AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I grasped at the chance to change the subject. “That’s really great, you know. The fact that you love what you do.”
“Don’t you?”
“Yeah, I guess I do. I don’t love that being a Marine has kept me away from home for so long, though.”
Which, now that I thought about it, was a good reminder for both of us that being a Marine kept me away from a lot of stuff, whether I wanted it to or not.
“Yeah, I would hate that,” she said, gesturing for us to start walking again. “So, can I ask what happened? To your mom and brother, I mean.”
“I’d really rather you didn’t,” I whispered, not trusting my voice.
“Okay.”
For a few minutes we walked in silence, the only sound from the lake or the birds or the breeze. Then I hung my head and sighed, the words pouring out before I could stop them. “My mom’s is pretty simple. It was breast cancer. She was older—had us later in life because they couldn’t get pregnant for a long time after they met. And Rene… well, he died in a car accident.”
Lyndi gasped beside me and then covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, Beau. I’m so sorry.”
“It was my fault. I distracted my mom. I was mad that he wouldn’t give me back some stupid toy or something I had with me. I don’t even remember what it was. Which is ridiculous, because how important could it have been if I can’t even remember what it was now?”
Why was I telling her all of this? I’d thought I was in the clear as we walked in silence, but then it was like someone had taken a giant sledgehammer to a dam, and now the stuff I’d kept to myself couldn’t stop flowing out.
“It wasn’t your fault, Beau. You were just a kid.”
“Yeah, that’s what my mom said. Pops, too. But still. It’s not really something I ever believed. Not fully, anyway.”
Lyndi reached out and stopped me, turning me to face her. I wasn’t sure what she planned to say, but it freaked me out. Only, she didn’t say anything. She simply stepped closer and slid her hands around my waist, wrapping me in a tight hug. All of the air left my lungs in a quiet stream as I circled my arms around her back and leaned down to rest my cheek on the top of her head. I hadn’t even intentionally done it. It just happened.
For a long moment, we stayed that way. I hugged her like this hug had always been inside of me, begging to happen. It wasn’t like that day at the hospital when she’d all but hurled herself against me. I’d known it was for her. She’d needed it. I’d needed it too, but it wasn’t the same as this.Thiswas meant for me. A purposeful act of comfort on her part, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been hugged like this by anyone.
When she finally shifted and brought her chin to my chest, and I put my forehead against hers, I had to actively tell myself not to kiss her. I repeated it over and over in my mind.
Do not kiss this woman. Do not kiss this woman. Youcannotkiss this woman.
And yet I felt my chin dip, my heartbeat racing as my lips sought out hers, all seemingly against my will. Her hair whipped wildly around us, and I used one hand to draw it away from her face while the other found her hip. Her light-brown eyes caressed mine before lowering to my lips, almost giving me permission to—
“Yes!” a kid screamed from behind us, breaking the spell and causing us to jump apart.
My eyes scanned the park for the source of the shout, landing on a boy about Grayson’s age jumping for joy after one of the bean bags he’d just thrown into a portable cornhole board had landed in the hole.
Looking down at Lyndi with disappointment and relief butting heads in my gut, I couldn’t help but be grateful to that random kid and his wild shout of victory. Then I slid on a familiar, easy-going smile to mask the turmoil inside me. “That was close.”
“What?” she whispered.
“We almost kissed.”
She brought her fingers up and gingerly touched her lips. “Did we?”
“Yep. And we can’t let that happen.”
Her eyes steeled and she stood straighter, but there was humor in the way she was looking at me. “Why, are you afraid you might catch feelings?”
“Nah, I’m afraid you’ll tell me it was gross,” I joked, jerking my chin toward the parking lot. “Let’s go grab some beignets. Can’t come to New Orleans and not get some.”
She brightened. “Café du Monde?”
My hand went automatically to my chest and I gave her a teasing bow. “Yes, my little tourist. Where else?”
“Aw, sad. Is Café du Monde one of those tourist traps the locals hate?”
