Practice provided a different type of release—pulling the trigger until his grouping tightened to a satisfying cluster the size of a dime. The crack of gunfire snapped through the mountain air and echoed through the open land. Out here, surrounded by mountains and pastures, he almost felt….
Like a version of himself he recognized.
Until his mind drifted to Felicity. Then he was floundering all over again.
When the last casing hit the gravel, he checked the chamber and holstered the weapon. A glance at his watch brought a flicker to his stomach. Breakfast.
And a small lurch of…anticipation.
He’d probably run into Felicity.
She’d taken too many hits, and not the kind you could stitch up and keep going after. Losing her bookshop would be a huge blow. The loss of a dream not to mention her livelihood. It might even mean she would pack up and leave Willowbrook.
Carson had given him the access code for the armory, a small building a few steps from the security office. He cut across the field in long strides, his mind bouncing between the Black Heart Security business and Felicity.
He only answered the phone and took some notes for Carson, but fact was, he enjoyed the work. After only onemorning, he could understand how the Malones all transitioned from the military to personal security so easily.
He replaced the weapon and unused ammo, then headed to the lodge, his stomach rumbling at the thought of coffee, bacon and whatever Chef baked fresh that morning—but he secretly hoped it was blueberry muffins.
And he was joined by a blue-eyed woman.
The dining hall was quiet, occupied by only a few of the guys up early to do chores around the ranch and a couple of the new guys who probably hadn’t completely settled in yet.
Crew sauntered up beside him and grabbed a tray.
Gabe threw a smile his way. “How’s it going?”
“It’s going.” He looked more clear-eyed than Gabe had ever seen him. That was good. Real good. After Crew lost his copilot in a training exercise, the man had looked rough for a long time.
“Seems like the mountains called you back.” Crew added a banana to his tray.
“Yup. Seems like the mountains are good for you too.”
Crew’s lips twitched at one corner and he dipped his head in a nod. “You could say that. Things look different up here.”
They chatted for a while, catching up on lore from the poker table. When he turned from the buffet with his tray, he swept his gaze around the room, hoping to see pale brown waves falling over a cardigan sweater.
Felicity wasn’t here. None of the Malone women were either.
She wouldn’t have gone home. Not without Carson knowing. Gabe figured the boss man would have him escort her home just in case. Since that hadn’t happened, he could only guess she was still asleep. She’d had such a long, emotional day, she had to be exhausted.
Still, the idea of her skipping breakfast tugged at the protective cord inside him, a cord he couldn’t rememberacknowledging as part of himself before. Serving his country was one thing, and he cared about the people he fought for.
But Felicity was different.
He ate quickly, barely tasting the bacon and eggs as an idea hatched in his brain. After he gulped the last of his coffee, he dumped his tray and grabbed a new one. For Felicity.
Looking over the buffet, he considered what she might like. The scrambled eggs were safe. Bacon, because only a monster didn’t like bacon. A couple of sausage links for good measure. He added a muffin—apple cinnamon today, not blueberry—and a small bowl of fruit because women loved fruit.
A side of hashbrowns too. And finally, a bottle of orange juice and a cup of coffee because he had no idea what she preferred but he’d be damned if he was going to show up unprepared.
By the time he was done, the tray was bordering on ridiculous. He stared down at it for a second and nearly laughed at himself.
You’re acting like you’re courting her.
Did men even court women these days? Hell, it had been so long since he cared about such a thing that he forgot what it was like.
But the old-fashioned word fit Felicity in ways he couldn’t explain. She reminded him of a gentler time. The way she said please and thank you, the way her gaze softened when he’d opened the door for her at the hardware store.
