Page 58 of Second Chance Savior

I grabbed her by the waist with one arm and swung her around. She yelped and told me to put her down. Which I did, flashing her a renewed grin.

I had known Charlie would be here, and I was ready for it. No problem. Nothing was going to get me down.

I’d had my issues in the past when it came to Charlotte McKinley, but I’d finally moved on from that bullshit juvenile fascination I’d had with her. She was Ross’s girlfriend. An acquaintance, nothing more. So what if we had instant chemistry the moment we saw one another? Didn’t have to mean anything.

Itdidn’tmean anything.

“You’re in a good mood,” she said, smiling.

“I’m on leave, it’s Christmas, and I’m meeting someone special in Tahoe a few days from now to ski. Life is good.” I piled up the gifts on the table to sort out later.

“Wow, someone special? Like a woman?”

“Last time I checked, yeah.”

There was the predictable eye roll. “You’ve finally got a girlfriend?”

Girlfriend was exaggerating. “It’s trending that way. Been a couple months now. Met her on base.”

“Still in Virginia?”

“Yep.” For now, anyway. I’d been approached about adifferent way I could serve my country. It would mean leaving the Navy. But I was considering it.

“Then why didn’t you bring her home to meet the family?”

“That’s not really my style. What about you? What’s new?”

She poured herself a glass of wine, gesturing to offer me one. I shook my head.

“I’ve decided to run for a spot in the General Assembly. I keep wanting our government to do more and being frustrated, so I figure I should get in there and see if I can do better.”

“You’ll be brilliant.” I couldn’t help reaching for her forearm, squeezing gently. “I’d vote for you.”

“Too bad you’re not a Colorado voter.”

“Charlotte, did you tell River what else is new?” My brother strolled into the kitchen wearing a hideous holiday sweater, almost matching Charlie’s.

“I see you finally roped your girl into your ugly sweater fetish,” I said.

We slapped hands. Hugged. An old habit, though Ross and I weren’t exactly close anymore. Then he wrapped an arm around Charlie and tugged her close. “Have you told him yet?”

Color spread over her cheeks like spilled wine. “I haven’t had the chance.”

“Told me what?”

She lifted her hand. There was a sparkly ring on her finger. And my stomach did some kind of wild spinny maneuver. Worse than a HALO jump from 30,000 feet.

“Holy shit. You popped the question?” My voice didn’t sound like mine. “Congrats you two. That’s…that’s big.”

I was falling. Nothing but darkness beneath. And no fucking parachute.

I managed to get through cocktail hour. Appetizers. Meeting the new guy our mother was dating. But my thoughts kept flying away from me, going places I didn’t want them to go.

Finally, I saw a chance to escape. I sneaked out onto the deck overlooking the lights of the LA basin. An enviable Hollywood Hills view.

I would’ve preferred a hard bunk on a submarine. Or a dirt floor on the other side of the world surrounded by hostiles. Oractuallyfree-falling over a dark landscape and hoping my parachute would eventually open. Heights had never been my jam. But it would be better than this.

I heard the patio door slide open behind me. “River?”

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