It Had To Be You Read Online Free PDF Page A

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visage. His eyes crinkled at the corners, their unusual green color
twinkling in the overhead lights.
    Her insides turned soft. “You love him.”
    “ I do; but more so, I owe him my life.
He’s helped me…a lot with this…thing.”
    She thought of how hard it must be for such a
strong, brave man to be out of control sometimes. But she said,
“Family can be invaluable. I’m glad you have him.”
    Lazing back, he crossed a knee over his
ankle, revealing rubber boots. The gear seemed dwarfed by his big
frame. “So, what time do you get off?”
    “ Seven.”
    “ What will you do after
work?”
    “ Go home, get Josh on the school bus,
shower and go…”
    When she hesitated, he arched a brow.
    “ I volunteer at the Veteran’s Outreach
Shelter on Collins Ave. It houses thirty-eight vets.”
    “ Do you volunteer as a nurse or regular
helper?”
    “ Nurse. I do screenings for diabetes
and blood pressure, dispense some over-the-counter medicine and
treat minor cuts and bruises.”
    “ That’s a big thing to tackle with a
kid and a full-time job, which apparently requires some night
shifts.”
    She shrugged. “Yeah, but I really like being
there. And I can help. There’s a young man who assists me in the
clinic. He’s not making any progress with their counselors, but he
opens up a bit to me. I worry about him.”
    “ Any specific problems?
Injuries?”
    “ Severe depression, which caused him to
leave his home with his wife and move into the shelter.”
    “ That’s too bad.”
    “ It gets worse. He got close to an IED
in a backpack an insurgent was carrying. Nick lost his foot.” She
bit her lip. “And his face is badly scarred.”
    Contrary to moments ago, the bleakest eyes
she’d ever scene stared back at her. “I hate those stories.” He
sighed. “Did you ever hear one of those go off?”
    She nodded. “It sounds like a tornado.”
    “ I know soldiers are injured just from
the effect of the blast, even if they don’t get blown apart by
one.” Just then his cell rang. “Must be Zach.” He seemed relieved
to end the gloomy topic. “Sloan…okay…uh-huh.” Clicking off, he
stood up. “Gotta go.”
    She nodded. He crossed to the door but turned
after he opened it. “Thanks for the coffee. And good luck today.
It’s great that you’re helping our guys.”
    She said inanely, “Thanks for what you did
over there, Colonel.”
    “ Back at you. And make it
Beck.”
    When he walked out the door, Lela stared
after him. What an interesting guy. She thought of Sophia’s words. Yum-my. He’s a looker.
    Well, that too, though she hardly noticed men
that way anymore. But she’d noticed him.
    o0o
    Exhausted, Beck drove home slowly from the
station. Too bad he wouldn’t sleep after the shift. That was his
nemesis now. He’d read the literature—a common symptom of PTSD was
insomnia. Interesting, though, he slept at the firehouse when he
was on the night shift, with only occasional nightmares that made
him get up at three a.m.. Something about belonging, about
security, a shrink would say. Maybe he’d bring it up at the PTSD
group.
    As he went in through the garage of his
two-story condo, set his keys precisely where they belonged in the
dish he’d placed next to the phone, he noticed the blinking light
on the answering machine. Crossing the small galley kitchen, he
pressed the button and leaned against the countertop. “Hey, buddy,
it’s me.” His brother Linc. “Just checking in. We miss you since
you moved out. Want to get a beer tonight? Call me back.”
    Linc was a software engineer at a local
company in Hidden Cove. He had two boys and a darling wife. When
Beck had first gotten divorced from Patty, Linc had insisted Beck
move in with him and his family. Having a loving family around him
had been a godsend, but Beck had made sure to leave before he’d
become a nuisance.
    Next message: “Beck, it’s Patty. Tommy got
detention after school again. Think you could call him at