No Place Like Home: The Coming Home Series, Book 1 Read Online Free PDF

Then I applied at twenty-three, as soon as I could. Applications are accepted the end of December and into January of the next year. The application process is pretty brutal with how many people apply. But I got in. I kept up my communications with Marcus over the years and that really helped, I think. Then training. Twenty weeks of hell.”
    “That’s…wow. Five months.”
    “Longest five months of my life. Almost tapped out several times.”
    “But you made it through. Bet your parents were proud.”
    “Dad died right after I got to high school. Stroke. But Mom was ecstatic. Flew to Quantico for my graduation. It was awesome. Picking up my firearm after crossing the stage. Epic.”
    “Are you armed every day at work?”
    “I’m armed all the time.”
    “As in…wait. Are you armed right now?”
    “I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you. And Kia said I had to return you in the same condition you showed up in.”
    “You talked to Kia?”
    “Yep. Read through your info in the packet you dropped off and had a few questions for her. She knew we were meeting for dinner. There were a few threats involved. All in all it was a nice conversation.”
    “Ugh. Sorry about that. She’s a bit protective. I would hang my head in shame but that would mean I’d have to stop eating calamari and that’s not gonna happen.”
    “Awesome, huh? Knew you’d love them.” He snagged another piece and shrugged. “And the rest they say is history.”
    “But you never answered the question of what you do. And how did you get stationed here?”
    “Worked my way up to field supervisor. Asked for a transfer here because I really wanted to work human trafficking. There’s a special division for that here because we’re so close to the Canadian border. Going through training, trafficking was what struck me as something I could make a difference in.”
    “I like hearing you talk about it. You’re passionate. That’s pretty awesome.”
    “What about you? What do you teach?”
    Greg showed back up, carrying two plates with a large piece of lasagna on each. “Hope you guys are hungry.” He set them down. “Parmesan for either of you?”
    “No thanks,” Charlie told him.
    “A little on mine.”
    Greg added a bit on top of Cole’s and then walked to another table to check on them.
    “Ahem.” Cole cleared his throat and raised his glass. He motioned toward her glass of water until she raised it. “To reunions.”
    “To first dates.”
    “Touché, lovely lady.”
    They clinked their glasses together and each took a drink.
    “Now prepare yourself to be wowed, Charlie. Best lasagna north of Mexico.”
    “That good, huh?”
    He took a bite and groaned. “Better. I think it’s better.”
    Blowing on her forkful of tasty pasta dish gave her a few seconds to watch him unguarded. “You’re different than what I expected.” She took a bite and savored it.
    “What did you expect?”
    “An asshole?”
    He barked out a laugh and took another bite. “I’d like to think I’ve never been an asshole. Cocky? Yes. I’ll cop to that one, but I don’t know. Losing Dad young probably had something to do with keeping me grounded. You never know what other people are going through, you know?”
    “I’m also surprised you aren’t jaded.”
    “I’m sure I am, but I try not to let it show. Work can get me down but I had to learn a long time ago to leave it at work. I’ve seen some great people hit rock bottom because of some of the shit we see. I never wanted that to be me. Life’s hard in general. No point in making it harder. What about you? I’m not a big fan of hearing about myself, so fill me in. What did you do after graduation? Where’d you go?”
    “I went to Columbia and got a bachelor’s in English. Then to the University of Texas and got my master’s in Art History and my teaching certificate.”
    “Why Texas?”
    “My parents moved down there to get away from the winters up here.”
    “They can be