Page 48 of The Texas Hero's Homecoming

Just minutes afterSam got Mike all set with the booth, a line formed, and Mike found himself immersed in helping boys and girls create whatever fall subjects they’d wanted to draw. Mike brought some drawings of his own to get the kids inspired and after they were done, offered to tack their drawings along the top of the booth, to help decorate it. The kids liked the idea. They could come back at the end of the day to pick them up.

Mike gave him a thumbs-up and Sam took that to mean he had everything under control. Good thing too. His whole idea could’ve backfired, if Mike needed his help. Sam could barely draw stick figures.

Sam strode along the booths and ran into Phillip and Sonny. “Hey there. How’s it going?”

Phillip grinned. “I’m having more fun than the kids.” There was no mistaking his Georgia accent. And they said Texans have a drawl. “Man, those are some really great pumpkins over there.”

Sam glanced at the huge lot of pumpkins laid out by color and type along the grounds. There were pumpkins everywhere and families were trying their darnedest to find just the right one to take home. “The pumpkin harvest was decent this year,” Sam said. “Manny’s happy about that.”

“Phillip is a darn good salesman,” Sonny said. “He’s talking people into taking home two or three instead of just the one they were gonna buy.”

“Aw, I’m just pointing them in the right direction. Some folks just love a white pumpkin. And then there’s the blue ones. They sure are pretty.”

Sonny scanned the area. “It’s a darn shame the Messinas can’t keep this place. It’s something you know, having a farm this size.”

“It’s been in the family for generations,” Sam said.

He’d been over this in his head a hundred times. He had an idea how to save this place, but it was crazy, and he didn’t think Autumn would go for it. Their relationship was rocky at best. They weren’t quite friends or anything else for that matter.

Captain Adam Price walked up with his family. “Hey, Sam. Boys. I’d like you to meet my daughter Molly and her husband Don. And this little squirt here is Lila.” Adam’s hand rested on the little blonde girl’s shoulder. “Lila is in Miss Messina’s class.”

Lila nodded and smiled, showing off the gap in her front teeth.

“Nice to meet you all,” Sam said, shaking hands with Don and Adam. He nodded to Molly. “Ma’am. Hey, Lila,” he said, bending to the child’s level, “did you know there’s a hayride in a little while? You can take a ride around the entire farm with your family.”

“That’s sound like fun, doesn’t it, Lila?” her mom asked.

The child nodded. “Can I sit in the front, Mommy?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

“I’m sure Edward can arrange that. He’ll be driving the tractor. You just tell him, Sam said you get first choice.”

“’Kay,” the girl said, a big smile emerging.

“Sam, looks like things are in full swing here,” Adam said.

“They are. We had a lot of help getting this boat in the water. And that includes you, Adam. You helped.”

“It’s a good thing you’re doing here. I’m glad to help. Molly, why don’t I meet up with you in a bit? I’d like to talk to Sam about something. It’ll only take a minute or two.”

“Sure, Dad. C’mon, Lila, let’s go find you a pumpkin.” She took her daughter’s hand.

Sam nodded to all of them. “Nice meetin’ you folks.” After they walked off, he turned to Adam, his curiosity spiked. “What’s up, Captain?”

“I’ve been watching you, Sam. I see how good you are with the veterans. You’ve got organizational skills and good instincts. I know you just got out, and you’re biding your time, trying to figure out your future. But a job’s come up, one I think you’d be perfect for. A buddy of mine is in a bind. He’s an officer at Fort Hood and there’s an opening for a human resources supervisor. It’s a civilian job, but your military experience is an asset. You’d be working with newly discharged servicemen, helping get them integrated into civilian life. I told my friend about you and he’s very interested.”

“I don’t know what to say. I appreciate it.”

“I know it’s a big decision, but Hal can only hold the job open for a couple of weeks. I think he’d hire you on my recommendation alone, but he’s got to interview candidates for the job in the meantime.” Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. “Here’s Captain Hal Garland’s number on the base. It’s a good job, with a very decent starting pay, but it has to be the right fit for you.”

“Thanks, Captain. I’ll, uh, I’ll give it some thought.”

“And, Sam, Fort Hood isn’t exactly halfway around the world. You’d be Texas based and could still see your family.”

Once Adam walked off, Sam stood there, his mind racing a mile a minute.

Fort Hood wasn’t exactly around the corner. It was hundreds of miles away. Right now, ahundredthings crossed his mind. And Autumn was right smack first on the list. She was on his mind more and more lately and the notion of leaving her, Nicole, and his friends in Last Stand, left his gut hollow, empty.

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