Three days later, Thad walked into More Than Meatballs with mixed emotions. He’d scarcely seen Karly since getting out of the hospital. At the community celebration, in line at the coffee shop, but that was about it.

The pleasantries exchange felt more like a wasp sting. The initial pain was bad enough, but now the poison was spreading, the pain growing more intense.

Joe had invited everyone to a commemoration for Sam Gaccione at the family’s restaurant. He could tell Joe missed his brother. Poster boards were set up with Sam’s image, and there was a shadow box with his brother’s shield and other memorabilia. The former sheriff would have been proud of the work Joe did to find his killer.

Thad expected several of the townsfolk and people from the joint task force to show, but hadn't expected the place to be so full.

He hoped to see Karly. She hadn’t returned his phone calls, and she’d been a little distant and played busy when he stopped by the shelter. He’d give her space, but not enough to allow the love to wither and turn to dust.

Thad spotted Chase and raised his hand in greeting, then he winced in pain.

“From the look on your face, you must be off your pain meds.”

Yep. #DrugFree.

Chase’s knowing smile made Thad snort a laugh, but he regretted it a second later when his ribs protested. “I don’t want to get addicted to prescriptions.”

Chase pulled a beer from the nearest bucket of ice. “I don’t blame you. If you're not taking anything for the pain, a beer won’t kill you.”

Thad accepted the symbol of friendship. “So what's up with the feds?”

“My guess is Joe’s ma wants to thank everyone who was involved.” Chase turned toward the rather round older woman standing in the corner in a pristine white apron, looking more like a traffic cop directing servers than a business owner. “If I were a betting man, I'd say she also wants more answers.”

“You mean as to why arrests weren’t made sooner?”

“Something like that. My respect for Joe climbed a few pegs in the past couple of days. If I'm reading the signals correctly, he knew about the undercover operation, and had to bide his time to flush out the players.”

Chase paused, the beer bottle halfway to his lips. “It would suck not knowing who to trust.”

There was that trust thing again. Karly didn’t fully trust him. Didn’t anybody trust anybody in this town? “I wonder if everyone involved has been arrested.”

“I sure hope so, for this town’s sake. Dale said they arrested the guy who’s been blackmailing Gwen. I guess someone figured out he was transporting drugs and women to Chicago.”

“Karly mentioned a Gwen. She’s the general’s girlfriend, right?”

“Right. I keep forgetting everyone in this town hasn’t always been here since the prehistoric age. Gwen owns the thrift store over on Main. Several months ago, her ex-fiancé showed up and tried to blackmail her for half of her trust fund. Guess when Gwen wouldn’t turn the money over, the jerk entered into the transport business.” Chase took a sip of his beer. “This town is going to need a lot of healing.”

“Healing? Who’s hurt now?” Ashley asked, sliding an arm around her husband.

Chase tucked his wife under his arm and gave her a kiss on the forehead. A tendril of jealousy wrapped tight around Thad’s heart.

Chase tucked Ashley in closer. “This town, I suppose. It's got to be a shock, having most of Elkridge's council, elected officials, and several deputies arrested. How’s Caitlyn’s diaper rash?”

“I just called Dad. He already put her down for the night.” Ashley touched Thad’s arm. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, but this corruption mess will take years to unravel. Those narcissists sure hurt a lot of people, Karly being one of them.” Thad looked away so his friends wouldn’t witness his struggle with wanting to exact revenge. “Speaking of Karly, have you seen her?” He held back his hope with a firm hand.

Nobody knew she’d refused his proposal, and he’d like to keep it that way. Maybe she’d change her mind.

“I think she's in the kitchen with Mara.” Ashley pointed to the stainless steel swinging door.

Chase gave him a friendly smack on the arm. “What are you waiting for? Go find your woman.”

Thad winced, making Chase pause and start to apologize.

“Just kidding.” Thad winked before taking off for the kitchen.

My woman. If only Karly really were his. He wished Chase had hit him harder. He didn’t mind that kind of pain. Physical wounds kept his mind occupied. The mental anguish of not being able to connect with Karly messed with his head. The need to see her, to make sure she was okay, drove him toward the back of the restaurant.

He pushed open the kitchen door to scan the efficiently run kitchen. The line chefs worked their stations while wait staff restocked the salad line. In the rear of the kitchen, Mara and Karly were huddled in the hall, out of the path of scurrying bodies.

