Three

THREE

Josie

It had been a long time since I'd felt genuine happiness. Pure, unadulterated joy was a complete mystery to me, and any ounce of contentment I'd had in my life was a distant memory, something I'd experienced once in my life for such a brief period of time.

And now, I was convinced I was dreaming the best dream I'd had in years. While there were at least a dozen reasons why I shouldn't have wanted to have Huck Davidson be anywhere in the same vicinity as me while I was working—he probably thought I was so lame for not having made something of myself like I'd planned to do and even told him I would—I couldn't help from feeling good about seeing him.

Huck had been the best thing I'd ever had in my life, and I'd always cherished the moments we'd had together when we were kids. I often wondered if he knew just how much of an impact he had on my life. Beyond that, I wondered if I'd ever get to a place where I could share that truth with him.

Having him here in the diner now and seeing him for the first time in all these years felt like the greatest gift.

It was a mystery how I'd managed to tear my eyes away from him. Huck was just as handsome as ever, even better than I'd remembered. He was as tall as he'd been during our senior year, but he had since packed on quite a few pounds of solid muscle. I was convinced I could stare at his shoulders and arms all day long.

Huck's dark blonde hair was buzzed short all over, but he'd left a strip of it from the front and center of his head all the way to the back slightly longer. It wasn't a mohawk he could style, but there was certainly a noticeable difference in the length of his hair along that strip when compared to the rest of his head.

His jaw was just as strong and pronounced as always, something easily noticeable with his clean-shaven face. There hadn't even been a time I could recall when I'd been able to ignore the perfection of his lips, and today was no different.

But most of all, it was his pale blue eyes that had been the hardest to avoid. Something about them always made me feel like he was seeing right through to my heart, like he knew what I was thinking without me needing to utter a single word.

If the way Huck looked wasn't enough to have me feeling completely off balance, it was realizing just how much I'd missed him. Sure, it had been years since we last saw each other, but I thought about him often over the years that followed what I believed was our final goodbye.

Now that he was here, I couldn't deny the way he made me feel a mix of conflicting emotions. I was nervous; I couldn't imagine what he might be thinking about me. But it also felt so wonderful to see him again. And the hug he'd given me had been the most comforting thing I'd experienced in years.

I was never afraid whenever I was around Huck. He had always made me feel safe, even as a teenager in my horrific situation. And I was certain there was no better place in the world than protected in his warm embrace. Earlier, when he first arrived and reacted to seeing me by offering a hug, his hold had lingered much longer than I'd expected, but I loved every second of it. It nearly killed me to have to let go of him.

God, what I would have given to have something like that every day of my life.

No matter how much there was that one part of me that loved having Huck here, the other part of me had slightly stronger feelings about needing to avoid him.

Because this was dangerous—for me, for him.

There was so much at stake, and I didn't want to risk my safety or his.

So, I did what I could to appear busy. Fortunately, we'd had a steady flow of patrons at the diner, which made it easier to avoid having extended contact with Huck while he ate. After delivering his meal to him, I'd stopped back once to make sure he was enjoying it and another time to confirm he didn't need any refills or extra condiments.

When I made the stops to deliver his food and check how everything was, I didn't stick around. I moved on to the next table, and fortunately, Huck didn't try to get me to stay and chat. But he'd since finished his food, so I had no choice but to approach him and make some conversation.

Sure, I could have kept it strictly business, but I didn't think that was the right thing to do. I'd been worried about where Huck would take the conversation if I stuck around to chat, and I was slightly embarrassed about the things I'd need to admit to if he pried for more information than I was willing to share. But I understood I couldn't be rude to the man who had been to me what Huck had been to me. Truthfully, I didn't want to be that way. But the unknown had me on edge—maybe that was par for the course in my life. I was always on edge.

Since the brunch crowd had thinned out substantially, I'd have the time to talk for a few extra minutes with Huck. I was both looking forward to it and dreading it.

I'd gotten his check ready and made my approach to his table. Just like I'd seen him do several times throughout the morning, Huck lifted his gaze to mine and watched me. Something warm and sweet settled in his features, and I had to admit, I liked the way it felt to have someone look at me the way Huck did. I had always liked the way he looked at me, like he thought I was something precious, something special.

