The Way To A Soldier's Heart

She wondered if there was something going on in this conversation she wasn’t fully aware of. She was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable with this handsome stranger’s focus on her and her family, though he was probably only trying to pass the time. There was enough of a drawl in his deep voice to let her know chatting with strangers was as familiar to him as to anyone south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

“Are you in Shorty’s Landing on vacation?” she asked, deciding it was time to turn the conversation to him.

He didn’t seem to mind. “Mostly business. I’m making sales pitches to some of the resorts in the area.”

This seemed an innocuous enough topic for two thirtysomething professionals. “What business are you in?”

“Risk management consulting. I’m a partner in a family-owned company, Scanlon Risk Management, Inc. We’re based out of Fayetteville, North Carolina, my hometown.”

“Which resorts have you visited so far?” she asked while she processed that unexpected response. There were several popular resorts within a twenty-mile stretch of coastline around Shorty’s Landing. Shane had a target-rich environment if he was pitching to tourist establishments.

“I arrived in the area only yesterday, so the meetings have just started,” he replied. “I have an appointment with the owner of Wind Shadow Resort this afternoon.”

“Trevor Farrell,” she said with a smile. The luxurious Wind Shadow Resort was only about twenty minutes by car from The Perkery. In addition to having visited for various social events, she served quite a few guests from there who wandered into Shorty’s Landing to explore and shop.

“I’ve known Trevor for several years. A very nice man. He’s known particularly for hiring and working with veterans,” she added, thinking of Shane’s military background.

“Yes, I’ve heard that. It’s a practice he and I have in common in our businesses.”

So, she mused, Shane Scanlon worked in his family business and believed in giving back to the military community. He sounded upstanding enough, but that was accepting him only on his own words. She’d learned the hard way not to take anyone at face value.

“From the military to a risk management career. That’s quite a leap. My mother was apparently right that you’ve led an interesting life,” she said lightly. “We won’t tell her, though. It would only reinforce her fantasy that she has a special sight.”

He chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind. Though I’m not sure how following my family’s tradition of serving a couple of hitches in the army, then joining the business my dad and uncle started would qualify as particularly exciting.”

Judging by her own instinctive reactions to him, she suspected this man was considerably more interesting than he let on. Maybe more than even he realized. For some reason, he didn’t strike her as the risk management type. She’d have pegged him as something much more adventurous—which only proved yet again that she was no more clairvoyant than her mother. “Was it always your plan to join the family business when you got out?”

He hesitated just long enough to make her wonder if she’d accidentally touched a nerve. Perhaps their coffee break small talk had edged into more personal territory than either of them had predicted. Still, he replied matter-of-factly, “At the time I enlisted, I was considering other options for my future. My brother, Charlie, was going to take over the family business. But he died in Afghanistan two years ago, and when Dad passed away last year, I made the choice to help keep the company going. It’s been a challenge, but we’re doing well now. I made the right decision.”

It was more information than Elle had expected, perhaps more than Shane had intended to reveal. A lot to digest at once. He had suffered two major losses in a very short time. Though he’d spoken without inflection, she still sensed the deep emotion in him. Having lost her own much-loved father only four years ago, she knew how it felt and how the pain lingered.

She couldn’t help wondering if Shane was unconsciously defending his resulting career choice as much to himself as to her. Far be it from her to criticize anyone for sacrificing for the sake of family, but she couldn’t help thinking of her ex-husband’s long-pent-up rebellion against following a path that hadn’t felt true to him. Which didn’t mean Shane was anything like Glenn, she reminded herself rather crossly. Maybe the family business was exactly what Shane wanted.

She gave him a look of apology. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t interrogating you. I tend to ask too many questions sometimes when I’m getting to know someone. A habit I picked up from my mother, I’m afraid.”

He wiped a dot of chocolate from his lips with a napkin. Even as that movement drew her attention to his sexy mouth, she was gratified to see that he didn’t look annoyed. “How else would you get any information?”

“Right?” She was pleased he understood, despite her gaffes. “But just so you know, I don’t take offense when I’m told to back off.”

“I’ll keep that in mind for future conversations,” he murmured, those very nice lips quirking into a half smile.

He seemed to be taking for granted that there would be future conversations. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She wasn’t looking for a romantic involvement at this busy stage of her life, and certainly not a long-distance one. Still, she had to admit she was intrigued by the possibility of future interactions. As much as she’d unexpectedly learned about Shane Scanlon in the past ten minutes, she’d only scratched the surface.

A small group of employees from the pharmacy down the street entered with a burst of rather noisy laughter. Elle stood quickly. “This was nice, Shane, but I should get back to work.”

Abandoning whatever he’d been about to say, Shane stood as she did. “Of course. I have to be going, anyway. Thanks for the coffee and conversation. I enjoyed it.”

