Love Is a Battlefield Read Free Page B

moving away.”
    Once Owen had left him alone, Ace sat down at the desk and looked around his new office. It was strange, but the yellow did make him feel a little happier. And he’d certainly not been very cheerful lately. Leaving behind everything he’d known in Illinois, he’d headed his truck south. It was only a seven-hour drive, but it was proving to be a tougher transition than he’d expected.
    He’d glanced down again at the box of Kristy’s things. A photograph sticking out at the corner caught his eye, and he couldn’t resist pulling it out. The girl in the picture seemed to leap off the imprint and come to life. Blond, wavy hair and big blue eyes made her a classic beauty. But it was her smile that caught his attention. The camera had captured her in a moment of laughter, the happiness reaching all the way to her eyes. Ace couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed like that. If this was Kristy, then the man she was marrying today was a lucky one.
    It hadn’t been until the next day that he’d heard the news.
    He’d been sitting in his office, reading about the battle, when Owen and Chief Strong came in the back entrance.
    â€œSo he just didn’t show?” the chief had asked as they’d paused right outside of Ace’s office.
    â€œNot a sign of him at all. But you know Kristy. She didn’t shed a tear. Just held her head high and walked up to the front in her wedding dress. Said she wanted to thank everyone for coming, but that there wouldn’t be a ceremony.”
    Hank had let out a low whistle. “Whew. Did you hear anyone say why he got cold feet?”
    â€œNah. I didn’t stick around after that. I figured she’d want some space. Hey...” Owen had trailed off and cleared his throat. “I know her position has been filled, but do you think there’s anything we can do? she hasn’t even moved her stuff out of the house yet.”
    Ace had been shocked at the information. He’d glanced again at the box of her things and wondered how she would bounce back from something like that. He knew firsthand that learning to live again after complete devastation was nearly impossible.
    â€œI do have one position available. But it’s seasonal. You think she’d be interested?” the chief had asked.
    â€œIt’s worth a shot.”
    A few days later, Owen had moved Kristy’s belongings into the seasonal office. Ace had wondered if that meant she’d accepted the temporary position and, again, how she was recovering from the recent blow.
    The day before she was supposed to come back, Ace remembered the photographs he’d seen sticking out of the box and went into the seasonal office to look through them. He knew the last thing she would need on her first day back was a reminder, so he removed the pictures of her and her former fiancé from the frames and slipped them facedown in the top drawer. He wadded up the yellow wedding invitation and threw it in the trash. At the time, it had seemed like the least he could do.
    The shocker came today. He’d expected Kristy to be fragile and beaten down. But the confident woman he’d just met certainly didn’t seem fragile. In fact, she had a fierce look in her eye. He wondered where she found her strength. Of course, whether it was genuine or an act remained to be seen, but for some reason, he wasn’t counting her out. And despite her coolness toward him, Ace hoped they could at least be friends.
    A knock at the door brought him back to the present.
    â€œYes?” he called.
    Chief Strong poked his head in the door. “Ace, can you come out front? We have a little situation I’d like to discuss with everyone on staff.”
    Ace jumped up. A situation? “sure thing.” He glanced at his half-eaten sandwich lying on his desk. Lunch could wait. It hadn’t been that good anyway.
    â€œThis will only take a