Love Is a Battlefield by Annalisa Daughety Page B

but he was in no hurry to reveal it.
    The waitress put heaping mounds of rolls and corn bread in the center of the table.
    â€œHere you go. There’s honey, butter, and jelly for the biscuits.” she set a bowl full of condiments on the table. “Your steaks will be out soon.”
    â€œThanks,” Owen called.
    â€œDarlin’,” Ace said with a laugh.
    Owen let out a loud guffaw and put a big glob of butter on a steaming biscuit. “so, Ace, are you single? Married? Divorced? surely a young man like yourself has a lady in his life.”
    â€œI’m single. No lady to speak of.” He reached for a packet of strawberry jam.
    Owen shook his head. “That’s a shame.”
    Steve laughed. “He’s smart if you ask me.”
    â€œNow, we all know you’d be lost without Amy. So don’t you be givin’ us that stuff.” Owen wiped his mouth with a napkin and took another biscuit from the plate.
    Steve grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You know it.”
    â€œWell, what about you, Owen? I know that Steve’s married and getting ready to jet off to Europe, but haven’t heard much about your story. Are you married?” Ace asked.
    For a moment, a dark cloud came over Owen’s normally sunny face.
    â€œNah.” He shook his head. “I was. We were together twenty years. She died nearly five years ago, though. Cancer.” He took a sip of tea. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through.”
    â€œI’m sorry, man.” Ace knew from losing Caroline how hard it was to lose someone important to you. But to lose someone you’d built a life with must be terrible.
    â€œThanks. At first, I didn’t know how I’d get through. But as they say, time heals.”
    â€œHere you go, gentlemen.” The waitress set thick steaks and foil-wrapped baked potatoes in front of each of them. “Dig in.”
    Ace said a silent blessing for the food then bit into the best steak he’d ever had. “Man, Owen, you were sure right about this place.”
    â€œStick with me, boy. I won’t steer you wrong.”
    â€œHey, Ace,” Steve said in a voice so casual it couldn’t have been an accident, “do you and Kristy get along?”
    Ace frowned. Unfortunately, the blond still saw him as an enemy. But for his part, they got along. “I guess we do. Why?”
    â€œNo reason. Except that I saw you on her porch earlier today while I was out on patrol.”
    â€œOh. Yeah, her dog had gotten out, and I was returning him. Not a big deal.”
    â€œI just wondered. You know, the two of you are about the same age.” Steve wiggled his bushy gray eyebrows in Ace’s direction.
    â€œNow, you know she’s in no state to be dating,” Owen piped up rather protectively. “Besides, they work together, so that wouldn’t be a good idea.”
    Steve laughed. “Owen thinks he’s her daddy,” he explained to Ace. “She’s been working here so long, we’ve practically seen her grow up.”
    â€œI’m just worried about her is all,” Owen said defensively. “Besides, there was some guy out today on one of her programs that had her all riled up. I saw them talking after it was over. And it wasn’t long afterward that she went home with a headache.” He cut another bite of steak and swished it through the sauce before popping it into his mouth. “She might’ve fooled Hank, but I saw those tears in her eyes.”
    Ace remembered the look on her face when she’d stepped onto her porch that afternoon. He’d known then that she’d been crying. That mask hadn’t fooled him. But he figured she’d just have to get through it on her own. And as Owen had said, time heals.
    â€œI’m pretty sure you don’t need to worry about Kristy and me dating,” Ace said. “But if you have any other prospects, send