“Zee.”
The ghost of a smile crossed her lips. “Can I borrow the truck?”
His brow furrowed slightly. “Why?
“I want to run into town.”
When he hesitated, she launched into the reason and the story behind it.
“For yoga stuff. Rhae and I were talking this morning and we think we might have a really great idea. Something I can do on the ranch. For the veterans.” Her voice wavered, and he knew she was thinking of Matt.
He pressed his lips together. “I’m listening.”
“She told me that Fern created the community garden and Honor holds art therapy. I taught yoga in a gym for a little while. Before…” She waved a hand. “Well, I’d like to offer a class to the veterans. Yoga really helps ground me. It’s gotten me through a lot of rough times in my life. If I can give those men any peace at all…I’d like to.”
Her whole face lit up as she spoke. For the first time since she’d walked into that training facility, she looked almost like the woman he remembered.
She looked alive.
“I was looking at purchases online, but it’s going to take days to get here. I’d like to start right away. One of the shops in town might have a few yoga mats or other things to get started.”
When she finished, her smile tugged at a place deep in his chest. For one reckless second he wanted to lean down and kiss those perfect, smiling lips.
He dragged in a breath to regain control, but it only slipped more when the breeze teased her hair and sent the notes of her shampoo dancing into his nose.
Counting to ten, he forced his focus back where it belonged. Then he pulled his keys from his pocket. “I’ll say what most husbands wouldn’t—shop till you drop.”
Her smile widened. She jumped up, and he stood too, grabbing the container with her uneaten sandwich before it landed on the ground.
She laughed and reached for the keys. “Thanks, Church.”
His throat closed. It took so damn little to make her happy that it left a twinge of pain lingering in his chest. At the same time, he wanted to do more to put that smile on her face.
She closed her fingers around the keys, but he didn’t release them yet. He leaned down and pressed a brief kiss to her forehead before he could overthink it.
“Be careful.”
She went still, lashes sweeping her cheeks as she closed her eyes. “I will.”
When they stepped away from each other, she took the keys and headed toward the parking area, her hair swaying on her spine with the spring in her step. He watched her go before turning his attention back to the set.
Two hours later, his phone buzzed. Zee’s name flashed across the screen, and he answered immediately.
“Zee?”
All he heard was crying. Gasping. A low sob.
“Zee.” His voice came out sharp as fear gripped him “Talk to me.”
Her words tumbled out in broken fragments he couldn’t make sense of. Then a different voice came on.
“Sir, this is Officer Kendon with the Willowbrook Police Department.”
His stomach bottomed out. “What happened? Is she okay?”
“The vehicle Ms. Davis was driving has been broken into. The driver’s side window is shattered.”
Church’s fingers chilled as he locked them tighter on the phone. “I’ll be right there.”
