Twenty-Five

The days melted into one another.

I had no place to go, which wasn't a problem since I didn't want to leave my apartment. Most days I spent in bed. Sometimes I'd try to catch up on laundry, cleaning, or bills, but it was difficult to focus. For all the sleep I was getting, I always seemed tired.

A week after the drama with Kyle and Ava, I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the kitchen for the strongest cup of coffee I could make and still be able to drink it.

Katie and Izabelle sat at the kitchen table waiting for me, the coffee already made.

"Hey." I blinked, surprised. "What are you guys doing?"

"We need to talk." Izabelle handed me a mug of coffee.

I got a weird feeling. "Oh, ok. This isn't an intervention, is it?" I asked jokingly.

They didn't laugh.

"I'm won't ask if you're okay because I know that's getting old, but we've noticed a change in you, Lucy."

I took a sip of coffee while I tried to think of how to respond to Katie. "I take it you don't think the change is for the better."

"It's two o'clock in the afternoon and you're just getting out of bed. You haven't shown up all week for your appointments, and the kids have missed you."

Izabelle studied me, taking in my pajama bottoms and oversized sweatshirt. When Aunt Karen and Lindsay looked at me like that, they were trying to find fault, but Izabelle's eyes were full of pure sympathy. "You don't look good."

"She means you look like a week-old shrimp," Katie chimed in, looking me in the eye. Izabelle kicked her under the table. "Ouch!"

I smiled, thinking how much I'd missed the two of them lately. "I appreciate the honesty. Adding the shrimp really drove your point home."

"Maybe it would help to talk to someone," Izabelle suggested.

Katie smiled. "She hasn't lost her sense of humor, but I agree she should talk to us."

"I meant a therapist," Izabelle corrected, sliding her gaze to Katie.

"She doesn't need a therapist when she has us."

"There's nothing wrong with seeing someone that can help you straighten out your problems."

Katie frowned. "I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, but Lucy lost her job. She doesn't need to waste cash on someone to talk to when she has friends."

I savored a sip of rich coffee, my gaze zipping back and forth between them. They fought like siblings, but they loved each other.

"Are you saying that only people who don't have friends need to see a therapist?" Izabelle was clearly offended.

"Of course not, Izzy. Calm down. I wasn't saying anything about people in general. I'm talking about what's best for our girl here."

"How can you know what's best for her when you can't even figure it out for yourself? You think I don't know what's going on with you and Jase?"

I perked up. "What's going on with Katie and Jase?"

"Maybe you should make an appointment with your therapist and discuss your nasty attitude," Katie fired back, both of them ignoring my question.

I held up my hands and made the 'time out' sign. "I thought this was my intervention." I reluctantly drew the attention back to me so they'd stop arguing.

"You're absolutely right," Katie agreed. "We can work on Izabelle's problems once we know that you're ok."

Izabelle threw a glare at Katie, and I almost laughed at their familiar bickering.

"I know I've been down lately, and I'm sorry for worrying everyone. Izabelle, I promise I'll make it up to the kids. I'm not sure how I missed the appointments."

Izabelle's expression softened. "I didn't say that so you'd feel bad, and there's nothing to make up. Your dad showed up at the hospital. Izzy and the Sheriff are a hit. Lucy, you're always there for us. We want to do the same for you."

My dad had been at the hospital with Izabelle. Obviously, I'd missed some important life events.

"He knows about Lucy?" Katie asked for me, referring to my dad.

"I didn't mention anything that would upset him," Izabelle assured.

My shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank you."

"I wanted to tell him," she admitted, catching her bottom lip with her pearly white teeth. "Maybe he could help."

"No. His job is stressful enough. He doesn't need to worry about me when he should be catching the bad guys. I promise I'll get better."

"You can't make that promise unless you work through your problems."

I turned to Katie, startled by her uncharacteristic seriousness, and realized how concerned she was to have forgone the sarcastic remarks. They had a point, of course. I couldn't go on like this.

I was down but not defeated, I knew that, but to everyone else, it probably seemed as if I was hopelessly broken. It bothered me that I was setting a bad example for my non-believing friends. "You're right," I admitted, taking responsibility. "I have to get back in the game."

