The Military Wife (A Heart of a Hero, #1)(12)

“Like what? Knitting?”

“Not a hobby. I’m talking about a business to employ military wives. Something they could keep doing no matter where they were stationed.” The seed Allison had planted earlier bloomed into full-on excitement.

Allison stared at Harper as if she’d switched to a different language and Allison couldn’t understand her. “What kind of business?”

Harper shot from the hip, ideas coming fast and furious. “Something homegrown. Maybe military focused but appealing to everyone.”

“What do you know about running a business?” Her question came out more astonished than disparaging.

“I graduated from UNC with dual degrees in business and marketing, and I’ve been dying to put them to good use. Plus, I’ve been doing bookkeeping and taxes up and down the Outer Banks since Noah died. I understand a good business plan.” Harper left her ice cream to melt and paced the floor. Her body felt tingly and alive, as if someone had taken paddles to her chest and jump-started her life.

“I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, but what about money to get started? Doesn’t it take tens of thousands of dollars?”

“At least that much, but I invested the money I got from Noah’s bravery award. Even if I keep some back for Ben’s college, we should have enough to get started. Once we come up with a solid, marketable product. Do you think the women in the group want to help?”

“I’m sure they do. We can set up a group chat or something. Hang on a minute, though. What bravery award? I don’t remember that.”

“He received it posthumously.”

“And it came with money?”

“Yeah, lots of it. I was shocked.”

“Define ‘lots’?”

Allison’s tone finally registered and Harper sank back into her seat. “A hundred thousand?”

“Not government death benefits?”

“No. This was different. The man handed me a cashier’s check and told me it was for a bravery award. I think he gave me a certificate, too.” Had she kept it? Had it even been real? Harper had printed Ben a certificate off the internet when he’d finished potty training, for goodness’ sake.

Allison uttered a word Harper didn’t think was even in her vocabulary before continuing. “Who was this man?”

Unease blunted Harper’s excitement. Had she done something wrong or, even worse, illegal? “That time was a blur, but his name was Caldwell, I think.”

Allison looked down and fiddled with her spoon. “Of course. Bennett Caldwell. Makes sense.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Did Noah never mention him?”

“Was he a SEAL?”

Allison nodded. “Served with Noah and Darren.”

“Noah used everyone’s nicknames at home. Even called Darren ‘Family Man.’”

A small smile helped erase the worried crinkles in Allison’s brow. “Noah’s nickname was my favorite.”

“He hated being called Peaches.”

“Bennett Caldwell, aka Grizzly, and Noah were close. According to Darren, Bennett was there when…”—Allison’s gaze skated to the floor, her voice turning vague—“you know.”

Harper knew. Or had at least imagined what Noah’s last moments had been like. She had played the scenarios over in her head so many times she wondered if she’d go mad. But what drove her insane was knowing that whatever she imagined hadn’t come close to the terribleness of his death.

And Grizzly had been there. While the name Bennett Caldwell was unfamiliar, she was well acquainted with Grizzly. Or at least stories about him. Noah had talked about Griz like he was a big brother and a father and the biggest badass ever all rolled into one.

“Why would he give me so much money?” Harper asked. “Are you certain there’s no bravery award? Maybe within the unit?”

“The military enjoys its pomp and circumstance. A bravery award given to a fallen hero would have merited a huge ceremony and the front page of the paper.”

With the sharp lens of hindsight fixed on the moment, Harper blamed her na?veté on grief. The man with the check had given her more than money; he’d given her something to cling to. Bravery. Honor. Something to be proud of in those dark days and months. Was it all a lie?

“I don’t feel right taking his money.”

“He obviously chose to give it to you and hasn’t come asking for it back.” Allison shrugged. “Seems to me he wanted you to have it for some reason.”

“But why?” Harper whispered, not expecting an answer from Allison.

The obvious answer was to alleviate guilt. What did he have to feel guilty about? Another thought tripped onto the last. Bennett. Ben. Had she unknowingly named her son after him?

Noah had suggested the name Ben their last night together, cuddled under the covers. She’d been barely six weeks pregnant, but they’d spent the night imagining what their child would be like. Boy or girl, blond or brown haired, outgoing or shy. Afterward, the name had provided another connection to Noah.

“What happened to Caldwell? Where is he?”

“Last I heard he got out right after Noah was—” Allison cleared her throat.

“I never got the full story, you know. On Noah’s death.”