Luke laughed as he stepped into the hall.
Jesse’s computer was just booting up when a text came through from his brother.
Becket: We still on for drinks at CJ’s Saturday night?
CJ’s was one of three bars in town. It was the most popular because there was pool, often a band, and it was right in the center of town.
Jesse: Depends, is Clara buying?
Becket: Which sister are you talking about? It can’t be ours.
Jesse: Sorry, I forgot. I’ve been away for too long.
Becket: Damn straight you have. So are you coming?
Jesse: I’ll see you there.
He dropped his phone and turned back to his computer.
The best part of being back home was all the family time he’d missed out on while in the military. His brother had retired as a Navy SEAL a few years ago and was the town’s fire chief.
His sister was now an acupuncturist but had once been a lawyer. One year into her first job, she’d been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
Every muscle in his body tightened at the memory. It was a tough time for everyone. He and Becket had wanted to come home and look after her, but both she and their mother hadrefused to let them. Five years had passed since treatment, and there were no longer any signs of cancer in her body, but she still suffered from chronic fatigue. And that meant at times he and Becket were more protective than Clara liked.
Then there was his mother. She was a powerhouse of a woman, raising three kids on her own since their father had died when they were young.
Jesse’s family was the main reason he wouldn’t consider living anywhere else.
He logged into his inbox to see it full of emails. Damn, looked like a day of admin.
He spent the morning with his butt plastered to his seat. Some emails were easy questions he had to answer; others were fires to put out.
At first, he’d been surprised to be promoted to lieutenant over Luke, since Luke had been at the station much longer. But then Luke had told him he didn’t want the position. And since spending more time with him, Jesse could see why. He probably didn’t want the responsibility.
Whereas Jesse liked the challenge. Hell, he needed it. And right now, he also needed the distraction from Aspen.
CHAPTER 3
What in the ever-living hellwasthat?
It wasn’t coffee. It couldn’t be. More like warmed-up dirt water. Heck, it was worse than dirt water.
Maybe she hadn’t tasted enough. It surely couldn’t be that bad?
Aspen took another sip.
Worse…so much worse.
“Everything okay, dear?”
She choked on the hot liquid before looking up at the older woman with an English accent standing beside the booth. Hot liquid sloshed over the sides of the mug, barely missing her fingers. “Is this the latte with almond milk?”
“Yes. Is something wrong with it?”
It wasn’t a mistake. The older woman had intentionally made it to taste like this.
It was terrible.
