Page 11 of A Second Chance

“I can’t believe it’s been so long,” Gwen continued. “I met Weasel not long after and went to a couple of hisparties.”

“Ah, yeah. Dude used to throw some ragers back in the day. I have no idea how he didn’t get evicted from that apartment.” Jason laughed with no hint of recognition. This was bizarre.

“Me either,” Gwen muttered. “Probably lost that security deposit.”

“No doubt... And now you’re friends with them all.”

It had taken awhile for that to be the case. But she nodded. “Your sister’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”

“Don’t let her fool you, she’s mean.”

Gwen snickered. “I’m guessing you were a little terror growing up.”

“Not me,” placing a hand over his heart, batting those long eyelashes giving her his best innocent expression.

Gwen was not buying it for a second and those full and gorgeous eyelashes irritated her. She laughed, tearing her gaze from his mouth and, with a healthy dose of cynicism, said, “Right. I’m sure. You were an angel.”

He flashed a smile that sent an unwelcome electrical surge to her neglected southern region.

Gwen rolled her eyes and made sure he saw. His charm had missed the mark. The warm glow of the fairy lights against the darkness did not create a romantic ambiance. “So, where you been?”

“I hiked the Appalachian Trail.”

“The whole thing?”

“Yep.”

“How long did that take?”

“Six months.”

Jason left about three years ago – in handcuffs, according to the rumor mill, but she’d never had the nerve to ask any of the group if it were true. He’d glossed over two and half years’ worth of information, but she’d let that go, ’cause it didn’t matter. “You hiked for six months?”

He nodded.

“Alone?”

“No, with a veteran’s non-profit group.”

“Well, that sounds…fun.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. At times, sure. But fun wasn’t the point.”

“What was?” she asked, curious why someone would subject himself to hiking in the wilderness for six months straight. Gwen liked a day hike and one night of camping as much as the next girl, but six months of constant hiking and camping was excessive.

“A way to reset from war,” Jason replied.

Did he expect her to believe that he’d reset to a time before they’d met? Did he take her for an idiot? Gwen rubbed her temples. “I’m gonna take off.”

“Headache not any better?”

“It’s getting worse,” she muttered, standing. Gwen made her way back around the barn to tell her friends goodnight, aware that Jason walked beside her. Autumn, Hannah, and the guys sat around the fire pit. They met her impending departure with protests and she promised to text Autumn and Hannah and let them know if she needed anything. Rebecca and Weasel were nowhere in sight.

“I’m walking Gwen to her car,” Jason said.

“That’s unnecessary,” Gwen said. Jason followed anyway. “You don’t have to walk me,” she said again once they were on the garden path.

“Chivalry is not dead,” he replied. “And besides, I’m not super excited to sit around with a bunch of happy couples right now.”

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