Free Forever My Soldier (Love Conquers Life Book 3) by Alison Mello Page B

it was with you.” I nod as I shake her hand. I walk out the door, feeling a little bad for Joan. There is a security guard standing there, waiting for me.
    “Are you ready, Ms. Fitzgerald? I’ve been ordered to walk you out so that Joan will not approach you.”
    “I will be as soon as I get my coat.”
    In an awkward silence, we both walk to where my coat is hanging. I slip it on, and he walks me all the way to my car. Once I’m inside safely, he walks back to the building and I dial Carter through my Bluetooth.
    “Hey, baby. How did your meeting go?”
    “You’re not going to believe this, but Joan was fired. She’s the one who told the media I was staying at your house. I wonder if she told Ben too, now that I think about it.”
    “Wow, how did you find out?”
    “I was sitting, waiting to go into her office, when one of the reporters who were standing outside of your place came walking out.”
    “So, what are you going to do?”
    “Elizabeth, the owner of the agency, has taken over working with me.”
    “Are you on your way home?”
    “Yes, I am. Are you?”
    “I am. I’ll see you there soon, but wait for me in the lobby because we have an early reservation. It was the only spot I could get at Lorenzo’s, and I don’t want to be late.”
    “Nice. Lorenzo’s, huh?”
    “Yes. I really wanted to go somewhere nice tonight.”
    “Well, I’m pulling in now. I’ll see you in a few.”
    I park my car and hurry inside and out of the cold. “Good afternoon, Patricia.” Darryl nods at me. I’ve tried to get him to call me Patty, but he’s so formal. This is better than ma’am or Ms. Fitzgerald.
    “Good afternoon, Darryl. I’m waiting for Carter. We have early dinner reservations, and he’s on his way to pick me up.”
    Carter pulls up two minutes later. Again, Darryl opens the door for me as I walk out to see my man. I open the car door, and he greets me with his breathtaking smile.
    “Hey, baby.” He leans in to give me a quick kiss.
    We’re sitting in quiet as Carter drives us to the restaurant when I ask him, “Is it weird that I feel bad for Joan? I mean I know she crossed a line, but I didn’t mean for her to get fired for it.”
    “Baby, you’re so sweet, but maybe there was more to it than that?”
    “There must be because Elizabeth said I wasn’t the first complaint she’s gotten.”
    He shrugs his shoulders. “Well, there you go then. Maybe you happened to push her over the edge.”
    “Maybe.” I go back to sitting in silence and think about my afternoon and everything that happened at the office. Elizabeth was so calm, so matter of fact about firing her. I was so deep in thought I hadn’t noticed that we pulled up until Carter places a hand on my leg.
    “Are you okay?”
    I smile. “Yeah, let’s have a nice dinner.”
    I climb out of the Jeep with him, and we walk into the restaurant hand in hand. We are escorted to a quiet table for two in the back corner of the restaurant. I take the seat that Carter has pulled out for me, and he quickly takes the other while the waitress places menus in front of us and fills our water. She tells us she’ll give us a few minutes and walks away.
    “Are you okay with me having a glass of wine?” I question, peeking over the top of my menu.
    “Of course.” He rewards me with a full-on smile.
    “Why do I feel like you’re up to no good?” I give him a small side grin.
    “I’m not. I’m really happy. It was a great day at work, a great day with my counselor, and now I’m finishing it off with a nice dinner with the love of my life.”
    I close my menu, placing it to the side. “Why was work so great?”
    He describes his day, starting with Tobey coming to visit him. He looks so proud, and he should be. He’s come a long way. The waitress interrupts to take our food and beverage order and retreats with a promise to be right back with our drinks. As soon as she’s gone, he continues talking about his conversation with Derek and