Free Last True Hero by Diana Gardin Page B

puppies, succulent-looking asparagus spears, and a baked potato.
    Berkeley rolls her eyes but smiles warmly at her boss as she retreats.
    “She’s nice,” I remark. “Treats you like family.”
    Berkeley nods. “She’s been a second mom to me ever since I started working here. When I was seventeen, I needed a home away from home. She and Boozer gave me that, and I’ve loved them ever since.”
    I nod, and we eat in comfortable silence. I know how hard it is to achieve comfortable silence with someone, because I’ve only ever experienced it a couple of times. Drake and I can go hours without talking, while sitting in the same room. Neither of us is bothered by it in the least. And Chase, when we’re on good terms. We don’t need words to have a conversation.
    Berkeley makes these little noises of satisfaction when she eats that are slowly driving me insane. She seems to live so fully, appreciating everything she gets like it’s the last time she’ll ever get it. I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes off of her.
    When she finishes, she pushes her plate a few inches away from her and sits back in the booth. I sigh with relief, because I don’t know how much more of her sexy, unabashed eating I was gonna be able to take.
    “You have the day off from the garage?”
    I nod. “Yep. I have every Sunday and Monday off. Why, are you free?”
    She gives me a warning look. “Dare—”
    I wave her off. “I know, I know. Unavailable.”
    I lay enough money on the table to pay for my meal, and then I stand up.
    A shadow crosses her face, and I almost park my happy ass right back in the booth. “You’re leaving?”
    I nod. “I think I’ve worn out my welcome for the day. I’ll see you tomorrow, Berkeley.”
    Her brow furrows. “Tomorrow?”
    “Are you working?”
    She nods.
    “Then I’ll be here on my lunch break.”
    I check my phone on my way out to my truck. One text message, from Chase.
    You can’t leave me hanging like this. These dudes aren’t fucking around.

8
Berkeley
    H e’s either crazy, or he’s insane.”
    Mea’s statement is so matter-of-fact, I almost miss its absurdity.
    “Mea. You do realize both of those words mean the same thing?”
    She waves me off. “Well, what other explanation is there? He’s had a meal with you at your place of employment every single day you’ve worked for two weeks. What other explanation is there?”
    It’s true. Dare has turned up during every shift I’ve worked, whether I’m working lunch or dinner. If I’m waitressing, he’s there. At first, I didn’t know what to make of it. He’d come in, and we’d talk. Lenny would push me to sit down and eat with him, and I didn’t fight it.
    Then, I grew to expect his visits. I looked forward to them. When the door of See Food opened, I would look up expectantly, because I kind of couldn’t wait to see Dare’s gorgeous face as he entered.
    Now I’m just confused. I don’t know what he’s doing. Hell, I’m not sleeping with the guy. We only kissed once. And maybe that kiss meant more to me than any other kiss in the history of kisses, but he couldn’t feel the same way. He’s a dude, for one.
    And he’s an army dude , for another!
    That’s one topic we haven’t discussed. I haven’t brought up the army, and neither has he. I’m smart enough to know that he’s not still in, or he wouldn’t be here. So the army is his past.
    Does that change anything for me? I swore off dating military men. But technically, Dare isn’t a military man anymore.
    I say as much to Mea, and her face gets all scrunchy, like she smells something bad. “He’s still a big fat red flag, Berk. You don’t even know him. And he’s so…mysterious. And dark. And sexy. All of those things make for a very, very bad combination. You could never introduce him to your parents. And if Grisham lays eyes on him…World War Three might break loose.”
    All valid points. Mea’s absolutely correct on all counts.
    But