Page 57 of My Forever Soldier

The sun glinted off his windshield and Luke took it as a cue to get moving. He had no idea how Olivia would react to his turning up out of the blue, but now was as good a time as any to find out. And to tell her that he’d done something about what was keeping him from being a good dad, something that could make him a better husband.

He decided to go around the back.

Luke saw Olivia before she saw him. He took in the fall of her long, honey-brown hair, the way she so casually tucked it behind one ear as she watched Charlie. She was dressed in faded jeans and a white tank top, and she looked beautiful.

Blue eyes turned upward then, and she saw him. It wasn’t the look he’d hoped for, but he guessed he deserved it. Those ocean-colored irises flashed dark—dark with hurt and he sucked in a deep breath and walked in.

“Hi,” he called out as he stood in the open back door.

“Daddy!” Charlie raced forward and threw both arms around him.

“Hey, buddy, how are you?”

Luke tried to focus on his son, but Olivia’s gaze drew him. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, so much he wanted to apologize for and make up to her.

Luke didn’t regret one moment of his time serving his country, but what he did regret was not calling, not being honest, not being home with his family at every possible interval. But he’d done the right thing now, no matter what Ollie decided about their future, and he could finally say, with his hand on his heart, that he could be the dad his son deserved.

“Ollie—” He was interrupted.

“Daddy, are you home now? Are you staying here? Mommy said you might be going away again!”

Luke dropped to his knees and cupped his hand under his son’s chin before touching foreheads with him.

“I need to talk with your mom, okay?” he said in a low voice. “But I’m not leaving you, kiddo. I promise. Not now and not ever.”

“Really?” Charlie asked, eyes unblinking as he stared up at him.

“I made you a promise, son. I said that if I ever left again, you’d know when and where I was going. I’m not gonna break that promise. Okay?”

Charlie seemed satisfied. “‘Kay.”

Luke sensed rather than heard Olivia tsk, but he kept his eyes on his boy. When Charlie smiled, he dropped a kiss on his head and stood to full height. Olivia thought he was making false promises, but he wasn’t. Not this time, notever.

Because this time, he was playing for keeps. And he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“You go play in your room for a moment, bud. What I’ve got to say to Mommy won’t take long.”

Olivia stood like a soldier, and Luke wondered if she knew her habit. Feet spread hip-width apart, arms crossed, steely gaze, chin tilted. He’d never known such a strong woman in all his life.

“So you’re here to say goodbye.” It was a statement more than a question,

“No.” Had she thought he was lying to Charlie just then? Did she honestly believe that he would have spent the night with her if he’d planned on shipping out without consulting her first?

Olivia didn’t look convinced, eyes still narrowed in his direction.

“Ollie, I’m here to ask your forgiveness,” he said, taking a few steps closer to her. “I should never have just come out with what was on my mind before, without explaining where it was coming from, why I was thinking about it.”

“Why? So you can leave with a clear conscience?” The snap of her tone made him stop moving closer.

“No.” He looked at his feet, then back up at her. “Because I love you and I want to be part of your life. Because I want to stay.”

“Why should I believe you this time, Luke? Why?”

He knew she was hurt. He’d been the one to hurt her, and if he could take that moment in time back, then he damn well would. This was hard for him, too, but he wasn’t backing down.

Luke took a deep breath. “Because no matter what happens, Ollie, I’m staying. I’m not going to serve overseas again, not now and not ever. That’s what I was trying to talk to you about.”

Now it wasOlivia who wanted to run. After all this time of being the strong one, of being the woman who could cope on her own and who didn’t need help, she was crumbling. Tears were stinging her eyes and a lump was steadily moving its way up her throat.

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