The Long Way Home (Corps Security #6)(35)

“He’s not going to hurt me, honey,” I respond, not sure if I believe my own words now that I’m saying them out loud. What I know, though, is that I feel what we have is worth fighting for, no matter what may come about. Life is never perfect.

“He’s going to, but you’ll sort him. That, my dear, I have no doubt in.”

“Sort him? Mr. W …” I stop talking when he holds up one weathered hand.

“I know what it looks like to look into someone’s eyes and see a pain so deep it radiates with so much strength you almost feel their hurt yourself. I know what it’s like to see that pain hidden, concealed, and locked away to fester over the years. I know, sweet girl, what it is like to have ghosts and nightmares chasing your coattails. When he gets around you and that precious girl, and you see hope trying real hard to douse the flames of those nightmares. You two soothe the pain behind there … just like my Rachel did for me.”

I don’t know what to say, stealing a glance at where Drew and Riley are. His hand’s held over the board, ready to make his next move, but his eyes are on me. There’s distance from where he’s sitting by the front window and where we are closer to the counter, but I don’t miss the very shadows that Mr. W talks about. They’re never far from the surface. That is, unless he’s with just Riley and me. He has no way of knowing what we’re discussing, but nevertheless, it’s almost as if he can sense the change in me from across the room. I give him a small smile, but it’s enough for him to look back at Riley.

Goodness me.

That was intense.

I speechlessly look back into Mr. W’s very knowing eyes.

“He wouldn’t hurt me,” I whisper.

“He wouldn’t intentionally, you’re right.”

“He wouldn’t hurt her,” I continue.

“Now that, sweet girl, I have no doubt because you would shield her before he even had a chance.”

Grace walks over and pulls out the seat. “What’s going on? Are you okay?” She starts fussing over Mr. W before he can answer. He swats her hands away when she gets close to his hidden bottle. “I know it’s there, you ridiculous man.”

“Then you won’t mind filling me up a refill,” he replies instantly. “Might as well shake a tail feather.”

“Oh, I’ll shake something.” She grabs his bottle and shakes her finger in his face. “You will make me gray before I’m old enough to be gray.”

His deep rumble of laughter follows. “Hurry up, little one, so you can get your nosy self back to ask more questions.”

She ignores him and looks over at me. “You okay? Looked like this was getting intense.” She turns long enough to narrow her eyes at Mr. W before the concern returns to her face.

His words are still ping-ponging around my thoughts. I have seen the darkness drape over his eyes a few times in the past months. I have seen them a lot less than before he and I started … when he was just a silent customer I felt an instant connection to. I see the care and compassion he has for Riley and me much more often than I see those shadows. Like every day he’s with us, they’re slayed a little more. I would be lying, though, if I said it didn’t bother me. I just don’t know what to do about it.

“I’m okay, really.”

“You remember what I said?” he interjects.

“You know I do,” I answered him, still looking at Grace.

“They’re almost gone, sweet girl. Still there, but they’re not as strong as they were. You have the power, just as my Rachel did over mine. I meant what I said, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get through it, and you both be better for it. You can give him something strong enough to put an end to that pain. Just got to weather the storm, hold tight, and be the person he is for you, for him.”

I have to blink quickly to keep the burn behind my eyes when I see the love behind his words, trying to keep them from turning into tears.

Goodness, I love this man.

He’s the father I always wished I had.

“Pete,” Grace says, using his first name to ensure she has his attention. “What are you up to?”

“Hush, you.” He doesn’t look away, not until I feel a presence directly behind me. His eyes go up from my face and don’t look away from where they land for a heavy beat. I don’t turn around, but when he looks back down at me, whatever he was about to say is gone. His expression changes, his eyes holding mine. “Yeah, you’ll be good, sweet girl.”

Riley skips over a second later and hugs him, breaking the moment. “Want to play chess with me?”

“Why?” he grumbles. “So you can take an old man’s money?”

Her giggles break the moment, and it’s only then do I turn to look up at Drew. The intensity in his eyes has a small gasp escaping my mouth before I can stop it. It’s not loud enough to be audible to those around us, but I know he didn’t miss it. I see the shadows Mr. W is referring to, but I also see something that looks a lot like love dancing in there with them, directed right at me.

I stand quietly and grab his hand. Riley sits in the other empty chair and works on setting up the chess board she brought with her from where she had been playing with Drew. A quick look at Grace tells me she’s watching over the two of them. I give her a nod and a small smile, then start walking. He doesn’t resist, falling in step behind me until we cross the threshold to my office and the door is shut.