Page 41 of Nate Hayes

Nate wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my temple. “How’d you survive that?”

“I think your Grandma wants to adopt me,” I said, leaning back against him.

“She can’t have you,” he murmured into my hair. “You’re mine.”

I turned to face him, my arms sliding around his waist. “You okay? That was… a lot of family.”

He nodded. “It’s weird. They’re a lot, yeah, but… it feels different with you here. Feels right.”

We swayed there for a moment, the warm night settling around us.

“Do you think your sister’s always like that?” I asked.

He glanced through the window at Maggie, who was laughing as Axel tried to explain why he didn’t like lemon bars.

“Oh yeah,” Nate said. “She’s just getting started. For a school teacher, Maggie is the one in the family who is rather quirky, and she likes to tease you.”

I smiled and rested my head against his chest.

“Good,” I said. “Because I think she’s very funny.”

And as laughter spilled out of the house behind us and fireflies danced across the yard, I realized I hadn’t just fallen in love with Nate.

I was falling in love with his world. His people. His family. And it felt good.

23

Nate

We drove home in comfortable silence, Willa’s hand resting on my thigh as I navigated the familiar road back to her place. The stars were out again—clear and bright, like they were rooting for me.

She had no idea what I was about to say. And I wasn’t sure how to start.

I pulled into her driveway and turned off the truck, but I didn’t move.

Willa noticed immediately. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, then paused. “No. I mean… I will be.”

Her brows furrowed as she turned in her seat to face me, her hand gently squeezing mine. “Talk to me, Nate.”

I stared out the windshield, watching a light flicker on inside the barn. Pancake, no doubt making a late-night round.

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet,” I said quietly. “Something big.”

Willa didn’t say anything. She just waited. Patient. Steady. God, I loved that about her.

“A few years ago, I went on a mission in Iran with my team. It was supposed to be routine—get in, get out, secure the target. But it went to hell fast.”

I finally looked at her. “We got ambushed. They took me.”

Her lips parted, eyes wide.

“They kept me there for eight weeks. No sunlight. Barely any food. A cell made of stone and chains. I didn’t know if I’d make it back. Some days, I didn’t want to.”

Willa’s hand flew to her mouth, eyes brimming. “Oh my God… Nate…”

“I wasn’t alone. One of my buddies was with me for a while, until they separated us. I kept thinking about all the things I never did. Never said. That I’d never fix the crap with my family. That I’d never have a life outside missions and metal doors and violence.”

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