"Mrs. Brown called three times yesterday, but you haven't been answering your phone."

This caught my attention. "I didn't know." Slipping a piece of hair behind my ear, I frowned realizing that I wasn't even sure where my phone was.

"I put it on charge," Katie said, reading my mind. "You can call her today. About Kyle..."

Izabelle seemed troubled. "He isn't with Ava, not for any lack of trying on her part. He's not the same without you."

I wasn't sure what she meant.

Katie wasted no time cluing me in. "Kyle's been going out a lot lately. He and Jase collect a harem of women anytime they show up at Shooters."

Something about that sounded off. No matter what happened between us, Kyle would never abandon his faith. That's one of the things I admired most about him. "I don't believe that."

"But you believe he wants Ava."

The truth of that statement slammed into me like a rogue kid pushing a shopping cart.

"He never returned my calls."

"Don't be mad," Izabelle said, holding up her hands. "I mentioned to Kyle that you called him, and he insisted he'd gotten no calls from you. He even showed me his phone."

That was strange.

"I think you should try again, or better yet go see him. It's Friday night. We can all go to Shooters."

"Alright, we'll go out tonight," I agreed, making Katie and Izabelle happy. They were both beaming with excitement.

"Wear something hot," Izabelle suggested, and for once Katie agreed with her.

I didn't comment. I needed a shower, fresh clothes, and to check my phone. When I got back to my room the first thing I did was fall to my knees.

***

I was shocked.

Mrs. Brown's last message asked me to report to work Monday morning. It was Thanksgiving week and everyone was working overtime, she explained ending with how much they needed me next week. Immediately, I picked up the phone and called her.

"Lucy, thank goodness. I was afraid you'd found another position."

"No," I replied hesitantly. "I don't understand. I thought you fired me."

"Well, yes, but that was before Sergeant Huxley explained everything. I'm sorry, I thought he would have spoken to you."

"Yes, we talked but I didn't know about this."

"He was very upset that we'd let you go, and he cleared up matters with us. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"Mrs. Brown," I began uncertainly. "Are you sure?"

"Sergeant Huxley is a hero. The VNT has the highest respect for him and would never doubt his word. Your job is safe and waiting for you," she assured me warmly.

I was speechless. "Thank you." I was humbled and grateful. Thank you, God.

"We'll see you Monday, Lucy. You've been missed around here."

I couldn't believe what had just happened. I owed it to the Lord and Kyle. He'd said he would fix things, but I hadn't really thought he would be able to do it. Feeling considerably lighter, I relaxed and let the peace fill me. Maybe everything would work out after all.

After a long shower, I blew my hair dry, applied light makeup, and got dressed. I chose boot-cut jeans with my favorite boots, and a long-sleeved black shirt tucked in with a western belt. Since it was still close to seventy degrees and would be until the sun went down, I joked to Izabelle that I had indeed worn something hot.

"Cute." She rolled her eyes, but I knew she was trying not to smile.

Izabelle drove us to Shooters, and I couldn't stop searching the crowd for Kyle.

"He'll be here," she assured me.

"It's not like I'm desperately searching for him." I fought a smile.

They laughed. "Yeah, well you should. The hard-to-get routine isn't working," Izabelle shot back.

"Is Jase coming tonight?" I asked Katie, noticing she was also looking around. Wearing a denim mini-skirt with boots and a flirty off-the-shoulder top with a low-slung silver belt, she looked gorgeous.

"How would I know?" she responded with a shrug.

Izabelle smirked. "The same way Lucy knows Kyle will be here."

"And the same way you know Lucy's dad is coming," Katie returned.

My eye widened. "Dad's coming to Shooters?"

"Oh, please." Izabelle shook her head, her cheeks tinged pink. "Katie gets touchy when you mention Jase, and she thinks it's funny to imply that I've got a thing for Captain Donovan, which is totally insane. He's way too old for me."

"Right. Insane. Totally." Katie and I shared a look before I touched Izabelle's arm. "It's okay if you and my dad are friends. I just don't want him to know about the drama with me and Kyle."

