Page 12 of His Wounded Heart

“Don’t you have a bunch of sisters who live around here? One who’s married to Aiden O’Malley?”

“Look, I figure that Drake probably suggested this is a friendly town to stay for a while. It is. But I haven’t said anything to Aiden’s wife, Evie, or any of my other sisters. I’m actually kicking myself in the ass for having called you commander, if you want to know the truth.”

I hate myself for doubting her. She seems sincere, but I am gun shy. There have just been too many people who have been duplicitous in my world for the last year.

She reaches out like she’s going to touch my arm, then she draws back. “I realize you don’t know me,” she starts. “Sometimes it’s hard to trust. I don’t know what else I can say, Simon.” Her smile disappears, and I miss it.

“I know I’m being a suspicious asshole. It’s been a shitty year. I trust the men who were under my command, so of course I trust you.”

Her expression doesn’t change. “It’ll take time. But you will,” she sighs again. She reaches into her purse and pulls out a business card holder. “I design and create websites as well as brand new businesses. Here’s my business card. You can get ahold of me at this number if you need somebody here in town.”

I look at the card. I’m impressed that it isn’t all flowery, instead it looks sleek and professional, like someone I would take seriously.

“Thanks, Trenda.”

Her smile is dim when I get it, but at least it is a smile. “You’re welcome, Simon. I better get home before the ice cream melts.”

I nod and grab the cart and roll it back to the entrance, then plop my groceries into my trunk and take off with Trenda’s card carefully placed in my wallet.

Chapter Four

“Go to sleep, Sweet Pea. You’ve had your allotment of screen time for the day. You’ve had your Mama time, and what’s more, you got to talk to Aunt Maddie. It’s beddy-bye time for you. You hear me?”

“Yeah, but—”

“No more buts. You’re tucked in. The nightlight’s on. Do the meditation technique that Uncle Drake taught you, and… Go. To. Sleep.”

“But we haven’t even discussed the Commander.” Bella whines.

I wince. Seriously, my kid didn’t miss a trick. “What have I said about whining?”

“That it probably won’t get me anywhere, and it will annoy the shit out of people.”

“That’ll be a dollar,” I say as I hold out my hand.

“Fifty cents. I was repeating what you said.” Her eyes twinkle.

“We’ll debate this tomorrow.” I press a kiss against her forehead and pull up her blanket. “Sleepy time, my love.”

“I love you, Mama.”

“Love you more, baby girl.”

She gives me a sleepy grin and closes her eyes. I have the best kid in the known universe. If I thought she was really money hungry, I would have stopped her demanding money for swear words a long time ago, but now it’s a fun game. What’s more, the way my brother and his teammates swear, they need somebody holding them accountable, and if it pays for her freshman year in college, all the better.

I leave her bedroom door open a smidge and head toward my office. It’s really the breakfast nook, so it doesn’t even have a door, but I want to keep the third bedroom available as a guest room. Therefore, I have to go through the kitchen to get to my Mac, and that’s the problem. Bella and I had had some of the toffee chocolate chip ice cream after her favorite fish stick dinner, but now I can literally hear that ice cream calling my name.

Trenda.

Trenda.

I’ll expire tomorrow, eat me tonight.

Trenda, you’ll get so much more work done with a sugar high.

Trenda!

I open up the silverware drawer and pull out a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon so I won’t finish the entire pint, then grab the pint of ice cream and sit down in front of my computer with a happy smile.