Page 2 of Soldier Cowboy
One of Colton’s buddies regularly listened to a UFO podcast and others were fans of true crime. Colton, for his part, preferred to relax and decompress with cooking shows, both video and audio. Late at night, when he couldn’t sleep, Colton usually pulled up a show and listened as the cook chopped garlic and onions and stirred them in sizzling butter. He’d never been so relaxed in his life. It was his secret, and he’d go to his death never revealing he loved to listen to or watch people create interesting meals.
“Do you remember that old movie,Play Misty for Me?”
“Clint Eastwood?”
“My daughter has a podcast, pretty popular, from what I understand. So much so she seems to have acquired a stalker.” He made a face as if the words he’d said smelled foul when they came out of his mouth.
Colton shook his head. At this point he was truly confused. What did any of this have to do with him? This was so far out of his field of expertise that he had no idea what he was even doing here.
“Basically, she needs a bodyguard. My daughter isn’t who she used to be. She was confident, happy, and outgoing, and now Jennifer is glancing around corners, afraid of her own shadow. She’s stopped working. Stopped living.”
Colton shook his head. He had compassion for the situation, but he wasn’t a babysitterora bodyguard.
He’d just been through three months of therapy himself, wanting to be more of a whole person before he returned to his family. It had been hell, rehashing through everything, living through every battle again and again. Putting in the hard work to be mentally healthy. But he’d gotten through. Barely. He had his coping skills and understood on one level that he’d never be the same. And that would have to be okay. A wedding was happening, and he had to get home, ready or not.
“I trust you more than I trust anyone else.” Horace glanced behind Colton with a scowl. “Here she is. The restroom is one of the few places she goes by herself these days. I’ll let her tell you the rest.”
Colton would have to finesse his way out of this scenario. He hadn’t ever met Horace’s daughter, but knew she was one of two children of Horace and his first wife. She’d died when the kids were young, and Horace’s sister had helped raise them while he was on long deployments. Colton sympathized with their situation, but he still hadn’t decided whether or not he’d agree to this favor. There were too many unknown factors. Besides, he was going to a wedding and bringing a woman home with him to Stone Ridge would be…complicated. In a small town like his, questions would be asked. And asked. Then if they weren’t answered satisfactorily, the rumors would fly.
Did this somewhat famous podcaster want everyone to know she had a stalker? Did Horace?
Colton followed Horace’s gaze and they both stood from the booth as she approached, crossing slot machines and blackjack tables. And…
Holy God.
Colton was thunderstruck. Maybe he’d been away too long, which might be influencing his perception, but he found this woman…gorgeous. She wore jeans and a plain dark T-shirt and carried a colorful patchwork bag that said, “New York City.” She looked nothing like her hooked-nose father who was a great leader and a good man but wouldn’t grace the cover of any magazine. She had long, straight, nearly black hair and huge blue eyes.
Lust slammed into him, and a coil of longing hit him hard in the gut.
This would be abadidea. Or a very, very good one but for…other reasons.
At the same time, he felt a decidedly unfamiliar sensation. This was ridiculous and embarrassing. He was already almost in love and this kind of thing didn’t happen to him.
Then she gave him a shy look from under lowered lashes and there was no “almost” about it.
She slid into the booth on Horace’s side and wouldn’t meet Colton’s eyes.
“Honey, this is the man I told you about.”
“He’s a soldier.” She glanced up at him briefly and in two seconds had him dialed. “I thought you wanted me to hire a bodyguard.”
“This is someone I trust with my life. He will keep you safe for the next few weeks.”
Reluctantly, Colton interrupted, “Wait. Weeks?”
“I would expect the stalker danger to be less of an issue then. Moving in with me isn’t really an option and I’ll be traveling back and forth to Maryland next month. I also think it might be too easy for him to make the connection and find me, too, so I’m at a loss.”
“I don’t want to move from my condo and let him win,” Jennifer said.
“He’s already winning.”
Colton watched the exchange before he butted in. “I’m sorry I can’t be of assistance, but I’m on my way to Texas.”
Horace cocked his head and eyed him. “That small Podunk town you always talked about? The one where every man looks out for the few women in town? The onewithoutWiFi?”
Jennifer’s gaze snapped to her father as if he’d suggested she go visit the blazing hot planet Mars. But Colton saw where Horace was going with this. It was somewhat of a running joke because with their superior satellites he’d gotten better reception in the desert than he ever did in Stone Ridge. But he hadn’t been home for years. Things may have changed in more than one way.
“Yeah, that was true then but I’m sure it’s improved since.”
