by Willa Okati
“Nosy.”
“Concerned,” Nick said in mild protest. “And a friend. I won’t know the answer unless I ask the question.”
Barrett pretended to cluck his tongue at Nick, but let him go. “Give him my best, too, if he really is heading out.”
Going to see was a thing easier said than done, as crowded as the small cottage was at the moment. Nick had to wind a path around through the kitchen to exit through the back door. He bumped shoulders with Abram as he went. Abram beamed at him, which gave Nick the oddest feeling that if the big man hadn’t been wrist-deep in haphazardly if enthusiastically chopped peppers, he’d have grabbed him up in a bear hug.
“What’s that grin for?” he asked, pretending skepticism.
“It makes me happy to see my friends happy,” Abram said. He pretended to look down his nose at Nick, but spoiled the effect with a wink. “Well done. Nice watch, by the way.”
Which would answer that question, wouldn’t it? Well, so be it. Nick didn’t mind. He raised his watch face-out at Abram in a sort of response. Abram waved him off—thankfully, not with the hand holding a chef’s knife—and turned back to his conversation with Robbie’s youngest brother Nathaniel, who hung back and watched the chaos with wide eyes and a tiny, cute smile.
Nick glanced back over his shoulder at the pair of them. Huh. If he hadn’t known for absolute sure Abram was a widower, he’d have wondered about how close they stood…
Nah.
Good thing he’d started when he did. Nick crunched over the new growth of grass in their yard to his side of the stone wall and made his goal just in time. Daniel nearly had his truck packed, and he carried a duffel over one shoulder as he locked his front door. “Leaving without saying goodbye?”
Daniel didn’t flinch, but he did cut Nick a sharp look that softened sheepishly. He gave his doorknob a tug to double-check he’d finished locking up. “You looked busy. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“It’s not interrupting when you know you’d have been welcome,” Nick said. He should have asked, but Daniel had kept his distance over the past couple of weeks. He and Barrett had let it happen. Barrett had told him enough to fill him in, and God, but his heart went out to the guy. “Still not too late. We haven’t started eating yet.”
Daniel nipped thoughtfully at his lower lip, then shook his head. “I’ve got a lead on a job in Folly’s Bow not far from where he…well. Where he must have made a home for himself. If I drive all night, I’ll make it there in time to put down temporary stakes tomorrow morning.”
“Fair enough.” Nick tucked his hands into his pockets to keep them warm. He no longer had the urge to rub and fret at his soulmark, but times like this reminded him a little too clearly still. “Does he know you’re—?”
“No,” Daniel said, cutting him off. “I need to get a read on things first. He might have a reason for not wanting to get in touch.”
“And if he does?”
Daniel tossed his duffel through the passenger-side window of his truck and rolled his shoulder to stretch the muscle. Must have been heavy, but that was very like Daniel. Always picking up the heavy loads.
“Then I’ll deal with that when it comes,” Daniel said. He scratched lightly at the side of his wrist. “At least I’ll know. It’s always better to know.”
No denying that. “He’d better appreciate you when you find him,” Nick said. “Or I’ll have to have some words with him.”
Daniel gave one of his rare chuckles, crisp and clean. “That’d be interesting, wouldn’t it?”
“And then some.” Nick held out one hand, glad when Daniel took it and gave it a shake. “Take care of yourself. Let us know how it goes.”
Daniel’s hand was warm and dry and sturdy. A good man’s hand. “Either way, you’ll be the first to know.”
Nick stayed to watch Daniel back out of his driveway, and lingered on after his tail lights faded out of sight around the bend. Longer than he’d meant to loiter. Long enough that, sometime later, Barrett came to find him. He didn’t wrap Nick up in a backwards hug as before, but settled in at Nick’s side instead, one arm around his shoulders. He brushed his mouth across the soulmark at Nick’s nape and blew a quiet breath over the slight moisture left there from his kiss.
Nick shivered, the chill going straight in and down deep, becoming a ripple of pleasure by the time it reached points south. “You’re way too good at that already.”
