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I FEEL HOLLOW INSIDE, like the Grim Reaper scooped out everything with his scythe and put them in a box I can’t find.

Between my commander ordering me home and Boston’s words still ringing in my ears, I’m not fit for company.

Only, I didn’t have a choice.

I have to be here for my family, and I gave Campbell my word, told her I don’t break my promises.

But seeing her strutting down the Boardwalk, the wind in her pale hair while cherry-red sunglasses protect her beautiful eyes from the sun, it twists me up inside. Makes me think I’m not worthy of touching all that goodness radiating from her.

The ghost of a woman I met in the airport is gone, replaced by a vibrant creature I want to touch, kiss... own.

Keeping my head down low enough not to be recognized right away, I adjust my shades and scratch my jaw. My beard affords me a bit of protection, but it might also make me stand out more.

Last night, I arrived in Castle Beach, but at the last minute, I drove to Royal Bay and checked into a hotel room.

I couldn’t face my family, yet.

I couldn’t face Campbell either.

Two days from now, I’ll face all of them. I’ll have to face the truth that my brother’s gone and not coming back. I’ll have to face the truth that I promised to clear things up for Campbell, make it so she doesn’t have to lie to anyone anymore just to have a home.

Judging by her confident swagger and the sexy swing of her hips, she’ll be gone as soon as the words leave my mouth. She won’t need me.

Maybe Boston’s right. Maybe that’s how I’m wired—to help those who need it and know when to leave them so that someone who does deserve that woman can have the opportunity to sweep her off her feet.

The thought of any man but me sweeping Campbell off her feet fills me with irrational jealousy. Irrational because if I’m planning on letting her go, why should I care if another man is waiting for her? Some future guy who will be the recipient of her smiles, of her dreams, and her teasing.

My jaw hardens, and I turn away before I chase her down. Sweep her away to my home, where she’s been sleeping in my bed for the past four months. Where her scent has permeated everything.

At the thought, my body freezes, right in the middle of the sidewalk. I can’t take another step, and it’s killing me.

Being stateside with little notice is killing me. I didn’t have time to prepare for the shock of civilian life. It’s like being dunked in ice-cold water after living in the sun. My guys need me. I’m the one who—

“Knight.”

“Quinn.”

“You are so busted, buddy” I allow her to spin me around and hug me hard. “When did you get here?”

“Last night.”

She takes a step back and punches me hard in the arm. “You jerk. Why didn’t you tell me?”

I rub the spot where her fist connected. “Maybe because you’d sucker punch me?”

With a roll of her eyes, she threads her arm through mine and starts to lead me in the opposite direction of Campbell. “You just missed Campbelicious. And like I told her, there is no jar for nicknames.”

“There should be, “ I grumble, but I kind of like it. If Quinn gave Cam a nickname, that speaks volumes about my sister’s opinion of her. “Maybe I’ll suggest one.”

“I don’t think so. Campbell listens to you too much as it is.” She pulls me inside her shop and locks the door behind her. “Last client left right before I stepped outside for some fresh air and spotted you.”

“Is that what you’re calling Bette’s donuts these days?” I ask, some of the tightness leaving me.

“As long as we’re on the subject of Campbell, your wife,” she begins.

“I know who she is and we’re weren’t on the subject of my wife.”

“Oh, good.” She smiles at me. “Did you fly out to L.A. to see Tate behind my back?”

“That asshole? If I had the time to fly out to L.A, it would be to drag his dumbass back here, not chat him up.”

Quinn does this blinky thing that sets not only teeth on edge, but my nerves as well. “That’s what I thought, but Camiloohoo insisted you were besties with Tate and that you met her because of him. Which is news to me, because only Barron could stand that asshole.”

Fuck my life. I tear my shades off my face. “Let me explain.”

“I’d rather you didn’t, as long as you did not go behind my back to talk to Tate and be all friendly.”

I shake my head. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Quinn. Not after—I wouldn’t betray you like that.”

“Good. Now about your “wife”....” She makes air quotes and the fact that she knows we’re not married sends me reeling.

“How do you know?”

Her eyes round and her jaw drops to her chest. “You really aren’t married? Holy crap, I was messing with you because nothing make sense to me.”

I sit in the biggest, least frilly-looking chair in the place. “This is going to take a while, but I want you to know that Campbell is completely innocent in this.”

Quinn makes a noise. “Duh. I know she’s one of your projects and has no clue.”

“What the hell, Q?”

“Stop acting all offended. You’re so damn predictable that anyone who’s known you for any length of time can figure out what makes you tick.” She strikes a pose, laying the back of her hand against her forehead. “Someone save me. I broke a nail and can’t afford to buy Kate Spade anymore. Oh you there, Knight! You’ll do just fine. Yes, leave me all your money and spend all your time with me.”

She straightens, fisting her hands on her hips. “Blah Blah. Everything’s fine. You leave. The end,” she adds.

“Campbell knows me,” I say tightly.

“Yeah, she knows the guy who rescued her from raising a baby alone while he’s at war is the same dude who knocked her up, which seriously, you couldn’t have wrapped it up?”

