleb adds. “Everyone will be there. You can get to know some more people.”

Everyone? An image of the angel from the coffee shop fills my head again. Is there a chance I might see her? Is that something I want? I run my hand through my hair, fingers brushing over the scar hidden there.

Everett reaches over and grabs my wrist. “You’re getting better, man. We can both see it. Give it time.”

“I’ll think about it.” It’s possible I will get better eventually, but I can’t let myself hope for more than I’ve got. It’s enough to have a roof over my head, a dog that adores me, and something to keep my hands busy.

Anything else is wishful thinking and I’m all wished out. Even for a beautiful angel.

Chapter Three

Ezra

The following day, I’mon my hands and knees in the Master bath, laying tile, when my phone rings. “Can you get that, Coop?” I reach for a rag to wipe my hands off and glance back at the dog lying belly up, sound asleep on the threshold. He snorts but doesn’t stir.

I pull my phone out of my back pocket and answer. It’s Ron from the White Falls shipping store. A few days ago, when I’d gone to town to pick up supplies and mail, one of the packages hadn’t arrived. In a town this size, you can’t go to the local hardware store for everything. I have my online orders delivered to Ron instead of making a panel truck navigate the mountain roads to find my cabin.

“Yeah, it finally came in,” he says in the rough voice of a man who’s smoked his whole life.

“Great. I’ll be there soon.”

“Coming into town twice in one week? Must be some sorta record.”

“Don’t alert the media. This one will be under the radar.” His laugh ends in a wheezing cough that makes me cringe. I hang up with him and tuck my phone away.

The extra trip to White Falls will be worth it to pick up the new fixtures for this bathroom. I’m almost done with the tile now. Another week and the project will be finished, then I can begin patching and restoring the wood floors. Fixing up the cabin has been… therapeutic. It calms my mind and provides exercise, but it also gives me a sense of pride to see the transformation as the projects are completed. I feel better than I have in years.

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