Even though I was slightly nervous about where this conversation would lead, I still felt genuinely happy at seeing him looking at me the way he was, so it was no surprise the corners of my mouth tipped up lightly to form a small smile.

"So, what did you think for your first trip here?" I asked when I came to stop beside the table. "Should we expect we'll see you again?"

His lips twitched before he answered, "If I'm honest, the food was excellent, but the service exceeded all my expectations. That's the reason I'll be returning."

I tilted my head to one side, something warm hitting the center of my chest. "That's sweet of you to say, Huck. Thank you."

He held his hands up in surrender. "I swear, I'm just telling you the truth. The food could have been terrible, and I'm confident I'd return, if only just to see you again."

I didn't need a mirror to know the flush had crept over my skin. Is this what it was like to feel respected and valued? Of course, it was. Huck was the first person to ever make me feel that way. "I appreciate you saying that. Did you want any dessert? They've got some tasty pies here," I told him.

Huck shook his head. "I'd love nothing more than to take you up on that offer, but unfortunately, I can't this morning. I need to get back to work, and having pie after all the food I just ate, it's likely I wouldn't be very useful."

Without thinking, I asked, "Where do you work?"

"Harper Security Ops."

My brows pulled together, my eyes narrowing slightly. The name sounded familiar, but I couldn't recall where I'd heard it before. Then again, it wasn't like I'd gotten out much recently. I'd spent so much time keeping my head down and doing what was necessary to survive. "What do you do there?"

"Well, the business itself offers solutions for a wide array of needs, including things like private investigation or bodyguard and personal security services," he revealed. "We even do things like handle kidnap and ransom cases and have helped the Steel Ridge Police Department on occasion with crimes they've been investigating."

Suddenly, it fell into place. I'd heard about Harper Security Ops before in the news. There had been several incidences over the last few years which had been publicized where Harper Security Ops had played a role in bringing criminals to justice. I shouldn't have been surprised to learn that Huck was part of a team responsible for things like that, even if I worried about his physical safety in such situations.

I smiled at him and asked, "So, do you and your coworkers all handle these tasks at random, or do you have specific roles within the company?"

"We have several different teams of guys who handle unique tasks that play to their strengths and talent," he explained. "While we could all help the next guy with something we don't normally do, we each try to stick to what we do best. It just makes us all more efficient. As for me personally, I spend my days teaching in the self-defense and tactical training unit."

I gasped. "What?"

My body had gone rigid. Huck wasn't even the kind of man I pegged for a liar, but it seemed impossible that he would be doing something for a living that I desperately needed to know how to do.

Understanding seemed to dawn on his features at my reaction, and his voice was gentle when he spoke again. "I teach people how to defend themselves."

My belly clenched, my throat tightening painfully. Huck spent his days teaching people how to defend themselves. I wondered if he could do that for me. "You—you do?" I croaked.

He nodded. "Yeah."

Somehow, I didn't ask him what I really wanted to ask him. I was terrified what he would think if he learned the truth about where my life was now. Would he be disappointed? Of all the people in the world, Huck was the last person I'd want to leave feeling disappointed.

Doing my best to brush off the shock I felt, I asked, "And you like what you do?"

"It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done in my life," he confessed. "I just taught a class this morning before coming here."

I loved that for him. I loved that he seemed to be feeling a sense of pride in the work that he did. He earned a living feeling good about the impact he had on the lives of people who were brave enough to take classes with him.

"That's good. I'm glad for you, Huck," I murmured.

"You should try it," he suggested.

My brows shot up, silently questioning him. Was he so good at what he did that he just knew the situation I was in? "Pardon?"

Huck reached his hand into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and slipped a card out of it. He held the card out to me and said, "This is the information for Harper Security Ops. We offer a free class for anyone who thinks they might be interested in getting lessons. We always want to be sure we're a good fit for someone before they make that commitment. If you want to try out a class just for the fun of it, I'd love to have the opportunity to teach you."