“I’ve had years to dream and plan. Try to stop me from living the fantasy now.”
“Not likely,” Nick replied. He reached across and around, barely able at the awkward angle to tickle Barrett’s nape, but he made his point perfectly well.
Barrett hummed low in his chest and shifted to rest his head on Nick’s shoulder. “Think he’ll find what he’s looking for?”
“He’ll find something,” Nick said after thinking it over. “Whether it’s what he wants or not…no way to tell.”
“If there’s any justice in this world, he’ll find what he’s been hoping for,” Barrett said, firmly decided. “And I think I might believe in justice a bit more than I used to.” He set his teeth over Nick’s mark for a half-second. Long enough to make his point, too.
Nick took Barrett’s hand and laced their fingers together. “I’m considering that a promise and an IOU. Just so you know.”
“Good. Because that’s what I meant for it to be,” Barrett said. “We’ve got guests to take care of, but as soon as they’re gone? You’re mine.”
And always will be, Nick thought, winding his arm through Barrett’s. Now, and forever after made for and matched to one another. No more worries.
Only me. Only you.
HANDLE WITH CARE
Book three in the Soulmarked series
Love conquers all—even a proud man’s need to stand tough. No matter what it takes to heal his wounded soldier, Daniel is willing.
Daniel keeps a secret close to his chest—he’s long believed his soulmate-to-be, Jesse, was killed in action before they had a chance to fully bond. Jesse had asked Daniel to wait, to be patient, and to grow up a little before he fell in love.
In return, Daniel promised to wait for Jesse and take care of him—always.
Now, word’s come that the report was in error. Jesse survived, and has returned home, but doesn’t want to see or hear from Daniel. When Daniel tracks Jesse down, he finds a broken, wounded man who isn’t glad to see him.
While Jesse knew finding his soulmate would help him heal, he’d wanted to become strong enough to be worthy of Daniel before they reunited. Angry and ashamed, he’s ready to run again.
It’s a hard row to hoe and a nut almost too tough to crack, but Daniel’s come this far in search of his soulmate. He won’t give up now—and he won’t let Jesse give up either.
Dedication
For J.L. and Kimberly, with thanks.
Trademark Acknowledgements
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Guinness: Diageo plc
Bobcat: Doosan Group
Prologue
“Anything else for you and your little brother?”
“I’m not his—”
Jesse did three things at once—raised his hand, kicked back in the booth and grinned at the waiter. One of the three made something small and hot knot up in Daniel’s stomach. He just wasn’t sure which.
“He’s not my brother,” Jesse said. “Just a friend.”
The waiter frowned at them. He looked both young and bone-tired. His name tag hung crooked and the letters spelling Robbie were askew, but he had sharp, clear eyes and he carried a thick paperback tucked in his hip pocket. Daniel would bet he could tell what was going on.
He didn’t call them on it, though, and he had a nice smile. “Your call. Shout if you change your mind.”
Jesse watched him go without looking at Daniel. “Calm down and drink your coffee,” he sai
d. “They make an okay cup here. I’ve seen that guy around. He’s got two brothers of his own, that’s why he thought what he did. He won’t tell and get you in trouble.”
“I’m not worried about him.”
“You should be. You crossed two state lines to get here, and you’re just sixteen.”
Daniel hunched his shoulders. He turned his coffee cup around and around, blowing at the steam. The lenses of his glasses fogged over, but the ceramic warmed his hands. “You’re barely eighteen. Yesterday you were seventeen.”
“And you’re not going to be seventeen for almost eight months.” Jesse touched his chin, as if he were going to say something, but didn’t. Nothing except for, “Hurry, before it goes cold.”
Daniel bit his lip and fell silent, but he didn’t drink his coffee. He watched Jesse instead.
Not many people used Finders anymore. Not since it’d become easier to search for soulmates with online registries and even so, most people preferred to let nature take its course. They’d meet their soulmate when they met their soulmate, done and done.
Daniel didn’t get that. Didn’t they want to know? Couldn’t they feel the tugging pull that yanked them awake every time they fell asleep, too restless to dream with the need to get up and go searching?
