Page 47 of Home for Justice
Before she could reply, Cole walked back over, brushing dust off his sleeves. “You two heading out?”
Justice nodded, then turned to Tyler. “I can give you a ride back to the main building. I assume that’s where your vehicle is.”
“That’d be great.”
Cole smiled at Justice. “Thanks for all your help today. As always, if you need anything, you know where to find me.”
Justice gave Cole a quick wave, then she and Tyler fell in step together as they walked toward her vehicle.
They didn’t speak for a few moments, the crunch of their boots the only sound as they walked along the gravel path. But then Tyler asked quietly, “You and Cole?”
She blinked up at him. “Friends. Good friends. He’s always been easy to talk to.”
Tyler didn’t respond right away. “I can see that.”
The silence stretched. “And what about you and all your easy conversations with Logan and Cory and the rest of the Keepers?” she teased, trying to break the sudden tension.
That earned her a glance and a low chuckle. “Touché.”
As they neared the building, she glanced sideways at him again. He reached out and brushed a piece of hair away from her cheek. His touch lingered just a moment too long for it to be casual.
“Will I see you tonight?” he asked.
“If you want…” She pressed her lips together, wondering if he would be concerned with going out with someone who did contract work for his employer. While not making them coworkers, she didn’t know if he would be on board to keep seeing her.
“I absolutely want to.”
Her breath rushed out in relief. “Good. You know where to find me.”
Laughing, he nodded. “Yep… just a meadow away.”
She thought of the land from above, the clear-cut lines of property and trees, and the way everything looked simpler from that vantage point.
But here, on the ground, things were messier. Complicated. Alive. And somehow, even with all the trouble, she wouldn’t want it any other way.
21
Early sunlight stretched across the plains as Tyler guided his rental SUV down the winding highway. The crisp morning air was filled with promise, and for the first time in a long time, he felt no urge to be anywhere other than where he was. He was building a future here.
The town he headed toward wasn’t large, but it had enough car dealerships to make an easy decision. After two decades in the military, he hadn’t thrown his paychecks around. Between his savings, his pension, and the signing bonus Logan had mentioned from LSIMT, he was in a position to choose what he wanted, not just what he needed.
Walking through the lot, he paused by a dark-gray SUV, the kind built for comfort, power, and versatility. Big enough for his frame. Roomy enough for lumber runs or gear hauls. As the salesman approached, Tyler already knew he’d found the one.
By the time he signed the paperwork, he’d contacted the rental company. They were happy to swing by and retrieve the vehicle he’d been using since arriving in Montana. That done, he climbed behind the wheel of his new ride and leaned back for a moment, hands on the wheel, taking it in. No restlessness. Nosecond-guessing. Just the quiet, deep certainty that this place, this moment, this decision was right.
The drive home was smooth and unhurried. His thoughts wandered, as they often did lately, to the woman who had complicated and grounded him in equal measure.Justice.Just saying her name in his mind made something settle inside his chest. The evening before played in his memory like a movie on loop—her easy laughter, her father’s stories, and the connection between them all.
He’d learned more about her. How she’d gone back to school to get her helicopter maintenance certification, how Logan contracted with her family’s shop. He’d already admired her grit. But now… now he admired everything else, too.
He hadn’t planned to make a habit of having dinner at their house, not wanting to overstay his welcome. But neither Jack nor Justice seemed to mind. In fact, he’d started to feel like they looked forward to it.
Still, part of him wondered if Jack knew that his daughter and the man next door had moved from polite hellos to something far more personal. Tyler didn’t like the feeling of sneaking around. It wasn’t that they were hiding. Just holding it close for now and letting it grow in its own quiet way.
He passed their farmhouse, the white siding glowing in the morning sun, and felt the tug of belonging. He’d be back later since there was an American Legion meeting that evening, and Tyler had offered to drive. Jack had protested, of course, insisting he could still get himself where he needed to go. But in the end, it made sense to ride together.
Besides, Tyler liked Jack. Liked his stories. Liked the way he smiled at his daughter with pride and affection. Rounding the final bend, he turned onto his gravel drive and immediately tensed. An oversized red pickup truck sat idling, its sideemblazoned with a sign announcing Milton Development and Construction.
Tyler eased the SUV to a stop and stepped out. The air felt heavier somehow, the peaceful buzz of the morning interrupted by the oily presence of the man now climbing from his truck.
