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Jack

Damn it.

I’d stayed away from Nate’s sister for years —all because my body had the audacity to misbehave whenever she was around. Now, here she was, sitting in my truck in the middle of the night, a stray dog between us, and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to scold her or kiss the ever-loving hell out of her.

I glanced over, trying to get a grip on my wild thoughts of her and those tight leggings. She was already distracted, focusing on the scruffy mutt nestled in her lap like a prince on a throne.

“What kind of dog is that?” I asked because, for the love of God , I needed to think about something else besides how much I wanted to reach over and touch her.

She tilted her head, studying the furball. “I think he’s a mix of a few breeds, but it’s hard to tell under all this matted fur. I’ll take him to work tomorrow and check him out.”

I frowned. “Where do you work? Do you live in town?”

“I’m a veterinarian. I own a pet hospital on the edge of town.”

I blinked. “You’re a veterinarian?”

She arched a brow. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“No, I just… I didn’t know that.” I shook my head, feeling like an idiot. “That’s amazing, Eloise. I bet your family’s proud of you. Hell, I’m proud of you. ”

Her lips curled into a smile, and holy hell , I felt it like a punch straight to my gut.

“You are?” she asked, eyes twinkling. “Proud enough to help me bathe Rover?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Nice try. I’m not waking your parents up in the middle of the night just so you can soak me in dog water.”

She snorted. “Jack, I haven’t lived at home since college. My parents still have the same house they have always lived in.” She pointed ahead. “Go that way, I’ll tell you where to turn.”

My brain screamed to put her out of the truck and drive away now.

You don’t want to go home with her.

Except… I did.

She pointed to a street up ahead, on the outskirts of town. “That’s my house, and next to it is my pet hospital.”

I glanced between the two buildings, I could see a small barn in the back, with a pasture.. “That’s convenient.”

“Too convenient,” she muttered. “Honestly, I wish I’d never bought the house next door. It feels like I’m always at work. And since the neighbors know where I live, they knock on my door at all hours if something’s wrong with their pet. Some even ask me to watch their animals when they go on vacation. Apparently, I run a boarding service now.”

I smirked. “You should start charging them.”

“I do charge them,” she grumbled. “They pay me in baked goods.”

“Sounds like a solid deal to me.”

She sighed, shoulders sagging slightly. She looked tired , and instead of thinking about how good she looked—messy ponytail, oversized hoodie, leggings hugging her legs just right—I felt something else. Something dangerously close to concern.

“Ellie,” I said, lifting the dog out of the truck, “I can’t stay and help with the bath. I’ve got a Zoom meeting at six.”

“Chicken,” she teased.

“What?”

“You’re afraid you’ll get soaked and show up smelling like a wet dog for your meeting.”

I smirked. “No, I just need to get back to the hotel and shower. It’s a Zoom call, Ellie.”

She grinned. “Oh, right. Because you’re still living up on Frasier Mountain, right? You and your buddies all look like lumberjacks up there.”

I chuckled. “Is that a complaint?”

“No, just an observation.” She tilted her head. “I was up there a few months ago.”

I nodded. “Yeah, Nate told me his sister came by. What’d you think?”

Her whole face lit up. “It’s beautiful. Quiet. I ran in the mornings and saw some of the SEALs out. But…” She hesitated. “Nate seemed… quiet. I noticed he wasn’t sleeping well. I asked him about it, but he brushed me off. Do you know why?”

I hesitated, debating whether I should tell her. “Nate went through hell when he was held captive for eight months.” I exhaled. “He’s working through it. He probably just didn’t want you worrying.”

Her expression darkened. “Of course I’m worried.”

I didn’t have a good response to that, so I didn’t say anything. Instead, she hit me with another curveball.

“What about Frasier?” she asked, arms crossing. “I tried talking to him about Nate. You know what he said? Don’t worry, I’m taking care of everything. What does that mean?”

I let out a slow breath. “Frasier’s been through it, too. When you’ve been in a war—or held hostage—you need someone who gets it . That’s probably all he meant.”

She studied me for a long moment, then nodded, like she’d decided to trust my answer. “I didn’t know Frasier had been held hostage.” Her voice softened. “That makes more sense now.”

Before I could respond, she reached for Rover. “Thanks for driving me home. Come on, buddy.”

I hesitated. “Maybe I’ll see you next time you visit the mountain.”

“Maybe,” she said, flashing me one last small smile before heading for her door. “Goodnight, Jack.”

I watched her disappear inside, my chest tightening.

Damn it.

She was right—I was a chicken. I’d spent years avoiding her, afraid of what her brother would think if I so much as looked at her wrong.

But if Nate ever gave me the green light?

That would change everything.

And Ellie?

She’d be mine—every chance I could get.