Javi chuckled softly."Sometimes," he admitted.
Luke nodded in agreement."It's more about having people who understand," he said.
Noah crossed his arms over his chest, studying me intently."It's about finding a way forward," he added quietly.
Their words hung in the air between us as I considered them carefully.Maybe there was more to this town than I had initially thought—a sanctuary of sorts for those like us who had seen too much and needed to find their footing again.
"I heard you rented the loft above the inn," Luke said, leaning back in his chair."How is it?"
"It's decent," I replied, a little surprised by the mundane question."Small, but cozy enough.Quiet."
Luke nodded."Sometimes that's all you need."
I half-expected them to start prying about my time in the SAS or even what happened in China.But they didn't.They kept the conversation light, which felt...nice.
Javi leaned forward, a grin spreading across his face."Speaking of the inn, have you met Claire yet?"
"Claire?"I asked, feigning ignorance.
"You know, Claire," Javi corrected himself with a wink."Runs the place.Sweet girl."
"Oh, yeah."I nodded."I met her."
"She’s great," Noah chimed in."Always organizing events and making sure everyone feels welcome."
Luke laughed."Remember that time she roped us into helping with the fall festival?Man, I thought I'd never get those pumpkins out of my head."
Javi chuckled."Yeah, but it was worth it for those pies she got Emma to make."
"True," Luke agreed."She’s got a way of making everyone feel at home."
I listened as they shared stories about Claire, their faces lighting up with genuine affection for her.It was clear she was a cornerstone of this community.
"She invited me to the tree-lighting ceremony," I admitted.
"And you turned her down?"Javi asked incredulously.
"I’m not really one for crowds," I explained.
"You should go," Noah said earnestly."It’s more than just a ceremony.It’s about being part of something."
Part of something.The words echoed in my mind as I looked around at these men who had found their way to Holly Ridge and made it their own.
"Maybe I will," I said finally, surprising even myself.
They nodded approvingly, and we fell into a comfortable silence once more.For the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of belonging in this small town that seemed so far removed from my past life.
I took a deep breath and leaned back in my chair, feeling the tension ease from my shoulders just a little bit more.
The library's warmth enveloped us as we sat in a semi-circle, each of us nursing our own thoughts.The conversation drifted naturally, and before long, we found ourselves swapping stories about our time in combat.
Cavil leaned forward, his expression serious."Had a rough night last night," he started, his voice low."Another nightmare."
I shifted in my seat, listening intently.My leg moved up and down despite my best effort to stop it.
"I was back in Kandahar," he continued."We were on a night raid, and everything went sideways.I could hear the gunfire, feel the heat of the explosions.We lost two men that night."He paused, swallowing hard."In the dream, I kept seeing their faces, but I couldn't do anything to save them."
A heavy silence settled over the group.We all knew that feeling too well—the helplessness, the guilt.
