“Would you like more coffee?” he asked when he was finished with his story.
“What? Oh, no thanks. I’m still working on this one.” she shifted in the wrought iron seat. “Listen, there was actually something I needed to talk to you about.”
He put his cup down on the table, and his green eyes regarded her seriously. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
She took a breath. “Yeah. Um. I know we’ve been spending a pretty good bit of time together over the past couple of months.” she pressed her lips together, trying to figure out which direction to go in. “And it’s been great. I have a lot of fun with you. But I’m not really in a place where I can date someone right now.” she took stock of his expression to see if she’d chosen the correct words. Maybe not. But she plunged on. “I’m just kind of all over the place right now, with the recent breakup and the not knowing where I’ll be after Labor Day. So I don’t think it’s fair to you for me to keep seeing you. You’re a great guy, and you deserve someone who can give you their full attention.”
She sat back and waited for his response. He’d been totally silent during her little speech.
“Wow. I didn’t see that coming,” Robert said. “I thought things were going pretty good, actually. Is there anything I can say to change your mind?”
Oh no. She’d hurt him. She could see it all over his face. Maybe she should’ve eased into it better. Spent a couple of weeks trying to annoy him or something.
“I don’t really think so. I’m so sorry, Robert.”
He was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. “Okay. But can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” she was so glad to have the bad news off her chest, she’d let him ask her anything at that moment.
“What is it about me? I’ve heard that same speech over and over again. But no one ever tells me what I’ve done wrong. They just say things like what you just said. Stuff about needing space or focusing on their career or that they’re not in a relationship kind of place right now. What does that mean?”
And she hadn’t seen this coming. The easy thing to do here would just be to say he was great and that the right girl would come along and they’d be perfect together. But Kristy wanted to give him more than that. He was a great guy. And with a little help, he would make some woman very happy.
“You really want to know?”
He nodded. “Lay it on me.” He smiled. “I don’t want to have to hear the ‘You’re a nice guy, but...’ speech again for a while.”
“Okay. Here goes.” she bit her lip, trying to figure out where to start and hoping she wouldn’t end up making him feel worse about himself. “Consider this your tutorial about the female species,” she began.
CHAPTER 41
“I did it. He’s so sweet. I wish I did like him that way.” Kristy paced around the backyard, clutching her phone. “It would certainly make my life easier.” she bent down and threw a stick for Sam to fetch.
Vickie chuckled. “Easy doesn’t seem to be your lot in life.”
“I wish you lived closer, though. Believe me, I would fix you two up in a heartbeat.” And she would. It had actually crossed her mind early on that Robert was more suited for her friend than for herself.
“Oh, thanks. He’s not good enough for you, but he’ll do for me.” Vickie feigned hurt.
Kristy took the stick from Sam and patted his head. “Good dog,” she whispered and tossed it again. “Don’t be silly,” she answered Vickie. “He’s plenty good enough for me. We just don’t have that kind of spark.”
“I know. I’m just giving you a hard time.”
“You won’t believe what happened when I told him.”
“What?”
“He asked me to tell him what he’s doing wrong.”
“Whoa.” Vickie sounded impressed. “Wouldn’t it be cool if every guy cared enough to ask?” Her voice trailed off.
“It really would.” Kristy couldn’t help but think of Ace, who seemed to know instinctively what she would like or dislike.
“What about us?” Vickie asked. “We care. Don’t we need someone to give us relationship advice, too?”
“How about this? Every man should come with a handbook. Every woman in his life—mother, sister, ex-girlfriend, or whoever could add to it. He should have to give it to you upon meeting. Then you could add stuff to it and send it out with him everywhere he went. It’d make things much easier for everyone.”
Vickie laughed. “Why don’t you get started on that? You can call it saving the world, one man at a time.”
“Well, if there were one man who came with a handbook, I can tell you who I’d like it to be.” in a way, Kristy hated that every thought brought her back to Ace. But ever since lunch with him, Kristy had been trying to figure out what was going on between them.
“If you’re talking about Ace, it doesn’t sound to me like he needs one. I’d say his feelings are pretty clear.”
“Maybe.” Kristy picked up a tennis ball and threw it across the yard for Sam. “We have opened up to each other a lot. And I do enjoy spending time with him.”
“Why do I think there is a ‘but’ coming here?” Vickie asked.
“You know me too well.” Kristy laughed and took the tennis ball from Sam. “But the things I said to Robert were actually valid. It’s too soon. And besides, who knows where I’ll be in September?”
Vickie sighed. “Don’t be a defeatist. Something could open up there. You never know. And it sounds like not all the things you said to Robert apply to Ace. I don’t hear you saying he isn’t right for you or that there isn’t a spark. So since you omitted those things, does this mean that you’re finally ready to confess that there might be something between you and Ace?”
Kristy froze with the tennis ball in midthrow. She wasn’t sure what she felt for Ace. When he’d brought her the sparkler bouquet, the butterflies in her stomach told her that she might be falling for him a little, despite her protests about love. And the other day at lunch, hearing him pray specifically for her—that had sent her over the edge. He was a keeper. Except that she wasn’t sure she was ready to trust her feelings yet. Sam leaped up on her, and she threw the ball. She grinned as he chased after it. The way he ran and got the ball and brought it back over and over reminded her of this conversation with Vickie. “If I just say maybe, will you let me off the hook?”