The Finder Daniel had been to had said that no, most people didn’t. Developing so young—the Finder’s words, not Daniel’s—made him an outlier. Different. Fine, then. Jesse had gone to a Finder young, too, hadn’t he? And if the Finder was right, then he and Jesse were—would be—soulmates. Someday. Jesse knew that as much as Daniel did.
So why wouldn’t Jesse even look at him?
Daniel sighed. Jesse didn’t look much like the picture he’d sent the Finder. He’d gotten older since it was taken. Still, Daniel knew he would have been able to pick Jesse out of a line-up. It was his nose, Daniel thought. Wide at the bridge, like a lion’s. And he had a…different…kind of face. It sort of changed every time Jesse smiled or frowned or went quiet. Daniel couldn’t decide if he was good-looking or not.
Jesse’s uniform didn’t fit him right. Too new. Daniel could smell the sharp chemical clean and the plastic it’d come wrapped in. Green Alphas, every stitch of them regulation. The cuffs rode up over his wrists when he moved his hands, and he had orders to report to someplace called Parris Island tomorrow morning. If Daniel hadn’t come that day, without warning Jesse, he’d have missed Jesse completely.
He didn’t get how Jesse was okay with that. How he could be okay with it.
Jesse stayed put on the other side of the booth, arms carefully crossed. Daniel would bet he didn’t know what to do or say either. That should have made Daniel feel better. It didn’t.
“Do you drink a lot of coffee?” Jesse asked.
Daniel made a dismissive gesture. “Just every now and then. If I have a big test at school.” He tried a sip. It wasn’t too bad. Too strong, but that was better than too weak. “Why didn’t you tell him the truth? The waiter, I mean.”
“Because legally I’m an adult, and you’re not.”
Daniel scoffed. “Soulmates are different.”
“Not that different. Not unless their guardians are with them.” Jesse shifted in the seat as if he wanted to lower his hands to the table but wouldn’t let himself. “If I’d known you were planning to come out here, I would have asked you not to.”
That hurt going down, like swallowing a bite of bitter orange. “Why?”
“It isn’t right. It isn’t what I wanted.”
“No?” Daniel’s knuckles went white around the mug. “Why didn’t you say so in the letter you sent? Why did you go to a Finder in the first place if you didn’t want to meet your soulmate?”
“Because I didn’t think it would work.” Jesse finally looked at Daniel when he spoke to him. At least there was that, even if it was almost…shy. “I’d forgotten I signed up with that Finder. It was months ago. I figured I’d wasted my money, and I’d forgotten about it. But I would have asked you not to come if I’d known because it wouldn’t be fair, okay? To you or to me.” He raised one shoulder. “You can’t miss something if you don’t know you should.”
“That doesn’t make sense.” Daniel kept both hands wrapped around his cup, even though the coffee was going cold. “I wanted to see you for myself. I don’t like not knowing things. That’s why I went to a Finder instead of waiting my turn. I wanted to know who I was in love with.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Why not? It’s true.” Daniel leaned forward, elbows on the table. “I’d rather know what’s true and what isn’t. I’d always rather know.”
“You would, wouldn’t you?” Jesse laughed out loud. He had nice eyes, too. Wide-set and hazel and friendly. “And you got me. God, that sucks.”
He had the kind of laugh that made Daniel want to smile. Maybe it did that for everyone, like the waiter.
It didn’t matter. Daniel’s mouth turned up at the corners. “I don’t mind if you don’t.”
“It isn’t about minding.” Jesse’s smile didn’t fade away. He cocked his head to the right and frowned, just a little bit. Like he’d seen something he didn’t expect to be there. Or someone, maybe. “I didn’t see it before.”
“See what?”
“You have a really nice smile,” Jesse said.
Daniel could feel his cheeks go pink over the bones beneath them at that.
Jesse wrapped both his big hands around his mug and held on tight. “You’re smart too, aren’t you?”
