Homecoming Hero

by Renee Ryan

  Oh, they’d talked about more, Hailey sensed it by J.T.’s professional manner. He was in pastor-mode and wasn’t going to reveal anything else on the matter.

  We’ll see about that.

  “How much do you know about Wolf’s days in Iraq?” she asked.

  “Enough to know I’ve been where he is now.” He didn’t have to elaborate. Although Hailey wasn’t privy to the particulars of J.T.’s time in the military, she knew he’d been blown up with his men. Just like Wolf.

  Hailey knew she could dance around what she most wanted to discuss with him, or she could be direct. Since she had never been one to avoid the tough issues she pressed on. “Wolf blames himself for his men’s deaths.”

  As soon as she blurted out the words, she realized his guilt was really the crux of the matter. If Wolf could accept the fact that he was the victim of a random act of violence rather than the cause, he would begin the healing process.

  But how to get him there? Maybe J.T. had some ideas.

  “By missing the signs of the IED he thinks he caused the accident,” she added when she realized J.T. hadn’t responded to her earlier remark.

  Still maintaining his silence, he gave her a noncommittal nod, neither confirming nor denying whether this information was news to him.

  “On the other hand,” she continued, holding his gaze, “I don’t blame him for Clay’s death.”

  “That’s good.” Yet again, the pastor tone and distant manner revealed nothing of J.T.’s thoughts.

  In her blazing frustration, Hailey wanted to shake the man for his lack of cooperation. She resisted. Barely. “How can I make him see the truth?”

  “You can’t.”

  That was not the answer she was looking for. “But surely there’s something I can do.”

  J.T. shook his head. “I’m sorry, Hailey. You can give him your patience and understanding, but the rest is up to Wolf.”

  She slammed her fisted hands against her sides. “I hate feeling this helpless.”

  “Waiting is hard for all of us, but this is between Wolf and the Lord. Trust that God is already at work in him. He’ll bring your soldier to healing. In His time, not yours.”

  As much as Hailey wanted to argue the point, she knew he was right. Like it or not, she had to wait on the Lord.

  “Thanks, J.T. That’s not really what I wanted to hear, but I can’t deny the logic in your words.”

  “Not just logic, Hailey. Truth.”

  “Of course.”

  “Now that we’ve settled that.” He offered his arm in a gallant gesture still common in the South. “Let’s get you back to class so you can learn how to light a fire.”

  Sage words if ever she’d heard them.

  Wolf noticed the exact moment Hailey and J.T. returned to the classroom. Both looked lost in their own thoughts. Whatever they’d discussed in the hallway must have been heavy stuff.

  He expected Hailey to look up any minute and scowl at him, like she’d done all evening. But she quietly returned to her place against the wall and proceeded to stare at her feet.

  He’d never seen her that subdued. He started to go to her, to find out what was wrong, see if he could help, but then he realized he was in the middle of teaching a class.

  Fortunately, he’d covered enough for one night.

  “And that’s how to build a fire under the best and worst conditions.” He shifted his weight back on one foot then shot a quick glance over the assembled group. “Any remarks, questions, complaints, concerns?”

  Several hands shot into the air.

  He smiled at the obvious enthusiasm in the room. After only two lessons, Wolf was growing to respect these people and their commitment.

  They weren’t misguided do-gooders with more heart than sense, like he’d first thought. They truly wanted to serve their God, for all the right reasons, and with a fiery passion that humbled him.

  Their dedication made Wolf long to have his own calling. But why would the Lord use a man like him, when there were so many out there who hadn’t made his colossal mistakes?

  Unhappy with the direction of his thoughts, Wolf forced his mind back on task and began fielding questions.

  As he spoke, his gaze shifted in Hailey’s direction.

  She hadn’t moved from her spot on the wall, and she was still staring at her feet. She must really be upset with him. Who could blame her? He’d told her he would call and he hadn’t.

  Not because he’d been avoiding the hard conversation, but because he hadn’t known where to start the conversation.