Some relief settled within me. He was merely being friendly. He didn't know just how dire my situation was, and I was relieved to know he hadn't cottoned on. I held the card up and said, "I'll certainly keep that in mind."

And I would.

The truth was that I had a plan, even if it was slow moving. I was going to get out from under Kurt's thumb. As soon as I did that, it probably would be a wise idea to learn some self-defense skills, because I wasn't quite sure Kurt would so easily give me up.

"Please do," he urged me. "I promise you don't have to have any prior experience. Plus, we also offer private lessons, if you would prefer that over group classes."

I nodded my understanding. "That's good to know."

Huck didn't respond. He stared at me, a question lingering in his eyes. I was too curious not to know what he was thinking, so I asked, "What is it?"

He shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving my face. "It's just… it's so good to see you, Josie."

"I feel the same, Huck. I'm glad to know you're doing well."

"Look, I know I said I'm going to come back here sometime, but I've got to be honest. I'd love the opportunity to catch up with you when you don't have to work," he said. "Would you be up for getting together for a cup of coffee sometime?"

My shoulders fell.

When Huck and I were in high school, I'd wanted nothing more than for him to show an interest in me that went beyond the very real and much needed friendship he'd given me that year. He was sweet, kind, and generous. He made me feel good, and I was the happiest whenever I was around him.

But not once in all that time had he ever indicated he had any interest in me as anything more than just a friend. If he'd dropped one crumb, one hint of anything, I would have jumped through hoops to have him. Granted, I realized a relationship at that age might not have been able to stand the test of time, but Huck was such a good guy, I didn't think anything I could have experienced with him would have been bad.

Now, I didn't know what to think.

Was he asking to get together simply because he wanted to reignite that friendship? Was there something else lingering behind the request?

Either way, I wanted it. If the only thing I could have was his friendship, I wanted it. Unfortunately, I didn't think it would ever be possible as long as I was living with Kurt. God, I needed to get out.

"Oh, Huck, I'd love to," I said. "Unfortunately, life is a little bit busy for me right now. And, well, I'm just trying to work as much as I can. I'm hoping things should settle down in a few months, though."

Disappointment washed over him. "I understand. I hope you're okay with me continuing to come in and visit you here."

I didn't want to lose the connection to him. "Of course. I'd be happy to see you."

He gave me a nod. "Good. And maybe in a couple of months, we can try to get together outside of this diner. I'm just glad to know there isn't a boyfriend to contend with on top of a hectic schedule."

Damn it.

"Well…" I trailed off. I didn't want to have to admit this to him. "There kind of is."

His brows shot up. "Kind of? What does that mean?"

I inhaled deeply. "It's a bit complicated. I'm sorry I can't explain that right now. But I promise that once things settle down in a few months, it won't be a problem for us to get together and catch up, if you're still interested."

I couldn't quite read the look on his face, but Huck insisted, "I'll still be interested."

Though I hadn't wanted to react in a way he might notice there was something deeper happening, I wasn't able to stop myself from closing my eyes and sighing with relief. When I came to my senses and opened my eyes again, I saw Huck was studying me.

Whatever he was thinking, he didn't say. But I knew he was smart. And given his line of work, he probably realized things about me that I'd never be able to hide.

I reached into my apron, pulled out the bill, and said, "I should probably give you your check so you can get back to work. Whenever you're ready, you can take it up to the front to pay."

"Yeah. Good idea. You probably have to get back to work, too," he replied, taking it from me. His fingers brushed up against mine, sending a chill down my spine.

"I do," I rasped.

Following a beat of silence, Huck stood and said, "It really was nice to see you, Josie. I'm so glad I decided to stop in here today."

My heart was breaking, and it took everything I had in me not to burst into tears. "Me, too. I'll look forward to seeing you here again soon."

"You can count on it."

While I didn't doubt him, I could feel the conviction in his words. Huck wasn't the kind of man who'd ever not follow through on a promise.

I wanted nothing more than for him to give me another hug before he left, but Huck didn't extend his arms to offer one. So, I had no choice but to give him a nod, turn, and walk away.

I went straight to the bathroom, where I locked the door and allowed the tears to spill down my cheeks.

Why did my life have to be so fucked up?