Studying the way Karly positioned herself facing away from everyone, drawing her arms inward, keeping her voice soft and her head down, he guessed she wanted to be invisible. The same crushing feeling he had in the months after the IED exploded. Those on the ground assured him nothing could have been done, but he still should have found the bomb before it killed his best buddies. Parents, siblings, and friends lost someone they cared about, and wanted someone, anyone to blame.

The muscles in his neck ached just thinking about the visions Karly must be re-creating in her head.

He weaved around a couple of staff members, making his way to the back toward the exit.

“Hey, Mara. Karly. I just got here. Have you eaten yet?”

The way Karly's skin turned a perfect shade of ogre green, he supposed she wasn't the least bit hungry.

“The food smells delicious, but I think I'll pass.” Karly made a weak attempt at a smile.

Mara’s hand landed on Karly's forearm. “You need to eat something. You wouldn't allow me to order us lunch today, either. When’s the last time you ate?”

She seemed to scan the bulletin board behind Mara’s shoulder, studying the schedules and menus and pictures of kids. “I’m fine. I wish everyone would stop worrying about me.”

“We’ll stop worrying when you're eating and sleeping.” Mara moved in closer. “I can tell you're exhausted.”

Thad put his arm around Mara’s shoulders. “Tell you what. I’ll make sure Karly gets a salad or something. How’s that sound?”

Mara straightened her walking stick. “That sounds great. The only problem is, I know you’re just trying to get rid of me.” Mara patted Thad’s arm. “See if you can talk some sense into her. I haven't been successful so far.”

“I’ll come with you.” The desperate tone added to Karly’s statement didn’t sit quite right and made Thad burn. Why couldn’t she get that he wasn’t someone she needed to avoid?

“I’m good.” Mara waved her off. “Besides, I believe you and Thad have some things to talk about.”

Thad caught the odd expression on Mara’s face. What’s that all about?

Mara’s stick tap-tap-tapped across the kitchen tile until she found her way out the door. Thad took a step closer to Karly, but she held out a hand that was still a bit shaky.

“If you’re about to ask how I am, please don't. I might brain the next person who asks me that question with a frying pan.”

“Would it help if I told you I can empathize? Crowded rooms, people looking at me, giving advice. There's nothing you can do to stop it. Trust me, I've tried.”

“Do the nightmares ever go away?”

“Not really.”

“Oh, great.” Karly almost strangled her words. “Maybe sleep is overrated anyway.”

That’s my Karly. There’s my stubborn girl.

Pride quickly deflated into self-pity. She wasn’t his. She didn’t want to be his.

Joe popped his head around the corner. “Hey, you two. I’m about to make an announcement. Grab some beer, food, dessert, or whatever you want, and join us in the back room.” He disappeared without waiting for a response.

Karly eyed the emergency exit.

Thad leaned closer to her ear. “I wouldn't try it.” He pointed at the blinking light. “The doors are armed.”

“I shouldn't have come tonight. I just thought…”

“The only people in that room are people who care about you. There’s no need to worry. Let's go in together.” He nudged her shoulder and took a step toward the door. “I'll stand behind you if it will make you feel safer.”

“Who will stand behind you?” A little spark of humor flickered before vanishing.

The smell of her cherry vanilla lip gloss made him want to kiss her until the spark came back. “We’d better go before Joe sends Mara back in here to get us.”

“We’d better.”

He followed her through the kitchen door and into the back room. Her steps faltered, but she managed to keep going.

“Ah, good. We’re all here.” Joe addressed the crowd while Agent Bantner took up a position behind the sheriff. “Thank you for coming tonight.” His tone was precise, measured. “As many of you know,” he continued, his voice getting a bit louder, “my brother Sam was murdered on the logging road just outside of town a few days before Valentine’s. It will be two years in February. A few town residents wanted us to believe it was an accident—a poacher. However, evidence proved otherwise.

“Some of you may wonder why my brother's killer wasn't brought to justice before now. You have the right to ask. If Sam was standing here today, he would have agreed that waiting, watching, and patience was the prudent path to take. Because of your patience, eighty-seven arrests have been made across the country. The DEA has seized $50 million in heroin, and well over a thousand women and children, victims of sex trafficking, have been recovered.” Joe coughed to clear his throat. “Agencies across the country are seizing the bank accounts and assets of those involved.”

