Page 31 of Corey
They carried everything over to the table, sat down and dug in.
“This is delicious,” she said between bites.
“And you said you couldn’t cook,” he teased.
“You did most of it.”
He smiled. “It’s a delicious salad. Best I’ve ever had.”
She laughed. “Well, I’m glad you like how I washed the lettuce and artfully cut the tomatoes.”
“Don’t forget the croutons. It gives it that little extra something.”
“The best part is your homemade vinaigrette.”
“I think the best part is your company, Sera.”
She froze, the glass of wine halfway to her lips. “That might be one of the nicest things anyone’s ever said to me,” she admitted in a soft voice. “I don’t really date a lot or go out much anymore. Or, at all really.”
“Me neither,” he said in a gruff voice.
For a moment, neither of them said anything more. As though they understood each other on a deeper level. A strangely comfortable feeling was developing between them, and she didn’t want to ruin the moment with more words.
They ate with a sprinkling of conversation, but it was natural, and she enjoyed learning more about him.
“How did you end up living on a mountain in Cielo Springs?” she asked, finishing up her wine.
“After separating from the military, I wanted somewhere quiet,” he began carefully. “I was dealing with some bad things and I wanted to hide away, if that makes sense.”
“Perfect sense.” If only he knew how much his words resonated.
He pushed his plate to the side and toyed with the edge of his napkin. “Wes followed me because he thought I might do something stupid.”
“Stupid?” She didn’t like the sound of that.
“PTSD is a bitch, but I never wanted to hurt myself—physically, at least. I figured the best way to punish myself was to keep living with the guilt. Hiding away up here, forging blades, chopping wood, doing puzzles and cooking helped keep my mind sharp and occupied. Murph would drag me out to Old Glory and that’s how we met the other guys.”
She wondered why he would want to punish himself, but she didn’t feel comfortable asking. “They seem like a good group.”
“I love them like brothers, but sometimes the guilt becomes too much, and I pull away. I know they worry, but when things get bad, it’s best to just let me work through my shit on my own terms. When I found Storm a couple of years ago, he gave me a reason to keep pushing through.”
“Your bond with him is incredible.”
“He’s the only thing that seems to give me a bit of peace when nothing else does.”
Her heart clenched as his words hit home. Hard. “Same with Loki,” she whispered. “He makes things better. More manageable.”
For a moment, neither said a word. They were so in tune with each other. It felt weird…and right.
“What about your family?” she asked quietly.
“My parents passed years ago.”
Another connection. “Mine, too. Mom died from cancer and then Dad passed a few months later. He missed her so much, and I think he wanted to be with her. Now it’s just me and my sister, Melanie. But ever since she moved with her husband to Canada, it isn’t the same.”
“I’m sorry.” He studied her intently. “So, nothing tying you to San Diego?” he asked casually.
“Well, I think it’s safe to say I won’t be working at J&J Shipping any longer. No big loss.”
