Cheryl Wyatt - Steadfast Soldier

“I hope everything turned out well for you.”

“We compromised. Steele and Bunyan agreed to what they did only because the entire town put pressure on them.”

“That’s discouraging. The town doesn’t know me.”

“But God does. If you have Him in your corner, there’s no need to fear. Besides, the mayor and the sheriff are both entering their last terms.”

Chloe laughed. “Not soon enough to save my program.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“You believe in me?”

“Of course. You haven’t given up on Dad yet.”

Chloe nodded, seeing the fear in his eyes that she might. But as willing as she was to keep trying, she couldn’t force Ivan to exercise. “You haven’t either. So between the two of us and Midnight, he still has a chance.”

“Thanks, Chloe. You encourage me.”

“We’re even then, because you encourage me too.”

Chance took her to his friend Joel’s house and borrowed his four-wheeler. He rode Chloe through the woods until dense forest gave way to a clearing.

Chance cut the engine. Chloe liked being close to him and didn’t want to put distance between them, but the view before them called to something deep in her. Almost like a dream.

“Wow.” Chloe climbed off the ATV. “This land is incredible. I can instantly envision where each of our animal rescue buildings should go. Mallory, my cousin and partner in crime with the animal-assisted therapy project, would freak if she saw this.”

Chance rested his hands on Chloe’s shoulders and turned her to the left as he pointed at a real estate sign.

“It’s for sale,” Chloe breathed. She eyed every inch of the property and practically drooled. “This would be perfect.” She turned to Chance. “Do you know who owns it?”

“The local garage owner. He has money coming out his ears. He owns a lot of land around Refuge. He’d probably sell it at a reasonable price as long as he knows the program is worthwhile.”

“My program will bring job openings to Refuge.”

“That’ll help.”

“But it may not be enough. There are too many obstacles to count.”

“Think of them as hurdles. Just focus on the one directly in front of you. Leap one at a time.”

“Thanks, Chance. Did you ever coach sports? You should.”

“I ran track in high school and college, then coached troubled teens in my spare time. I started a cross-country running club to try and give them something to do besides get arrested on weekends.”

“So you have it in your heart to work with youth?”

“Yeah. It’s very important to me.”

She rubbed the chill off her arms and hoped he’d change the subject. He stilled and studied her motions a moment before leading her to the edge of the property. A stream gurgled beside grassy knolls. Breath left her body in a delicate gasp. He smiled gently at her.

“This is so peaceful, so picturesque.” She turned in a half circle, then stopped. “That sign on the adjacent property says Sold. Do you know what’s going in there?”

“One of my skydiving buddies bought it. He wants to put in a horse farm and bring at-risk teens out to teach them work ethic. He wants to use rescued horses, which is why I brought you here. If you snagged the property next door, you two could combine your programs.”

“That would save money, which is another hurdle I need to jump in order to get this thing off the ground.”

“I have no doubt. I believe you will.”

She faced him. “I’m glad someone does. Let’s hope you’re not the only one in town.”

The wind rustled tendrils of hair loose from her barrette. He visually tracked the motion as it billowed. Something melted in her.

Something that made the moment much too romantic.

His eyes met hers, then fell to the lush, green earth. He dug the tip of his boot into the ground. His countenance succumbed to shyness.

“Hey, that looks like a combat boot. Is it?” She nodded toward his foot.

He nodded. “Jump boot. Similar, I guess.”

“For skydiving?”

He met her gaze again. “You could say that.”

What he said intrigued her, but what he didn’t say intrigued her more. She loved a man immersed in mystery. The fact that she’d get to ride back through forest and fields with her arms wrapped around him again pasted a smile on her face.

He looked so masculine against bright backdrops of raised knolls carpeted in vivid green grass landscaped with outlying woods. Assorted trees and wildflowers dotted the canvas of earth, which met the sky in brilliant purple-pink hues. Colorful and vibrant, pure and peaceful.

How she felt inside just walking and talking with him.

His jaw lifted as he eyed the painted horizon. “Sun’s setting. We better head back.”

Walking side by side, he peered down at her with steadfast sureness. The compelling look on his face caused her heart to flutter like a butterfly being courted by a winsome breeze.

“It’s going to be okay, Chloe,” he said after a moment of walking, with no words other than what was communicated by his sturdy gaze whispering unwavering confidence into hers.

“I hope so.”

He cleared his throat. “Uh, d-do you think you’ll be coming back t-t-to try again, y-you know, w-w-with Dad?” He looked both annoyed at his stutter and scared of her answer. His dysfluent speech proved it so.

She stopped, put her hand on his arm until he paused his long-legged stride and looked down at her. “Of course.”

He nodded and relief fell across his face in terrific waves. He resumed his steps. The four-wheeler came into view. “Busy week ahead.”

“Me too.” One that she looked forward to more than she ought, thanks to thoughts of glimpsing Chance again, although she truly did look forward to the challenge of assisting Ivan with his exercises.

If she could continue to trick or otherwise convince him to do them. If not, Chance had no need of her. She was there to help his father and she’d best not forget it.

That’s the only reason Chance looked at her as if he’d been stranded for months in the middle of a lonely, swirling ocean and she was the first lifeline to hit his destitute horizon. Right?

God had sent her. No doubt about it. The girl was a human life preserver. Dad’s mood had improved three hundredfold since Midnight and Chloe had come this week. And his mood had improved along with his dad’s, especially after spending time with her yesterday afternoon and evening. They’d had a great time.

Chance’s teammate Nolan and his wife, Mandy, arrived, and Chance grabbed his keys. “Mandy’s here, Dad. She’s gonna sit with you while Nolan and I work out and run by the Drop Zone. See you later, Dad.”

Ivan waved him off. Apparently, Dad’s mood still had a ways to go.

After pausing in the driveway to catch Mandy up on his dad’s needs, Chance and Nolan left. They pulled up at the B&B to pick up Brock for their daily pararescue workout regimen at Joel’s.

Hopefully the next few hours of strenuous lifting and exhausting himself on free weights, kettlebell and fitness machines that looked more like torture devices would sweat the image of Chloe, the memory of her essence and the linger of her perfume out of Chance’s mind.

Joel had built an exercise pole barn on his property. The guys used it often to stay in the superior shape their jobs required. If Chance’s appetite would return and his insomnia go, he’d be up to par. But these days, eating felt like little more than cramming gritty rocks in his mouth.

After cardio and working muscles to the max, they hit the gym showers and locked up. Brock dropped Nolan off at the Drop Zone to help Joel, then accompanied Chance to the car.

“Good ol’ Thursday. One more work day. We going out this weekend?” Brock pulled out of the DZ driveway.