“If I don’t work in private security, what the hell do I do?”
His father grinned, as if he’d known this was the problem all along. “If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do?”
“I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to go to college and get a degree.”
“Then that’s what you should do.”
Connor shook his head. “I’d be in school with a bunch of kids, and when I graduated, I’d be forty-two.”
“You know what’s going to happen if you don’t go to college?”
“What?”
“You’ll still be forty-two, but you won’t have a degree. It’s not too late to follow your dreams, son. You only get one shot at this life.”
“When she left us, Mya, the monk’s daughter, passed along a message. He told me that he hoped I’d find true peace one day. Hell, Dad, I don’t even know what that is. The only time I’ve felt at peace …”
The realization hit him like a bolt of thunder, drove the breath from his lungs.
“The only time I’ve felt truly at peace was with Shanti.” And suddenly nothing else mattered. “I’m heading back to Denver after dinner.”
His father nodded, took another drink of tea. “Let’s get these pumpkins in before lunch. I think your mama’s making fried chicken.”
“Dad, thanks.”
His father stood, drew him into a sweaty bear hug. “You’re a damned hero, Connor. No father has been prouder of his son than I am of you.”
October3
Shanti was asleep on the couch when a knock at the door woke her. She stood, hobbled across the room, and looked out the peephole to see…
Oh, my God!
She opened the door. “Connor!”
He stood there looking handsome as sin in a denim jacket, T-shirt, and jeans, a day’s growth of beard on his face, a duffel bag at his feet. “Hey, princess.”
She couldn’t say who moved first, but in the next instant, she was in his arms, laughing and crying at the same time. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
He lifted her off her feet, held her close, buried his face against her throat. “It’s so good to see you.”
And for a time, they stood there, holding each other.
He set her back on her feet. “Can I come in?”
She laughed, wiped the tears from her face. “Yes! Sorry. It’s cold out in the hallway.”
“I emailed to tell you I was on my way.”
“I haven’t been checking email. The doctor says screens are bad for people recovering from a concussion.”
Connor carried his duffel inside, glanced around. “Nice place.”
She shut the door behind him. “Can I get you something?”
“All I want right now is you.” He pulled her into his embrace again, kissed her long and deep and slow. “God, I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too, so much.” Then it hit her. “How did you find me?”