  Now he regretted his indecision. He didn’t like hurting Hailey. It left an empty feeling inside him.

  Holding his smile in place, he focused on answering the next question about waterproof matches. “Yes,” he replied. “Carrying a small box with you at all times would be wise. As to where to purchase them, any sporting goods or local hardware store should have a variety of choices. But if cost is a factor, you can make your own.”

  “Really?” someone asked. “How?”

  Wolf glanced at the clock mounted over the doorway. He’d promised J.T. he’d have everyone out of here by 2100. It was 2102. “You’ll have to wait until next week for that answer. I’ll bring written instructions for everyone to take home with them.”

  Enthusiastic murmurs filled the room. They were actually excited about making their own matches.

  This time Wolf’s smile felt real as he ran his gaze over the group. “Anything else?”

  No one raised their hand. Just as well. He was all talked out. “Okay, then. We’re done for the night.” He gathered his materials and stuffed them quickly into his bag. “Everyone have a good week.”

  He stepped to his left so J.T. could join him and say the final prayer of the night. But the pastor didn’t move from the back of the room. Instead, he caught Wolf’s gaze and said, “Why don’t you close us in prayer, Captain Wolfson.”

  Say what?

  The muscles in Wolf’s back immediately stiffened. J.T. wanted him to pray? Out loud? In front of all these people? Sweat broke out on his brow.

  Was the man kidding?

  Apparently not. J.T. hadn’t moved off the back wall. Not one inch.

  Torn between bolting and getting the job done, Wolf stood frozen in place, on the verge of panic like he’d never experienced before.

  He’d faced enemy fire less terrifying than this room of eager, wide-eyed idealists waiting for him to pray for them.

  He slowly bowed his head, but not before he looked desperately in Hailey’s direction. She wasn’t looking down anymore. And she wasn’t scowling. She was smiling, at him, with a look of genuine encouragement in her gaze.

  Feeling stronger, he closed his eyes. “Lord…I…”

  He looked up again, feeling hopelessly lost. Hailey mouthed the words: You can do it.

  He swallowed and started again. His voice stronger this time, he said, “Thank you, Lord, for this time together. I ask that You send us out this week with courage and faith. And may we honor You in everything we do…in Jesus’ name. A…Amen.”

  Low chatter and the rustle of people leaving their seats filled the air. He must have done an okay job with the prayer, even if his words had been a bit generic. At least no one had laughed, or snorted in disgust. Needing something—anything—to make him feel less exposed, Wolf looked at Hailey again. She smiled at him. With the same sweet look in her eyes as before. He couldn’t understand why she wasn’t holding a grudge against him for not calling her.

  She baffled him. But right now, as he stared at all that acceptance in her eyes, Wolf couldn’t help himself. He smiled back.

  That was all the encouragement she needed. She muttered something to J.T., then broke away from him and headed for the front of the room.

  Wolf forced himself to remain where he was. Nonchalant. Normal. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Except…

  His heartbeat had decided to kick into overdrive. And a trickle of sweat rolled down his back. Hailey
O’Brien made him nervous. A completely new and terrifying sensation.

  Fortunately, she wasn’t the only one who wanted to talk to him. By the time she made it to the front of the room, Wolf was already surrounded by a handful of people asking him rapid-fire questions all at once.

  He did his best to answer them, one by one. Patient. Smooth. In control.

  Who was he kidding?

  He couldn’t make his mind work properly. Not with Hailey hovering just outside the circle of people, watching, waiting calmly for her turn to speak to him.

  Once Wolf had answered all the questions, he turned his full attention onto Hailey.

  Every muscle in his body tensed. There was something different about her tonight, a curious blend of patience and consideration.

  “Hi,” she said, her eyes revealing nothing.

  “Hi,” he said back, feeling like an awkward teenager in the throes of his first crush. The woman fascinated him in ways he hadn’t begun to untangle in his mind.

