Page 11 of My Forever Soldier

Charlie had started out listening to his dad, but now he was walking the soldier figurines around the carpet. But Olivia was listening. How could she not? Because no matter what had happened between them, she was incredibly proud of Luke’s career.

Luke knew Ollie was watching.He’d known all along that she was listening, but he didn’t mind. Part of this promise was about showing her that he was serious about being a dad, but it was a hell of a lot easier to talk to Charlie than to her. Most of all, he just wanted to be honest, and talking didn’t come easy to him.

His men had always trusted him with their lives, but he knew that earning Olivia’s trust would be hard. And he still hadn’t told her the truth about where he’d been and what he had been doing. That he was part of a Special Forces task force, that he’d been immersed in another culture most of the time he’d been away. That he’d never been so terrified in his life, and that when he’d almost died, had come so close to becoming a casualty, all he’d thought of was her.

Luke left Charlie to his playing and joined Ollie in the kitchen. If he was serious about them giving this a real go, then he needed to make an effort.A big effort.

“So, uh, how are you feeling about last night?” Luke cringed at his words.Idiot. Not quite how he’d planned on saying it. Ollie’s face now flushed a deep pink and he looked down at his feet.He never had been very good at this whole talking business.

He looked up and found her fussing with the food she was making, maybe finding this as awkward as he was.

“What’s for dinner?” he asked next.

That at least elicited a smile in his direction.

“Oh, just lasagna with a salad. Nothing much.”

“Just lasagna? Sounds like more than nothing to me.”

“I’ve made dessert, too. Charlie’s favorite.”

Luke hated that he didn’t know what his son liked to eat.

“Chocolate cake,” Ollie said, as if knowing that he was floundering. “Slathered with icing and with a little ice cream on the side.”

“Sounds like we have the same favorites.”

They looked at one another. Luke couldn’t drop his gaze. There was something there, he knew it, something that hadn’t disappeared despite the time that had passed, despite the way things had ended between them. Olivia looked away first, but Luke couldn’t. He kept watching her, wishing that he was one for talking, about his feelings, about what he wanted.

But last night he had, and now he had to prove himself to her, and as easy as it would be to run, to go back to the army, he was going to try his hardest. Not just for Charlie, but because of Olivia. Hiswife. No more excuses. This time he was going to prove himself and make her believe in him again, and he wasn’t going to let her down.

Because maybe he did deserve it. Maybe he wasn’t destined to fail at being a husband and a dad.

Maybe, just maybe, he could be successful at more than just being a soldier. And maybe he’d come home for Olivia as much as he’d come home for his son.

5

THE COOL WIND made the tiny hairs on Olivia’s arm rise in protest, but she ignored it. All she could think about was Luke, and no matter how hard she tried not to, it was impossible. Every month he’d been away she’d thought about him, so why had she expected it would be different, having him home? Perhaps without Charlie as a constant reminder, it might have been.

Olivia looked up as she reached her employer’s apartment. It was weird arriving on her own, when for almost a year she’d made the walk with a little hand tucked into her own.

“Hello,” she called as she let herself in, just in case Ricardo was home.

She was greeted by silence. Olivia shrugged off her coat and walked into the kitchen, dropping her belongings on the counter. The place was immaculate as usual, just like she’d left it, as if he hadn’t even been home since the last time she’d visited.

Olivia crossed the room, heading for the fridge. She paused to read the note on the counter beside it: “I’d love that homemade pasta sauce for dinner tonight, darling! R.”

Fresh pasta and her tomato and basil sauce. Perfect. Now she could just ponder her thoughts and prepare dinner, on autopilot.

And try again to stop thinking about Luke.

Luke stood at ease as he watched Charlie run around the playground. His son had zoomed down the slide over and over, and was now making a beeline for the jungle gym.

“Come on, Dad.” Charlie waved excitedly for him to follow.

There were plenty of kids around, all doing their own thing, accompanied by their nannies or moms. Luke was the odd man out, but he didn’t care. So long as no one realized he had no idea what he was doing, he’d be fine.

“Daddy! Daddy, look!”

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