A Soldier Finds His Way Page 17

  “He’d never been kissed before. It felt strange to him and he found himself touching the spot where she’d kissed him, even looking at it in the mirror.”

  Zoe’s smile was huge, as if she was happy for the boy.

  “The next day, the boy woke up, got dressed and went downstairs. He smelled breakfast. Sausages, eggs, pancakes. Three boys were sitting on stools around a kitchen counter, eating and laughing. The oldest boy told Marlene she made the best pancakes in the world. ‘I love pancakes. Can’t get enough of ’em,’ he said.”

  Zoe perked up and looked at Hank.

  Hank rested his index finger over his lips and silently shushed her.

  “Marlene saw the boy standing on the stairs and motioned for him. ‘Come, don’t be shy,’ she said as she made a place for him and introduced him to the boys. The oldest was about his age, but he was a great big kid. The other two boys were maybe nine and seven years old. Everyone said hello, and the oldest shook his hand.”

  The memory made him laugh. “The big kid began piling pancakes on the boy’s plate. ‘Eat ’em; you’ll love ’em,’ he said. The big guy gobbled with gusto. Pancake debris flew everywhere.”

  Zoe and Audra giggled.

  “Afterward, the big guy got up, picked up his plate, and headed to the sink. As he passed Marlene, he laid a big sticky kiss on her cheek and thanked her for the best breakfast he’d ever eaten. Marlene said, ‘You say that every day.’ The big guy replied, ‘Every day is the best day.’”

  Edward smiled at Hank and received a smile in return.

  “Is that the end of the story?” Zoe asked.

  Edward nodded. “I’ll finish by saying that the boy had to adjust to his new life of love, caring, and affection, and he made a lifelong friend with the oldest boy. The other two boys moved out a few months later and went back to their real parents. Is that a happy enough ending?”

  Zoe’s smile turned into laughter. “That was a whole lot better than the story about the baby and the pinky toe.”

  “Yeah, well, I guess it wouldn’t take much to do better than that one, would it?”

  Hank got up. “I’m going inside. It’s too cold out here.”

  Edward rose with Zoe and Audra.

  Before Hank could take a step, Zoe took Edward’s hand and started into the house. Edward looked over his shoulder at Hank and Audra and shrugged as the door closed behind him.

  * * * *

  Audra folded the blanket while Hank waited for her. “You’ve heard that story before, haven’t you, Hank?”

  “Once or twice. He told it for your benefit. You know that, don’t you?”

  She’d thought as much. “Maybe he’s lowering the drawbridge after all.”

  Audra walked into the living room with Hank in time to see the goings-on between Zoe and Edward. She had to laugh. Headstrong, once Zoe set her mind on something, she wasn’t easily dissuaded.

  Edward had already found a spot on the couch, but Zoe insisted he sit in the oversized recliner, claiming it was more comfortable. She yanked his hand and pointed at the large chair. “You have to sit over there. Pleeease.”

  He gave in and moved to the recliner.

  Zoe hoisted his feet up on the footrest and started untying his boots.

  When he made a small attempt to protest, Zoe wiggled her finger in the air. “No, Edward. Remember, in the cabin how you took care of Aunt Audra and me? Now, I’m going to take care of you.”

  “Zoe, you don’t have to—”

  “Give it up, Edward.” Vanessa laughed. “You’re no match for an eight-year-olds’ persistence. Believe me, you’ll lose. Just sit back and relax.”

  Zoe spotted the blanket in Audra’s arms, took it and spread it over Edward. “Are you warm enough?” Zoe looked at him with concern, waiting for his answer.

  Audra stood close by. Are you warm enough? Edward had asked them that very thing when he checked on them during their first night in the cabin. Zoe must have remembered.

  “Yes. I’m warm enough. Thank you.” Edward said.

  Zoe went back to his boots. After loosening the laces, she tugged one boot off, then the other, and set them on the floor beside the chair. She reached for his sock.

  Edward leaned forward and put his hand on hers. “Zoe, thanks. You don’t have to take off my socks.”