  He had a thousand things he wanted to say to her, now that they were face-to-face. But just like every time he’d picked up the phone this week to call her, he was stuck without an opening line.

  First and foremost, he needed to apologize for not calling her. Except…how did he do that? What could he say that wouldn’t come off sounding trite?

  “So, here’s the thing,” she began, her eyes still unreadable. “We ended things on a pretty dramatic note last time we saw one another.”

  “You could say that.” He swallowed, determined to get his apology out before she continued with whatever else she had to say. “Look, Hailey, I’m sorry I—”

  “Don’t mention it.” She waved a hand in disregard, cutting off his apology midsentence. “You’ve been busy. The important thing is that we’re both here now, feeling unnecessarily awkward with one another. Let’s not do this. Let’s just move on, okay?”

  Stunned she was going to let him off that easily, he cleared his throat. “I like that idea.”

  He wanted to say more but out of the corner of his eye he saw J.T. bearing down on them. Whatever the pastor had to say, Wolf didn’t want to hear it right now.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he suggested, keeping his eyes on J.T.

  Following his gaze, Hailey made a soft sound of impatience in her throat. “We agree on something at last.”

  Even though Wolf gave J.T. a back-off glare the pastor closed the distance with clipped strides. “Just wanted to thank you for another great class, Captain.” He held up his fist, knuckles facing Wolf.

  Wolf forced down his impatience and pounded J.T.’s fist with his own. “Thanks.”

  Lowering his hand, J.T. looked from Wolf to Hailey then back again. He repeated the process two more times, a slow smile tugging at his lips on the last pass.

  “What?” Wolf demanded.

  “I see I’m interrupting. I’ll just leave you two alone so you can speak in private.”

  With a surprisingly quick gait, he hustled out of the room, practically dragging the last two stragglers with him. He shut the door behind them with a decided click.

  Okay. Good. Wolf was completely alone with Hailey. Here was his chance. “I really am sorry I didn’t call you all week.”

  She regarded him with a complicated array of female emotions no man could ever hope to decipher. “Understandable. I gave you a lot to think about.”

  “Nevertheless,” he said carefully, not sure why she was being so nice about this. “My silence was rude.”

  “Okay, yes, it was rude. But you’re forgiven.” Her tone held nothing but sincerity. The woman was actually letting him off the hook. No questions asked. No explanations needed. Grace personified.

  Wolf’s heart dipped in his chest. But then reality set in. “Hailey, I like you,” he admitted. “More than I can put into words.”

  “But…?”

  Grimacing, he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Who said there’s a ‘but’?”

  “There’s always a ‘but’ when a man starts a sentence with those three horrible words, I like you.” She sighed dramatically. “It’s the kiss of death to any relationship.”

  They had a relationship?

  Of course they did. But not like she meant. And not like he wanted.

  “Okay, you’re right. There is a ‘but.’ You see, no matter how much I like you, and would love to explore what comes next, we can’t forget that Clay is standing between us. And probably always will.”

  Even if Wolf managed to keep Hailey out of the Middle East, even if she didn’t grow to hate him because of it, they would never know if they were together because of their shared bond over Clay or because they truly worked as a couple.

  Talk about a stalemate.

  She notched her chin a fraction higher. “Then we have to get to know one another without him around.”

  Not possible. “How do you suggest we do that?”

  “We go somewhere that doesn’t remind either of us of my brother.”

  He snorted. “That place doesn’t exist.”

  Her gaze turned thoughtful. Planting one hand on her hip, she tapped her chin with the other. “We just need to find a way to understand one another’s position better, without your promise to Clay muddying the process.”

  As if he was the only stubborn one in the room. “Or your determination to honor his death complicating things, either.”

  “Fair enough.”

  She fell silent and got a faraway look in her eyes. “Perhaps instead of looking to the future, we have to go back to the past. Yes, that just might be the answer.”