Wow. The beer’s barley gurgled in Thad’s stomach. Joe said the trouble was big. Anger darkened every face in the room.

“Yes, but if Karly hadn’t been taken, you wouldn’t have made your arrests,” Mamma Gaccione accused in her normal hand-flying Italian way. “Agent Bantner, you put our lives in danger.”

Way to go, Mrs. G.

Bantner, wearing blue slacks and a powder blue shirt, stepped forward. “From an outside perspective, it may seem that way. However, there were agents monitoring the situation around the clock. If at any time we felt your safety was in jeopardy, we would have acted accordingly.”

“That’s a bunch of bull hooey,” Joe’s dad tossed back.

“Dad, Mom, if it weren’t for the FBI, DEA, and joint task force,” Joe said, “we most likely would never have figured out who killed Sam. The agencies were not required to inform us, nor were they required to put me in a position where I could ensure this town’s safety.”

“Phft.” Joe’s mom threw up her hand. “If it weren't for Thad and Rivers, those crooks would've gotten away. We protect our own. We always have.”

“Which leads me to my next point, Ma.” Joe leaned an elbow on top of his holster.

There’s more? Thad’s shoulders knotted and bunched.

“In a few days, the special task force agents will be gone. We will still be here. There are still schools to run, traffic tickets to process, and a new city council that needs to be formed. Stella King has stepped up to fill in until a new mayor and board members can be elected. I will do my best to see to the safety of the residents, but we can’t do this alone.”

“What do you recommend?” Harold, the general store owner, asked.

“This town is full of former military,” Thad spoke up. “Maybe we need to form a watch.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking. We’re in this together,” Joe confirmed. “We each need to play our part. When someone steps up for one of the vacant positions, vote—either for or against, it doesn’t matter—just vote. Until the elections, pitch in where you can.”

Never pass a fault echoed through Thad’s thoughts.

“What do we say to those reporters?” Jack Burke asked.

“Invite them into your pub, Jack. Let them get a real feel for what this town has to offer. We’ve been given a black eye, but it won’t be that way for long. Most people have short memories. Besides, we have bigger things to worry about.”

Mara, Joe’s wife, stiffened. “Like what?”

“Like planning the Christmas Bazaar. Elkridge holds one every year, and this year will be no different.”

“I’ll plan a dog wash or something else to help bring the community together,” Karly offered. “Maybe, Mara and I can get Jenna, and Gwen to help.”

Ashley lifted the beer in her hand. “Here’s to looking forward.” Chase wrapped his arm around his wife.

Karly unfolded her arms. Her body shifted and eased as those in the room with glasses or bottles raised them in a toast.

“Okay, that’s enough chatter.” Joe lifted his beer bottle a bit higher. “Please enjoy my ma’s cooking, and the company of our neighbors and friends.”

One pair of hands clapped together, then another, then another, until everyone joined in.

Thad leaned in and whispered into Karly’s ear, “Rivers Black is here. I’d like to talk to him. Will you be okay?”

She turned. “You’re going to get hit over the head with a skillet. I asked you not to baby me. Go. Go talk to Rivers. We can talk later.”

Thad accepted the verbal slap. He understood how she felt, but her sharpness still stung. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

He passed several tables full of people, grabbed an extra beer from the ice bucket, and made his way to a secluded corner of the room. He took a short sip of his own beer and extended his offering to Rivers.

“Don’t drink.” Rivers waved off the glass bottle hovering at chest level. Thad left the extra beverage on the table.

“I tried getting ahold of you, but no one knows your number,” Thad said.

“Don’t have a phone.”

“No alcohol or phone.” Typical. “Tell me something.” Thad dropped his voice to almost a whisper. “You fired your gun. I heard it go off. I shot Sanchez in the leg, and wounded the two other guys. The good doctor finished Macedo off. What were you shooting at? I have to think you’re not so bad a shot that you missed whatever you were aiming at.”

Rivers’ eyes didn’t blink. His chiseled face didn’t move except his mouth. His mouth stretched and elongated. Holy cow. Was that a smile?

“I aimed for the doors.”

“I’m getting shot at, and you're aiming at door handles.”

“Not the handles. The locks.”

The silence stretched. Thad could stand there all night and not get an answer unless he asked the right question. “Okay. I’ll bite. Why the doors?”

“There were eight men in the compound. Three in the loading bay, and I knew you could take out three, but eight? Broken locks would prevent the others from getting in.”

