Free Finding Hope (Love's Compass Book 2) by Melanie D. Snitker

broke his reverie with a start. He did his best to control the heat that, for the second time in such a short period, threatened to expose his embarrassment.
    “I’m fine. I got preoccupied.” He ignored the look of curiosity and went back to eating.
     
    ~
     
    Tuck expressed his relief when Lance called to tell him he was driving Lexi to Dallas.
    “Well, good. I’ll let Mom know. She was panicking about the whole thing.” He paused. “You and my sister seem to be spending a lot of time together.”
    Lance rolled his eyes at the phone. “Don’t start, man. I just want to help.”
    “I thought that, maybe, since you cared for her before …”
    “That was a crush, Tuck. I was sixteen. I don’t think that counts.”
    “Why not?”
    “She’s older. She went away to college.”
    “You realize two years isn’t such a big age difference now, right?”
    Lance didn’t want to dwell on it. It had been more than a crush to him back then. But when the girl you like moves away to go to college while you’re still in high school, she might as well have gone to another country.
    When she’d come back to town after becoming a registered nurse, he intentionally kept his distance. He’d gotten over her by then — or at least buried his feelings for her so deeply they were almost non-existent. That had worked well ever since.
    Until now. Tuck was right, though Lance wasn’t about to admit it. The more time he spent with Lexi, the more he looked forward to the next occasion.
    Time with her was quickly unearthing his feelings and bringing them into the light. A fact he was well aware of and, at the moment, had no clue what to do with.
     
    ~
     
    Lexi accepted a hug from Grams and then another from Patty. The women had come by to see if she needed anything before her appointment on Friday.
    “I’m glad you’re going to let Lance drive you,” Patty was saying as Grams perused the contents of her refrigerator. “I still wish you’d let me take you instead, though.”
    “Mom, I appreciate it. I don’t want you to go through all of this again.” Lexi glanced at the kitchen. “What are you doing in there, Grams?”
    “Honey, you could use more to drink in here. Your mom and I will go by the store and get you juice and more tea. Is there anything else you’d like?”
    Lexi wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “You guys don’t need to go to the store for me. I’m fine here.”
    Patty gave her a firm look. “You know Grams. Once she’s decided to do something, you can’t sway her. And if I can’t take you to your appointment, I want to help in another way.”
    The moisture in Patty’s eyes, and seeing Grams standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips, forced Lexi’s surrender. “That would be great, thank you both.”
    Grams dug around in her purse for a piece of paper and a pen. She handed them to Lexi. “Write out a list for us and we’ll get everything you need.”
    She did as she was told, adding several things to the small scrap. Besides a few items for the kitchen, she included shampoo, lotion, and socks. When she was done, she handed it back to Grams.
    Patty scanned it over her shoulder. “What kind of socks do you need?”
    Lexi shrugged. “Something fun. My feet have been cold ever since my surgery and I’m tired of wearing the gray and black socks I have here. Colors. Cartoon characters. Anything’s good.”
    After they left, Lexi called Kitner Memorial Hospital and spoke with Kate. She wanted to find out how everything was going in her absence. She told her friend about the cancer but asked her to not say anything to anyone else.
    “I’ll tell people if I need to once I get back.”
    Kate promised to keep the details to herself.
    Lexi took a short nap.
    When they returned, Patty put the drinks in the fridge before carrying another bag over to the futon. She and Grams sat down and pulled the contents out.
    Patty held up a pack of six socks in solid, neon colors. “These are for