“Why’d you leave?”
A sudden band tightened around Noah’s chest. “It was time.”
“As in your enlistment was up?”
Shit. Most people didn’t ask for specifics. But a man like Addie’s father? He should have expected this. “Medical retirement.”
Mark’s frown deepened. “Physical injury?”
“No.”
Mark leaned back, expression still unreadable. “You getting help?”
“Yes, sir.” Although, lately, Toby hadn’t felt like he was helping in the way Noah needed. Progress had stalled. Sure, Noah hadn’t had any more flashbacks, but that was because nothing had triggered him.
Mark leaned forward. “I’ll be honest with you, son, I’m apprehensive about my daughter dating you. The combination of your age and you being her boss isn’t sitting well with me. There’s also the military stuff. I know the kind of holes that can form after spending years on active duty. I’ve spent a lot of time patching mine, but there are still some that sit wide open.”
“You think they’ll ever close?”
“No. But I’ve learned to live with them. That only came with time.”
Time…time that Noah hadn’t given himself before dating Addie.
Mark met Noah’s eyes coolly. “I just need you to answer one question—is my daughter safe with you?”
He almost flinched. Every part of him wanted to say yes. He was a protector. It was why he’d become a Marine. And out of every person in his life, he wanted to protect Addie the most.
But could he honestly say she was safe with him a hundred percent of the time?
“Protecting your daughter is my priority.” It wasn’t a complete answer to Mark’s question.
And by the look on the older man’s face, he knew it.
CHAPTER 20
Addie snuck a peek at Noah from beneath her lashes. He’d had a therapy session that morning, and since then he’d been…distant. Barely looking at her, giving one-word answers. And every time she touched him, his muscles did this thing where they clenched, like he didn’t want her hands on him.
Wasn’t therapy supposed to have the opposite effect? Shouldn’t he return to her a bit more healed each time instead of looking like his wounds had been pulled wide open?
She cleared her throat. “I’m excited to meet your aunt Pam.”
His fingers visibly tightened around the wheel. “She’s amazing, and she’ll love you.”
“I hope so. And I hope she gets along with my parents too.” She smiled. “I think Dad will like being surrounded by so many vets.” There were a hell of a lot of them, with Jesse, Becket, Holden, Colt, and Noah.
Noah dipped his head.
See…that.Thatwas what she was talking about. Where was the conversation? Where was the Noah who used actual words to agree with her and ask questions?
“Do you think therapy’s helping?” The question burst out of her.
His brow furrowed, and there was a short silence before he answered. “I don’t know.”
At least he was honest.
She picked at a thread on her jeans. “Every time you come back to me from a session, you seem…”
“Worse.”
