Free Soldier's Choice by Morgan Blaze Page B

it, and it was probably easier for him this way. But she’d asked for this. She wanted to know the truth, and now she had it. Considering the circumstances, it was a miracle he’d even spoken to her when he got back.
    Well, from now on she’d stay out of his life.
    She got up and found her clothes, grateful that she’d driven here last night. She could have walked home, but it would be a good half-hour trek and she just didn’t have that much energy. She’d never felt this drained, this empty.
    As she headed out of the bedroom, she heard a voice. Reese, speaking in low tones from what sounded like the kitchen.
    And female laughter responded.
    Dull weight settled in her gut. Had he really found someone else so soon? Or were they “just friends” because he was already involved?
    No. He wouldn’t do that—not while she was still here. There had to be another explanation.
    She peeked into the kitchen and immediately felt like a fool for ever thinking that. The girl at the table across from him had to be his little sister. She was twelve or thirteen, willowy and graceful with long, brown hair and blue eyes that were darker than his. Each of them had a mug, and there was a sketchpad between them with a half-finished pencil drawing that Luka couldn’t make out from here.
    Reese stared at the drawing, and then looked at Georgia. “It’s a…giraffe.”
    “No!” She giggled again and picked up the pencil beside the pad. “You’re terrible at this, you know.”
    “You haven’t seen terrible yet. Wait until it’s my turn to draw.”
    Laughing, she started to add to the picture. “Okay, you get two more guesses and then I win.”
    Luka’s heart wrenched as she watched them together. She could feel the simple love between them, just as strong as her own relationship with her brothers. And they’d been kept apart for five years. It must’ve been awful for him, missing so much of her growing up.
    She decided to leave. But as she turned to go, Reese said, “Hey, Luka. Want to join us?”
    Georgia looked up in surprise, and a smile broke across her face. “I know you,” she said. “You work at Magic Mags, right?”
    “Yes, I do.” Inwardly surrendering, Luka walked into the kitchen. “And you’re Georgia,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you.”
    “Nice to meet you, too. Hey, I bet you’re better at this than my brother.” She held up the sketchpad. “We’re playing Pictionary…sort of. This is a movie.”
    Luka smiled. The drawing was actually pretty good. It was a fast sketch, but clearly a horse with ocean waves behind it. “Seabiscuit,” she said.
    “Yes!” The girl’s laugh was infectious. “See, Reese? It’s not that hard.”
    “Still looks like a giraffe to me.” He smirked and stood. “Want some coffee?” he said. “It’s probably not very good, but it’s still hot.”
    “Sure. With cream and sugar, please.”
    “Will do.”
    As he headed for the counter, Luka sat down at the table and nodded to Georgia. “Don’t listen to him,” she said. “It doesn’t look anything like a giraffe. He’s just being a big brother.”
    “Yeah, tell me about it,” she said, grinning. “Do you have a big brother?”
    “Three of them.”
    “Wow! That must suck.”
    “I heard that,” Reese called over his shoulder. “Come on, now. Big brothers aren’t all that bad.”
    “Once in a while, anyway.” Luka winked, drawing a giggle from Georgia.
    The girl flipped to a fresh page on the pad. “Wanna play?” she said. “I bet you draw better than him, too.”
    “Well…all right. Maybe one round.” She took the pencil and laid the pad on the table. “I like movies,” she said. “Let me think of one, and I’ll give it a shot.”
    Reese was suddenly beside her, setting a mug on the table. In it was the darkest coffee she’d ever seen. Adding cream had only turned it the color of mud—the stuff looked like it could walk and talk on its own. “Well, that looks…strong,” she