A Soldier's Return. Judy Christenberry

looking back.

      Jim nodded. After a minute he said, “Yes, I am. I missed lunch.”

      Vivian gasped. “Why didn’t you say something?”

      “There wasn’t time. Besides, I’ve gone without meals before. It’s no big deal.”

      “We’ll have dinner as soon as we get home,” Vivian assured him. Then she took out her cell phone and dialed the housekeeper. After giving rapid-fire instructions, she clicked off the call and smiled over her shoulder at Jim. “Betty was appalled. She doesn’t like for anyone to miss a meal. She’ll probably meet you at the door with hors d’oeuvres.”

      “I don’t want to be any trouble,” Jim replied.

      Carrie thought if he moved any closer to the car door, he’d open it and escape. He looked so uncomfortable.

      To make him feel better, she said, “It’s true. Betty lives to feed a hungry man. If Will hadn’t married Vivian, she would’ve started carrying food to his apartment.”

      Jim’s laugh was strained.

      “She’s right, Jim,” Will said. “And nothing pleases Betty more than compliments. That’s a good thing to remember.” As he finished speaking, he slowed down to pull into the driveway of their home.

      Vivian took Jim’s arm again and led the way into the house. Betty met them, telling Jim she had hors d’oeuvres ready in the morning room. “You come right in, you poor man.”

      “Thank you, Betty,” Jim said.

      “They should be right behind us, Betty,” Will told her.

      “No matter. This man needs nourishment at once.”

      Jim selected a sausage roll off the plate Betty offered. He took a bite and said, “These are great, Betty.”

      He was a quick learner, Carrie chuckled to herself as she saw Betty beam at his compliment.

      When the rest of the family arrived, the housekeeper herded them all into the dining room. Carrie was seated next to Jim, who was barraged by questions from his curious sisters and Vivian. Even though Carrie had only met the man hours ago, she seemed to be able to read his mind. Surrounded by so much family, he was overwhelmed, even downright scared. She sympathized with Jim, though there was little she could do.

      After the meal, when everyone returned to the morning room for coffee, Jim remained standing by the doorway. She knew what he was up to.

      As if on cue, he said, “I really enjoyed meeting all of you. Be sure and thank Rebecca for me. I hope to see you again sometime, after I’ve gotten settled in.” And with that, he turned on his polished heel and left.

      As everyone sat there, stunned, Carrie looked at Will, who nodded his head. At his unspoken direction, she knew what she had to do.

      JIM CLOSED his hotel room door soundly and leaned against it. He let out the breath he’d been holding since he walked into Will Greenfield’s office earlier that day.

      He was exhausted. He’d had long days and nights of combat that hadn’t left him this tired. Then again, the enemy didn’t frighten him the way his newfound family had, he thought wryly.

      He was glad he’d found his sisters. They were everything he’d imagined them to be all this time. Beautiful, kind, generous. Exactly the way his parents would’ve wanted them to grow up.

      But he was just as glad that he’d been able to leave them in Highland Park and return, alone, to his hotel. He was so different from them. He couldn’t live the lifestyle they lived. He couldn’t open himself up the way they had with each other. It was better for him to put some distance between himself and them right away.

      As if that was settled, he moved away from the door and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. A knock on the door interrupted his progress. Innately cautious, he peered through the peephole.

      He couldn’t believe his eyes.

      Throwing the door open, he demanded, “What are you doing here?”

      Chapter Three

      Carrie mustered her courage and looked him straight in the eye. The whole way over here she spent convincing herself she was doing the right thing by getting involved in Captain James Barlow’s life. Their client had hired Greenfield and Associates—thus, her—to find him, so after all, he was her business. And that was the only reason she found herself at Jim’s hotel room door. Business.

      It had nothing whatsoever to do with how her heart sped up upon seeing him for the first time without his dress uniform jacket.

      She cleared her throat and replied to his question. “I’m following orders.”

      “Whose orders?” Jim snapped.

      “Will didn’t want you to disappear. Your sisters have been waiting a long time for their big brother to come home.” She made no move to enter his hotel room, but also made it clear she wasn’t going away until she had her say.

      “I said I’d see them after I’ve settled in. I need to find a job and a place to live.”

      “Will and Vivian would be glad to have you stay there with them. They have plenty of room,” Carrie said, but she already knew the answer.

      “I won’t sponge off my sister’s family. You don’t live with them, do you?”

      “No, of course not.”

      “Then you understand,” he said, staring at her.

      “Are you going to talk to Will about working with us?”

      Jim sighed and stared down at her. “I don’t know.”

      “He was serious when he said we needed help. We’ve got contracts with three different insurance companies and the cases are piling up.”

      “I need some time to adjust. And I’m used to making my own way.” His voice was almost a growl.

      “So did Rachel and Rebecca, but they became part of the family. And they all want you to do the same.”

      She watched his face, seeing various emotions in his eyes. Most of all, she wanted to hug him and reassure him. He didn’t seem to grasp how much his family wanted to love him.

      But she couldn’t tell him. After all, she wasn’t family. Nor could she hug him like his sisters had done. All she could do was try to maintain some contact with him. “Is it all right if Will calls you in the morning?”

      “I guess so, but he doesn’t need to give me a job.”

      “We need help, Jim. Truly,” she said earnestly.

      “I’ll talk to him, but I’m promising nothing.”

      “I’ll tell him.” She’d pushed him as far as she could, she thought. He’d given his word to at least speak to Will, and Carrie’s fantasy Jim would never break his word. So she said good-night and turned to walk away.

      She could feel his eyes on her as she walked down the hall. Just before she entered the elevator, she looked back at him and gave him a warm smile.

      His expression didn’t change.

      AFTER SHE REACHED her apartment, she called Will. “He’s staying at the Holiday Inn in room #512. He agreed to speak with you in the morning, but he said you didn’t need to give him a job.”

      “Thanks, Carrie. You did just what I wanted. I think it’s going to be a while before he feels comfortable with the family. But we don’t want to lose touch with him.”

      “I agree.”

      “Why don’t we both take him to breakfast in the morning? I think you can help talk him into trying out the job.”

      “Me? I’ll be glad to go with you, but I doubt