Wounded (An Aspen Series Novella) (Prequel to Relentless) (2 page)

“That’s what you keep telling me, but that’s not
what I’m seeing.  If you love him so much then tell me what you’re going to do
to get him back.”

“I don’t know.”  There was no doubt she wanted to
mend things between them, but how?  “I’m willing to do anything.”

“I’m pretty sure I know where he’ll be tonight.” 
Her friend widened her blue eyes and blinked several times in a flirtatious
gesture.

“I can’t.”  The thought of a public display of
any kind freaked her out.

Noelle nodded, encouraging her.

“Seeing him for the first time in months?  In
front of all his friends?”

“You’re the one who wants to make amends.  Go to
Sparrow’s dressed all sexy.  Buy the man a drink.  You know he won’t be able to
resist you.”

“That’s the problem.  I’m afraid he can.”

Noelle shrugged.  “There’s only one way to find
out.”

*        *        *

The cool, dim atmosphere of Sparrow’s was a
direct contrast to the warm and brilliant glare of the sun outside, and it hit
Jerry like a soothing balm.  Eighties rock music chimed from the jukebox in the
corner.  Since it was barely past four in the afternoon, the bar was relatively
quiet.  The lunch bunch had gone home, and the early dinner crowd and later
drinkers had not yet arrived.  Thank God.

He needed somewhere to hide for a few minutes, somewhere
to gather himself after seeing both Kimber
and
her father within seconds
of getting to town.  He didn’t need to be reminded the moment he returned of
everything he’d lost.

He claimed an empty stool at the end of the bar,
the farthest away from the door.

“Well, hello, J.T.”  The blond female bartender grinned
as she approached him, flashing her dimples along with a decent amount of
cleavage.  “Good to see you all in one piece.”

“Hey, Becky.”  They’d flirted off and on since
high school, but nothing had ever come of it.  For some reason, their timing
had always been off.  He glanced at her left hand, and sure enough, a new
diamond twinkled in the glow from the subdued overhead lighting.  “Heard you
got married.”

“I did.”  Her smile grew brighter.  “I wasn’t too
sure about Brandon when we met, but he was persistent, and he finally got me to
see things his way.”

“You look happy.”  The twinge of jealousy burning
inside him flared.

“I am.  I never realized marriage could be this
good.”

“Yeah.”  He forced a smile.  “I sure could use a
beer if you don’t mind.”

Her glowing smile morphed into understanding.  “Sure
thing.  How about one on the house?  It’s not every day we get to welcome one
of our boys home.”

“That would be great.”

She filled a tankard with golden beer and set it
in front of him as the door to the bar opened letting in filtered light.  Becky
glanced at the newest customer before looking back at him.  “I’ll be back in a
few to check on you.”

Jerry looked over his shoulder to see Brandon
greet her with a kiss.

Love.

He took a healthy swallow of beer.  To hell with
it.

The atmosphere lightened again as more customers
came inside, but Jerry didn’t bother to see who’d entered.  He just wanted to
sit quietly and nurse his beer.  He needed a few moments to settle and to
remember what it was like to be in his comfortable, safe hometown.  Afghanistan
had been harsh.  The V.A. hospital had been a little better, but there was
nothing like coming home.

“Good God,” a male voice sounded behind him.  “Look
what the cat dragged in.”

He recognized the voice and turned, his lips
automatically curving into a smile when his gaze connected with Milo Sykes’s.  “Shit.” 
He stood, and the two men hugged, clapping each other on the back.  “I should
have known I’d run into you here.”

“Hell, yeah.  Where else in town can a guy find a
little excitement?”  He grinned.  Milo had always been a good-natured,
fun-loving guy, and that, along with his blond hair and blue eyes made him the
perfect lady-magnet.

Jerry nodded.  “You ain’t kidding.”

Milo took the seat next to him, and Becky brought
him a beer.  “Luke’s just outside.  He accidentally hit some fancy black Camaro
with his truck.”

Jerry choked on his beer as he jumped out of his
seat.  “What?”

Milo laughed and shook his head.  “I’m just
kidding.”

He punched his friend’s arm.  “Not funny.  That’s
my new lady you’re talking about.  I just put six months of savings down on
her, and I’d like to pay off the loan before anyone trashes her.”

