Chapter 3

Three

Clara

O ver the next few days I developed a severe case of RFS—restless friend syndrome. For years my desire to find love, a soulmate, someone to share my bed with on occasion never took top priority. But now it's all I can think about. Maybe I was just horny and in need of a kinky, long one-night stand with a stranger. But as I think it I already know the answer isn't a fling with some unknown guy.

I wanted them.

I spent the last several nights tossing and turning while debating the wisdom of following through on my plans for Operation Separate and Conquer. The relationship between Dyson and Eeli was way more complex than I realized, and I was afraid my meddling had the potential to do more harm than good.

Every time I decided to back away and let Sawyer and Mac take the lead in helping Dyson and Eeli, a fierce protectiveness clawed at my insides until I felt like one big, raw exposed nerve.

If love felt like this, I might want to reconsider all this emotional crap. It made my night suck. And my days were no better. Trying to get through caring for the animals at the Hardwood Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, sneaking off for band practice, and fending off increasingly annoying calls and texts from Sawyer while running on fumes did not make my days run smoothly.

The mistakes I'd made had been many and varied and included everything from locking my keys in my truck to burning my toast beyond recognition. And don't even get me started on forgetting to latch the cage on an injured young raccoon I'd been caring for. He'd given me a run for my money for the better part of the morning.

I put my truck into gear and pulled out of the rescue's parking lot. My mind wandered back to my latest obsession—Dyson and Eeli, Eeli and Dyson. The two were tangled in my head like those interlocking metal puzzles that you had to move just the right way to get them to separate.

And then there was The Moment , as I'd come to think of it. That fleeting instant when I'd put my hand on Dyson and everything I ever thought I felt for him changed in a flash.

I tried telling myself I'd imagined it, but I knew the truth. He reacted to my touch in a way a soulmate does. Like the freaking cosmos open up and angels sing. I rolled my eyes at my crazy thoughts, but I am left wondering if Dyson could be meant for me.

Not that he needed to be thinking of a woman right now. It was obvious the man had some kind of post-traumatic stress disorder. Maybe it would be for the best if I backed off until the issues with Eeli and Dyson were resolved.

I could feel the dread roll through me at the idea. I sighed deeply as I turned my truck onto a gravel road leading up to an old hunting lodge. A tourist who'd been out photographing wildlife stopped in the rescue center to tell me he'd spotted what looked to be a stray dog out this way.

At least searching for a dog up here would help keep my mind off my troubles for a little bit. No more Dyson and Eeli. And no more letting my concentration wander to the point it caused a mishap.

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than my truck slid too close to the drainage ditch along the side of the road, making the backend fishtail. I jerked the wheel to correct it and found myself skidding toward the other side of the road.

I fought back panic and steered into the skid, pumping my brakes. My breath left me in a rush as the truck steadied and I was able to get control once more.

The relief was short-lived. I'd made it only a few more yards up the road when the truck seized. The engine sputtered and the old pickup jerked. A wheezing sound came from the front end, followed by a cough that sounded like a victim of the plague in the final throes of death, and then the engine died and the truck came to a grinding halt in the middle of the gravel road.

I slapped my hand against the steering wheel. "Damn, damn, damn."

I threw the truck into park, as if that mattered at this point. Resting my head back against the seat, my eyes drifted closed. What else could go wrong today?

Reaching for my phone with a sigh, I hesitated with my thumb over the list of contacts. Which one of my brothers should I call for help?

I wrinkled my nose at the thought. I could always just call the local garage. Jammie would be happy to come give me a tow. The only problem with that, the man had a big mouth and held friendship status with my brothers.

So it wasn't like calling him meant my damsel in distress moment wouldn't get back to my entire family within the hour.

As I looked over my contacts one more time, a name popped out at me.

Eeli. I couldn't fight the grin that took over my face. Maybe the universe was going to help me with my plans after all. Eeli was known all over Kodiak and beyond for being able to fix anything with an engine.

Before I could second-guess myself, I pressed the call button and held my breath as the phone rang twice.

"Clara." Eeli's terse voice came through the speaker.

"Eeli, thank goodness you answered. I'm stranded. I was headed up to the old hunting lodge off Route 47 and my truck just...I don't have a clue but dead is a pretty good way to describe it. It started bucking a little and making all these weird noises and then just killed over right in the middle of the road. I need some help up here."

Silence met my rambling for several long seconds before Eeli responded. "Hang on."

"Eeli?" I asked, but he was gone.

"You've got Sawyer," my brother said a few seconds later.

"Shit," I swore under my breath.

I blew out a sigh and rolled my eyes up to the ceiling of my truck. Couldn't I get even a tiny break? "Put Eeli back on, Sawyer."

"Clara? What's going on?"

"Nothing. Just give Eeli back the phone."

"Is something wrong? Why do you need to speak to?—?"

I took a page out of Trinity's book and dug deep for my inner drill sergeant. "Put Eeli on the phone now, Sawyer. I'll explain later."

"Fine. But don't think I'll forget that you owe me an explanation," he grumbled before I heard him shuffling the phone back to Eeli. At least I hoped he was giving it back.

"Clara?"

Relief washed through me at the sound of Eeli's voice.

