The Heart of a Hero (12 page)

Flag Day.

In the end, Zoe went to the celebration because someone should. She’d go and she’d pay tribute to the men Jake lost. Maybe doing so would help her say goodbye to her neighbor.

Nothing else had.

“May I have your attention please?”

Kent Mifflin’s voice loomed over the loudspeaker, louder than the waves crashing the beach behind them.

“In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson declared June fourteenth as Flag Day, a day to honor the American flag and the ideals it represented. Therefore, we
thought it only fitting that on this day, we honor those men and women who fought under that flag…”

As the speech went on, Zoe let her gaze flit over the crowd. Kent and his committee had to be proud. The turnout was outstanding. In addition to the VIPs and veterans joining Kent on the podium, a sizeable crowd had gathered in the park to watch the ceremony. Some were even in uniform, including several men old enough to be her grandfather. One particular gentleman, with a cane and wearing a brown infantry uniform, caught her eye and winked. She smiled in return.

Yes, sir, Kent managed to draw quite a crowd. Too bad not everyone he’d invited was in attendance.

Even though she knew Jake wouldn’t be here, she hadn’t expected his absence to feel so glaring.

“…men and women who wore their uniforms so others would not have to…”

She tried telling herself the empty feeling in her chest was guilt for telling him off yesterday, but her heart knew better. The emptiness was Jake himself. He belonged here, with those men and women on the platform.

With her.

“…who suffered and made sacrifices many cannot imagine…”

The sun broke through the clouds, heating the late morning air. Zoe slipped off the cardigan that covered her denim sundress. After three weeks, she’d
finally smartened up about New England weather and worn layers. Now if she could only smarten up about other things. Like the fact she’d fallen in love with yet another man who didn’t love her back.

She supposed she should be grateful Jake wasn’t after her money, too. Though it would be easier if he were. But no, he was trying to protect her from being used and hurt. And hurting her ten times more in the process.

Boy, she sure could pick them, couldn’t she? An ex-husband who needed everything, and a man so mired in guilt he was afraid to need anything.

Nothing good ever comes from loving the wrong man.
Talk about not following her own advice.

“Therefore, we stand today in their—”

Kent’s voice stuttered, catching her attention. Looking up, she saw the older man look to the crowd before continuing, “We stand today in their honor…”

She wasn’t sure why—maybe it was his expression that compelled her—but Zoe suddenly turned to her right. A flash of blue toward the rear of the crowd caught her eye.

Dear Lord…

He stood at attention, resplendent in a navy blue uniform. Hair neatly trimmed, the black brim of his cap straight over his eyes. Blue-and-gold epaulets gleamed on his broad shoulders. A rainbow of ribbons hung over his heart.

Dear Lord but he was awe-inspiring in that uniform. It was as if all the confidence and command he carried inside himself had turned outward for the world to see.

Zoe’s heart lurched. What made him change his mind about attending?

Sensing her, Jake turned in her direction. Quickly, Zoe looked away. Not before, however, she felt his hard stare. It reminded her of the day they’d met. When he’d wanted nothing to do with her.

On stage, Kent and Jenkin Carl prepared to unveil the statue. Jenkin was explaining something about vision and experience. Zoe didn’t listen. Her attention was on the man across the crowd. Glancing back again, she saw Jake had returned his attention to the dais. He knew she was here, and yet he didn’t move to join her. It looked like his change of heart was only regarding the ceremony. Tears sprang to her eyes.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Kent announced proudly. “We give you
Sacrifice!
”

The crowd broke into applause. Swallowing back her own emotions, Zoe joined them. Next to her, the old man in uniform snapped into a salute. She pictured Jake doing the same.

Oh, Jake.

As the ceremony drew to a close and the crowds thinned, Zoe saw Jake hanging back. Occasionally someone would walk over to him and say something. He would nod and shake their hand. A couple even
saluted. Though the brim of his hat cast his face in shadow, Zoe could tell from his reaction that he was taken aback by the show of respect.

