Seriously, he was just… Freckles—the kid who tagged along on every outing she and Mack had taken. The cutie pie who had made her laugh with his declaration of getting married when they reached their mid-twenties.
She’d agreed because he’d been adorable. And let’s face it, she hadn’t thought she would have still been single. People in her community had a tendency to get married by twenty-two. That was the average.
But she’d been wrong.
Her younger sisters were already married with kids. They’d each been married by twenty and immediately started popping out grandbabies for her parents—a fact that her mother had continued to remind her.
It was one of her flaws. Okay, not a flaw, per se, but it was one of the ways she’d disappointed her parents. No marriage. No children. And the question of what she wanted to do with her life consistently came up.
Jane’s heart was still dealing with the aftershocks of the flutters Noah had forced on her even as she attempted to shift her thoughts elsewhere. She didn’t need to be married or have kids to be valued.
Nope. She’d found value in her life by accomplishing other things. She’d joined the peace corps right out of high school and spent a couple years serving people in other countries. Then she’d moved back home and started working for a new charity that focused on helping veterans. They didn’t get nearly enough aid, and those who did had to jump through thousands of hoops just to get housing they could afford.
Heart slowing, Jane breathed a sigh of relief. Noah’s interaction had thrown her for a loop. She hadn’t expected his touch to elicit such a reaction. It had all been fun and games until she chose to get close to him and tease him a little.
Bigmistake.
Thankfully, she wasn’t still reacting to him. Her heart had settled, and so had her breathing. Looks like it had been an isolated incident.
Jane started on her way toward the bride and groom. Even though she’d told Noah she wasn’t going anywhere, she knew better than to stick around. The last thing she needed was for her body to betray her.
Mack’s smile immediately lit his face when she approached. He pulled her in for one of those guy-hugs, where he clapped her onthe back before stepping away to let her give his new wife a hug as well.
“You look stunning,” Jane gushed. Lacey was one of those girls who could have been a model in another life: someone who couldn’t help dragging the attention of every guy in a ten-mile radius, someone Noah would probably like.
Nope. She wasn’t going there. Jane didn’t care if Noah’s type was someone like Lacey. He could have any type he wanted. For now, she could be grateful that she was a literal ‘plain Jane.’
Lacey gestured to Jane’s simple black dress. “You look great, too.”
Jane waved her off with a mumble of thanks. Lacey was just being nice. She turned to Mack, folding her arms as she changed the subject. “So what are the plans now? Are you going to stay here? Or will you two be moving?”
They glanced at one another, and Mack’s grin widened. “My uncle gave us a parcel of land. Apparently, he’s planned out giving all his nieces and nephews a chance to stay close.”
“So, it’s like a family compound?”
Mack chuckled. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
“Seems like it’d be nice. I’ve lived in places that feel that way, but they weren’t family.” She winked at Lacey. “At least not by blood.”
Mack snapped his fingers. “That’s right. Jane here has been involved in charities forever. She’s always been like that—sacrificing herself for others.”
Lacey gazed at Jane with what could only be described as admiration, and it made Jane squirm just a little. “It’s nothing, really.”
“Nothing?” Mack laughed. “You’re the most selfless person I know.”
She shook her head. “There are others who are more selfless. Take the guy who started the charity I currently work for. He funds the whole thing.”
Mack tilted his head with interest. “Are you sure? That doesn’t sound right. Charities are usually funded by events and galas.”
“Or by several people on boards or something, right?” Lacey interjected.
Jane shook her head again. “From what I understand, no. It’s one guy who’s got a heart of gold and deep pockets. I don’t know what he does for work, but it’s got to be big. How does a guy fund something like that all over the country?”
At Lacey’s questioning stare, Mack added, “Jane moved here to work at a local charity office that just opened up. She was transferred.” He turned to Jane. “Remind me who the charity is for?”
“Veterans. We try to get them housing, food, clothes—whatever they might need to get back on their feet. Doesn’t matter if they just got back from being overseas or if they’ve been retired. Our hope is to make sure any man or woman who served our country is taken care of. It’s the least we can do.”
“That’s really honorable,” Lacey murmured. “I didn’t even know something like that existed.”
