Winds of Fortune Read Online Free PDF Page B

father and Deo’s mother are twins.” Pia studied her wine. “I was sort of a gangly teenager, but Deo has always been gorgeous.”
    Nita laughed, consciously not thinking about Pia’s gorgeous cousin. “Well you certainly caught up.”
    “Thanks.” Pia grinned. “So, a house, huh? Where?”
    “I bought a sea captain’s house in the West End.”
    “The big old rambling place with the widow’s walk? That’s a great place, although it’s been empty for quite a while.”
    “I know it needs some work, but I fell in love with it.”
    “When do you settle?”
    “Just a couple of days. No one has lived in it for so long we had a quick closing.” Nita smiled self-consciously. “I can’t wait to get started renovating the place.”
    “Well, be sure to ask my mother about construction regulations. The township is very strict about what you can do to those historic places. You should probably start getting bids now.”
    “Thanks. I will.” Nita stood and stretched. “Joey is going to need a wound check tomorrow. If things are looking good, you can start some gentle rehab with him in a day or two.”
    “I’ll come by when he has his appointment with you. Okay?”
    “That’s great. I think I’m ready to call it a night. We’ve still got another day left of the holiday weekend, and if it’s anything like today was, the clinic’s going to be busy tomorrow.” Nita glanced down toward the beach. The entire time they had been talking, she’d half expected to see Deo return. She was glad she hadn’t. “Well, good night.”
    “See you tomorrow,” Pia called.

    *

    “Everything okay?” Reese inquired, leaning against the door in Reggie’s bedroom. The last bit of the fading sunset filtered through the white curtains, and as Tory bent over the crib, she looked timelessly beautiful framed in the golden glow. So beautiful that Reese ached. She had imagined this scene a thousand times in the weeks that she’d been away. When everything around her had been senseless chaos, when the sky turned to fire and death rained down from the heavens and exploded from the earth, she had clung to the only thing that kept her sane. She had been shocked when her determination to fulfill the mission she had trained for all her life failed to sustain her and when only the memory of her wife and child kept her going. Leading her marines into battle and in some cases to their deaths while secretly questioning her purpose had shaken the foundation of her world. She had built her life on her belief in her duty and responsibility, and she had come home doubting both. She had come home no longer certain of who she was.
    Smiling, Tory turned from the crib, her finger to her lips. After switching on the nightlight on the bright blue dresser by the door, she joined Reese. Once outside in the hall, she said, “She might not have known what the party was for, but she definitely had a good time. I think she sat on everyone’s lap at least once.”
    “She didn’t have dinner.”
    “We’ll feed her later when she wakes up.” Tory grasped Reese’s hand. “How about you? Did you eat something?”
    “Yeah, I’m fine.”
    “That’s not exactly what I asked,” Tory said quietly.
    Reese stopped at the top of the stairs and pulled Tory close. She nuzzled her hair, then kissed her neck. Some of the doubts that plagued her receded. Tory was real. Tory was alive. “I’m fine. Stop worrying.”
    “Comes with the territory, Sheriff.” Tory stroked Reese’s cheek. “Besides, I enjoy looking after you.”
    “You’ll get no argument from me.” Reese wasn’t hungry for food, but she still felt empty. Nothing filled her up except Tory. In the recesses of her mind she heard the thunder and felt death coming. She hesitated, uncertain for the first time in her life of how to face it. She gasped, “Tory.”
    “What, sweetheart?”
    In her mind, Reese saw Tory silhouetted in the moonlight, saw her shimmering in the bright light of day.