Cheryl Wyatt - Steadfast Soldier

Chance knew that by weekend, Brock meant Friday night, since Saturday evenings the guys convened at Joel’s or Commander Petrowski’s for PJ cookouts.

Chance attended church on Sundays now and didn’t want to break away from Dad or find sitters on Saturdays to attend the PJ barbecues, though he missed them. Dad was anxious about being left alone, plus his doctor recommended he remain under constant watch for a few more weeks.

“What’s popping at the movies?” Chance settled deeper into the seat of Brock’s sports car and enjoyed the rumble of power beneath him. Brock was as much of an adrenaline junkie as Chance. They hadn’t gotten to do much in the way of fun the past six months though.

Merging onto the interstate, Brock rocked the RPMs. “I’ll check the movie schedule at home. There’s a new action flick on.”

Since Chance had openly committed his life to Christ following his teammate Vince’s dramatic conversion, Brock didn’t pressure Chance to party. Chance hadn’t managed to talk Brock into attending Bible studies…yet. In due time.

Brock changed lanes and passed a semi. “You could invite that girl.”

Chance plucked a bag of Nutter Butters off the dash. He had a penchant for sweets and missed his mom’s baking. These would get him through. “What girl?”

“You know what girl.” Brock grinned. “She’s new to town. You should make her feel welcome.”

A jagged piece of cookie must have gone down wrong, as Chance coughed. “The dog-toting OT?”

“Seriously, man. She could probably use friends.”

Brock was right. Mandy told him in the driveway earlier she was the only person Chloe knew in Refuge besides her mom. And now Chance and his father.

Chance worked kinks out of his shoulder. “Not to change the subject, but I need to get back into a better routine. I don’t want to be out of shape for a rescue.”

“Long as you keep working out like a fiend and hit most of the training ops, you’ll be fine.”

“But being youngest on the team, I’m the weak link.”

“You’re more experienced than most guys on Petrowski’s other PJ teams. Dude, seriously, don’t sweat it. You’ve been through a lot. Take this time to regroup.”

Chance flipped the visor up when Brock merged onto Pena’s Landing toward the B&B. “I just wanna keep my head in the game when lives are at stake. Ya know?”

“For sure.” Brock pulled into the driveway, cut the ignition and leaned forward abruptly. “No way.”

Chance looked up. Blinked. Leaned in. “Is that Chloe?” She sat on the B&B steps, looking uncharacteristically frustrated. Chance exited the car. Brock trailed.

Chloe’s body tensed and her expression looked uncertain under the wraparound porch’s dim light until she recognized the guys. She rose and wiped grime off of jeans that outlined shapely legs. “Hey.”

They stopped in front of her at the foot of the stairs. When she looked at Chance as if she could cry on his shoulder, his heart melted. “Hey, Chloe. What’s up?”

She waved a hand up to the tree where soft mewling originated. “There’s a stray kitten loose. I didn’t know it and Midnight got after him. He’s stuck up there. I’m not fond of falling from heights.”

“I assume the dog’s inside?”

She nodded. Chance searched the tree until he spotted the kitten’s eyes glowing between still-wet leaves that clung to a tangle of branches.

“Can you help me rescue him?”

Her voice drew his attention back. “Rescue?”

He was falling for her right here on the spot.

This was a girl after his heart.

Brock clamped Chance’s shoulder. “It just so happens that rescue is his specialty. Particularly animals and people.” Brock headed inside.

Chloe’s face fell, which meant she didn’t realize Chance wouldn’t need help getting the kitten safely down. “Brock has allergies. Cats and guinea pigs.”

“Oh. I suppose you’ll need my help?” She nibbled her lip, which unfortunately drew his gaze there and interrupted his focus. He struggled to decipher what she’d just said.

Thankfully, the recall that had earned him the PJ team job of memorizing intel didn’t elude him long. “I think I can manage. But you can watch if you want.” He grinned.

She stepped aside. “Okay. Do I need to do anything?”

“No, ma’am.” Except answer the question burning tracks through his brain. “Other than clue me in on what you’re doing here.” It wasn’t often he came home to a beautiful woman waiting at his door. Well, not his door. But still.

“I might ask you the same thing,” she said, her typical spunk returning.

“I live here. Well, used to, with Brock.”

She eyed the Victorian structure. “Oh. You did?”

“Yep. Miss Evie rented rooms to most of my team before they married their sweethearts.”

“Your special rescue team?”

“Yeah, how’d you know I’m on a rescue team?”

Even the cover of moonlight couldn’t camouflage the tinge invading her cheeks. “Um, er, Mandy might have mentioned it. I hope that was okay.”

He nodded. Not many people knew the elite status their team held in the U.S. military. Chloe might not know he was an Air Force special operative, but by the obvious respect in her eyes, she knew plenty well he was highly trained, distinguished military.

“I was staying with Mom, but Evie had a vacancy.”

“Need help moving your stuff in?”

“No, I didn’t bring much from Chicago because I’m not sure how long I’ll be staying. But thanks.”

Silent, Chance went to his Jeep. “Let me get some rope and we’ll get Miss Maple out of the tree.”

Chloe followed in a skip. “Miss Maple?”

“Yeah. She got herself stuck like syrup up there in a maple tree, and she looks like a clump of wet leaves clinging to the branch. So Miss Maple fits.”

She peered at the frightened kitten. “What if she’s a he?”

“Then we’ll call it Mr. Maple.”

“We?” She rose on tiptoes.

“Correction. You. It’s obviously a stray and Dad would cream my corn if I brought a cat in the house.”

Her finger went up. “Hey, that could work.”

“What?”

“Use the cat as a ploy to get your dad moving.”

Chance laughed, knowing she was joking but having fun with the mental images her statement provoked nonetheless. “Yeah, that’d do it. Can you imagine? He’d bullet out of that chair after me faster than I could say kitty litter.”

They both knew they were working against time in terms of Ivan regaining the use of his hands. But it felt good to see the rare humor in the situation.

She giggled, causing a carefree breeze to blow through him. He found himself slowing to allow her to fall into step beside him.

He also found himself laughing, genuinely laughing, for the first time in six long, hard months.

Chloe felt fantastic when she heard Chance let loose and laugh like that. He caught her gaze and grinned.

“You look like a coon in a food-infested campground.”

“It’s the company.” He winked at her. Slow and sweet and scrumptious.

She drank it in like sipping her favorite tea as they meandered together, steps in sync, to the maple tree.

He donned gloves, scaled the treacherous tree as though it were a simple stepladder and rescued the kitten, all in under seventeen seconds.

Joy fluttered through her as he let go of the lowest branch and landed squarely on the ground. Tenderness coated her insides like invisible honey, sweet and soothing, as he cradled the kitten protectively like a baby. He rubbed fingers lightly over it in calming motions.

His lopsided victory grin as he approached was a bonus treat. She stepped close, careful not to make a commotion. The baby kitty panted in wide-eyed wariness and wiggled deeper into Chance’s embrace.