A knock on the front door snapped me out of my stupor. I glanced at Ma who hadn’t even budged from her spot near the stove before I strode off to get the door. As soon as I caught a glimpse of the woman behind the door, my stomach dropped into my ass.
A small portion of Evelyn’s hair was pulled away from her face in a small ponytail, while the rest of the curls framed her face. A thick-rimmed pair of glasses framed her curious eyes. She wore a yellow flowing dress with knee-high brown boots. She was breathtaking. My nerves were firing all at once, craving to pull her into my arms.
“Good evening, Flynn.” She gripped a familiar-looking locket around her neck with her fingers. My eyes drifted lower. Her cleavage was on display, but I averted my gaze as I cleared my throat. She was never the type to ogle, but fuck if I didn’t want to.
“What’re you here for?” My voice came out hoarse as I avoided her captivating gaze.
She stepped a little closer. I caught a whiff of lilies in blossom mixed with vanilla, a scent I’d found comfort in years ago. I lowered my head and breathed in the nostalgic smell before I snapped myself upright.
Don’t be a fucking weirdo.
“Your mom invited me for dinner. I can go if you don’t want me here.” Her bottom lip pouted out as her eyes peered up at me.
I coughed, shaking my head. How could I not want her here? “Come in. She’s in the kitchen.” I stepped back to allow her room to walk by me.
Her shoulder brushed against my chest as she walked in and made her way into the kitchen. Her smell intoxicated me. “Good evening, Mrs. Rockwell.”
“Hello, dear! How are you this evening?” Ma’s voice went up a pitch as she spoke to Evelyn. She’d always adored her, but then so did I.
I lingered near the archway between the kitchen and living room. They spoke like old friends, and it reminded me of the times she’d come by when we were in high school.
“Flynn?” Ma asked, walking over to me.
My brows raised. “Yeah?”
She chuckled, but I didn’t miss the mischievous glint in her eye. “I forgot the garlic bread. I need to run to the store. Keep Evelyn company while I’m gone.”
My mouth went dry. Alone… with Evelyn? I shook my head. “I can just run out and grab it. You two seem to be getting along great—”
“I’m going, dear. Toodles!” She ignored me, grabbing her purse and walking straight out the door.
A heavy silence settled over Evelyn and me, thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. Our gazes locked, and it sent a jolt down my spine. We stared back at each other for a few minutes until she dropped her gaze.
“It’s good to see you.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. She looked back up at me with a gentle flush of pink that had risen on her cheeks. It made her look vulnerable. That kind of blushing showed her soul, a compliment to her honey-brown eyes and the delicate sweetness within.
I let out a steady stream of air. “You look good, more mature.”
Mature in the way that she’d developed a sexy as fuck attitude and filled out from high school. I pushed those thoughts away. Evelyn wasn’t just some girl. She was the one that got away—the one I pushed away.
Her lips curved into a breathtaking smile. “Well, it’s been ten years, Flynn.”
“Ten years,” I repeated. “Damn, that’s a long time.”
Her smile dropped as she shook her head and took a seat at the table. Pain flashed in her eyes before she’d turned away from me. It struck a nerve. “Too long. How’ve you been? Your mom mentioned you were a soldier all this time.”
I hesitated before taking the seat next to her. It’d been so long since I’d felt this comfortable in the presence of another person. “I enlisted in the Army. I went active duty as an infantryman.”
Her hands carved through her curls, holding them back before releasing them. The curls bounced around her face as her brows drew together. “Military really was where you went. I didn’t expect that. You mentioned the Army in passing when we were young, but I never knew you were so serious about it.”
“Well, I was.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “I wish I’d known back then.”
Her face crumpled, and I knew she was remembering that I’d up and left without telling her. And shit, that made me feel like an asshole—okay, I was an asshole—but I’d never wanted to hurt her.
I opened my mouth to speak, but she continued, “So, why’d you come back?”
My mouth shut. It was a question I wasn’t prepared to answer. But with her staring at me expecting an answer, I had to tell her. I swallowed thickly. “Came back because I lost my right leg, knee down.” I slapped my right thigh. “Got a prosthetic, but I’m still getting used to it. It’s a bitch, and the lower back and hip pain that comes with it is bullshit.”
Her stare lingered on my leg, and her hand covered her mouth. “Flynn, I had no idea.”
I gave a half-smile as she pulled her gaze away from my leg to meet mine. “You weren’t supposed to.”
She flinched as if my words had slapped her before letting out a sigh. “You really don’t want me knowing anything, do you?”
I glanced to the side. “I don’t want anyone knowing anything. It’s nothing against you.”
“It didn’t use to be that way,” she whispered. “When did it happen?”
“About a year ago. I’ve been in recovery for physical therapy, but I’m a one hundred percent disabled veteran now.”
Her hand landed on my forearm, and warmth from her touch spread over
