Letters from Home (Love Beyond Reason #1)(7)

Her boyfriends had been just as happy to pal around, never parting with broken hearts, either. Her determination to get through college and become a doctor had pushed those needs aside, and even shoved her straight into a military career.

She sighed. “Maybe it’ll be love at first sight.”

“God always has a plan for us. Maybe you should consider a nice, quiet single life for the next week. Nothing to be done until you know who has written the letters, anyway, verdad? Now eat, so you can gain some weight.”

Lena dug in. Her mom had a way of making things better just by being around. The letter was a bitter loss, but not finding it certainly wasn’t going to stop her from going to the park in a week.

The old rotary phone shrilled on the wall behind her. Her heart gave an extra squeeze, and the bite she was going to take stopped halfway to her mouth. Maybe her letter writer?

Mom gave her an I-know-what-you’rethinking look and got up to answer.

Lena took her bite, slowly turning to watch her mom answer the phone.

“Hello.” Her gaze found Lena.

Yes. It was for her. Lena’s palms turned clammy. Who could it be?

“She’s doing quite well this morning. Would you like to speak with her?”

Mami handed out the phone to her. “It’s for you.”

Lena grinned and mouthed, “Who is it?”

Silently, Mom shook the phone and mouthed right back, “Tómalo.”

She stood and took the phone with a shaking hand. “Hello?”

“Hi, Elena. Um, I was wondering…well, how are you?” Phillip. His nervousness came through the line, so sweet and, at the same time, a hair irritating.

“I’m fine. As a matter of fact, I just ate a nice breakfast, and I think I’m ready to go running.”

“Oh. Okay. In that case, I won’t keep you…but, hey, uh, I was wondering, would you like to have dinner?”

She pierced her mom with a look, her words and advice stuck right where she’d left them, on Lena’s conscience—just letters, don’t lead him on. If it wasn’t Phillip—please not Phillip, ugh. “I’m sorry Phillip. I,” she cleared her throat, “I have other plans. And I think it’s better if I just hang out with the family for now. Recuperating and all that. Don’t want to over-do it.”

Excuses. She knew how it sounded, but wanted to be kind, too. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to lead you on, Phillip. I don’t think I’m very good dating material right now.”

Phillip was silent for a moment, and Lena had the urge to clear her throat again. She could have let him down in person. Maybe that would have been better. “I’m sorry—”

“Don’t be. It’s okay. I appreciate your honesty. Maybe another time.”

“Yeah,” she answered, even though it sounded like the empty promise it was. The worst part? If he wrote the letters, she would have to rethink a year’s worth of obsession because when it came right down to it, there was no spark. Love handles notwithstanding, there had to be more passion than irritation. And what did that make her? Shallow? Confused.

All of the above, with the possibility of highly disappointed.

Lena quietly set the phone back on the hook. Her soul felt heavy, and resentment nestled against her heart. Her mom came over and gave her a hug from behind. “I’m sorry, baby.”

Shaking her head, Lena broke away. “I’m going to run.”

Running cleared her head. When she was running, nothing else mattered.

Right now, she needed a little of nothing else matters.





Chapter Four


Zack worked to keep the excitement hemmed in as he stared at his now silent cell phone. A contract with West Coast Security to develop a program for a company out of Sacramento. It would mean some travel time, but most of the work could be done at home.

Zack clapped his hands and rubbed them together. Back in business. He let his grin go and hollered. He liked the idea of working with a team again. This was what he’d needed to get a fire under him.

Glancing up, a movement outside the window above his desk caught his eye. This really was his lucky day. Lena ran down his street in running pants, a sweatshirt, and sneakers. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and hung down her back, bouncing with each tread.

A run sounded like a great idea.

At the porch, he pulled on his winter hat and scanned the block. Just down the street, she turned the corner into the neighborhood park. He tied his shoes in record time.

The air was cold and invigorating. A deep breath had him smiling as he took to the street. He’d gotten lazy since being home. He’d feel this workout, no doubt.

Zack tried to start slow and warm up to the idea, but every second it took him to reach that corner was a chance he’d lose her altogether. So he picked up the pace, feeling the stretch in the back of his legs as he took the dirt trail into the park. The trail wound its way through the gently sloping terrain, which was covered by trees along the river.

Lena ran ahead of him by twenty yards or so. Each step closed the distance until he finally came up beside her, elbowed her, and grinned. “Hey.”

She stumbled and sucked in a breath. “Sheesh. You scared me.” Quickly re-establishing her pace, she peered from the corner of her eye. Suspicious, as usual.