Page 54 of The Comeback Road (Leaving #2)

Lexie

I pushed open the door to Momma and Papa Tucks’, the familiar jingle of the bell overhead stirred a warm, nostalgic feeling within me.

The cozy diner was just as I remembered, walls adorned with quirky decor.

The scent of fried food mingling with freshly brewed coffee made me moan.

Luckily, the soft hum of conversation was enough to stifle the sound.

“Lexie! There’s my girl!” Momma exclaimed the second she caught sight of me.

Her arms opened wide as she made her way through the tables to where I stood.

My heart swelled three sizes. It felt so good, being back.

“I’ve been wondering where your sassy self has been hiding! We need that spark around here!”

I grinned, my cheeks flushed with warmth from her words. “Missed you, too, Momma,” I said as I leaned into her embrace. The feeling felt like home.

Momma pulled back, grabbing a mug from the shelf close by and going over to fill it up with coffee.

“I have something for you, sweetheart.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief, and I didn’t miss the way she hadn’t addressed Luke yet.

“I thought this was fitting.” She handed me the mug in her hand, which read Warrior in bold, bright letters.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, raising the mug to eye level. “Warrior, huh?” The warmth of the ceramic seeped into my palms.

“I know one when I see one.” She squeezed my shoulder before finally addressing Luke. “And for you, Sir.” She waltzed over to Luke, who perched himself at the counter, trying not to smile at our interaction. She handed him a mug full of coffee that said Brat .

I pressed my lips together in a thin line to try to hold my laughter in. “My god, that’s perfect.” I was met with Luke’s steely gaze of annoyance, only further adding to the accuracy of the mug.

“Brat. Really?” he called out after Momma, a playful scowl on his face.

“Just calling it as I see it, Luke. You’ve been a bit of an ass lately,” she huffed out at him. I, for one, was loving the exchange.

“And how would you know that, woman?” He grunted, but took a sip from the mug that Momma deemed he have.

“People talk, Luke. It’s a small town. Why don’t you knock it off a bit, hm?” She turned and continued making her way back to the kitchen, where Papa was cooking. “I’ll get you the special,” she hollered, not giving either one of us a chance to argue.

As we took our mugs to a booth off to the side, I took a moment to admire the mug in my hands.

Warrior almost felt like a badge of honor.

A reminder that I was strong, capable, and ready to face whatever life decided to throw my way.

I looked over at Luke, who was staring holes into his mug, although the corners of his mouth were twitching in reluctant amusement.

“You know,” I said, leaning in closer to him, “Momma really knows how to plant the truth right where it hurts.”

“Yeah, well,” Luke replied, feigning indifference as he took another sip, “it is what it is.”

“You want to talk about it?” I offered. Even though I was mad at him, he was still my friend.

“Nah. I don’t feel much like being a brat today,” he tried to joke, and even though it somewhat fell flat, I knew that was hiding his obvious discomfort at being called out in a small way. Silence returned, and I could see the flicker of seriousness in Luke’s eyes. “Lexie…about Zed.”

My heart sank. “What about him? You still haven’t told me anything.”

“I can’t. Not yet.” He closed more of the distance, his tone grave. “You need to trust me on this. Please, it’s for everyone’s benefit.”

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. “But how can I trust you if I don’t have the slightest clue about what’s going on?” I tried to keep my voice steady, but the obvious worry was creeping in, threatening to drown out the warmth of the diner.

“Because I’m doing everything I possibly can to help him,” Luke said firmly. There was determination and truth behind it. “And I promise, when the time is right, you’ll know everything. Right now, it’s important that you focus on healing, moving on, and your semi-retirement.”

“Easier said than done,” I muttered, my mind still racing with thoughts of Zed, memories flooding in of them shoving him into that van. Where did they take him? What happened to him?

Luke reached into his bag and pulled out a file, sliding it across the table at me. “Here. You need to see this.”

“What is it?” I questioned.

“Just open it.” I opened the file, my heart heavy as I started to read the pages.

“Is this…is this about him?” Him referring to the guy’s life I took.

The man had been involved in human trafficking.

The pictures and documents were horrible, and I felt bile rise in my throat.

I was going to be sick at what I was seeing.

“You deserve to know what kind of man he was. You did the world a favor,” he told me.

“I think I always knew that he wouldn’t have been there if he was one of the good guys. I think I struggled with the fact that I barely even hesitated, and if I had to do it all over again? I’d do the same thing. What does that say about me, Luke?” I whispered.

“It says that you’re human,” he replied gently. “Even though what you did was hard, Lexie, what you did was good. It was right , Lexie.”

I absorbed his words, but doubt lingered in my mind. “I just don’t want to be the person who justifies violence, Luke. That’s not who I am.”

“You’re not,” he assured me, his eyes steady on mine. “You’re someone who fights for those who can’t fight for themselves. You always have been. It’s one of the reasons you were recruited in the first place. That’s strength, Lexie, not a weakness. Never a weakness.”

I nodded slowly, feeling the weight of his reassurance settle in. “Okay, but…what are your plans now? Are you leaving Rockland now that I’m coming back to the land of the living?”

He leaned back slightly, a hint of a smile returning to his face. “I think…I think I’m going to stay. There’s something special about Rockland that I haven’t quite put my finger on yet.”

Relief washed over me, and I let out a breath. “Good. because I could use my annoying brat of a friend around here.”

“Always,” he said, raising his mug to mine. “To warriors and brats, and whatever comes next.”

As we clinked our mugs together, I felt a renewed sense of hope, of purpose. Whatever challenges lay ahead, I knew I was in the right place, surrounded by the people I chose.