1
THORNE
Driving into Hartsville, fields of bluebonnets stretched out on either side of the highway as far as I could see. The rolling hills provided a much different landscape than the arid deserts of Iraq that I’d grown used to over the past few years.
I swallowed hard. There’d been a time when I couldn’t wait to get away from Texas, and now I’d agreed to come back. If it hadn’t been for the promise I’d made a friend, I might be hiking another portion of the Appalachian Trail while on leave instead of serving as an incognito bodyguard to my best friend’s little sister.
My phone rang through the speakers of the SUV I’d rented.
“Hey, Mike,” I answered. “I’m pulling into town now.” He was probably checking up on me to make sure I hadn’t already bailed on my unofficial assignment.
“I’m not stalking you. I just got some additional info on the company Destiny’s up against and wanted to pass it on.” He was totally checking up on me and just didn’t want to admit it. After spending eight years in the military together, I could tell when he was lying.
Instead of calling him out, I played along. “Tell me what you know.”
He’d already filled me in on the corporation that had been trying to force him and his sister to sell the land that had been in their family for generations. It was a classic David versus Goliath story. Big business was trying to move in on a small town. It was happening all over Texas and there wasn’t much that could be done about it since most landowners were happy to sell off acreage they weren’t using for big bucks.
Mike’s sister wasn’t like most landowners. She’d been holding onto the family ranch like a rat terrier with a steak bone. According to Mike, she’d been doing a hell of a good job too. Until a development company decided they wanted to raze the old homestead and had started harassing her to sell.
“The corporation making the offer is a shell company. I’m still digging around to find out who’s behind it, but my gut is telling me something’s not right. Destiny’s going to shit bricks. She’ll never give in now.” My buddy let out a sigh of frustration. “I wish I was there to help.”
He was only a few months into a two-year assignment he’d taken overseas. That’s why he’d sent me. I had thirty days’ leave before I had to decide if I was going to extend my commitment to SEAL Team Alpha. My CO had forced me to take the time off and told me I needed to get my head straight if I wanted to come back. We all had our demons. Mine had just been fucking with me extra hard lately.
“I wish you were too.” Then I’d be free to get lost somewhere off the grid for a few weeks instead of spending the weekend as a glorified babysitter.
“Did you figure out what you’re going to tell her?” Mike had made it clear he didn’t want his sister to know he’d sent me.
“Yeah. One of my foster brothers works with the refuge that’s bringing in the animals for the petting zoo. He said I could pitch in with that.”
“You’re going to be scooping up pig shit? Damn, now I really wish I was going to be there.” He let out a loud laugh.
“The only reason I’m even entertaining the idea is because I owe you.”
He got serious. “I appreciate it, man. You’re the only one I trust to take care of things in my place. If I’d known how bad things were, I never would have taken this assignment.”
“I can handle it.” I’d served multiple tours of duty in the Middle East. Surely, I could keep an eye on my best friend’s little sister while she fended off a bully developer.
“If this festival doesn’t go well…” Mike’s voice trailed off.
“It will. You take care of yourself, and I’ll take care of things here.” I eased my foot off the gas as I passed the sign welcoming me to Hartsville. The land Mike’s family owned sat just on the other side of town. That’s where the bluebonnet festival was taking place, though there were several events scheduled in the small downtown area as well. “I’d better let you go. I’m almost there.”
“Stay in touch.”
“You know I will,” I promised.
“And watch out for Destiny’s right hook. She packs a hell of a punch when she wants to.”
“Got it.”
Never one for long goodbyes, or any kind of goodbye at all, he ended the call before I had a chance to ask what made him think his sister might have a reason to punch me. He’d warned me she thought she could take care of herself and wouldn’t take kindly to the thought of him sending someone to look after her. I’d have to take his word on that, because even though Mike and I grew up in the same part of Texas, we hadn’t met until our first day of basic training.
After that, we went through BUDS together and were assigned to the same SEAL team for a while. He’d left after eight years to pursue a lucrative opportunity in the private sector, right before everything turned to shit for me.
I shook the bad memories off for now. They’d come back to haunt me just like always. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I loved what I got to do for a living. That one percent fucked me up, though. It was all part of the job—the bad came along with the good—but it was getting harder and harder to live with myself.
Hartsville looked like most small Texas towns. People waved to each other when they passed on the street. Mom and Pop shops outnumbered the big-name retailers. American flags waved in the gentle breeze. It was the kind of place where people didn’t have to lock their doors at night and knew all their neighbors.
I’d envied Mike when he talked about growing up in a home with two loving parents and a little sister who adored him. Even under the circumstances, I was looking forward to finally setting eyes on the place he’d talked about so often.
