Renewed Faith (CSA Case Files 3 / Military Romance) by Kennedy Layne Page B
Authors: Kennedy Layne
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and he knew it wouldn’t be long before she put two and two together.
“Kevin, how far away are we from your parents’ house?”
“Oh, probably another eight miles.” It had stopped snowing a couple hours back, but the landscape around them showed plenty of white powder as they slowly cruised down what was once a two-lane road. The plows only removed what was needed in this area. Kevin had no doubt that more snow would come before they headed back to Minneapolis. “We’ll have missed dinner, but I’m sure there will be enough leftovers. Besides, at times like these, neighbors keep each other knee deep in casserole dishes. Mom won’t have to cook for weeks.”
“Neighbors?” Elle looked around, probably to ensure that she wasn’t missing something. “There’s nothing out here, Kevin. Maybe you should turn around. There was a town around thirty miles back that had hotels.”
“We have lots of neighbors out here,” Kevin replied, sidestepping what she really wanted to talk about. “Mr. and Mrs. Troyer live around a mile down that drive to your right.”
“What drive?” Elle turned her head to the right, obviously missing the turn. “There’s nothing there.”
“Look back and you’ll see the black mailbox. The bottom of it is buried in the snow, but you’ll be able to make out the box.” Kevin waited a few seconds before pointing out that Mr. Fisher lived two miles down the left hand lane. “His son and I went to boot camp together. Good man. Last I heard he was serving another tour over in Afghanistan.”
“I don’t know if I’d call them neighbors.” Elle finally stopped looking at the area to glance his way. She had one eyebrow raised. “Neighbors are those people that live right next to you, where you walk no more than twenty steps, knock on their door, and ask for milk. I’m pretty sure you need a vehicle to visit these people out here.”
“No, city girl. You are referring to the strangers who lived next to you when you resided in that apartment complex. Neighbors help each other when needed, don’t ask for favors in return, and will always have your back when things get tough.”
Kevin pulled the truck closer to the right side of the road as a pick-up was headed their way. It was Leroy Howe who lived on the north side. When his vehicle slowed down to almost a stop, Kevin did the same and rolled down his window.
“Mr. Howe, it’s good to see you. How’s Mrs. Howe?”
“We’re doing good, son.” Mr. Howe’s eyes darted past Kevin to obviously get a glimpse of Elle. He tipped his head in acknowledgment before turning his attention back to Kevin. “I’m sorry for your loss. Your grandfather was a good man. The missus and I will be at the service tomorrow.”
“Much appreciated.” Kevin turned toward Elle to make the anticipated introductions. “Mr. Howe, this is a good friend of mine, Elle Reyes.”
“Nice to meet you, miss.”
“You too, Mr. Howe.”
“You keep warm now,” Kevin said, getting ready to roll up the window. The heat seemed to have been swallowed whole by the square outside access. “And we’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I know you have a lot on your plate, son, but maybe before you leave town you could stop in at the center. Craig misses having you around and I know it would be good for morale.” Mr. Howe ran a hand over the rough skin on his leathered face as if he might be asking too much. “Have you kept up your service?”
Kevin knew that Mr. Howe was asking if he was volunteering his time at a foundation for wounded veterans in Minnesota. Mr. Howe was one of the first neighbors to have reached out to Kevin upon his return home from when he’d been injured in Afghanistan. The old vet volunteered his time at the Heroes Benefit Society and he had made sure that Kevin didn’t fall into a depression. It was hard enough to deal with the injury that one sustained, but it was another to mentally process that one’s future was profoundly altered
“Kevin, how far away are we from your parents’ house?”
“Oh, probably another eight miles.” It had stopped snowing a couple hours back, but the landscape around them showed plenty of white powder as they slowly cruised down what was once a two-lane road. The plows only removed what was needed in this area. Kevin had no doubt that more snow would come before they headed back to Minneapolis. “We’ll have missed dinner, but I’m sure there will be enough leftovers. Besides, at times like these, neighbors keep each other knee deep in casserole dishes. Mom won’t have to cook for weeks.”
“Neighbors?” Elle looked around, probably to ensure that she wasn’t missing something. “There’s nothing out here, Kevin. Maybe you should turn around. There was a town around thirty miles back that had hotels.”
“We have lots of neighbors out here,” Kevin replied, sidestepping what she really wanted to talk about. “Mr. and Mrs. Troyer live around a mile down that drive to your right.”
“What drive?” Elle turned her head to the right, obviously missing the turn. “There’s nothing there.”
“Look back and you’ll see the black mailbox. The bottom of it is buried in the snow, but you’ll be able to make out the box.” Kevin waited a few seconds before pointing out that Mr. Fisher lived two miles down the left hand lane. “His son and I went to boot camp together. Good man. Last I heard he was serving another tour over in Afghanistan.”
“I don’t know if I’d call them neighbors.” Elle finally stopped looking at the area to glance his way. She had one eyebrow raised. “Neighbors are those people that live right next to you, where you walk no more than twenty steps, knock on their door, and ask for milk. I’m pretty sure you need a vehicle to visit these people out here.”
“No, city girl. You are referring to the strangers who lived next to you when you resided in that apartment complex. Neighbors help each other when needed, don’t ask for favors in return, and will always have your back when things get tough.”
Kevin pulled the truck closer to the right side of the road as a pick-up was headed their way. It was Leroy Howe who lived on the north side. When his vehicle slowed down to almost a stop, Kevin did the same and rolled down his window.
“Mr. Howe, it’s good to see you. How’s Mrs. Howe?”
“We’re doing good, son.” Mr. Howe’s eyes darted past Kevin to obviously get a glimpse of Elle. He tipped his head in acknowledgment before turning his attention back to Kevin. “I’m sorry for your loss. Your grandfather was a good man. The missus and I will be at the service tomorrow.”
“Much appreciated.” Kevin turned toward Elle to make the anticipated introductions. “Mr. Howe, this is a good friend of mine, Elle Reyes.”
“Nice to meet you, miss.”
“You too, Mr. Howe.”
“You keep warm now,” Kevin said, getting ready to roll up the window. The heat seemed to have been swallowed whole by the square outside access. “And we’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I know you have a lot on your plate, son, but maybe before you leave town you could stop in at the center. Craig misses having you around and I know it would be good for morale.” Mr. Howe ran a hand over the rough skin on his leathered face as if he might be asking too much. “Have you kept up your service?”
Kevin knew that Mr. Howe was asking if he was volunteering his time at a foundation for wounded veterans in Minnesota. Mr. Howe was one of the first neighbors to have reached out to Kevin upon his return home from when he’d been injured in Afghanistan. The old vet volunteered his time at the Heroes Benefit Society and he had made sure that Kevin didn’t fall into a depression. It was hard enough to deal with the injury that one sustained, but it was another to mentally process that one’s future was profoundly altered
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