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dark little maroon circles. “What’s up with you?”
    Cade narrowed his eyes. ”There’s nothing up with me. I…I’m thinking about Melanie. She’s—”
    “What am I?”
    Both men turned to see Melanie standing in the hallway, obviously eavesdropping on their conversation. A broad smile kinked her coral lips. “So? What am I?” Her whisky-coloured eyes flashed with mischief as she poked Rhett’s chest. “As long as it’s all good, I can’t wait to find out.”
    As Rhett put his hands up, he dipped his head. “This was a testosterone conversation, Miss Nosy.”
    Cade pinched the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. Maybe now would be the time to snag her and have the conversation they needed to get things headed in the right direction. “Melly—”
    Laughing, she folded her arms. “When you decide my place here, tell me. But until then, get dressed and meet me downstairs. The pizza’s here.” She slipped under Rhett’s outstretched arm and left them alone.
    Cade waited until he heard her footsteps fade down the stairs. His shoulders slumped. Too many raw emotions floated around in his system. He couldn’t think about food when all he wanted was to curl Melanie against him all evening long and bury himself in her sweet heat.
    Rhett nodded at Cade. “You’re wearing jogging pants and a T-shirt. Aren’t you going to tell her about your wounds?”
    Cade shook his head. Just looking at the damage to his own body made him want to puke. Melanie would probably run away or, worse, laugh. “I thought I’d keep it to myself as long as possible. She doesn’t need to know what happened.”
    A frown marred Rhett’s face. “You mean the honourable discharge or the scars? You earned your discharge for bravery, which makes you great in my book. Plus, she’s going to love having you around, once you tell her you’re permanently home. That might salvage the relationship.”
    “What I did wasn’t great.” Cade dropped his gaze to the floor. “I should’ve done something more.”
    As much as he wanted to forget, the afternoon of the bombing at the base and the harried expressions of his men as they’d gotten into defensive positions. He forced the raw emotions down to the pit of his stomach. He pounded his fist into his thigh. I don’t deserve to be home alive when they perished. Real men didn’t cry or talk about immature feelings, did they? But if he didn’t talk to someone soon, he’d have an ulcer.
    Rhett sighed. “Look, I don’t know how you feel. I’ll never understand because the bombing didn’t happen to me. I wasn’t there. But I know ignoring the aftershocks won’t make it go away. You’ll have to deal with it eventually. She’ll understand and support you, and I have your back.”
    To change the subject, Cade tossed a shirt at Rhett. He didn’t need any more greeting card advice or damned pity. “What do you suppose the surprise is?”
    “You mean other than the truck?” Wriggling his brows, Rhett chuckled. “I have no idea. But then I think you should talk to her. Tell her how you feel.”
    “I can’t. It’s too soon.”
    Rhett shrugged. “Suit yourself, but remember her heart’s in your hands.”
    Cade knotted his brows together. How the hell could he control the damned mood swings? Why did Rhett act like he knew Melanie’s true feelings? “How do you know where I stand with Melanie?”
    With a chuckle, Rhett tugged the cotton garment over his head. “What can I say? I just do.”
     

Chapter Four
     
     
     
    Downstairs, Melanie thanked the deliveryman and used her shoulder to close the front door. The smell of warm cheese and pepperoni filled her nose, making her stomach rumble as she padded across the pine hardwood floor. The cool grey walls and black Formica welcomed her into the kitchen. She sighed. Her gaze vacillated in the open floor plan. She’d miss the nights she and Cade spent eating ice cream in the middle of the room at the island at two in