The Marine's Reluctant Return by Sabrina York

Author:Sabrina York
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-10-28T23:16:18+00:00

* * *

Luke left Crystal’s apartment hurting and numb.

Damn it all. Damn it all, anyway.

He thought about heading down to the B&G and getting epically plastered, but the last time he’d done that, it hadn’t turned out so well. So he headed home instead. It was a shame he didn’t have anyone to talk to. None of his family or friends had a clue that he’d been harboring a secret crush for Crystal since high school. No—junior high?

That was the problem with keeping secrets.

You held them alone. Utterly alone.

Luke let out a harsh laugh. He’d spent most of his life feeling alone. This was nothing new. Not really.

Except he’d never wanted like this. Never wanted so badly to be un-alone. And she was the one he wanted to be un-alone with.

Yet, he’d stopped her.

Thank God she hadn’t been offended or angry when he’d stopped her. Thank God she hadn’t cut him right out of her life. They were still friends. They could still spend time together. That was something he could hold on to, at least.

But for now, he was just a guy in love with the girl his best friend had married. Was there anything sadder?

Yes. Yes, in fact, there was. And Luke knew exactly what it was.

He let himself into his place, made a beeline to his albums and dug out the Mozart Requiem—widely touted as the saddest piece of music ever composed. But not even halfway through it, he had to turn it off with a self-directed scoff because, damn, this was beyond sad. This was maudlin. He’d never been much of a wallower and this—this felt like wallowing.

The fact of the matter was, he was damn lucky. He’d cheated death, he could walk on his own two feet, he had his health, he was able to serve others with the gifts God had given him and he found great joy in music, friendship and flying.

It was a rich life. It was a good life.

Was it wrong to want more? He hoped not, because he did. Despite everything, he wanted more. He wanted more with her.

For a second, his mind spun with thoughts of where he’d be, what they’d be doing right this moment, if he hadn’t stopped her. But somehow, even imagining it dredged up self-reproach bitter enough to turn his stomach.

She was Brandon’s wife and, yeah, Brandon was dead. Somehow, in his heart and soul, she was still Brandon’s wife, and always would be. He wished he could just slough off that mindset. But he didn’t know how.

Especially since he was the reason Brandon was dead. And taking his woman... Well, that was plain wrong.

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