My jaw drops a little, but Quinn’s too wrapped up in whatever story she’s concocted that she doesn’t notice. “I did meet her out in L.A. but I was out there on leave, with Boston and the guys. Met her in a club and couldn’t resist that downhome accent. One thing led to another and a few months ago, we found each other...again. “ The lies fall easily from my lips. So easily I know this story isn’t simply for Campbell’s benefit. It’s for mine. I’ll lie like hell to keep her here with me. “I couldn’t believe she’d been all alone. That’s not... that’s not me. So I sent her to you and Momma. I knew y’all would take care of her and my—our daughter while I was away.”

“Why was that so hard to tell us?”

“Because I didn’t want anyone to get the wrong impression of Campbell, or our relationship.”

She smiles crookedly. “I guess I understand the need for deception, but you should have known Momma wouldn’t have cared. I mean, Hazel is a mini-me of you and me. Although, Momma insists she’s more like you than me, which can’t be possible because I’m the girl twin!”

I shrug. “Anyway, the reason why Campbell has hardly anything to her name is because she was living on her own. We’re not married, Q. We’ve been dating over Skype, getting to know each other, and I get to spend time with Hazel so that when I come home she will know who I am.”

“Again, that’s not hard to tell. It’s cute. People meet on dating sites all the time and get married later. It’s no biggie, Knight. Plus, when I think of all the work you’ve put into your sorta-fake relationship and how Campbell’s kept up her end, too, it amazes me. Campbell’s in love with you.”

“She told you?” My voice is so gravelly that I have to clear my throat. “She said that she loved me?”

“No, but one of my least-known talents is the ability to spot a woman in love before they know what’s hit them.”

“I’m supposed to go by your least-known talent to gauge a woman’s feelings for me?” I groan. “You’re not helping.”

“Do you want my help?”

I glare at her.

“Is that a yes or no? I don’t speak jerk,” she says sweetly.

“It’s an I don’t know,” I say honestly. My emotions are all over the place and while a lot guys don’t talk about shit like that, I’ve been forced to talk about my emotions every time I return from a deployment.

She jumps up on the counter backwards, leaving her legs dangling. Her flippant yet intense attitude slipping away to reveal a woman of total vulnerability. Something she’s only shows me as her twin. “I hate that you’re here because we’re having a memorial service for Laird. I wish you were here because you knew Castle Beach is where you belong.”

“I’m sorry I’ve disappointed you.” My voice grows rough, almost hoarse. “But I don’t have a clue how to come back home.”

“Sure you do.” She slides off the counter and moves to the chair, kneeling beside me. “You knew exactly where to send Campbell, and you could have handled y’all’s situation totally differently. I mean, you could have set her up near your base, sent her home to her parents... or you could have left her and Hazel all alone. Pretend that what you guys had meant nothing.”

“I couldn’t do that to her. Campbell’s parents aren’t... they’re not supportive.” Come to think of it, I never asked for specifics as to why she left. I was always in convince-Campbell-to-do-what-I-needed-her-to-do-in-order-to-keep-her-safe mode. So that I continued to feel like a knight in shining armor.

If I couldn’t convince her, then I’d be a failure. I slump in the chair, tired as fuck and emotionally drained.

“Which means you have feelings for her, too.”

“I think she’s the one, but... I’m worried that those same feelings will leave when she doesn’t need me anymore.”

“You are such a guy. Just because Campbell has a kickass job and is finally feeling confident again doesn’t mean that she doesn’t need you. It means that her needs have changed and if you’re as smart as you think you are, then you’d figure out what those are and do something.”

“I guess.”

She sniffs and pretends to gag. “Oh gross. You’re the sour smell.”

“I had a shower last night.”

Taking a surreptitious sniff of my arm, it’s all I can do not to make a face or gag now that my senses are returning to normal. My clothes smell rank, so rank that I’m pretty sure people were avoiding me because of it, and not my sunglasses and beard disguise. 

“Before you do anything, Knight... take a shower and let me fix your hair.”

“Your support is moving.”

“You stench is making my eyes water.” She duck walks backwards, and then pops up like a jack in the box. “You can use the one by my office. There are towels and soap. Use every last bit of it, if you have to. I’ll go buy some clothes for you.”

“When did you get so bossy?” A smile touches my lips.

“I’ve always been bossy. You’ve always been too busy helping others to notice.” She grabs my arm and yanks me out of the chair. “Great. Now my chair smells like you.”

“You’re welcome.” I head to the shower, eager to wash away the grime of the twenty-hour plane ride.

“Thank me after we have dinner with Campbell,” she calls out.

I pivot. “What?”

“Dinner. We’re eating with Campbell tonight and then I’m taking Hazel to Momma’s so the two of you can have adult alone time.” She wriggles her eyebrows, then coughs. “It’s spreading, Knight. Use bleach.”

“Yeah. Yeah.” I wave her off, my mind on the kind of adult alone time I’ll be able to have with Campbell.

Shit. I don’t deserve alone time with her, not after Boston’s comments or my sister’s. But I’m not going to let either of them stop me from offering adult alone time with Campbell.