After Scott had helped her clean out Papa Beau’s room, she had scrubbed the master bedroom and bathroom thoroughly, keeping a few mementos of her grandparents. Clean sheets adorned the bed, and fresh towels hung in the pristine bathroom. And yet, she still had rarely gone into the room. The nights that Scott stayed, they slept in her small bed.
Now, halted in the hallway, it struck her that the house was hers, and hers alone. Her grandparents would never need their space again, and she knew in her heart that they would want her to claim it and be happy there. Inhaling deeply, she let the air slowly leave her lungs as she turned and stalked toward the master bathroom. Turning on the water, she let the tub fill as she went back to her bathroom and gathered her toiletries.
As soon as the tub filled, she stripped and stepped into the hot water, settling down so the water came to her neck. Enveloped in the warmth, she understood the simple indulgence her grandmother craved. Leaning back, she closed her eyes, and for the first time that day relaxed.
She startled when a soft kiss was placed on her lips, then settled again as she remembered where she was and who she was with. Scott was sitting on the floor next to the tub, his fingertips dangling in the water, gently soothing over her shoulder.
“I was about to head into the hall bathroom when I saw the light on in here.”
His words may have been spoken in a statement, but she heard the unasked question. Rolling her head to the side, she held his gaze and said, “Grandma loved to soak in a tub after a hard day’s work. When Papa Beau updated the bathroom and kitchen years ago, he had this garden tub installed.”
The water was still warm, and Scott appeared perfectly content to sit by her and listen. “I cleaned everything after you and I went through his room, but I still couldn’t bring myself to come in here. The master bedroom and this bathroom still felt like it was theirs. But tonight, it was as though they gave me permission to finally call this mine.”
He linked fingers with her and gave a little squeeze. “I know you miss them. I know after a day like today you miss them even more.”
She nodded and swallowed past the lump in her throat, refusing to give into tears. “Katelyn reminded me earlier that loss reminds us of past grief. She was right. Losing the goats today just made me think of losing my grandparents.”
She lifted her hand and ran it through his thick hair, sweeping it to the side before cupping his jaw and running her thumb lightly over the scar on his upper lip. No longer wanting to talk about her own loss, she said, “Talk to me.”
While she really wanted to know about his own loss from his time in the military, she left her command open-ended, wanting him to choose his time and place to open up to her. Holding her breath, she waited to see what he would say.
“Because of my scores on the ASVAB, after boot camp, I became a Financial Management Technician and worked in the accounting offices. I was enlisted, not an officer, but found that I enjoyed the work, and it probably helped solidify that my parents and grandparents were right—accounting was a career I could enjoy. I even began to take college classes while in the Army.”
“So, you never thought about making the Army your career?”
Shaking his head, he replied, “No, not really. Don’t get me wrong, the Army was good for me. But I just wasn’t cut out for the regimented lifestyle as a career. I figured that I would do one or two tours, get out, and finish my degree.”
His fingers continued drifting through the water, now gliding lightly over her leg. Tingles began to move throughout her, and she itched to lean forward and press her lips against his. Shifting slightly in the tub, she placed her forearms on the edge and held his gaze, fascinated with every word he was uttering. Remaining quiet, she focused her attention on him, hoping he would continue. He did not disappoint.
“When I got the orders to serve a tour at Kandahar in Afghanistan, I wasn’t worried or afraid. The conditions were rough, but essentially, every day I worked in an office.” Snorting, he elaborated, “Sure, the office was a tent, but we had air conditioning that worked sometimes. Same with the heat. Everyone had to be battle-ready over there, but I loved the PT and weapons training. It broke up the monotony of staring at papers all day. To be honest, every time I passed by the hospital, I thought of the people inside. Sometimes I felt guilty that my job was so safe, and other times I just felt fucking thankful.”
He grew silent, and it was now her turn to run her hand over his shoulder. The water was beginning to cool, but she did not want to move, wanting Scott to continue to tell his story, giving that part of his past to her. “So, what happened?”
“It was actually near the end of my tour if you can believe that. I was assigned to a smaller base, agreeing to fill in for a shortage they had. I did that for a month, and then was in a convoy heading back to Kandahar.”
She watched as his eyes drifted to the side, knowing that he was no longer with her but had shifted to a place years before. Her breath caught in her lungs as she waited.
“Same old story, like a lot of other people,” he said, his voice now soft and raspy. “IED. I don’t remember much, other than heat and smoke and screaming. Fuck, for all I know, the screaming was coming from me. It’s all fuzzy now. I remember waking up for a few minutes in the hospital and then the next thing I remember was waking up and being told I was in Germany. It took several days for them to wean me off the major painkillers, enough for me to even be able to look down and see that there was only one foot underneath the sheet.”
Her fingers that had been drifting over his skin clenched as her breath left her lungs in a rush. “Oh, Scott, I’m so sorry.”
His gaze moved back to hers and his lips curved into a sad smile. “Baby, don’t feel sorry for me. I’m alive. I came back. I won’t say it was easy, but it only took a few days in the hospital and rehab to know that I was a fuck of a lot luckier than many. Even my amputation was easier. They were able to save my knee, so I only lost my leg below the knee. Rehab was a bitch, and it took several prosthetic fittings and quite a few prostheses to get the right one. But once I had that and learned to walk again, I was good.”
Shifting in the water so that her face was directly in front of his, she whispered, “I’d say you were a lot more than good, Scott. I think you’re amazing.”
Closing the distance, they kissed, soft and gentle before flaming hot. As his arms banded around her, his hands dipping back into the water, he jerked away. “Jesus, baby, your water is cool!”
“Yes, but you can keep me warm.”
With a growl, he stood and lifted her effortlessly from the tub. Grabbing a thick towel, he dried her briskly before scooping her up and stalking toward the bedroom. Seeing that he was heading toward her room, she said, “Scott, here.”
His brow furrowed as he looked down at her, and she quickly explained. “Everything in here is clean, right down to the new mattress pad and sheets.” Seeing him still stare in question, she added, “This bed is bigger.”
“Lizzie, babe, I want you to be comfortable. I’m perfectly happy in your old room.”
Shaking her head, she cupped his face and said, “I’m ready, Scott. Ready for you to be here with me. Ready to hold onto my memories of my grandparents while making this house mine. Ours, if you want.”