Stone somehow made it through the next day, methodically rolling paint onto his dining room walls and trying to ignore the voices shouting in his head. Why hadn’t he talked through everything with Abi and at least tried to explain how torn he’d been, how much he’d always wanted to be with her? How he’d prayed someone else would share the secret so he could be free to love her? She’d given him that chance, but at the same time, had she? She’d been broken by his lack of trust in her. He understood that she was confused and upset that he hadn’t put her first. After Virginia had died, Abi had proven herself time and again to be his best friend. Maybe he should have found a way to tell her the truth. But it still felt like a violation of his integrity. He’d promised Virginia. He understood why Abi was hurt, but he didn’t know how to change any of it.

He shuddered thinking of the hurt and disappointment in her eyes. He didn’t want to make her miserable like he’d made Virginia. Yet Virginia had been miserable because she’d loved Jace so desperately and Stone loved Abi. He couldn’t have changed that. He often wondered if Virginia had not died if they could’ve made their marriage work. Maybe for baby Abigail they could’ve.

It was growing dark outside when his front door banged open. He rarely locked it since the house was such a work in progress. His heart threatened to pound right out of his chest as he listened to the footfalls. The steps sounded loud and angry. Had Abi come for him? If she could forgive him, he would do everything in his power to make her happy. Apologize and never keep anything from her again. Not clam up and be cold. Talk nonstop if that’s what she wanted. He’d share any touchy-feely junk she wanted if she would just never leave him again.

Jace stormed into his dining room. He stopped short when he saw Stone holding the paint roller. Stone was tempted to chuck the roller at him, but he set it on the tray and stood, folding his arms across his chest. “What do you want?”

“You know, Stone, I thought I was over it. I mean I’ve been gone seven years, and the Navy’s been a good life for me. I’m in my second year of medical school, and they’re paying for all of it. I thought I’d buried Virginia and my love for her and I could move on, but seeing you last night made me realize how wrong I was.”

Jace launched himself across the room and started swinging. Stone had never been so happy to have a punch thrown at his head. He took several hard hits as he grabbed Jace around the waist, throwing him to the unfinished wooden floor. Diving on top of him, Stone found immense pleasure in driving his fists into his former friend’s face.

Jace took the barrage of punches like a champ before bucking Stone off and slamming his fist into Stone’s kidney. Stone grunted but drove his elbow back into Jace’s gut. Jace fell back onto the wood floor and lay there for half a second. He growled with rage and came at Stone headfirst like a bull, knocking the wind out of him. They banged into Stone’s freshly painted wall, but Stone didn’t care. He hadn’t felt this alive in years, well, except for when he kissed Abi, but that was a different kind of alive that he may never feel again. He would happily fight Jace until they both had broken bones.

Stone flipped him back over and managed a quick uppercut to his ribs. Jace swung at his head but Stone ducked and hit him in the abdomen, chest, and face, again and again. He could hardly see through the red in his vision. Sure, he’d done a lot wrong with Virginia and Abi, messed up both of their lives, but none of it would’ve happened if Jace hadn’t deserted them all.

“Stop!” Jace yelled. “Stone!”

Stone sat back on the floor, staring at Jace’s battered face. A little shocked that he’d done that.

“Sheesh.” Jace rubbed at his jaw. “I thought I’d be in better shape with the military.”

Stone grunted out a half-laugh and tried to catch a deep breath. “Bachelor firefighter with nothing better to do than workout. They put pictures of me in the calendar.”

Jace rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall, still dragging in gulps of air. “I needed that.” He gestured to him. “The fight.”

“Me too.” Stone nodded and scooted against the wall too, feeling the wet paint sticking to his shirt and hair. He could fix it on his next day off. He had nothing planned on any day off ever again. Not without Abi. He glanced askance at his old friend. “Why’d you come home?”

“My grandma’s funeral.”

Stone flinched. He’d heard Jace’s grandma had passed but still hadn’t expected to see him. Jace hadn’t come for Virginia’s funeral.

“I loved her, all right? I promise I did, man.” Jace guessed his thoughts like he always used to. “I should’ve come. I shouldn’t even have left. I was young and stupid and had this whole life plan, and it felt like her getting pregnant messed it all up.” He blew out a breath and studied where he’d scraped his hand fighting Stone. “She told me she’d wait for me. I could get established in the Navy and then I’d come get her.” He shook his head. “The next thing I knew she’d married you and she wouldn’t respond to my texts or phone calls.”

