What's Left of Me by Kimberly Lewis

Author:Kimberly Lewis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: second chance, summer romance, short read, romance and happy ending, romance and happily ever after, romance and military, romance adult comtemporary, romance and friendship, alpha male with troubled past, hero with ptsd

11

cole

Over. Under. Up. Through. Loop. Tighten.

Shit.

I swear to God I hate ties. Loosening up the noose I’ve somehow created, I rip the impossible and completely pointless article of clothing from my neck and toss it to the sofa. Not only did I find out this “small party” of my mother’s was now up to two hundred people, I also learned that it was a formal affair and required a black tie dress code. I love my mother dearly, but that’s just crazy. I’m going with a no-tie dress code, and she’s lucky she’s got me a suit. Or, should I say, she’s lucky Jenna got me in a suit because I didn’t have one. We snuck out of town the other day and drove three towns over—an effort to keep some secrecy to my homecoming— just to pick it up.

“Jenna?” I call out for her when I notice the time. “Baby, you almost ready?”

“I’ll be right out,” I hear her say from the bathroom.

Unable to help myself, I begin to pace. I’m not going to lie, I’m nervous as hell about showing up at that party tonight. Different reactions to my presence keep rolling through my head, and I’m honestly not sure what to expect from my parents and the other guests—tears of joy that I’m finally home or a piss-poor attitude that I’ve been gone for so long and decided to show up unannounced. Anxiety quickly builds within me, and I force myself to stop pacing to take a few deep breaths. Looking into the small mirror hanging on the wall by the door, I give myself a silent pep talk that everything will be okay and adjust my black suit before seeing the bathroom door open.

My heart stops. And I know that’s a dumb thing to say because when your heart stops beating you’re technically dead but, shit, maybe I am. I turn and watch as Jenna slowly makes her way down the hall. Her long blonde hair is in soft bouncy curls, and she’s wearing a pale pink dress with thin straps and a flowy skirt that hits right below her knee. I swear she looks like an angel. My angel. My saving grace.

“What?” she asks me, almost bashful.

“You look beautiful,” I somehow manage to say. I literally feel weak in the knees at just the sight of her.

“Stop,” she says, and the pink hue that fills her cheeks makes her even more amazingly gorgeous.

“I mean it,” I tell her and walk over to meet her. “You are absolutely breathtaking, baby.” Reaching for her hand, I lift it to my mouth and gently kiss her fingers. “Now I’m really disappointed that I’m not escorting you to the party.”

Arriving to the party separately wasn’t a choice either of us particularly liked, but it was necessary. No one knows I’ve been in town for the last week, except for Jenna and Emma, and I really don’t want anyone to hold a grudge against them for keeping my secret.

“How about

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