Free Battlefield of the Heart by E. A. West Page A

was ready to fall asleep where she stood. A glance at a clock on the wall let her know it was a little after four. She’d been awake for over twenty hours. Just the thought made her even more tired.
    As they headed out of the hospital, Corbin spoke. “Do you guys want to crash at my house for what’s left of the night since it’s closer than campus? That way you don’t have to drive quite as far.”
    â€œSounds good to me,” Josh said.
    Danny turned to Cindy. “I’ll leave it up to you.”
    She shrugged. “I’m too tired to care. If you don’t want to drive back to campus and walk three-quarters of a mile or so from the freshman lot to the dorm, I say we accept the offer.”
    â€œThat description is enough to convince me I don’t want to go back to the dorm tonight.” He shifted his gaze to Corbin. “Looks like you get two more guests.”
    â€œFine by me. I’ll dig out blankets and pillows when we get there, then you’re on your own to find a place to sleep.”
    They split up in the parking lot. Five minutes later, Danny pulled up to the curb in front of a small two-story house. Josh parked behind them, and Corbin pulled into the drive. After Corbin let them into the house, he disappeared upstairs and returned a couple of minutes later with a stack of pillows and blankets, which he dropped on one end of the tan L-shaped sectional in the living room.
    â€œFeel free to sleep however late you want,” he said as he turned toward the stairs. He paused at the base and pointed to a hall leading toward the back of the house. “Cindy, the bathroom’s the first door on the right. Kitchen’s at the end of the hall. If any of you want breakfast when you get up, go ahead and eat whatever you can find.”
    He went upstairs, and Josh handed out pillows and blankets. Danny took the recliner by a bookcase, and Cindy kicked off her sneakers and laid her cell phone on the floor beside them before stretching out on one side of the L-shaped sectional. Josh followed her example and took the other side as she settled under the soft blanket.

 
Chapter Eight
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    Cindy slowly opened her eyes to Corbin’s living room, and then remembered it was Friday. She had a class at eight. Retrieving her cell phone from the floor, she turned it on to check the time. Ten thirty. Then her phone’s battery gave out.
    â€œWell, shoot.”
    Josh stirred at the other end of the sectional. “What’s wrong?”
    â€œI missed my class.” She sat up and stretched, noticing Danny had vanished. Her roommate’s paranoia came to mind. “Do you think Corbin would mind if I borrow his phone to call my roommate? My cell just died, and she’s probably convinced I’m dead in a ditch somewhere since I didn’t go back to the dorm last night.”
    â€œHe won’t mind. There’s a phone on the wall just inside the kitchen door.”
    â€œThanks.”
    She headed down the hall and drew in a deep breath, enjoying the scent of fresh coffee. Danny sat at the kitchen table, a steaming mug in front of him. He looked remarkably alert given the late night, and she gave him a questioning look. “How long have you been awake?”
    He checked the clock on the microwave. “About an hour. Why?”
    â€œJust curious.” She spotted the phone and lifted the receiver. “I need to let my paranoid roommate know I didn’t actually get lost.”
    â€œYou want some coffee?” he asked as she dialed.
    She gave him a smile. “Sure.”
    He poured her a cup as Leann picked up. After Cindy assured her roommate she was alive and well and would be back on campus at some point, she hung up and accepted the mug Danny held out. “Thanks.”
    Josh entered the kitchen and headed for the coffeepot. “Corbin still sleeping?”
    â€œNo, he’s in the shower.” Danny returned to his seat at