Daniel touched the tip of his tongue to his lip. Something felt different now. Changed. He wasn’t sure… “I like to read,” he said, though his mouth was dry. He sipped at his coffee, and that helped a little. “Mostly history. And languages. I know Greek. One of my teachers said I should be a doctor. I’m not sure. I think I’d rather be a veterinarian.”
“I’m good at math.” Jesse propped his chin on his hand. He looked younger and older at the same time. Like he’d grown into his face all of a sudden. He was still smiling. Maybe he’d forgotten and it’d just happened.
Daniel risked touching just the edge of Jesse’s shirt cuff. “Why did you join up?”
“Because I want to go to college, too.”
Daniel shook his head slightly, not understanding.
“The GI Bill,” Jesse said. “I don’t want to end up working on a road crew until I’m old and all beat-up like my uncle and my grandpa. I want to do something with my life. It’s about the only way I can get to college. It’s what my dad joined up to do.”
“Did he?” Daniel asked.
“Yeah,” Jesse said. He looked at Daniel’s finger and thumb on his sleeve, and his smile wasn’t a happy one anymore. “See, I never met him. He and my mom, before he left for basic training…they were young too. Just kids.”
“Oh.” Daniel’s throat had gone tight and metallic-tasting. He drew his hand back. “Don’t be mad at me. I didn’t think. I didn’t know.”
“I’m not mad at you, Daniel.” Jesse blew out a breath and made an odd face, as if puzzled and amazed at something Daniel didn’t know the name of. “I should be. I’ve been trying to be, but it’s not working.”
Hope lightened Daniel’s heart. “Really?”
“I think so.” A light touch beneath Daniel’s chin startled him into looking up. Looking at Jesse. Jesse watched him, his smile smaller but warm again, as he lifted Daniel’s head. “You’re braver than I thought you’d be. You’re smart. And you’ve got these amazing blue eyes.”
Daniel’s face warmed. “You can barely see them behind the glasses.”
“I like the glasses,” Jesse said. “They’re good on you.” He curled the first knuckles of his fingers, light as butterfly wings, under Daniel’s chin. “You’re sweet, too. And tough. I didn’t know you could be both.”
Daniel didn’t know what to say. Slowly, slowly, he raised his hand to wrap around Jesse’s wrist. “I thought you wouldn’t want…” Touching might kick-start a soul bon
d. Their marks might start to come in. He held his breath, but he didn’t feel anything except warm. And good. Calm.
“I know what I said. I just…” Jesse laughed again, a soft breath that rippled on its way past his lips. “I guess you are going to be my soulmate someday. I can feel it, in here. Like there’s a string tying me to you.” He tapped his chest. “How does that work?”
“I don’t know. It just does.” Daniel turned his wrist so that his hand covered Jesse’s. “I’ll be good for you. I’ll look out for you and take care of you. I promise.”
Jesse’s eyes closed all the way, and he turned his head. Daniel felt it now, in his chest. Soulmate. He’d bet his life on it. And now that he thought about living without it, he understood Jesse a little better.
He wasn’t sorry he’d come. He couldn’t be. No more than he could lie about what he felt.
“I know you have to go,” he said before Jesse could open his eyes. “That’s okay. I’ll write you, and you can write me. Just come back home when you’re done.”
Jesse exhaled, a long breath that ruffled the tips of Daniel’s bangs. He drew Daniel’s hand closer to him, and squeezed tighter. “I will,” he said, sleepy eyes warm. “Just wait until then. Deal?”
Under the table, Daniel nudged his foot next to Jesse’s and made a soulmate’s promise. “Deal.”
Chapter One
“Jesse? Someone’s here to see you.”
Jesse eased a heavy keg of Guinness onto the stone cobbles next to the old brewery wall before he glanced up. Cade stood at the far end, wiping wet hands on his sturdy green waist apron as he unwound its drawstrings. He wasn’t the regular bartender, but had come to fill in for a week while the Hart and Hound’s owner, Helena, took her vacation time. She’d promised Jesse he could trust Cade, but Jesse hadn’t made up his mind about that yet. “Say again?”
