Back for You Read Free

him wonder if she was having
trouble keeping up with things.
    When his order was ready, he pulled out his wallet to pay, but she waved
him off. “It’s a welcome back present. Say hi to your mother for me.”
    Her warm-heartedness was legendary, and the familiarity of it made him
feel good. “I will. Thank you.”
    He took the box of cookies from her, and turned to leave, but not before making
a mental note to come back tomorrow and see if he could help out with those
repairs. He used to do handyman work part-time as a teenager to help build up
his college fund. In fact, he often missed it. He’d learned the trade from his
father who’d supported them by picking up odd jobs as they’d moved from place
to place. Teaching Cain to work with his hands was one of the few good things
his father had done for him.
    All he had to do was dig out his tools. They were stored over at his
mother’s place along with everything else he hadn’t been able to take on the
road.
    With that thought, he left the bakery to meet his best friend for lunch, feeling
happier than he had in a long time. Strange how the idea of working with his
hands again made him feel that way.
    Once at Lettie’s Diner, he spotted Jake in a far-corner booth and headed
over.
    He’d kept in touch with most of his friends over the years via email, and
by touching base with as many of them as possible whenever he’d come back to
town to visit his mother. But out of everyone here, Jake was his best friend by
far, and the only one who knew about his plan to win Thea back. He was also
Cain’s go-to guy when he needed to run things past a friend, like now.
    He placed the box of cookies on the table, and slipped into the booth
across from Jake. “Hey.”
    Jake nodded at the box. “What’s the matter, Lettie’s pie not cutting it
for you anymore?”
    Cain grinned. “Nothing beats Lettie’s coconut cream pie. I picked up some
cookies for my mother.”
    “Hey, boys.” Lettie herself had come out from behind the counter to take
their order. “I saw your mom yesterday. She says you’re back in town for good.”
    News sure spread fast in this town. He’d forgotten just how efficient
word-of-mouth was around here. “You heard right.”
    “I thought you loved that job.”
    Of course she would think that. Ever since he’d gained a little bit of
fame in his hometown, people assumed his job as a reporter was the most
important thing in his life. After all, he’d spent the past ten years
travelling around the world following one story after another. The truth was
he’d simply loved the adventure of it all. Very few knew that in recent years
he’d grown tired of the rootless existence.
    Cain gave her his most charming smile. “I did, but I missed your roast
beef and mashed potatoes too much.”
    Lettie laughed, taking the hint and dropping the subject. “So I guess
that’s what you’re having for lunch?”
    “Oh yeah. And don’t spare the gravy.”
    Jake piped in. “Same thing for me.”
    “Coming right up.”
    When she left to place their order, Jake leaned in. “She’s not the only
one who’s surprised you left your job. You kept talking about coming back but I
never thought you were serious. What happened?”
    What had happened was he’d had a life-altering experience. One Cain
didn’t like thinking about. “The short version is that I was at an outdoor café
talking with a source when he was gunned down in front of me.”
    Jake’s face registered his shock. “Damn.”
    Cain looked away. “Yeah. One moment he was sitting there talking. The
next, bullets were flying and he was face down on the table.” And there wasn’t a
damn thing he could do but watch the man’s warm brown eyes turn blank and
lifeless.
    Cain shuddered at the horrifying image he’d never be able to erase from
his mind. In one heart-stopping instant, everything had changed. It made him
take stock of his life, reevaluate what he really wanted. And his priorities
had shifted.