Page 6 of Heart to Heart

Jude burst into the kitchen and placed the grocery bag on the counter, unearthing a loaf of crusty bread and a bottle of wine. “That smells so good.”

“Of course it does. Your grandma doesn’t mess around when her babies are sick.” She shot me another wink and I shook my head.

He twisted the corkscrew into the wine bottle with a laugh. “Right. About that. Levi’s on the couch keeping up the act.” He kissed Gram’s cheek. “Thanks for coming over.”

“Of course. Set the table, honey. We’ll eat in a couple hours. Once the pot gets going, you’re going to have to keep it stirred. Holly and I have things to discuss.”

“No problem.” He raised his eyebrows at me over top of Gram’s head.

She directed Jude to the cutting board. “Dump these veggies into the pot, add the stock, then give it a stir. Holly, come on, we’re going out to the patio to brainstorm. Grab that notebook off the table. We’ll make a list of all the supplies you’ll need so when the shop opens, we’ll be ready to go. Your mama said we can store everything in their garage.” She swiped two glasses from the cupboard and the bottle of wine and gestured for me to follow her outside.

It seemed we were about to plan the rest of my life. I trailed behind her with a smile on my face and for the first time in years, I felt like I might be more than what I ever thought I could be.

Chapter3

Liam

After our conversation, I’d stayed away from Violet’s shop. Being around Holly was just too much for me. The temptation to push for more than what she wanted was nearly overwhelming. I never should have kissed her; now I knew what I was missing. It could be so good between us.

Just friends...

I focused on the drive home to get her out of my mind. I marveled at how far I had come from my Ranger days. Desert to forest. It was like a living landscape painting up here. Once I turned off the highway, the road narrowed, turning serpentine as I drove straight into the Mt. Hood National Forest. When the weather was bad, the drive was as treacherous as it was beautiful.

After his father passed away, Luke had inherited about thirty or so acres of this gorgeous Oregon land, a few million dollars, and the family construction business that he’d hired me to work for after we left the Army. Both of us had been medically discharged after an attack our unit had suffered. He lived here with his childhood sweetheart, Lily, who was now his wife, and their kids. When I’d first arrived I rented a house in town, but had since taken over his original family home—a modest log cabin tucked into the trees at the back of this extensive property—while he and his family moved into the newer house up near the road.

If I didn’t know where to go, I’d never find the place. The sign for his private street was buried within the trees that lined the road so closely I could reach out my window and touch them if I wanted to. Sometimes, I did.

Ivy and moss wreathed the tall pines, while gnarled roots embedded the earth and twisted branches rose to the sky like timeless examples of how to hold on. How to keep steady in the midst of a world that seemed determined to knock everything down.

I lowered my windows, immersing myself in the dusky, verdant beauty surrounding me. Early spring in Sweetbriar was often still tinged by winter cold and today was no exception. There was a bite in the air. I shivered as I turned onto the long winding driveway that led to Luke’s place.

Cutting the engine, I stared at the huge log cabin-slash-mansion my friend Luke now lived in as I exited my truck. The full force of how different my life had become hit me as I felt the cool mountain mist against my skin and took in all the green that surrounded me. The last ten years faded further and further away the more time I spent here, like sand blowing by in the breeze, but it still weighed on my soul—and probably always would.

“Uncle Liam’s here!”

Luke’s six-year-old son, Dylan, ran to me from the wrap-around front porch. I picked him up and swung him in a circle. “Hey, little man.”

“Higher!” I chuckled and lifted him over my head. “You’re the tallest ever!” Peals of laughter washed over me as I sat him down. Damn, I loved this kid. “Tomorrow is puppy day at Papa Jed’s so I finally get to hold them! Are you going to go see them too?”

“I just came from there.” Luke’s grandfather was a Vietnam vet who trained service dogs on his ranch. He also ran a support group that I attended along with Luke and a few other vets who lived in the area.

“Were they cute? Did you get to hold them?”

“They are and nope, because tomorrow is the official day. Jed said you would be the first.”

“I can’t wait!” He took off running into the house as Luke was coming out.

“Hey. Have you heard about the puppies?” He grinned at me as he approached.

“A few times.” I chuckled.

“He’s talked about nothing else since they were born. Don’t be surprised if Rocky gets a puppy buddy to hang with.” Rocky was a brown and white boxer Luke had gotten from Jed’s ranch, and had done a lot for Luke’s state of mind.

I turned at the sound of a car pulling in behind me, smiling when I spotted Holly and Rose, Lily’s identical twin, pulling up behind my truck. Her cheeks flushed pink, and she waved when she saw me. I had never seen a woman as beautiful as her. Each time I saw her I lost my breath.

“What are they doing here tonight? Are you having a party?”

“Sister shit,” he answered. “Ice cream and movies. Vi will be here too, if she’s feeling better—morning sickness has been kicking her butt lately.”

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