"Eeli, I called you because I wanted to talk to you." I used my best friendly voice so as not to scare him away. "Sawyer is just going to call Jammie to come out and get me when I have a job to do, plus we all know he likes to jack up prices when he has to leave his shop. I just need a quick look. Can you come look under the hood? If it's nothing major, you could probably fix it without me having to go through the bother and expense of having it towed and repaired. Please."

Again silence.

"With sugar on top," I wheedled.

A few more beats and then, "Where are you?"

Score! I ignored his flat tone as elation poured through me.

I gave him directions and sat back and waited. If they were at the Kratos offices it could take a good fifteen or twenty minutes before he made it to Hardwood and then out this far to the lodge. I spent the time coming up with a plan of attack for when he arrived.

Of course, those plans were immediately canceled the second he pulled up. And that's because he wasn't alone. I watched the shiny SUV pull up behind my battered truck. Eeli jumped down from the passenger side and Dyson followed from the driver's side.

Why hadn't it occurred to me they'd be together? I shook my head and sighed. Strike two, universe. What are you trying to tell me?

I watched in the rearview mirror as they walked toward the truck. My eyes locked on Dyson and I could feel that same stirring inside me come to life. Like a pure ball of magical energy or something. I don't know. It just leaves me breathless for several heartbeats. I drank in the sight of him like a woman who made it through the Mojave.

"Down girl," I whispered to myself. "Drooling is a bad look."

I took a deep breath and pushed open the door, hopping down to the gravel road. "Hey there, guys. Thanks for coming out to give me a hand. Hopefully she's not dead dead , you know what I mean?"

I offer a soft smile but only get a couple of chin lifts from both, but not a single word. Eeli brushed right past me as he made his way over to pop the hood of the truck. Dyson paused beside me and I realized as I looked up at him that he wasn't wearing his blank face. His gaze wandered over me from head to toe, and I got the sense he was as eager for the sight of me as I was for him.

Shivers worked through me but I controlled them before anyone could notice.

His eyes met mine and a searing heat burned into me, a heat unlike anything I'd experienced before.

"Clara." My name came from him on a growl. Even as his eyes devoured me, his voice was laced with regret. The sound squeezed at my heart and I suddenly found myself fighting the urge to wrap my arms around him and just kiss away whatever kept him locked away from me.

He moved past me to stand by Eeli, stealing the one chance I might have had to act on my thoughts. His actions spoke louder than any words could, so maybe it was for the best. He might be feeling some of the same things I was, but right now Eeli would win every time. And a voice inside me whispered that it was okay.

I was lucky to live in a family where happily-ever-afters surrounded me. But none of my family had ever had to deal with what was happening between Dyson and Eeli. Tears came hot and heavy behind my eyes. I could feel them pushing, thick and prickly, clogging my throat. What if I couldn't help them? What if I'll never be more than just a friend's baby sister? I moved my gaze to the two men. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, leaning over the exposed engine of my truck and my heart squeezed painfully.

I pulled in a deep, slow breath through my nose, as I reminded myself this wasn't about me. Two men I cared for deeply needed my help.

I fought back my tears and when I felt like I could, at the very least, fake a happy tone, I moved forward. I stepped up to Eeli's side, leaning into him as I peeked into the engine.

"What's the diagnosis?" I asked.

"Doesn't look good." Eeli pulled up a hose and poked at something underneath.

I wrinkled my nose. My knowledge of engines could fill a thimble. I leaned in closer to Eeli. "Think you can fix it?"

"Maybe."

I looked up at him, but my gaze immediately collided with Dyson's. His dark eyes narrowed, but I didn't see any of the jealousy I'd expect to find.

Maybe I'd misread the situation. Or maybe the whole attraction thing was all on my side. And while on that thought, I'd never seen them act this connected before, so my assumptions and guesses were not to be trusted.

Only one way to find out—help Dyson and Eeli with whatever issues drove them together. And see where I fit in with Dyson. My path was clear.

I loved them both. They'd been part of my life forever. I'd already felt a strong compulsion to help them. And now there was a chance with Dyson. I'd be crazy to walk away. But until he could separate himself from Eeli, there was a strong possibility I'd be pretty miserable.

I squared my shoulders. Any doubts I'd entertained about butting out and letting Sawyer and the guys help them through things left me in an instant. I knew at that moment the only way the three of us could ever be really happy was for me to keep working on getting them to open up and deal with whatever was tormenting them.

Determination settled in for the first time in days, I felt content in the knowledge we would find a way to fix all this.

I turned and took a step away from the truck, trying to come up with my next step. Dyson jogged to his vehicle to grab a toolbox and I tracked his every movement. When he started to make his way back, I glanced at Eeli to find he had his eyes pinned to Dyson, too.

I'd thought Dyson's reaction to being without Eeli the other day was pretty extreme. But seeing the way Eeli kept his eyes on Dyson, the way his throat moved as he swallowed hard, the way his shoulders lost a little tension with each step Dyson took closer to him, it struck me that Eeli might need Dyson more.

I pressed my lips together even as my heart constricted at the thought of the mental scars their service to our country left on two of my favorite men. Time to put some plans in motion to help them heal.

And suddenly I thought of the perfect way to ease Eeli into separating from Dyson. What's the one thing all men love?