Make Mine A Marine. Candace Havens

leaned back again. “I’m sorry you’ve had such a bad time. I’ve only known you a day, but you seem pretty nice. And no one deserves to be treated like that.”

      No pity, just kindness. She appreciated that.

      “Thanks. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?” And then she slapped a hand across her mouth. Why did she keep saying such dumb things? “Sorry.”

      He frowned. “For what?”

      “I keep saying silly things like that around you. I’m sure you’ve had to deal with really serious things—way tougher than anything I might have been through. I mean, nothing compares to what you guys have to endure when you’re deployed. I’ve heard stories from some of the veterans at the diner. I’m always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time—”

      “You don’t need to be careful with me,” he said. “My parents walked on eggshells whenever I came home, and it drove me crazy. Mom tried to put whale sounds in my room to keep me calm. Well, I kind of liked the whales. But I do what I do because I like the idea of making a difference. Being a Marine does that for me. And I’ve had it easier than most.

      “Mom and Dad always did things their own way. We were never what you’d call normal. Of course, I’d give anything to have them around now to drive me nuts. Just know, with me, you can say whatever you want. I don’t ever think about comparing my life with anyone’s. Everybody goes through tough times. Sounds like you’ve had your fair share.”

      Until I met you today. “I had a Sunday school teacher once who said that sometimes we put obstacles in our path, and sometimes they are put there to guide us down the right path. I never really understood that until this year. I don’t know where my path is going, but Nashville was definitely a wrong turn for me. I learned a lot of lessons there, none of which I intend to repeat.”

      “I don’t usually believe in all those universe theories, but something good led you to my estate sale today, so I’m grateful.”

      Shoot. She was grateful for the change of subject. “That’s sweet. I was glad to help.”

      “Can I ask you something?” He shifted from where he’d been sitting.

      “Sure. You know the majority of my darkest secrets.” At least the most recent ones.

      “Why don’t you do this—the antiques thing—for a living?”

      She glanced away from him and stared out at the water. Her dream had been so close to her heart for so long. Each time she thought she might be a step closer, something else happened.

      “Hey,” he said, touching her shoulder lightly, and she looked at him. “No judgments. I promise.”

      He stared at her intently. She could get so lost in those eyes.

      Friend. Keep him in the friend zone.

      “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

3

      MATT LIKED LISTENING to Chelly talk about her idea for a junk repurposing business. She was so passionate about it, and her hands and mouth were going a hundred miles an hour. The towel slipped off her shoulder and exposed her bikini top. Thankfully, those dolphins showed up when they did earlier, or she would have seen his erection. When she’d bent over to touch the starfish, he couldn’t look away from her perfect butt. She was curvy in all the right places and seemed so comfortable with her body. He liked a woman who was confident.

      Chelly cleared her throat. “I’m boring you. Sorry.”

      “Not at all. So you take the old furniture, like my mom has in the garage, and turn it around and sell it for a profit?”

      “Your mom’s furniture, at least what I saw of it, you would never touch. Painting or staining those things can ruin the value of the piece. But like that one desk we sold today—the school desk? It’s something that I could paint or do a fun pattern on or switch it into something else and it would bring in more money than the original would.”

      “And you want to sell online?” He was getting the gist and trying to think of a way to give her a hand. That was something his mom had instilled in him. When you could do something nice for someone, you did it.

      “To start with, yes. Someday I’d love to also have a storefront. And my ultimate goal is to build up my cash reserves so I can buy a retail warehouse. I never want to be in debt, so I’d save up first. I’m thinking solar panels for the roof to get off the grid as much as possible and save on costs and spare the earth. I know it’s probably a long way off, but a girl’s gotta dream. I like being self-sustainable.”

      “I get it,” he said. And he did. An idea began to form in his mind. “So what if...and it’s okay for you to say no.”

      She bit her lip. He noticed she did that when she was worried. “What did you have in mind?”

      “We might be able to help each other out and in the process get your business started.”

      Her eyes widenened. She asked, “How?”

      “It’s clear that I have no clue what to do with all of my parents’ belongings. Some of those furnishings I want to save for my place, which I’m going to start building, but the rest I need to sell. Maybe you could assist me with that. I could give you a percentage and then anything that you might be able to repurpose, you could have for your business. I’d only be taking those items to the dump or giving them to charity, anyway.”

      “You don’t have to do that. I’d help you for free,” she said. Still, she wouldn’t look at him. He’d pay big bucks to know what she was thinking just then.

      “Nope. I need an expert and this only works if I feel it’s fair. You made me over six thousand today. I realize I keep saying that, but it’s so much more than I ever imagined. You get that I have no experience at this, and you’d be protecting me, as well. Making sure I get decent prices. You could build up an inventory. I bet that’s important. My mom used to have a store, which is why we have all this crap in the first place.”

      “She had an antiques store? Now it makes sense. Everything was from different time periods and styles, and I couldn’t figure out how she would fit all of that in one house.” She smiled then, and her gaze met his. “It’s not crap, by the way. She had exquisite taste.”

      “See? That’s why I need you.” He did.

      “Do you do this with everyone you meet? Try to fix them? Sort out their lives? Is that, like, your thing?”

      He crossed his legs and sat up. “What do you mean?”

      “Saving damsels in distress. You’re a Marine. You’re probably wired to rescue people.”

      Maybe he was, but it started a long time before the Marines. “You don’t really seem the type that needs to be rescued. I was thinking more of you being the one to save me, which is why it’s okay if you say no. There won’t be any hard feelings on my part.”

      She shook her head. “You’re kind of a wonder, Matt. I’m not sure what to think.”

      Given what she’d been through, she probably was a little shy about trusting anyone. He had the same problem, and he wasn’t quite sure why he was inviting her into his life. Over the past few months he’d done little except focus on work and make lists about what he wanted in his new house. Thinking of building it was the only light he had at the end of the tunnel.

      He’d been forcing himself to go out with his friends, but more than anything he wanted to be on his own. To live peacefully. Get everything organized so he could move forward. He liked things ordered.

      He had a feeling chaos followed Chelly, but there was something special about her. Something that called to him. The last few hours on the beach had been some of the most peaceful he’d experienced.

      “You