  Zoe shook her head. Nothing would deter her from completing the task. She pulled off his right sock and stuffed it inside his boot. The next sock peeled off in one pull. Zoe bolted upright, and her jaw dropped.

  Audra stifled a gasp.

  Edward was missing the pinky toe on his left foot. With Zoe’s body blocking Edward’s feet, no one else could have seen except Audra. Zoe pulled the blanket over his feet and tucked them in with a gentle hand. A hint of sadness clouded her eyes. No doubt, she understood, as Audra did, that Edward was the baby in the story he’d told in the cabin.

  Audra put on a cheerful voice and smiled big. “Tuck him in good.”

  It worked. Zoe’s smile returned and she laughed. Up one side and down the other, she pressed the blanket around him until he looked like a burrito with arms and a head sticking out.

  Edward’s looked down at his cocoon-like covering. “Thanks, Zoe. This is very comfortable.”

  Vanessa rose from the loveseat across the room. “Say good night, Zoe. It’s time to get ready for bed.”

  Zoe turned toward the center of the room and bid everyone good night before climbing onto the recliner to give Edward a hug and kiss on his cheek. She ran to Hank and delivered the same to him before going upstairs with her mother.

  Audra slid into the big chair with Edward. Not quite as wide as a loveseat, the chair was still large enough to fit a couple of young people, especially two that didn’t mind sitting in such close quarters.

  When attention shifted to the other side of the room, Edward leaned his head toward Audra. “What would you think of spending the whole day with me tomorrow? Alone.”

  Chapter 22

  The full moon hung low in the western sky, kissing the treetops on its lazy descent from the heavens. Diamond teardrops of dew sparkled on the hood of Edward’s truck. He turned his jacket collar up against the cold, damp predawn air and shoved his hands into his pockets. On the second floor of the house, Audra’s bedroom light flicked off. Seconds later, she stepped out onto the porch, scurried down the steps and started in his direction.

  Silhouetted against the moonlight, an otherworldly aura surrounded her, and the thin layer of fog at her feet gave the illusion she was floating. Her apparition drew closer, turned to flesh and spoke. “Good morning, Edward.”

  How could anyone look this good this early? He could probably get away with kissing her cheek, but no. It wasn’t time for that.

  “Good morning.” He opened the passenger door and, with a sweep of his hand, invited her to take a seat. Only the faintest click of the latching mechanism sounded as he closed the door with cloak-and-dagger finesse.

  Her smile dazzled him through the window.

  Edward hurried around to the driver’s seat and eased the truck over the gravel driveway with military stealth, slow motion, headlights off. Before turning onto the hardtop, he stopped and looked in his rear view mirrors. Nothing stirred behind him.

  Audra cleared her throat and flashed a kittenish grin. “Are you kidnapping me, Lieutenant?”

  Kidnapping? Not a bad idea. “I was thinking about it.”

  * * * *

  As Edward drove, the first hint of sunlight filtered into the truck cab.

  Audra yawned and stretched her arms with a soft groan.

  He glanced over. “Did you sleep well last night?”

  She sighed and pushed her head against the headrest. Her lips curled to a tired smile. “I haven’t slept much for days.”

  He could relate. Sleep had dodged him most of the night. He’d invited her to spend the whole day with him, but had no idea where they would they go, or what
would they do. Maybe a bit of breakfast would calm the gnawing in his stomach. A diner would be an oasis about now.

  “This is your neck of the woods,” he said. “Where can we go to get some breakfast and a decent cup of coffee?”

  “Turn right at the next intersection. Torino’s is open twenty-four hours a day.”

  Minutes later, they stepped inside the restaurant and a cheerful waitress with a carafe of steaming coffee in hand greeted them in a singsong voice. “Good morning, folks. Pick any table you’d like.”

  Edward sat opposite Audra in a booth with well-worn vinyl seat cushions.

  The waitress plunked down two cups, filled them, and walked away.

  Double-sided, laminated menus stood upright between the sugar shaker and napkin holder. Audra grabbed two and slid one across to him.