“Wouldn’t it also prevent us from getting out?”

“At the time, you weren’t too worried about getting out.”

A good ol’ teary-eyed, knee-slapping kind of laugh bubbled up from nowhere. He threw his head back and gave into the temporary relief, and extended his hand. “Rivers. Thanks for your help.”

“You’re welcome.” His friend squeezed his hand. “You still seeing your father’s ghost?”

Surprise coiled in his stomach. Thad shifted and pulled at the label of his beer. “He’s always around, in my head, my dreams. I can’t get rid of him.”

Rivers’ eyes grew dark and severe. “Let your father come. Embrace the memories. Then blow them away. He doesn't matter anymore.” Rivers put his hand to his mouth and blew, then thrust his hand into the air, his fingers splayed. “You will be wiser, stronger for it.”

Rivers patted Thad on the shoulder and then left the party without a sound.

Contentment sauntered into the room and massaged his shoulders. For the first time in forever he didn’t feel worthless. Thad turned to see Karly standing by the dessert table.

He shouldn’t hover. She’d get claustrophobic and push him away, but he craved her company. She attracted him like a dog to a fresh slice of ham. He couldn’t resist. Didn’t want to resist. She’d given him a purpose, and he’d protect her—no matter what.

She turned just as he approached. “Lopez! You almost got tiramisu all over your shirt.”

“I wouldn’t mind, if you promise to lick it off.” He started to smile until her eyes darkened, and her plate started to shake in her hand.

“Thad—”

“Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to marry me again. Twice is enough.”

Her eyes held a wanting—no, more sadness. Both irritated him, because he couldn’t figure out what she wanted. One minute, she’s telling him don’t go there, the next she’s sending hold-me signals. What the hell was he supposed to do? He needed a map, and she hadn’t even bothered to give him a compass.

“Karly, I know you don’t want people to care, but we do. What you went through…”

“I can’t do this. Not here. Not tonight.”

She slid her dessert plate onto the nearest table and made a direct line for the door, picking up momentum as she went. By the time she got to the door, she was practically running.

“Is everything okay?” Joe asked.

Hell, no. Thad studied his beer, now lukewarm. “Are you sure nothing happened to Karly while she was gone?”

“She said nothing happened. Why?”

“Just curious.” Thad set his bottle on the table. “Nice speech, by the way.” He glanced toward the door. “But I think I’d better call it a night.”

“I was wondering if you were going to go after her or just stand here like an idiot.”

“Excuse me?” Thad had the urge to punch something. Joe was standing in front of him, and in the wrong place at exactly the wrong time.

Thad moved back a bit. “What’s that smile about?”

He hadn’t spent a lot of time with Joe, but that fat grin indicated he was up to something. “My deputies need to be able to think on their feet. If you hadn’t, I would have trashed the idea of asking you to come in next week to talk about a job.”

“Seriously? I’d love to help rebuild this town—help you put it back together the way it was.” He summed up the man. Husband. Soon-to-be father. Protector of this town. He could work for someone with solid integrity, and wouldn’t have to do construction work after all.

“Your dad had a reputation for working out his problems with his fists.”

“Yeah. So?”

“Rivers doesn’t think you’re like that. What do you say?”

He wouldn’t be reckless anymore, or put himself in front of a bullet just to prove a point.

He had a purpose.

Protect this town.

Protect Karly.

“I think Rivers is right. I’m not my dad. Never have been. My father was wrong about me.”

Joe shifted and leaned in. “How so?”

“He said I was worthless. Couldn’t do a thing right. Would never amount to much.” He looked at the door, then around the room. “Protecting and saving lives isn’t nothing. It’s worth a lot.”

“You got that right.” Joe’s approval beamed across his face. “Now, get out of here. Go find Karly.”

“Yes, sir.”

Thad took off at a trot, hitting the front door with enough force to clear the door and make it to the curb in time to see Karly’s taillights disappear around the corner.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and tilted his head toward the night sky.

Over the years, he’d had many challenging assignments to protect people who didn’t always want to be protected. Some days were hard, but none were going to be as difficult as this one. Karly didn’t want his protection. Heck, she didn’t want him...well, other than as a friend. His determination kicked in. He'd be there for her, because he’d given her his heart, and he didn’t want it back.

Ever.

He’d adjust. Become the man he wanted to be. For himself. For her.

And continue practicing patience.