Page 27 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
Julie whipped her head around and stared at Beth. And Lawson. “I’m just not very experienced,” she said. And too much time with Sabrina’s uncle was risky, to say the least.
“If Sabrina likes you and Lawson trusts you, then I trust you. Just one more thing,” Beth said.
Julie nodded slowly. “Okay.”
“It’s about my husband.”
“What about him?”
“Well, not my husband. He’s, well…”
“My daddy left us,” Sabrina supplied, matter-of-factly.
Julie noticed the subtle darkening of the child’s eyes. She tried to swallow, but the sudden lump in her throat made it difficult. “Oh. I’m sorry,” she finally said, not knowing what else to say.
“It happens,” the four-year-old replied. “Now it’s just us girls. Right, Mommy?”
Beth nodded, as tears shined in her eyes. “That’s right, baby.”
“Hey.” Lawson raised a hand. “I’m a part of this family, too, and I’m not a girl last time I checked.”
This roused a smile from Sabrina.
“And I’m not going anywhere,” he added, rustling her hair until it poked up in varying directions.
“We need someone stable, who won’t disappear on us tomorrow. Or the next day.”
Julie nodded. “Of course.”
Lawson folded his arms in front of him. “So what do you say?”
Julie looked at Sabrina again. No way was she turning this kid down. Not after that. She’d just have to deal with her attraction to Sabrina’s uncle. And experience would come. She was good at learning on the job. “When can I start?” she asked.
Sabrina cheered, hopping on the floor and bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“How about Tuesday?” Beth laughed.
“I’ll be here.”
Chapter 8
The air around Lawson was constricting as the helicopter jolted and the men inside sucked in what might be their last breath. Everyone knew it. They were in the enemy’s zone.
Adrenaline, and what some might call courage, forced him to say the words he didn’t quite believe. “Calm down. We’ll be all right.” He looked out the window, spotting a few scurrying men—like black dots on the ground at this distance. “Jenkins?” He glanced over at his copilot. “What’s the damage?”
Before Jenkins could answer, however, the helicopter was jolted again, throwing everyone around the metal container like they were nothing, mere feathers instead of trained Marines.
Someone screamed. The calming words that Lawson wanted to say didn’t come out this time. Partly because he was barely conscious. He could feel it, along with the warm trickle of blood on his face. There was no air now, only smoke and a pending feeling of doom.
Lawson sat up in bed, sucking in all the air around him, gasping for each breath as if he were still trapped inside the smoke. His hand clutched hard at his chest and he coughed with the memory. His shirt was sweaty.
Fuck.Another nightmare. When would it end? Or would he always be haunted by that helicopter ride? There should be a pill for this, to give the afflicted amnesia. He’d be first in line to take it, wipe out every memory he ever had. There weren’t too many good ones anyway. Becoming Sabrina’s uncle was one. Every moment with Julie was another.
He groaned and rubbed his eyes before glancing at the clock. It was early Saturday morning. The sun would be up within a half hour. A good jog would clear his head. After pulling on a pair of New Balance sneakers and a lightweight T-shirt, he grabbed his ball cap from the hook by the door and headed out. There was a path that led around the Seaside Park, then bordered the Intracoastal Waterway. He usually jogged it three or four times a week, if the weather permitted. Otherwise, he hit the gym for the treadmill and weights. And, lately, he did yoga.
Lawson stretched his calves for a long moment. They were sore. Julie’s class was meant to be stress-relieving, and it was up to a point, but it also stretched and strengthened areas of his body that he’d clearly neglected. He got in his truck and drove the short distance to the Seaside Park. Then he got out and started walking, working up to a fast jog and following the paved pathway as it curved. There was a nice spring breeze coming in off the water this morning. And despite his racing thoughts, hearing the gentle rustle of the trees that bordered him on one side as he passed the park was calming. He was nearly in a meditative state as he pounded past the waterway when a man in a pair of black sweats fell into stride beside him.
Lawson looked over and groaned. “You.”