“Sorry.”  Milo grinned, his blue eyes flashing.  “You
were an easy mark.”

He frowned at the comment.  He was tired of being
an easy mark.  “How did you know it was mine?”

“I stopped to talk to my boss a few seconds ago,
and he told me he caught you speeding through town.  Luke really is outside.  He’s
checking out your new ride.”

Jerry smiled, his emotions settling.  Nothing
like being back with his buddies to keep him humble and keep him happy.  “Yeah,
well, he’d better not touch her.”

Milo tilted back his glass, taking a drink,
before sliding his gaze to Jerry.  “What about Kimber?  Are you planning on
seeing her?”

“Nope.”  He refrained from mentioning his earlier
encounter.  Milo was a smart guy.  He’d quickly piece together the sighting of
Kimber and the subsequent speeding, and Jerry would never live it down.

“It’s a small town, man.  If you stay long, you
know you’re going to run into her.”

“I’ll deal with it when I have to.  If I see her
on Eric’s arm, I’m liable to punch someone.”

“Uh...”  Milo looked around.  Luke had entered
the building and was approaching, but other than that, no one was near.  He
leaned in closer to Jerry.  “Didn’t anyone tell you?  She dumped Eric on his
ass faster than she did you.  I think they lasted all of one week.”

“It’s true,” Luke said as he reached them and
stuck out his hand.  “Good to see you, man.”  The overhead light caught on one
of the small silver hoops his friend wore as a show of rebellion.  He’d been
the subject of some nasty gossip over the years, most of which had faded, but
it had left its scars.

Jerry grasped his hand and shook it, his emotions
at war between his happiness at seeing his friends and his confusion over Milo’s
news.

“What do you mean, she dumped him?”

“Flat on his ass.  He’s been trying to get her
back ever since, but she’s not having any of it.”  Luke sat next to Milo.  “Who
the hell knows what goes through women’s minds?  If you ask me, they’re all
mental.”

It was a known fact that Luke had had his share
of trouble with women, starting with Hannah Morgan back in high school.

Jerry kept his face passive, but his insides were
a battlefield.  There was the dumbass part of him who rejoiced to find her
still single.  But then there was the smart half who repeated over and over
that it didn’t make a damn bit of difference.  She might have dumped Eric, but
she’d done the same damn thing to him.  “It doesn’t matter if she’s with Eric or
not.  She made it clear she doesn’t want anything more to do with me.  So, it’s
like I said before, I don’t have any intention of seeing her.  If and when I
do, I’ll deal with it.”  He shrugged.  “We’re finished.  I’ve moved on.  I’m
just looking forward to the day when she realizes what she lost, and she finds
herself swimming in regret.”

Milo narrowed his eyes.  “You sure about that? 
My professional opinion says you’re protesting a little too much.”

“The hell.”  Jerry snorted and buried himself in
another drink of beer.  Milo had served his time in the military as well,
learning some badass sharp-shooting skills.  He got educated and had honed his
people-reading skills, only to take a job as a small-town deputy.  Some said it
was a waste of talent.  Jerry used to wonder the same thing, but now that he’d
spent time serving his country, he understood Milo’s craving for the quieter
way of life.

Either way, he was pretty damn sure his friend
had seen right through him.  But there was no way he was admitting anything.  “Can
we just drink some beer and leave women out of it?”

“Here, here.”  Luke lifted his glass in a mocking
toast.  “Life is much simpler that way.”

Jerry drained the last of his beer.  “Tell you
what, I have to go home before too long or my mom will be pissed.  She’s got
this big family dinner planned.  How about we meet back here later?”  It was
Friday night, and none of them had work in the morning.

“Luke and I were planning on staying here for
dinner, and I’m pretty sure we’ll be here when you get back,” Milo replied.

Luke nodded his agreement.  “Scott and Tyler will
most likely stop by, too.  Not much else going on.  Scott owes me a game of
pool.”

“And Sierra’s expecting me to be here to dance.” 
Milo grinned.  Out of the five of them, he was the biggest flirt.

Jerry left, happy with the knowledge he had
somewhere to go later on.  He expected his family’s homecoming to be emotional,
and knowing he had somewhere to escape to would make it bearable.

