Page 43 of Unlocking Hope

Zoey was working with Kat to open an outreach center in San Antonio with the help of Brock and Antonio. She was interviewing retired vets to help protect women on the run. She was hoping to have the facility open in a couple months. Things were so much easier with money, and Cole had a lot of it. He didn’t believe it until the lawyer called on his birthday and told him the steps he needed to take to access the funds.

It didn’t matter he had the money—he still worked each day alongside his friend Ian. They had finally found an eight-unit apartment building. He enjoyed going to work each day and coming home to Zoey each night.

“I overheard you saying you're going to be in San Antonio for a while. How long are you going to stay?” Cole asked Nathan.

He didn’t know how much his brother would say. Cole was fifty percent sure he was working another case. Nathan had thrown himself into CIA work since getting out of the hospital. Cole tried to talk him out of it, but nothing he said worked.

“I have a few things I need to take care of here this week, then I have an event in Paris next week,” Nathan told Cole, but his eyes never left Amanda.

Amanda and Zoey were standing next to the bar, talking. Zoey had talked her into coming over to the house a few times for dinner, but she never stayed very long. There was more to her than she was letting on, and Cole worried she wouldn’t ask for help when she really needed it.

“If you ever get sick of being an agent, I always have an opening working with Ian and me.”

“I’ll leave the manual labor to you,” Nathan reassured him.

Cole watched as Zoey frowned at something Amanda said. He didn’t like her unhappy.

Nathan must’ve noticed it also. “What do you know about the person Zoey is talking to?”

“She was medically discharged when her convoy went over an IUD. We’ve invited her over a few times, but she doesn’t open up about much. I’m sure she is hiding something, but I don’t know what it is. One day, I hope she will ask for help, because Zoey really likes her.” Cole replied, looking down the table at his niece who’d fallen asleep on Bryson’s lap.

Cole sat back and watched his friend and brother laugh. Bryson had taken to fatherhood quickly, and Cole loved seeing him happy. The door to the pub opened, and in walked a man he hadn’t seen in years. The last time they were in the same room, Cole was in a hospital bed, recovering from his wounds. He blinked a few times as the man got closer.

“Brock?” Cole stood up and greeted the man. “Fuck, it’s good to see you. I’m not even going to ask how you know where we were.”

“Good to see you,” Brock said.

Cole waved Zoey over.

“I’d like to introduce you to Zoey.” Cole pulled her to his side. “Zoey, this is Brock.”

“Thank you!” Zoey wrapped her arms around Brock. “I can never thank you for everything you did.” She stepped back, and Brock waved off the thank you.

Ian walked over and hugged Brock, “Damn, it’s been a long time. What brings you to Texas?”

“I was passing through on my way home and wanted to stop and see everyone.”

Bryson walked over, carrying his sleeping daughter and holding Cristin’s hand. He held out his hand and shook Brock’s. “Nice to meet you, Brock. This is my daughter, Carly, and my girlfriend, Cristin.”

Brock waved, and Nathan introduced himself.

Everyone sat around the table, and they pulled up another seat for Brock.

“Are Melody and the girls with you?” Ian asked.

“No, I had a quick trip out to see Brock, and on my way back, I thought I would stop and see you guys.”

“Make sure to tell Melody and the girls hi from us,” Cole added.

“Maybe you guys can come out to Virginia when everything settles,” Brock offered.

Zoey smiled. “I would love to come out there.”

Brock and everyone sat around the table and chatted. Cole was enjoying being around friends. He planned to ask Zoey a question tonight, but he wanted to do it around the people who meant the most to him. He reached into his pocket and squeezedthe black box he’d picked up from the jeweler a week ago. Zoey was his future, and he wanted her to be his wife. When he’d seen the bomb strapped to her body, he didn’t know what he would do without her.

“Can I have everyone’s attention for a moment?”

Everyone quieted down around them, and Cole stood, turning Zoey to the side. “Zoey, when we first met, you shot at me.”

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