Free What Matters Most by Reana Malori Page B

challenges and hardships faced by Major Knight and his team. After these three months, she could admit the Major meant more to her than she would have anticipated or expected, and she wasn’t sure how to handle the feelings swirling inside of her.
    As she snuggled under the covers a little more, Sierra couldn’t help thinking that she was tired of falling asleep alone each night. Her bed was becoming increasingly lonely and because dating had never been a priority, life had begun to revolve around her child. Making a good life for the two of them was, and always would be, her primary goal. But late at night, with the moon peeking through her curtains and the house quiet at the end of a very trying day, her heart knew something was missing. She wanted someone to hold her at night. A shoulder to lean on every once in a while so she did not always have to be the strong one would be nice.
    Her deep sigh seemed to echo through her lonely room. Those types of dreams were for fairytales. She lived in the real world, where bills had to be paid, laundry had to be done, and knights in shining armor did not swoop in and make everything better. Determined to get some rest and to stop feeling sorry for herself, Sierra closed her eyes and fell into a fitful sleep.
    *****
    April…
     
    Major Evan Knight breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped off the plane. Man, he was glad to be home. Eighteen months in the desert was more than enough for him. It was easy to stand in front of his guys and keep a stiff upper lip, but at night when the threat of mortar attacks increased and he couldn’t run away from the thoughts racing through his mind, things would get tough. Some of the men in his unit had been injured, or killed, and the nightmares and cold sweats at night were getting old. His first tour was much worse, and he’d sworn he would never go back. However, two years later when he was ordered back to another eighteen-month deployment he saluted, packed his gear, and hopped on a transport.
    Now that he was back in Bethesda, Maryland, the plan was simply to work a cushy job training Marines and civilians on counter-improvised explosive device techniques at some super-secret location and come home to his nice, air-conditioned home every evening. Evan could do the job with his eyes closed, and it would no longer involve sitting in a Humvee with four other guys, praying the insurgents didn’t take that opportunity to become a martyr. While he loved the Marines and would serve as long as he was able, it felt damn good to be home, at a place where he could feel safe, where he wasn’t constantly looking over his shoulder, and could sleep at night without the sound of incoming mortar attacks ringing in his head.
    Breathing in the crisp spring air, Evan looked around at the hustle and bustle of people arriving and departing Reagan National Airport. He noticed the car he’d ordered to take him home waiting for him at the curb. The driver stood stoically by, holding a sign with ”Major Knight” printed on it while looking around for the person who could possibly be his passenger. Evan made his way to the car and driver as he thought about his schedule for the next few hours. First things first--he needed to get home and get some regular food in his belly. After that, a shower and a nap—in that order—and then he had a little buddy to visit.
    If he remembered correctly, Dusty had a game the next day. According to the most recent emails he had received from Sierra, his little buddy wasn’t doing that well and was becoming somewhat dejected because of it. Evan wanted to surprise his new friend at the field and give him some much-needed encouragement. This would be the first time he would see Dusty and his mother in person. Evan could admit that his insides were churning with trepidation. Although they wrote emails regularly, had exchanged a few pictures, and had even used Skype a couple of times, which allowed them to see each other over the