Vickie sighed. “For now.”
“Thanks.”
“Any other news from Shiloh other than your crazy life? ironic, isn’t it, that Shiloh means ‘place of peace.’” Vickie’s voice danced with mischief.
“Oh, aren’t you the funny one? Actually, the vandal struck again this week. But this time it was personal.”
“What do you mean?”
“When I got home last night, all of my lawn furniture was turned upside down. Even on my deck.” Kristy shook her head at the memory. “Nobody believes a raccoon or cat did that, so it almost has to be the vandal. Hank figures the guy must be getting nervy to come down to the residential area. So we’re going to be on the lookout again tonight.” As much as she hated to admit it, it was starting to make her uneasy. She wouldn’t want anyone to know, but she’d slept with her lights on last night.
“Does this mean more time alone with Ace? I love it how these little stakeouts have turned into minidates for you guys. And you’re both getting paid. I hope Mr. Bramblett doesn’t find out how much fun you’re having, or he’ll separate you.”
“They aren’t dates. Far from it. Sometimes we have fun, but mostly we’re just passing the time.”
“Whatever. I hope you have fun tonight. Dress cute.” Another laugh from Vickie before they said good-bye.
Kristy knew she’d never fully be able to explain the love/hate relationship she had with the time she spent with Ace. He made her look inward sometimes, even when she didn’t want to do so. It was as if he were a mirror for her that sometimes showed things she didn’t want to admit to—such as just how broken she was.
Or what an idiot she’d been to almost settle for marrying Mark.
CHAPTER 42
Can you believe this guy has gotten four monuments?” Ace looked out across the park.
“I really thought we’d have caught him by now.” Kristy put her face close to the open window, trying to feel if there was a breeze. There wasn’t.
“First the Tennessee, then Missouri, then Kentucky, then Texas. There aren’t any common denominators for them that I can see.” Ace shrugged. “I guess it’s just totally random.”
Kristy leaned back against her seat. Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Texas. Was there a pattern they didn’t see? Kentucky and Missouri had soldiers who fought for both sides. Tennessee and Texas were mostly Confederate. She thought for another minute. An idea began to form, and once it did, she couldn’t shake it.
She sat up straight. “Can you take me back to the visitor center?”
Ace looked over at her. “Mr. Bramblett will be fit to be tied if he finds out. Do you need a restroom break or something?”
She shook her head. “No. I need to check something, actually. There is a book in Hank’s office that lists each monument and marker on the park. I’d like to look at it.”
He started the truck without question. “If you say so.”
Within minutes, they pulled into the parking lot.
Kristy jumped out of the truck and ran to the back door. “You can wait here if you’d like,” she called over her shoulder to him.
He walked in the door just as she was disarming the alarm system. “Curiosity got the best of me.” He followed her up the stairs leading to Hank’s office. “It’s kind of creepy in here at night, isn’t it?”
She laughed. “Ask Owen about that sometime. There are legends of Shiloh ghosts dating back to when the park was established. We used to have a ranger who believed the legends. Owen pranked him good one night.”
Ace chuckled. “I’ll be sure and ask him. I’m sure it’s a story he’ll love to tell.”
“I’ve never heard a grown man scream so loudly.” she turned the creaky knob, and they were standing in Hank’s overcrowded office. She had no idea where the light switch was. She stumbled over a stack of books on the floor, and a pair of strong hands caught her around the waist and kept her from falling.
“Careful,” Ace whispered.
His breath on her hair made her shiver. She ran her hand along the wall until her fingers made contact with the switch. Suddenly light filled the room.
“Which book are we looking for?” Ace asked, gazing around at the shelves along the walls. Books covered every available surface in the room.
“It’s like an oversized ledger. I’m not sure where he keeps it. I’ve only looked in it a couple of times.” she scanned the bottom shelf where a lot of larger books were stacked. Finally, she saw it. A blue book that looked like it might be someone’s scrapbook. And she guessed it sort of was.
She pulled the book out and laid it across Hank’s desk. She would know quickly if she was correct. “Can you find me a piece of paper and a pencil?” she asked Ace.
He handed her a yellow legal pad and a Shiloh Falls Golf Course pencil.
“Okay, we need to list all the monuments.”
“There are hundreds. We don’t have time to do that.”
“No. Just the large ones. Let’s try just the state monuments first.”
“Okay, well, the ones that have already been vandalized: Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, and Texas,” he said.
She wrote quickly. “Okay, and then there’s Alabama, Illinois, Wisconsin...” she trailed off.
“Arkansas is out at the Hornet’s nest. And, of course, Iowa and Michigan are on the main tour route.”
Kristy jotted those down. “Any others?”
Ace scratched his head. “Surely there are more than just those. I know there were more states represented here. How about Indiana?”
She shook her head. “Remember, it was up to each state to put a state monument up. Indiana has monuments, but they’re for individual regiments, not the state.”