She smiled up at him. “Questions and all?”

“Questions and all.”

Oh, those dimples were dangerous! Stifling a sigh, Elle turned to check on her daughter. Seeing that Charlotte was still playing with her toys, she glanced back to Shane. “I hope your meetings go well.”

His eyes looked very blue as they locked with hers. “Thank you.”

“I’ll see you again?” she couldn’t help asking, totally flirting.

He inclined his head just slightly. “Count on it.”

Slowly rounding the counter, she watched as he left the shop and strode down the sidewalk. A little sigh escaped her.

“You see?” her mom startled her by asking from directly behind her. “I was right, wasn’t I? Something exciting is about to happen for you, and I think that charming man has something to do with it.”

Elle shook her head as if to physically clear it. “We have customers, Mom. And more will be in soon. Maybe you could take Charlotte for a potty break while I take orders?” Potty training was still an act-in-progress, but Charlotte was cooperating, for the most part, and Elle’s mom was fully on-board with the program.

“I would be delighted.” Her mom picked up the babbling toddler, but glanced meaningfully at Elle as she did so, just to make it clear she recognized the deliberate distraction.

Elle ordered herself to concentrate on her work. Her mother’s prognostications notwithstanding, it remained to be seen whether Shane Scanlon was just another engaging tourist...or a man who was as interesting as he seemed.

* * *

SITTING BEHIND THE wheel of his car in a motel parking lot, Shane looked down at the printed snapshot in his hand. When he’d received the photo a week or so earlier, he’d been struck by the attractiveness of the woman in the center of the shot. Now he knew the picture didn’t do full justice to the vibrant, animated woman who’d shared coffee with him that morning. Elle O’Meara.

In the photograph, she smiled brightly as she pushed a stroller through a park. The wind lifted her honey-brown hair and the sunlight glittered in her warm brown eyes as she gazed down at the laughing, pink-cheeked child. The wholesomely appealing scene could have been staged for a magazine ad. During the past few days, Shane had studied the photo enough to memorize every detail, but still he’d been startled by how strongly seeing Charlotte—and Elle—in person had affected him.

Elle had been gracious to him during their two brief encounters. Funny, encouraging. Inquisitive in a friendly, interested manner, though she’d backed off quickly when she’d stumbled into painful memories on his part. He’d seen the compassion on her face when she’d learned of his losses, but she’d obviously understood he hadn’t wanted to go into details. As it was, he’d told her more than he’d intended. Elle was certainly easy to talk to. He could easily imagine having long, wide-ranging conversations with her. The fantasy was as enticing as it was unlikely.

He stuffed the photo back into its envelope, then stashed it under the passenger seat, feeling rather foolishly furtive as he did so. It wasn’t as if Elle would see into the envelope if she strolled past the car. He really wasn’t cut out for this undercover stuff.

He wondered how Elle’s hospitable attitude toward him would change if she found out his biological connection to her daughter. He’d debated how best to approach her since he’d learned her name a few weeks ago. He still wasn’t certain that telling her everything would be the best move on his part.

Judging just by his first impressions, she seemed to be family-oriented. She’d arranged her work schedule to maximize time with Charlotte, though he wasn’t sure a coffee shop was the best place for a toddler to spend her days. Elle had even hired her oddball mother to work with her. So perhaps she’d at least somewhat understand the family commitments that would compel a man to hire a private investigator, to put his own life on hold, to be prepared to bargain or bribe if necessary just to track down one small child. Or maybe she wouldn’t.

Elle could send him away once she learned the truth. Could refuse to even talk with him again if she found out who he was. But for both business and personal reasons, he was going to risk hanging around a little longer. For his family’s sake. For his own. And most of all, for the promise he’d made to his late brother, Charlie.

Charlotte’s biological father.

CHAPTER TWO (#u7b95896e-438e-52d0-b22b-6aa8c1c30c27)

“SO WE’RE AGREED? We’ll stay with the schedule we have now at least through the end of the year?”

Kristen Boyd nodded in response to Elle’s question, but her faraway expression made Elle wonder if her partner had been paying attention during their Thursday afternoon business meeting. “Kristen? You’re listening, right?”

“What? Oh, right. Yes, the weekend menu is fine with me.”

Elle swiveled in her seat to frown at her partner, who sat next to her at the small desk they shared in the tiny office tucked into a corner of the shop, just off the kitchen. She noted that Kristen’s eyes were clouded and her right hand was tangled in her thick blond curls, a sure sign Kristen’s thoughts were far away.

“We weren’t talking about the menu. We were discussing the weekend work schedule. DeShawn wants to work an extra hour this Sunday to make up for the time he missed during midterms last week. That’s okay with you, right?”