*        *        *

Jerry’s Camaro kicked up a fine layer of dust as
he left the paved road and traveled down the long gravel and dirt drive to his
parent’s home.  The old red-brick two-story home surrounded by oak trees and
pines that were far older than he was had been his foundation.  He’d had an
upbringing most would covet.  Two parents who still loved each other.  Three
brothers and a sister who had played together as much as they’d fought, and who’d
grown up genuinely caring about one another.  His grandparents had passed, but
plenty of extended family still lived in the area, and they were all pretty
close, too.  More than anything, he wanted to continue that tradition with his
own wife and kids.

The numerous trucks, cars and SUVs that lined his
parents’ drive were proof of the closeness of his family.  They’d all come out
to welcome him home.  He wasn’t surprised, but it still touched his heart.

He turned down his stereo as he neared the house,
now a little uncertain about the grand entrance he’d planned of showing up in a
hot car, looking, on the surface, like a big, bad soldier returning from war.  But
now that he was home, he realized these were the people he shouldn’t have to
pretend with.

He wasn’t sure they would understand how things
had changed since he’d left. 
He’d
changed.  Now that he’d been out and
experienced the harsh, real world, he was no longer the naive man who thought
he knew everything.

War had left its mark, and there was no undoing
that.

Kimber hadn’t been able to deal with it.  Would
they?  She’d run at the first sign of danger.  There was no way she could
handle hearing about the ugly side of war.  About the men they’d killed.

It turned out the volume of his music didn’t
matter.  His mom had set up picnic tables beneath the grand oak next to the
house, and most of his family had gathered there.  He’d barely exited his car
before a squeal rippled through the air, and his beautiful sister came running
for him.

The youngest of the bunch, Starlee had been
spoiled because she was the only girl.  Their mother treasured her, and all
four of her brothers had watched and protected her.

“Oh my God, Jerry.”  Tears streamed down her face
as she leapt into his open arms.  He buried his face in her soft, blond hair,
fighting like crazy to keep his own emotions under control.  At nineteen, she
was the picture of innocence, and the perfect example of why he’d been willing
to lay down his life to protect his country and family.

“Hey.  It’s okay.”  He pulled back, and she
swiped at the moisture on her cheeks.  “Your big bro is home, safe and sound.”

“But you weren’t.  They shot you.”

“Yeah, well, they weren’t tough enough to kill
me.  And look...”  He held open his arms and turned in a circle.  “I’m as good
as new.”

Her lips puckered together as though she was
trying to hold back her words.  “Mom says you have a limp.”

He rolled his eyes.  Leave it to his mother to
tell everyone the details.  “It’s only a little one.  If I keep up with the
therapy, doc says I can overcome it.  And you know me.  I’m not about to let
anything stand in my way.”

She nodded, seeming to accept his answer.

He’d spare her the grueling details of how much
torture he’d gone through to get back to where he was.  It wouldn’t do anyone
any good, and he’d make sure he kept those details from his gossiping mother as
well.

Most of the rest of his family had heard the
commotion and were now making their way toward him.

His mother was the next to greet him.  New
wrinkles had marked the corners of her eyes and around her mouth.  A few more
gray hairs had sprouted near her temples, and he was sure he’d probably
contributed to most of them.  Still, she managed to hang on to the grace and
beauty of her youth.

“Mom,” he said, and she pulled him into her
arms.  He inhaled, dragging the lavender scent of comfort into his lungs,
letting it shelter his wounded soul.

“God, Jerry.  I don’t know if I should strangle
you for what you’ve put us through, or brag to the world about my courageous
son.”

Leave it to his mother to make him laugh.  “I
vote for option number two.”

She shook her head in gentle admonition as she
let the rest of the family have a turn at greeting him.

“Welcome home, son.”  His dad shook his hand and
then pulled him in for a hug.  The fact that his father would act on his
emotions proved how shaken he’d been by Jerry’s injuries.  “Glad you’re okay.”

“I’m doing well,” he said to the older version of
himself.  “Almost a hundred percent healed.”

“Good.”  His dad smiled, wrinkles fanning out
from his eyes as well.  It had only been five months since he’d last seen his
parents, but it seemed as though they’d aged many years.  “Your brothers are
out back playing tag football with your cousins.  Go say hello.”