Free A Soldier's Journey by PATRICIA POTTER

Eve will vouch for me.”
    He wore jeans and a casual blue pullover cotton shirt with short sleeves that showed off muscled arms and a fit body. A shock of unruly chestnut hair fell over his forehead.
    â€œTell me about the other people at the dinner.”
    â€œJosh is a former loner who finds himself surrounded by people and animals and can’t quite figure out how it happened. Clint is the opposite. He’s never met a stranger and could charm a rattler. Clint likes to tease Josh about his current zoo and a wife with a finger in a hundred pies.”
    â€œAnd you enjoy standing back and enjoying it.”
    â€œGuilty. But then Stephanie and Clint are interesting, too. Clint’s the outgoing one, and Stephanie is all practicality.”
    â€œShould make for an interesting evening.” Andy turned to Joseph. “Let’s go.” Then she glanced back at Nate. “Eve said it was okay to bring him.”
    â€œI would be shocked if he wasn’t invited,” Nate replied as Joseph picked up his leash and brought it to her.
    â€œEve will be impressed,” Nate said as he opened the door for her, then the screen porch. “Her dogs never do that.”
    She’d expected the pickup but instead he led her to a middle-aged Buick sedan. “My mom’s car,” he said. “I thought it would be more comfortable.”
    â€œShe lives here?”
    â€œIt’s one reason I came back. She’s getting older.” A shadow crossed his face and she realized there was probably more to the story. But she knew better than to probe. She didn’t want anyone to probe into her life.
    Once they were on the road, he turned to her. “Everyone who’ll be there tonight is good people. Really good people. They’ll understand if you need to walk away. Just nod at me, and we’ll leave. Okay?”
    She swallowed hard. He understands. She hadn’t been around more than a few people since...waking up. She’d refused group therapy. No way could she talk about what happened.
    â€œThank you,” she finally said.
    He turned on some jazz in the car and they rode in silence.
    Nate drove to a parking area in front of a one-story ranch house. A screened-in porch, much like her own, stretched across the front. A boy—maybe ten or so—opened the door and approached the car. He waited as Andy stepped out of the car.
    â€œHello,” he said.
    â€œHello to you,” she said with a smile.
    â€œI’m Nick. Mom told me to bring you inside. She said you might have a dog. I have four. They’re inside because Mom says they can be too much for a visitor.” He hadn’t taken a breath between all the sentences.
    â€œI think I can handle a few dogs,” she said. “And I do have one in the car. Would you like to meet him?”
    Nick nodded eagerly.
    Nate had walked around the car, and he opened the back door.
    Joseph jumped down and stood protectively next to Andy.
    â€œCan I pet him?” Nick asked.
    â€œI think he would like that.”
    â€œWhat’s his name?”
    â€œJoseph.”
    Nick knelt and rubbed Joseph’s ears. “He’s a fine dog,” he said.
    â€œEvery dog is a fine dog to Nick,” Eve said as she walked up. “Welcome. The guys are around at the grill in back. Would you like to come in and have a glass of wine before joining them?”
    Andy nodded. “Sounds good.” She followed Eve inside while Nate strode behind the house. Joseph was at her heels, and Nick at his.
    She stepped inside the porch. “Looks familiar,” she said.
    â€œJosh built the one at the cabin and liked it so much he added this one after we were married. He’s great with his hands.”
    They went inside to the kitchen. Eve poured two glasses of red wine and handed one to her. “Bill Evans said you stayed at the museum until late.”
    â€œYou piqued my interest,” Andy