Stone couldn’t look at him. “I was young and stupid too. She came to me, crying and alone, and I thought I was being some hero, rescuing her, stepping up to take over my friend’s responsibilities and protecting her from her dad’s wrath.” He clenched his fists. “I was a horrible husband to her, cold and distant.”

“Her dad was a jerk,” Jace muttered. They sat there for a few beats then Jace pushed at him with his shoulder. “I probably wouldn’t have been any better of a husband to her.”

Stone looked at him. “Yes, you would’ve because you loved her. I didn’t.”

Jace nodded. “You’ve always loved Abi.”

Stone straightened. “How did you know that?”

“Any idiot could see that.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Stone gritted his teeth. His insides felt cold and lifeless. “I’ve messed it all up now.”

Jace grabbed his arm. “Look. I know we aren’t friends anymore but we have a lot of history, and despite how much I hate you, I actually care.”

Stone’s eyes widened.

“Go find her. If you love her, don’t be an idiot like me and leave her or let her walk away. You don’t know what I would give to have been the one to marry Virginia. We might’ve lived in a hovel and had nothing but each other and our baby girl, but I would trade every rank in the military, every life experience, every other woman I’ve tried to be with to forget about her. I would trade it all to be with Virginia. Don’t waste any more time, man. Go after Abi.”

Stone stared at Jace as he finished his impassioned speech. It hit him like a sledgehammer. He’d had Abi with him the past seven years but not really. He’d held her at arm’s length and missed out on being with the love of his life because of his fears, misguided obligations, and regrets. He’d hid behind his coldness, and he could never get back the time they’d lost, but he could beg her to give him a chance now.

He leapt to his feet and offered Jace a hand up. Jace stood with a groan. “You pack a punch, man.”

Stone smiled. “Thanks for letting me thump you.”

“Ha!” Jace laughed. “I’ll come by tomorrow, and we can try again.”

“Come by anytime you want to fight.” Stone shook his hand then released it and headed for the entryway. He paused and turned around. “Even though I hate you too, thanks for caring.”

Jace saluted him. Stone strode out the door. All that mattered now was finding Abi. He raced toward his truck and jumped in, gunning it out of his driveway. The drive to Jeremy Ranch took much too long. When he pulled into Abi’s driveway, he checked the clock on the dash, 7:21. She had to be home by now. There were lights on in the living room and over the porch. He shoved the truck into park and hurried to her front door, rapping sharply on it. There was no response, and his nerves started to fray as he pushed the doorbell this time.

The door flung open, and Julia stood there. Her eyes were wild, and she glared at Stone. “How dare you break my sister’s heart?”

“I didn’t mean to. I need to talk to her. Is she here?” He tried to look past Julia into the house.

“She got home from work and took off snowshoeing.”

Stone’s stomach clenched, uneasiness sneaking over him. “It’s full on dark out here!”

“You think I don’t see that?” Julia clasped her hands together.

“Do you know where she went?”

“No clue.” Julia shook her head, her dark eyes full of worry.

“And you’ve called her?”

“Every five minutes. It just goes to voicemail.”

Ice ran down his spine. Abi, his heart seemed to scream. She could get lost or be hurt somewhere. “Call me if you hear from her.” He commanded Julia before taking off at a run back to his truck.

He had to drive to his cabin first to get his gear and snowshoes. Then he started his search with some of Abi’s favorite trailheads. As he drove to each one and didn’t spot her Cherokee, his stomach got more and more sick and his grip on the steering wheel slicker. He called Julia every fifteen minutes or so. He was going to try above Deer Valley, and if she wasn’t there, he was calling his crew. Heck, he was calling the entire fire department.

As he pulled into the parking lot, his lights shone on her red Cherokee. His heart thumped even faster. He’d found her, but what if she wasn’t okay? He called Julia. “I found her Cherokee. I’ll call you as soon as I find her and have coverage.”

“Thank you, Stone.”

He disconnected the call and dropped a pin to Blue, Nikola, Dax, and Jeremy with a request to please come help him find Abi. He didn’t have time to call or wait for their responses.

He threw on his coat, gloves, and hat and slipped into his snowshoes. It was mild outside for a February night but still well below freezing. He rushed up the trail. The moonlight glistened off the snow, and he was happy to see fresh tracks that looked to be the size of Abi’s snowshoes. He tried to pace himself and not trip on his snowshoes, but he was so anxious to find her he could hardly stand to go slow. Abi, Abi, Abi, his heart repeated as he prayed for help.