At least he was trying. Maybe she’d helped him a little after all. Too bad she had to break her heart in the process.

“I know you’d convince him,” a voice said from behind her.

Kent’s face was flushed with enthusiasm. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Jake in the crowd. Your boy looks pretty damn impressive, doesn’t he?”

He’s not mine.
Zoe forced a smile. “I didn’t have anything to do with it. I didn’t know he was coming, either.”

“Once again, I think you sell yourself short.”

Not likely. At least not this time. She stole a glance at the other side of the green. Jake stood thirty feet away, but it might as well have been a canyon.

“I’m going to head over and speak with him,” Kent said. “You coming?”

Zoe shook her head. She was pretty sure she was the last person Jake wanted to see right now. “I think I’ll take a closer look at that statue of yours, if you don’t mind.”

“Suit yourself. I’ll catch you later at the breakfast.” He gave her an indulgent pat on the shoulder. “Thanks for coming.”

“Thank you,” she replied, “for doing a really great thing.”

Jenkin Carl’s “statue” was really a mass of twisted metal. Black and harshly contrary to its setting, the work featured a trio of spires rising skyward from out of the tangle, as if rising above the chaos. Looking at the piece, Zoe’s own insides twisted, too. You could feel the darkness reach inside and touch you.

She ran a hand along the gleaming black surface, thinking of what the statue represented. What men and women like Jake gave up.

Jake. Her insides crumpled. How was she going to spend the rest of the summer with him next door? She’d come to Naushatucket to fix a broken heart, only to find out what a real broken heart felt like.

Guess there was no reason to stay, was there? She sure as hell couldn’t heal here now. At least Caroline would be happy.

“Looks like burnt-out wreckage,” a familiar voice said.

Her pulse skipped. “I imagine that’s what Carl wanted.” She forced her voice to stay steady. An emotional scene wouldn’t help anyone. “He’s trying to evoke an image.”

“There are a few images I could do without.”

“I imagine so.” She kept her eyes on the statue. “I was surprised to see you.”

“I’m surprised to see me here, too. But as someone
I know pointed out, we need to remember the ones who didn’t come back.”

Zoe’s vision blurred. She
had
helped. The notion gave her some solace. “I’m sure your men would have appreciated the gesture.”

“I’d like to think so.”

She could feel his eyes on her now, As always, when he looked in her direction, her skin came alive. This time, Zoe cursed the reaction. Yes, she thought. She had to leave Naushatucket.

“Did you want something?” she asked him.

“I’ve never seen you dressed up before. You look nice.”

“What?” She looked at him to see his eyes had a sheen to them unlike ever before. A light in their depths that turned the green warm and open. Zoe didn’t dare believe the expression meant anything. Because if it wasn’t true…

She turned back to the statue. “Thank you. So do you.”

“You mean this old thing?” It was a lame attempt at humor. Neither of them laughed.

She heard him clear his throat. “Look, Zoe, about yesterday. The things you said were pretty harsh.”

Here it was. The part where he told her not to read too much into his change of heart. Zoe was glad she hadn’t got her hopes up.

“I spoke my mind,” she told him. “I’m sorry
if I was harsh, but I’m not sorry for the words themselves.”

“You shouldn’t be. You were right.” His hand settled on the statue next to hers. “I have been hiding. I’ve been stuck in my anger and guilt, beating myself up for being alive. I probably would have stayed that way too if you hadn’t given me a good harsh dose of reality.”

Zoe didn’t know what to say.

“It woke me up. Well, a lot of things woke me up. But in the end, I realized there was always one common thread. You. You burst into my world and you wouldn’t give up. And you made me long for things I didn’t believe I could have.”

“And what do you believe now?”

“I don’t know. Not fully anyway. But I know I have to start living life again. I need to for my men and I need to for myself.”

He slid his hand closer, his little finger grazing hers. Zoe didn’t want the hope that rose inside her, but it rose anyway.