"Gotcha. I doubt he's even going to be here tonight." Her slender shoulders lifted in a casual shrug.

I heard the disappointment in her voice. It was fascinating that Izabelle seemed flustered at the mention of my dad.

My skin suddenly buzzed with awareness, and I knew Kyle was here even before I turned to see him beside Jase and two gorgeous women dressed in super short skirts and tiny tops that revealed the best assets money could buy.

"Oh yay! They've only brought two tonight." Katie turned to me with an expression of hurt and jealousy.

"Guess we're lucky." I tried to keep it light and pretend I didn't care, but I wasn't fooling anyone.

"It's like they're rock stars. You wouldn't believe how many women have a thing for soldiers."

"You shouldn't hold it against them," Izabelle said, defending her brother and his best friend. "Guys hit on us all the time. We can't help it."

"We don't go home with all of them," Katie countered irritably.

Izabelle tilted her head at Katie. "You don't know that Jase went home with Bambi." Her gaze found mine. "Kyle goes home alone. Always."

"She was dressed like a hooker, and her name was Bambi." Katie spoke each word slowly and deliberately as if she were speaking to a child.

I kept my expression stoic, careful not to give in to the smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"You've got to get rid of the chip, I mean boulder, on your shoulder."

Katie said something to Izabelle, but I'd turned my attention to Kyle. I couldn't take my eyes off him. Wearing a black button-down shirt, faded jeans, and boots he looked like he'd stepped off the cover of a magazine because he was that swoon-worthy. Unfortunately, I was not the only woman that noticed.

At first, I was encouraged that he wasn't with Ava, but as the night crept on I realized the women who'd attached themselves to Kyle and Jase had staked their claim and had no intention of giving other women a chance to steal their men.

They reminded me of those women that chased rodeo cowboys around and tried to seduce them. Buckle Bunnies is what they were called. I started thinking of the dark-haired beauty drooling over Kyle as Bunny.

Occasionally other women would saunter up to Kyle and Jase trying to join the party, but none stayed too long.

Katie's attention kept wandering to Jase and the clingy blonde draped all over him. Her ire had been building and finally, she said yes to the next guy who asked her to dance.

Izabelle had gone to the bar to get another kamikaze shot. I kept my vigil watching Kyle and Bunny.

"Drink this," Izabelle ordered, setting down three shots and handing me one. "It won't leave as bitter a taste in your mouth as watching him with her. I swear I don't know what's the matter with my brother."

"I shouldn't have come tonight."

"You're not leaving. I doubt Kyle even knows you're here. Maybe it's time to wake him up." A mischievous gleam shined in her eyes.

My gaze flicked over the shot I wouldn't drink.

"A little liquid courage can make a big difference."

"I don't think so." Alcohol was the last thing I needed. Still, I wanted to take the shot, more than I cared to admit which is why I could not do it. I'd sinned enough against God without adding drunkenness to the list. Lord Jesus help me resist. Help Izabelle too.

She smiled, pushing a strand of hair from my face. "I'd give anything to have someone look at me the way my brother looks at you. I don't know if I've ever seen two people more in love. You and Kyle belong together."

I liked hearing that, but my eyes kept drifting toward Kyle and Bunny. "I don't think he'd agree."

"I think you're wrong," Izabelle downed a shot and handed me another, not noticing I hadn't drank the first one. "Maybe it's time to find out." She tipped her head in her brother's direction.

"What about you?"

"I'll entertain myself until Katie gets back, and then I'll give her the same speech I gave you except I'll say Jase instead of Kyle."

I hesitated, not wanting to leave her alone with the drinks, but I knew nothing I said would change her mind.

"Go get 'em," Izabelle urged, lifting her shot in a salute.

Making my way through the crowd, I came up with a plan. "Wanna dance Angel?"

I looked up at the guy, whose foot I think I stepped on. "Maybe later," I said, knowing he'd forget all about me as soon as he set eyes on the next girl.

"Your loss," he answered easily, shaking his head.

Several more steps brought me face-to-face with Kyle, but he wasn't alone. Bunny's arms were wrapped around his waist.