  He hated that idea. His past was best left buried. He regretted revealing the ugly circumstances of his childhood to this woman, yet it was too late to recall the words. Besides, Wolf wasn’t ready to quit on her, on them. “What did you have in mind?”

  “I need to introduce you to the person I used to be. Then you’ll better understand the person I’ve become and why I have to go to the Middle East as planned.”

  Why would Wolf want to meet the old Hailey? He liked the new one just fine.

  “Come on, Wolf. We have to try something.”

  She seemed pretty definite, like she had it all figured out in her head. Which did not instill a lot of confidence in him. On the contrary. “What sort of ‘something’ are we talking about here?”

  “Well…” She secured her gaze on a spot just off center of his face. “I have to attend a dinner and silent auction this weekend. We’re raising money for inner-city children.”

  Despite the noble cause, Wolf felt his shoulders bunch with tension. “Where’s this event being held?”

  “At the country club.”

  No way. He’d been to a country club once. In college, with a girl he’d been dating at the time. He couldn’t remember the particulars, but he remembered feeling uncomfortable and out of place all night long. The evening had ended badly. “I don’t do country clubs.”

  “But surely you’ll make an exception this time.” She touched his arm and gave him “the look,” the same one that had prompted him to fire up his motorcycle against his better judgment.

  The woman had a way of making him forget logic and reason.

  He choked down a gulp of air.

  “The dinner is the most efficient way for me to show you who I used to be.”

  He didn’t want to know. No good could come of this. “I don’t own a tux,” he said, cringing at the note of desperation he heard in his voice.

  “Wear your dress blues.” She gave him a good, long once-over. “It’s hard to resist a man in uniform.”

  Doomed. He was absolutely powerless in the face of all that female persuasion. “All right. I’ll go.” He grasped at the remaining scrap of his pride. “Under one condition.”

  Her lips curled into a feline smile. “Name it.”

  Oh, she was feeling smug now. Let’s see how long that lasts.

  “I’ll brave the country club with you—” he nearly choked on the
words “—if you go skydiving with me first.”

  She gave him a burst of strangled laughter. Her gaze darted around the room, landing everywhere but on him. “I couldn’t possibly jump out of an airplane.”

  Of course not. Hence the suggestion. “That’s my condition, Hailey.” He held firm. “Take it or leave it.”

  She gaped at him for several seconds. “You’re serious.”

  “I am.” He gave her his best wolf grin. Yeah, he had a few tricks himself. “Not to worry, though. I’ll make sure you get proper training before you have to jump out on your own.”

  “You want me to jump a…alone?” she squeaked. “Not hooked to someone who knows what he’s doing?”

  “I’ll be right next to you, holding on until you pull the rip cord.”

  “I…I…”

  “Where’s that new adventurous streak of yours?” he goaded. “The one that’s gonna carry you halfway across the world to a war-torn region?”

  She muttered something under her breath, the words sounding jumbled and not very nice at all. Something about a baboon and unfair tactics and…

  Best not to decode the rest.

  “Come on, Hailey. All you have to do is go skydiving with me—” he held a perfectly timed pause “—and then I’ll brave the big, bad country club with you.”

  He crossed his arms in front of his chest and smiled. He had her. There would be no country club in his future.

  But then she straightened her shoulders and pulled her lips into a tight little rosebud of defiance. “All right, big boy. You’re on. I’ll go skydiving with you.” Yeah, right.

  He leaned in close to her ear, turning the screws. “Bring your sunscreen, baby, we’re going to get pretty high up there. Wouldn’t want you to get burned.”

  “Don’t you worry about me, baby. I’ll be fine. Super-duper fine.” She poked him hard in the chest.

  “Just make sure your dress uniform is clean by Saturday night. I want to show you off to all the fine ladies of Savannah. They love getting to know young, good-looking, single military officers.”

  He nearly choked on his own breath.

  Somehow, while he’d been congratulating himself on his own brilliance, she’d done it again. The feisty little tiger had turned the tables on him.