Pierce barked out a laugh as he shook his head, looking at Ray. “Don’t ever say that again. And it wasn’t a ‘meet-cute,’” Pierce said, still laughing.
“Uh-huh,” Ray smirked. “Call it whatever you want, but don’t be stupid about it. A woman like Charley?” He jerked his chin toward her, who was now laughing at something Jessica said. “She’s not staying single for long. She’s beautiful, smart, and obviously has a kind heart, as evidenced by her career. She attracts people without even trying.”
Pierce tried not to stare again, tried not to let Ray’s words dig too deep. But they did.
Ray nudged him with his elbow. “And before you even start going down that rabbit hole, she’s nothing like your ex. I can tell that Charley’s the real deal. She’s genuine. Don’t drag your feet and watch someone else figure that out before you do.”
Pierce swallowed, letting Ray’s words settle. He wasn’t wrong.
As Charley lifted her head and smiled at someone across the table, Pierce felt something shift in his chest. It was something he hadn’t felt in years.
“Yeah,” he murmured, more to himself than to Ray. “I hear you.”
Ray clapped him on the shoulder and wandered off, leaving Pierce standing there with only one thought circling through his mind—what the hell was his next move going to be?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Hours later, Charley sat in a circle of lawn chairs around the fire pit. The air had cooled now that the sun had slipped below the horizon, leaving the backyard washed in soft light from the string lights draped along the fence and around the patio. Only a handful of couples remained, their voices blending with the crackle of the bonfire.
Charley hugged her arms lightly around herself, not from the chilled air, but from the warm satisfaction still humming beneath her skin. She’d had more fun today than she’d expected.
She was glad she’d accepted Jessica’s invitation. Everyone she had met had been kind, easygoing, and welcoming in a way that reminded her why she’d fallen in love with the community surrounding Alex’s foundation in the first place. These were people who understood service, sacrifice, and the strange blend of humor and pain that came with military life. Sitting with them, laughing at their stories, and learning their quirks, she could actually see herself becoming friends with them, which was something she didn’t have many of. Yes, she knew a lot of people, but she wouldn’t consider them all friends.
Of course, her thoughts couldn’t help drifting to Pierce. To her surprise, he had stayed pretty much by her side all day. Not that she was complaining, because she had enjoyed his company. He was grounded, funny in a quiet way, and had a gentleness about him that didn’t match the initial impression he gave off. Most people wouldn’t associate the word gentle with a Navy SEAL, but she had seen it when he was playing with a few of the kids, especially when he was holding his buddy'sfour-month-old baby. Seeing the tiny pink bundle of joy sleeping soundly against Pierce’s chest had her ovaries screaming.
There was no doubt that she was attracted to him. She’d felt it in every glance he threw her way, and every smile that seemed meant only for her. But there was still a small part of her that was hesitant to let that shield down around her heart, especially since he was still active duty.
She was drawn out of her thoughts as Pierce leaned slightly toward her, enough for his voice to find her ear without anyone else catching it.
“Did you have fun today?” he murmured.
Charley turned her head and met his brown eyes. The fire’s glow made them look even warmer. “I did,” she said, her voice softer than she meant it to be. “More than I thought I would.”
He nodded as his lips curved into that half-smile of his. “I’m glad you came.”
She felt that flutter deep in her stomach again. “I’m glad too.”
For a moment, the rest of the world faded. They just looked at each other, the fire crackling somewhere in the background. His gaze held hers like he was trying to read something in her expression, and the butterflies in her stomach turned into a full swarm. She couldn’t remember the last time she had reacted to someone like this. Maybe never.
“There’s something I wanted to ask you,” Pierce said, his voice dipping as if the words carried weight. He looked almost nervous.
Charley’s breath caught as she tilted her head slightly. “What’s that?” she asked.
But before he could say another word, Jessica’s voice cut across the yard.
“Charley, would you mind helping me bring some of this stuff inside?”
Charley blinked, pulled out of the moment like cold water had been tossed on her. She looked toward Jessica. “Yeah, of course,”
Before she got up, she glanced at Pierce, offering him a small apologetic smile.
“Go on,” he told her as that gentle smile of his returned. “We’ll talk later.”
As she stood and walked toward the house, she couldn’t help replaying the way he’d looked at her. The intensity behind his eyes carried something deep. It had nearly undone her, stirring up those unfamiliar feelings again.
She found herself smiling, unable to help it. Meeting Pierce was like a gift she didn’t know that she needed. It was also a reminder that maybe not everything here was tied to loss or memory, and that new beginnings were still possible.
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