  With one quick look at the bare-bones menu, he knew what he wanted. He devoted the next few minutes to watching Audra pore over the slim pickings.

  She hadn’t complained about getting up before the chickens, nor did she balk about eating at a hole-in-the-wall joint like this one. When the waitress came to the table to take their orders, Audra spoke to her with courtesy and respect, complimenting the coffee and offering a smile.

  Warmth filled his chest. Audra was a classy woman.

  With elbows propped on the table, she rested her chin on her loosely laced fingers and fixed her eyes on him. Her soft, ladylike smile captivated him. “So tell me, what do you have up your sleeve for us today, and why the early start?”

  He sipped his coffee and put the cup back down on the table. “I can answer only one of your questions.”

  She tipped her head sideways. “Which one?”

  He had to give an honest answer. But, how could he say it without sounding corny? There wasn’t a way. “The early start.” He pushed his cup aside and rested his arms, one on top of the other, on the table. “I wanted to make sure the first face I saw this morning was yours.”

  A shimmery glaze formed over her eyes and her latticed fingers came together, one hand clenching the other in a position reminiscent of earnest prayer. She blinked, then blinked two more times. The easy smile she wore a moment ago started to break down into something else. Something that hinted of the possibility of tears. Her emotional response was unexpected.

  Maybe he should have made up a different story for their early departure. An apology of sorts started to formulate in his head, but he shot it down. “Relax,” he whispered.

  A nervous laugh squeezed out of her, and she dropped her folded hands forward onto the table, almost touching his arms. “That’s not the first time you told me to relax, you know.”

  “Really? I’ve said that to you before? When?”

  “You said it right before the helicopter episode.”

  He slid his folded arms forward another half an inch until they touched her knuckles. “Is it working any better now than it did then?”

  A sweet smile returned to her face. “Yeah, I guess it’s working a little better now.”

  Breakfast arrived. Edward picked up his fork, but paused. Across from him, Audra’s head was bowed. He’d almost forgotten that some people still said grace. He stored that bit of information in his head. Next time he’d remember to wait and give her the opportunity to say a prayer, even if she didn’t say it aloud.

  The only sound at their table was the clacking of forks against plates. Each time Edward met her gaze, she smiled. A conversation would be nice. After all, he wanted to get to know her, didn’t he?

  “So.” His own voice took him by surprise. “What made you decide to teach Spanish?” There, he did his part and got the ball rolling.

  She dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin. “I suppose I took the easy road. Spanish wasn’t hard to learn since I already spoke Italian.”

  Should he tell her he spoke the language too? That it had been a training requirement for him since his team specialized in Latin America? Nah. Maybe some other time. For now, he wanted to know about her, to discover her interests, likes and dislikes. “Do you enjoy teaching?”

  She shook her head. “I never wanted to be a teacher. In fact, I never wanted to go to college.”

  “Then why—”

  “My father seems to think education is the expressway to success.” She took an uneasy breath. “My father struggled to achieve what he has today. I showed you the wedding chapel and the reception hall. That’s the main family business. He also has property he rents out for kids’ camp and other functions. It’s has a couple of dormitories, an auditorium, and a small cafeteria. Nothing fancy. It’s a few miles down the road from the house. He spends almost all his time working.”

  She let out a long sigh. “I love my father. He’s a good man and I know he only wants what’s best for us, but he can be a little too pushy and controlling. Success isn’t always measured by how much profit is in it. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  Who wouldn’t agree with that? He cut a piece of French toast with the side of his fork, stabbed it, and popped it in his mouth.

  “What about you,” she said. “Do you like being a soldier?”

  A gulp of coffee washed his food down. “Most of the time. Other times, not so much. I like the challenges, the adrenaline rushes, and the camaraderie of a cohesive team. On the flip side, I’m not too thrilled at being shot at, especially when a bullet grazes my helmet or ricochets off a rock near my head. That ticks me off, big time.”

  Her mouth gaped open.

