Page 35 of SEAL of Valor

“And done.” Zane snaps the last shelf into place, so I release it and step back. When the thing doesn’t fall over, Zane lifts and moves it into place.

“Thank you so much, boys!” Momma Knox exclaims.

“Look at who’s nice and handy,” Anastasia jokes as she carries over a box of mugs. Her fiancé, Sawyer, is nowhere to be seen, but I imagine he’ll be along soon enough. The two of them were practically inseparable before they were a thing. Now that they’re together? They might as well be joined at the hip.

“We try.” Zane studies the box his sister sets down. “There more of those?”

“Sawyer’s loading the wagon now.” She turns to me. “How are you doing?”

“Peachy,” I reply. “I need to go get working on storm prep. See you at the gym later?”

“Sure thing,” Zane replies, then waves before bending down to lift one of Momma Knox’s tubs of crocheted animals.

“Thank you, sweet boy.” Momma Knox wraps her arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. “I love you, Weston Hayes. You know that?”

“I know.” I pull away, then leave the booth. Anastasia falls into step beside me.

“You never were a good liar,” she says.

If only she knew I’ve been lying since the day Reese left town. “I’m doing fine,” I reply.

“I’m not asking you to talk about it. I just want you to know that I’m onto you.” She gently smacks my arm, then veers off toward her coffee shop while I continue on to my truck. I’m just opening the door when Pastor Reeves steps from the diner.

I try to move fast enough to avoid him, but once he realizes I’m there, the man zeroes in on me.

“Good morning, Weston. How are you doing?”

Unease trickles up my spine, a discomfort I feel whenever the pastor is near. Not because I think poorly of the guy, but because I have zero interest in discussing my lack of church attendance Sunday mornings—or any other day for that matter.

“Doing fine. You?”

“The Lord woke me up this morning and gave me a new day, so I can’t complain.” He smiles at me, but I notice hesitation. Which means he knows Reese is in town and is just as worried as everyone else that I’ll do something stupid.

“It was nearly two decades ago, Pastor Reeves. I’m doing just fine.”

“Just know, if you ever want to talk, I’m here to listen.”

“Seems there’s a lot of people interested in hearing me talk these days. Have a good day,” I say sharply, then offer him a wave as I climb behind the wheel of my truck and pull away from the curb.

Chapter 11

Reese

Steaming coffee in hand, and the throbbing in my head has dulled to what I like to call a nasty migraine hangover from yet another attack last night, I scroll down the web page looking for jobs in and around Charleston. Unfortunately, it seems there aren’t many places looking for a veterinarian at the moment. Especially one who has absolutely no references for the past few years, since the last thing I will ever do is give Phil the satisfaction of spinning lies about why I was let go.

“Ugh. This is hopeless.” I set my coffee on the kitchen table and run both hands over my face. “What is your plan, God? I know You have one, but I really cannot see it right now.” With my eyes closed, I take a few deep breaths, trying so hard to calm the stress-induced panic attempting to take over my life.

But between my mom’s health issues, my lack of a job, Weston owning half the ranch, and the absolutely knee-buckling attraction I still carry for him, I’m overloaded. I’ve barely even left the house this week, and not just because my head felt like a grape in the microwave.

A sharp knock on the front door has me shooting up in my seat. Aragorn looks up, ears perked as he waits for a cue. “Odd timing,” I mutter as I stand. Since my mom is in town, having lunch with some friends before she helps with the fall festival setup, it’s just my dog and me.

The quiet has been nice for processing things. Especially since I’m still reeling over that argument with Weston on Monday night.

“Did you ever even care?”

“Men.” I pull open the front door, shocked and delighted to see none other than Tessa Lane standing just on the other side. Though I imagine she’s been Tessa Knox for quite some time now. Guilt settles over my shoulders, heavy and familiar, because I should have been there when she got married. I should have been strong enough to celebrate the start of her new life, even though mine was falling apart.

“Hey, Reese,” she says with a smile. “Can I come in?”