Page 41 of Beckett
I made my own mug of coffee. “That sounds amazing.”
“It is. That’s why I’m so proud to be a part of the guys who took over the dangerous stuff and let the heroes get a break.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Sounds like the Warrior Security guys are heroes too.”
He smiled just a little. “More like the grunts, but thanks for the sentiment. I like the work.”
“Must be nice, being able to use those skills without having to leave town.”
Something shifted in his expression, a flicker of gratitude maybe. “Yeah. Thought I’d have to move to a city to find that kind of work. Denver, Seattle, somewhere with demand for tactical expertise. But Hunter made it possible to stay in Garnet Bend.”
“You grew up here, right?”
He nodded, taking a sip of coffee. “Born and raised. Left for the Army at eighteen, but this place…” He glanced out the window at the mountains in the distance. “It gets in your blood.”
Jet padded over and rested his head on my knee, brown eyes full of uncomplicated affection. I scratched behind his ears, grateful for something to do with my hands.
“Ever think about leaving permanently?” I asked.
His jaw tightened slightly. “Came close once. Was with a woman for a couple years, almost proposed. But she wanted bright lights, big city. Thought Garnet Bend was too small, too limiting.” He shrugged, but I could see the old hurt there. “I realized we wanted different things.”
“Her loss,” I said without thinking.
He looked at me then, really looked at me, and something passed between us. The memory of last night’s kiss, maybe. Or just recognition—two people who’d been hurt, who understood what it meant to choose being alone over being with the wrong person.
“I should go,” he said, straightening. “Meeting with Hunter.”
“Right.” I stood too, Jet immediately gluing himself to my side. “Thanks for bringing Jet. I’m definitely more comfortable having him here. And for…” I gestured vaguely at the cabin, the first aid kit, everything he’d done without asking for explanations.
“Take care of each other,” he said, heading for the door. “I’ll check in later. Got some fence work to do on the south pasture this afternoon if you need anything.”
“We’ll be fine.” I walked him to the door, Jet padding alongside. “I’ll start the regular chores in a bit.”
He paused on the porch, looking back. “Audra…”
For a moment, I thought he might acknowledge the kiss, might say something about what was building between us. But then he just nodded.
“See you this afternoon.”
I watched him drive away, one hand on Jet’s head, the other wrapped around my coffee mug. The morning felt different somehow. Lighter. Like maybe I could breathe here, just for today.
“What do you think, boy?” I asked Jet. “Think we can figure this out?”
His tail wagged harder, and I took that as a yes.
Chapter 13
Beckett
The morning sun cast long shadows across the property as I cleaned and oiled the hinges on the barn doors. My hands worked automatically, muscle memory from years of maintaining equipment, keeping things functional, fixing situations that had gone sideways.
The repetitive motion usually helped quiet the noise in my head, but today, something felt off. A tension in my shoulders that wouldn’t release. A slight tremor in my fingers that made gripping the oil can harder than it should be.
Two nights since that kiss. Two nights of keeping my distance, giving Audra space to settle into the cabin without pressure. Two nights of remembering the way she’d felt against me, soft and trusting, before I’d pulled back. The dreams had been worse since then. Not Rodriguez this time, but Audra—running from shadows I couldn’t see, calling for help I couldn’t give.
Across the yard, she emerged from the barn with Jet at her heels. The German shepherd’s tail whipped back and forth with enough force to bruise, batting against her legs as they walked. She laughed at something—probably Jet trying to carry three tennis balls at once; no wonder he was never going to make it as a security dog—and the sound carried on the morning air like music after months of silence.
She looked different. Rested. The dark circles under her eyes had faded to pale shadows, and maybe it was just my wishful thinking, but it felt like her clothes didn’t hang quite so loose. This morning, I’d caught her singing while filling water bowls. Some pop song I didn’t recognize, her voice light and unselfconscious until she’d noticed me watching. Then she’d flushed pink and focused intently on the task at hand.
