When he finally finishes, there’s a long moment of hushed, almost reverential silence. It’s eventually broken by a soft snore. Cash is asleep. For the first time all day, I see peace in his face.
Luc’s expression is another matter altogether.
I’ve seen this particular look once before—that night in the bayou. He was my avenging angel then. He’s determined to be Cash’s avenging angel now.
Despite all my questions that have no answers, despite not having a clue what Cash’s return means to me, I can’t let Luc go it alone. “Let’s go outside,” I whisper to him.
He follows me to the door, and I sit on the stoop while he stashes his guitar inside Smurf. When he joins me on the steps, I have to scoot over to make room for his shoulders. Planting his big booted feet two steps down is the only way his knees aren’t bent to his ears.
“I think we should go with him to see his doctors,” I say once he’s situated. “I want to hear what they have to say, see if he needs a second opinion. The VA doesn’t have the best reputation, you know.”
“You don’t gotta tell me.” A muscle ticks in his jaw. “But I don’t reckon he’ll welcome us sticking our noses into his business.”
“Then we’ll just have to insist.” I tug on his ear. It’s a gesture that, once upon a time, was as normal as breathing.
He tilts his face into my palm, closing his eyes and blowing out a windy breath. His beard stubble is scratchy against my skin.
Is it weird to be touching him with such familiarity? We may not be strangers, but neither are we those same two lonely kids from high school. I jerk my hand away.
To hide the speed of my retreat, I unpin my pillbox hat, give my scalp a good scratch, and quickly change topics. “On a happier note, I have this friend—an acquaintance really—who was at the second line tonight. Her name’s Lauren. I was going to introduce you, but then, you know…” I make a rolling motion with my hand. “Cash happened. Anyway, she teaches my spin class and sometimes comes into the bar for a drink. She’s sweet and funny, and she sure had eyes for you. Want me to set something up?”
His lips twist into an impudent grin that would’ve seemed alien on the face of the boy I knew. On his man’s face? It looks right at home. “Sweet and funny usually means bad butt and weird boobs,” he says.
I laugh and punch his arm. “No, it doesn’t, you big Neanderthal! Sweet and funny meanssweetandfunny. And did you miss the part where I said she teaches my spin class? I think that pretty much guarantees a good butt, at the very least.”
“Not interested.”
My brow pinches. “Why not?”
He looks out at the street, his expression unreadable. “I’m not in the market for romance.”
“Could’ve fooled me.” I grunt. “Probably could’ve fooled that blonde the other night too.”
“That was nothing. Just some fun and done.”
“Oh, I get it.” I purse my lips. “And if I set you up with someone I know, it’ll obligate you to do more than have some fun and then be done?”
“Exactly.”
Planting my elbow on my knee, I cup my chin in my hand and study his profile. “Enjoying the bachelor life, are you?”
He shrugs. “It’s suited me so far.”
“Funny. I always pegged you for the marrying kind. I thought you’d have a ring on your finger and a whole passel of kids hanging off your arms by now. Did I read you wrong? Or have you changed that much?”
He eyes me for a moment, then asks, “Would you believe me if I told you it was neither?”
“Would that be the truth?”
He makes a face of distaste. “The military is hell on relationships. I watched most of the guys in my unit get married, get wronged, or do the wronging themselves, and then get divorced. When and if I ever tie the knot, I aim to do it only once. And to make sure that happens, I’m thinking I oughta be the last thing my wife sees before going to sleep at night and the first thing she opens her eyes to each morning.” Before I have time to digest that, he hitches his chin toward my throat. I realize I’m working my locket in my hand when he says, “You’re still wearing it.”
Looking down at the silver filigree heart, I murmur, “I remember the day you gave it to me. It was that first summer after we met, the third anniversary of my parents’ deaths.”
He nods. “I thought Miss Bea was gonna bar me at the door when I came to drop it off.”
“I’d been crying all morning, and she doesn’t believe in not putting your best face forward when it comes to company. But I jumped out of bed the minute I heard Smurf coming up the street.”
“You were still in your pajamas when you came downstairs. She was shocked to her core.”