  Maybe he shouldn’t have mentioned the bullets. Civilians didn’t understand. He turned his attention to his food, polished off the last of his French toast and gobbled up the bacon.

  The waitress came by, placed the check on the table and took their plates. Edward paid the bill, and he and Audra made their exit.

  * * * *

  The truck engine hummed quietly as it took the hills and curves through the mountains. Edward smiled and glanced in Audra’s direction. “You’re awful quiet.”

  Her smiling face met his. “I was enjoying the scenery. Did you see the deer on the side of the road back there in the shadows near the trees?”

  Deer nibbled grass in his rearview mirror. “Five or six of them, wouldn’t you say?”

  “At least.”

  She kicked off her shoes, pulled her left foot up under her, and turned in her seat to face him. “It’s nice being able to get out and see wildlife. Don’t you just love deer?”

  “I do. They’re delicious.”

  Audra burst into laughter. “You have such a utilitarian view of the world, Edward.” She laughed some more. “I’m surprised you didn’t snack on my lilies while you waited at the door yesterday.”

  He kept his eyes on the road and smiled. “I wasn’t sure they were edible.”

  Edward veered off the main road and drove until he came to a cutoff barricaded with a danger sign. He looked around before squeezing the truck between the rickety sawhorse and the bushes on the side of the road.

  “Edward, what are you doing? We can’t go down this road. We could get in a lot of trouble.” Her posture stiffened.

  He flashed a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll take the rap if we get caught. Besides, I’m kidnapping you, right?” He drove on, slow and easy.

  The narrow road twisted around the hillside, guardrail to the right, rock wall to the left. He slowed to a crawl. Beside him, Audra’s chest moved with deep, accelerated breaths. She knew she was on the Devil’s Tail, all right, and it scared her half to death.

  Up ahead, a scenic overlook jutted out over the drop-off. Edward pulled in then waited at Audra’s door while she put on her shoes and got out of the truck.

  Her brittle smile couldn’t hide her fear. Her mouth twitched and she eyed the road up ahead as if a monster lurked around the bend.

  Edward walked toward the curve with Audra lagging half a step behind. Something bumped the inside of his left forearm.

  Audra was reaching
for him.

  He grasped her hand and turned toward her. “I’m sorry. Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea to bring you up here. Come on, we’ll go back to the—”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I need to see where it happened. But, I’ll be okay if…” Her voice trailed off to a whisper.

  Those last few words. What did she say? He had to know. “You’ll be okay if, what?”

  Her hand came up and rested on his chest. “If you’ll stay close to me.”

  Edward’s pulse whooshed past his ears in loud bursts. His heart labored in his chest, each beat squeezing with painful yearning. With one step, he eliminated the gap that separated them. How long had it been since he admitted to himself that he needed or wanted someone in his life? Something deep within him cried to be released, even if it opened him up to the possibility of being hurt.

  The longing in her eyes invited him to take a chance.

  He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers and lingered to take in their warmth and softness. With wave-like motion, her fingers stroked the back of his neck. Her tender caresses encouraged him to stay a while longer and kiss her again. This was more than a simple joining of the lips. He chanced to open his empty heart and let her in.

  Chapter 23

  A cold breeze defied the morning sun and nipped at Audra’s back. A single shiver drove her deeper into Edward’s embrace. The tender kiss he placed below her ear heated her insides, but her outsides were numb with cold. Her jacket. Why hadn’t she put it on when she got out of the truck? But to do anything about her discomfort would mean disconnecting from this dream-man and going back to the vehicle. No, she’d freeze first.

  A vicious gust bore down with icy teeth and tried to take a chunk out of her backbone and shook her to the core.

  Edward lifted her chin. “You’re shivering. I didn’t realize you were cold. Why didn’t you say something?” Without waiting for an answer, he jogged toward the truck.

  For a few seconds she watched him, then turned and took the final steps around the bend.

  Ahead, boulders created a solid barrier that extended across both lanes to the edge of the drop-off. The broken guardrail bent outward like a sinister arm inviting the unsuspecting into the void.