“I still have a lot of demons to battle,” he said. “And I can’t promise I’ll get all the way back. Hell, I’m not sure if I’m ready for this at all. But…” His voice caught. “If I’m going to try, I’d like to try with you.”

The love in her heart grew a little stronger. She slipped her hand over his, thinking he was the bravest man she knew. “I’d like that, too.”

Smiling, Jake raised their hands to his lips. “Good.”

A tear dripped down Zoe’s cheek. She reached to brush it away, but he beat her to it, his touch reverent and gentle. “I promise I’ll do my best not to hurt you.”

“I know,” she told him. “Just be honest and the rest will fall into place.” She touched his cheek. Her fingers grazed his scars, but she couldn’t feel them. All she could feel was the warmth. Jake had taken the hardest step today. Looking into his eyes, shining and ripe with sincerity, she had faith he could win. Best of all, this time there wouldn’t be some mythical “team” she’d created. It would be a partnership. A real, true partnership. She could feel it in her heart.

“Tell me, Captain,” she said, rising on tiptoes, “this ‘trying’ of yours. It wouldn’t involve starting with a kiss, would it?”

The corners of Jake’s mouth lifted skyward. “Yeah, I think it can.” With that, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

As kisses went, it wasn’t deep or passionate. More like a feathery promise. But the promise was one of love and sincerity. And to Zoe, no kiss had ever been so perfect.

One year later

Jake woke to the smell of lemons and crackling firewood. His eyes scanned the room, searching for the
woman who, only an hour before, had been wrapped around his body like a tiny human blanket.

He found her staring at the patio doorway. “You’re not going to believe this,” Zoe said. “He’s back.”

“Who?” He yawned and reached across the covers to scratch a dozing Reynaldo’s head.

“The swallow. I swear this house is part of his migration pattern. I opened the door to look outside and in he swooped. Look! There he is!” Arm extended, she scrambled toward the sofa. “Did you see him?”

“Actually, no.”

“Well then, pay attention. We have to shoo him out of here.”

“I would if you weren’t prancing around in nothing but my open work shirt.” An idea came to him. “And how do you know it’s a swallow? This time of evening, it could just as easily be a bat.”

Zoe shrieked and dove back to their nest of blankets. Laughing, Jake pulled her close. “Don’t you remember what I taught you? If you leave the creature alone, he’ll fly to safety all on his own.”

“Your advice won’t do me any good if safety involves tangling in my hair.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

“My hero.”

“You better believe it,” he murmured, giving her neck a playful bite.

Life, he decided, was good. He still had his demons. He had flashbacks, and there were nights
when the terrors struck hard and he woke up screaming. But there were also long stretches where the memories stayed buried and on the bad nights, he had Zoe to hold him. He had Zoe to help with a lot of things.

She’d decided to move to Naushatucket at the end of last summer, when they both realized they didn’t want to spend winter apart. It was Zoe who insisted they stay. She’d fallen in love with the island. And Jake…

Jake had fallen in love with her. Looking back, he’d probably loved her all along, but the day he offered to move in with her was the day he finally admitted it. He hadn’t stopped loving her since.

Yes, he thought, life was pretty good. Only one thing would make it better. He sat up and reached behind the kindling box.

Zoe was back to looking for her winged nemesis. “You know,” she pointed out, “not every problem resolves itself. Sometimes a creature—or person—needs a little push.”

“You mean like me?” he teased.

She smiled. “You, my love, needed a shove.”

“How about a plunge?” He held out a small velvet box.

Instantly, Zoe’s playfulness disappeared. Those gorgeous blue eyes of hers went as wide as saucers, and she sat up. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” To his surprise, his hands were shaking
as he opened it to reveal the diamond inside. “I told you once that I hoped to dream of the future again. Now I can’t imagine a future without you in it. I love you, Zoe Hamilton. Will you marry me?”

She beamed, warming his insides like he once hadn’t dreamed possible. “There’s nothing I’d rather do.”

Winged creature forgotten, she wrapped her arms around his neck and showed him exactly what their future would hold.