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He’d never been one to share and wasn’t sure why he said what he had to Heather about being from the wrong side of Baltimore.
It’s not like he volunteered he’d spent some time in foster care when his father went to prison. His mother was arrested for possession on top of it. Working the streets to get money for her next fix. She’d been arrested for that too.
His parents weren’t married. They weren’t even together. But if one of them got in trouble, which happened often, he could go to where the other was living.
Neither of his parents wanted him around. He was a punching bag for his father a few times so was thrilled when Norm Remington went to jail for armed robbery. But that meant the next time his mother was arrested he’d end up in the system until she got out.
Eighteen couldn’t come fast enough for him and he was just lucky he made it through high school and got the hell out of Dodge.
“This is going to be the nicest place I’ve ever lived. I’m going to have a great secure job. To me I’m living the dream I never thought I’d have.”
He wasn’t going to be making a ton during his months in the academy. More than his military salary and he had money put away since he never spent much. But once he was stationed he was going to feel rich with his salary almost doubling, which wouldn’t even count the OT.
It’s not like he had anyone to come home to, so he’d take all the time he could get.
“I’m just glad you’re close by again,” Zane said. “And you know damn well Lily is going to want you over for meals. You’ll be around for the weekends.”
He would but wouldn’t take advantage of things either.
“Now and again,” he said.
The two of them got to work and finished in a few hours, then they brought the furniture in through the snow that had fallen yesterday.
“Do you need help with your stuff at the house?” Zane asked.
“No. It will all fit in my SUV. I got it here just fine. If not, I’ll take two trips.”
“Nonsense,” Zane said. “We’ll do it together and get it done in one trip.”
There was no use arguing with his best friend.
“I think you just want to get out of the house.”
“Nah,” Zane said. “I told Lily I’d bring back pizza. She’s done enough cooking the past few days.”
As much as he wanted to be alone tonight, he said, “Why don’t I grab it? My treat for all she’s done.”
“Only if you have dinner with us.”
Which he knew Zane would say. “Sure. We can eat and then bring everything here and I can spend the time setting up and unpacking. They got the internet set already, as I called the other day to just put it in my name.”
He was good to go. He’d have TV he could watch and he’d get some food at some point. The stores were open late. Or he’d go tomorrow and buy everything else he figured he’d need.
Then he’d spend the rest of the week trying to kill time until he started at the academy. He’d never been one to sit around and do nothing, and though he offered to help Zane with any work he needed done this week, he’d been shut down and told to take a much-needed vacation. That he wouldn’t get time off for a while.
This life was going to be completely different from any he’d ever had before, but he was looking forward to it.
And trying to figure out how he could see Heather Davis again. But there was no way he’d admit that to anyone.
5
So Confused
“We have to stop meeting like this.”
Heather turned and saw Luke standing next to her in the beverage store. New Year’s Eve and she was alone. Daisy had a date and she was happy for her roommate who’d offered to cancel last minute to spend it with Heather. She’d told her no way. Finding men in this area wasn’t easy and Daisy had had three dates with this guy she met online and they were going to a party.
“Seems like something is drawing us together,” she said, then realized how stupid that sounded.
