Page 28 of A Veteran's Desire

“You got anything on Ashton Holdings yet?” Owen asks Jace.

“We’re digging, but they don’t have a big digital footprint. They’re a shell company; they exist only on paper.”

“I’m also doing some digging,” Aiden says.

Owen gives him a pointed look. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

If Aiden’s digging, then he’ll be using his hacker contact. The less Owen knows about it the better.

Owen heads over to the fire, and Aiden lowers his voice so he can’t hear. “Whatever we find, I want to make sure we’re ready to deal with any threat. So far, we’ve been able to tool up when needed, but I want to make sure we’re ready for anything. There are enough veterans on this mountain to form a team.”

“A vigilante group?” I glance at Owen. The acting sheriff would not want to hear about this.

“Call it what you want. With our experience and expertise, I want to be ready to protect this town when needed.”

I don’t need to think about it. This is my home now, and I’ll help the people here any way I can. “You can count me in.”

Jace murmurs the same and so does Sam.

“I’m going to get more ribs.” Hannah heads over to the table where the food is laid out, and I follow. When I started coming to these bonfire nights, it was all meat. Now, as people couple up and more women come along, there are salads on the table, and tonight, Hannah brought dessert: honey cakes.

Savanna, the retreat’s physical therapist, is by the table with one in her hand, and she gives Hannah an appreciative smile. “These are great.”

While the two women get to talking, out of habit, I scan my surroundings. Pops sits around the fire speaking with Axel and Joel. He seems to enjoy the company of the older men, and Axel slips him his hip flask.

Pops catches my eye and raises his glass before taking a long sip. He’s already given his approval to Hannah’s and my relationship. When the time is right, as the head of the family, I’ll ask him for Hannah’s hand. But for now, I’m enjoying the old man’s stories and family life at the Baxter farm.

Next to Axel is Sam, and Owen takes a seat next to him. They clink beer bottles and sink into the easy conversation that comes with growing up together. The men are both local to Hope, both served together, and both found themselves back here out of family duty.

There’s a movement in the shadows, and Ronan steps forward. He doesn’t always come to bonfire night, and he doesn’t always speak. I catch his gaze, and I give him a nod. He nods back, but the grim expression never leaves his face. He’s the only person here who speaks less than me, and I wonder what he makes of all of this. Or if he’s seen anything around the town that could help with who’s behind the intimidation.

I’m about to head over to him when he retreats into the shadows and saunters back to the buildings of Jake’s Retreat. I make a mental note to take it up with him another time.

I find Hannah still at the table speaking with Savanna, who covers her mouth as she yawns.

“I’m going to head home,” she says. “We’ve got a new cohort of veterans arriving tomorrow.”

“A buddy of mine’s coming,” Jace quips. “Logan Winslow. We spent a hairy few months in the desert a few years back.”

“Did you say Logan Winslow?” Savanna asks.

“Yeah. Motherfucker’s a loose cannon. Only soldier I met crazier than I am.”

Jace begins telling a story about how they stole a camel, which turned out to be laden with weaponry, but it’s Savanna I’m watching. She’s gone pale, and her hands are trembling. A moment later, she excuses herself and heads across the fields.

I frown after her, but no one else seems to have noticed. Maybe it’s nothing.

I’m distracted by Hannah sliding her arm around my waist. My body instantly responds to her touch, reminding me what we could be doing instead of being out here.

“What say we head off too?” My hand slides down her back and cups her backside, making it clear what I want to do when we get home.

She nestles into my arms, and I smell honey and spice.

“If we can drag Pops away.”

Across the bonfire, Pops cackles and his hands move as he regales Axel with a story.

“Let’s give him ten more minutes.”

The old man is enjoying himself, and I have an entire lifetime to enjoy Hannah. And one day soon, I’ll make that official.

I pull her close to me and kiss her greasy lips, not caring who sees. She’s mine, and staying with her is the best decision I ever made.

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