Page 32 of A Soldier's Return

He studied her for a moment, blue eyes glinting in the fading sunlight. “You’ve got your hands full tonight and don’t need a trip to Portland. Why don’t you let me take care of Jim and Carol’s suitcases tonight?”

“I offered. It doesn’t seem right to hand off the duty to you simply because it’s become inconvenient.”

“I don’t mind. Max loves riding in the car, and it will give me the chance to check on my patient.”

He was such a good man. Why couldn’t she have seen past the skinny geekiness when she had been in high school instead of being drawn to the macho, sexy surfer type? She could have avoided so much heartache.

“That’s very kind of you. They were staying at The Sea Urchin. The innkeeper has already packed up their suitcases for them. Thank you, Eli.”

“It’s no problem,” he assured her. He gave her a smile that almost reached his eyes this time, and she surrendered even more of her heart to him.

He made it extremely difficult to resist him, and she was completely failing at the task.

“Didn’t you say he was coming at eleven? That was forty minutes ago. Where is he? Do you think he forgot?”

Melissa could feel the muscles in her jaw ache and forced herself to unclench her teeth. “He’ll be here,” she assured her daughter, though she wasn’t at all positive that was the truth.

As she looked at Skye watching anxiously out the window, Melissa was painfully reminded of all the nights she had waited for Cody to come home or call from the road when he said he would.

Cody was great at making promises and lousy at keeping them.

“He’ll be here,” she said again. “Let me text him again and see where he is.”

She quickly shot off a text, only refraining from swearing at him by the same superhuman effort she was using to keep from grinding her molars.

It took him several long moments to reply.

Running late. Waves too good this AM at Indian Beach. On way now.

That was more of an explanation than she used to get from him but still not enough to placate a girl who adored him.

“Looks like he’s on his way. Do you have everything you need to sleep over? Pajamas, a change of clothes, your emergency phone, some snacks, coloring paper and pens, your American Girl doll?”

“Yep. Got it all.” Skye gave her gap-toothed grin, and Melissa’s heart gave another sharp tug. She loved this kind, funny, creative little person with all her heart.

Her daughter was growing up. What would the future hold for this sweet, openhearted child?

“Why don’t you practice your reading with me for a few more minutes while we wait?”

“Okay.” Skye picked up the book she was reading about a feisty girl who resembled her greatly. They were both laughing at the girl’s antics when the doorbell rang.

“That’s him!” Skye exclaimed. She dropped the book and raced to the door eagerly.

It was, indeed, her father. Cody walked in with his exotically beautiful bride silently following along.

“Great place.” Cody gave an admiring look around the big Victorian, with its high ceilings, transom windows and extensive woodwork. “I remember this from when that old biddy Abigail What’s-Her-Name lived here. She never liked me.”

“It’s been a good apartment for us. The other tenants are wonderful and the landlords have been more than accommodating. It has worked out really well while I continue trying to save up enough for our own place.”

“When you’re serious about looking, make sure you let me help you. Who knows? I might even discount my commission.”

She dug her nails into her palms and forced a smile, when what she really wanted to do was roll her eyes and remind him that if he were more dependable with child support, she could have bought a house when she first came back to town.

“Wow. Thanks. You might want to get your real estate license before you go around making that kind of generous offer.”

“Working on it. Working on it. You ready, Skye-ster?”

“Yep.” She threw her arms around Melissa’s waist. “Bye, Mommy. Love you.”

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