He looked at her in amazement. “You sure know your stuff,” he said admiringly. “I could work here forever and probably not know as much about it as you do.”
She shrugged. “I love this place. It’s easy to learn about something you love.”
He gazed at her. “Yes, I guess it is.”
“And we should probably also include the Confederate Monument. Even though it isn’t technically a state monument, all the southern states are represented.”
He jotted it down.
“Okay, now we’re looking for the dates each of these monuments was erected.” she handed him the legal pad and pencil. “I’ll find the date; you write it down.”
He nodded.
Kristy quickly flipped through the ledger, calling out the dates for each monument.
Finally, the task was complete. She looked at the legal pad. “See? it’s just as I thought. The vandal is working backwards by date.”
Ace looked puzzled. “Huh?”
She pointed at the legal pad. “The Tennessee monument was the last one to be brought to the park. It was dedicated in 2006. And it was the first one hit by the vandal.” she tapped on the paper again. “Before that, the Missouri monument was dedicated in 1975. And that was the second monument vandalized. Don’t you see?” she couldn’t keep the excitement out of her voice.
Ace grabbed the paper. “Yes. That means...” He scanned the list. “The next monument hit by the vandal should be the Confederate Monument. It’s been at the park since 1917.”
“Let’s go,” she said and grabbed the list.
***
Brilliant. That was the word he would use to describe her tonight. Watching her in action as she connected the dots and figured out the vandal’s pattern had made him fall for her even more. And he hadn’t realized that would even be possible.
For the millionth time, he told himself to back off. Not only was she his coworker, but she was also seeing someone else. And Ace had too much integrity to come on to someone else’s girl. Even if he didn’t think Robert was right for her.
Kristy had radioed the others as soon as she reached the truck. The men were elated to finally have a lead. They’d decided to cover all their bases, though. In case the vandal decided to skip the Confederate Monument and go right to the next state monument on the list, Mr. Bramblett wanted rangers stationed there as well. The problem was that Arkansas and Michigan were next on the list and were dedicated in the same year.
After a moment of silence—Ace could imagine the discussion going on between the two boss men—the radio crackled to life. “Listen up, troops,” Mr. Bramblett boomed. “We’re going to divide and conquer. Owen, you cover the Michigan Monument. Ace and Kristy, the Confederate Monument. Hank and myself will be at the Arkansas Monument. Any sign of mischief, notify me immediately.”
Ace slowed down as they passed the Confederate Monument. “You know, this was the first monument we staked out,” he said as he pulled over to park a few hundred yards away from where the monument stood. The truck should be undetected.
She laughed. “I know. We’ve come a long way since then.”
“Yes. Back then, I was pretty sure you hated me.”
“And now?” she asked.
“Now I think we’re...” He trailed off. “Well, let’s just say I think we’re closer than I ever thought we’d be.”
“I agree. And I’m sorry about the cold shoulder I gave you at the beginning of the summer.”
“You needed someone you could take out your frustrations on. I can see why I fit the bill.”
They made their way to the edge of the woods. The Confederate Monument seemed to glow in the moonlight. From their vantage point, they’d be able to see any movement near the monument.
“That’s still no excuse.”
“You think this is an okay spot?” he asked.
She nodded. “I just wish we’d brought chairs o
r a blanket to sit on or something.”
He laughed. “Guess we’ll just have to rough it.”
They sat down at the edge of the tree line, eyes glued to the monument.
Ace motioned behind them. “You know, this is actually where General Wallace spent the night on the battlefield. Can you imagine? it’s amazing he survived through the night.”
“It really is,” Kristy said.
“I’ve always thought his survival was due largely to thoughts of his wife.”
She snickered. “You really are a hopeless romantic.”
He turned toward her. “C’mon, think about it. As connected as they were, don’t you think he guessed Ann went against his wishes?”
“So you think he knew she’d be waiting for him?”
Ace nodded. “And that thought kept him alive.”
Kristy sighed. “I don’t know about that, but I think about that night a lot. I know it’s strange that I spend so much time thinking about 1862.” she smiled. “But I can’t help it. After that first day of battle, it rained and stormed something awful. I sit out here sometimes and think about all those men, lying out here wounded and dying, crying out in the rain.”
“And you know what all the eyewitness accounts and journals say? Those men were calling out for their loved ones. But so many of them died all alone. General Wallace was definitely one of the lucky ones.” He glanced over at her. “Good thing Ann’s love was so strong that she was determined to make her way to her husband despite the odds.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Are you trying to pull me back into a conversation about true love?”
He grinned. “Just wondering if you came up with a modern-day example yet.”
She cut her eyes at him. “Actually, yes, I have. So now you can stop worrying about me.”
CHAPTER 43
Kristy had spent a lot of time since the Fourth of July thinking about love. People loved each other in so many different ways. A mother’s love seemed to be the sacrificing kind. A father’s love typically was more protective. Even though her own dad hadn’t been proof of that. She pushed that thought away. Then there was God’s love, which was perfect.
Love Is a Battlefield Page 18
