Finding Courage (Love's Compass Book 3)

by Melanie D. Snitker

  “Is something wrong with your dessert?”

  Really? The woman didn’t bother to speak to her all night but had the gall to address her now. Avalon mustered her best smile. “Not at all. The cake is incredibly moist. I just ate too much at dinner because it was wonderful as well. Please pass my compliments on to your cook.”

  Loretta raised an eyebrow at her. “Our cook may have prepared the meal, but it was I who chose what we’ve eaten and how I wanted it seasoned. I’ll make a note to have a smaller portion for you next time.”

  Avalon should’ve been frustrated or annoyed. Instead, she found herself fighting down a chuckle. To hide her smile, she took another drink of her water before discreetly placing a peppermint on her tongue. She held the finger that had been in contact with the mint near her nose to block out residual chocolate smells.

  Duke took her hand in his and gave it a little squeeze. When she peeked at him, his eyes focused on her with concern. “Are you feeling okay?” he asked in a whisper.

  She gave him a small nod she hoped was convincing. The cake wasn’t sitting well. It was times like these when hiding her pregnancy didn’t seem like such a good idea. This nausea would be a great excuse to go home.

  ~

  Duke didn’t believe Avalon was okay, but he couldn’t press her there at his parents’ dinner table. Instead of releasing her hand, he entwined their fingers and rubbed the back of her thumb with his. A glance at the clock told him they needed to hang in there another thirty minutes and then he would get them home.

  The only part of the evening that hadn’t been stressful was talking about the farm with his dad. And that conversation had lasted an entire ten minutes before his mom interrupted and switched topics to the renovations she wanted to have done on their bathroom upstairs. He wasn’t sure of the details as he’d tuned them out.

  By the time they walked out of the house and down the driveway to their car, Duke had a pounding headache. And Avalon — the poor girl looked wilted. Without a word, he opened the passenger door for her and helped her step inside before claiming the driver’s seat.

  The headlights illuminated the way back to their house. Duke exhaled forcefully. “Well, that was…”

  “… exhausting,” Avalon finished for him.

  He chuckled. “Yeah, among other things.”

  She yawned widely, covering her mouth with both hands. “I’m sorry.”

  “Are you kidding? You should receive some kind of medal for putting up with tonight.” He glanced at her. “Are you sure you’re okay? You haven’t been yourself since you’ve been back.”

  “Don’t worry about me, Duke.”

  Much easier said than done. But he said nothing. As they pulled into their driveway and parked, her tired voice captured his attention.

  “Thanks for standing up for me there at the beginning. I appreciate it.”

  “I wasn’t only standing up for you. I was standing up for us. We have enough to figure out without Mom or Cal adding to the mix.”

  Avalon gave him a small smile. “Thank you, whatever the reason.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  He opened her door for her and they walked up the stairs onto the porch.

  Avalon paused. “You know, I could use a few minutes of air. I’m going to sit out here and decompress for a few minutes.”

  Duke lightly touched her shoulder. “Okay.”

  He went inside, changed clothes, and got a glass of milk. When he didn’t hear her come back in, he went out to the porch to check on her.

  The image of his wife, legs stretched along the length of the porch swing, tugged at his heart. One arm rested over the back of the swing and her head leaned against it. Her eyes remained closed while her chest rose and fell gently in sleep.

  There was no doubt about it. She was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He sat on the edge of the swing and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Avalon?” She didn’t move.

  A smile tugged at Duke’s lips as he stood and gently lifted her into his arms. She moaned and curled against him, resting her head against his chest.

  For the first time since she’d ridden in on that ATV, he felt like she’d come home. His heart beat painfully in his chest.

  Duke carried her into the house and made his way upstairs. As he entered her room, she shifted slightly but continued to sleep. He laid her down on the bed, removed her shoes, and retrieved a comforter from the closet for her.

  Before leaving, he swept the hair from her face, marveling at the softness of it. The scent of vanilla and oranges surrounded him.

  “Sleep well, sweetheart.”

  The need to stay with Avalon nearly got the best of him. With a great deal of effort, he touched her cheek with the backs of his fingers before leaving the room. He shut the door behind him, wishing it could be so easy to push her from his mind.

  Chapter Seven

  The chirping of a bird outside was the first thing that registered as Avalon woke up. She stretched lazily, relishing the feel of the soft mattress beneath her.

  Her mind flashed back to the night before and she groaned. That had been the longest dinner she’d ever attended.

  She pulled the blanket back and noticed her clothes. The memory of going out to the porch swing came to mind. She must have fallen asleep and Duke brought her up to bed. Warmth flooded her heart and radiated to the tips of her fingers.

  She checked her phone and found a note lying next to it.

  Avalon,

  We don’t need to get up early tomorrow. I turned your phone alarm off so you can sleep. It’s Sunday and we’re going to relax for the day.

  Thanks for being strong last night. I’m sorry you had to endure that.

  I’ll see you in the morning.

  Duke

  It was already after eight. The two additional hours of sleep felt like a luxury.

  Avalon took advantage of the extra time and grabbed a shower, dressing in fresh clothes. By the time she’d used the blow dryer on her hair, morning sickness was kicking in.

  Before she could get something to eat, she was kneeling on the bathroom floor, emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet. The nausea overwhelming, she leaned her back against a nearby wall and closed her eyes.

  It was the worst she’d felt yet during the pregnancy and if she had to hazard a guess, it would be because she didn’t get a snack before going to bed. She wouldn’t make that mistake again.

  By the time she’d gotten the nausea under control and composed herself, it was nearly nine in the morning.

  Downstairs, there was no sign of Duke. Avalon made herself two pieces of toast and was finishing them when he walked in. He stopped when he spotted her, a small smile on his face. “Good morning.”

  “Hi. Thanks for turning my alarm off.”

  “You’re welcome. It seemed you needed the extra sleep.”

  Avalon’s face warmed. She ran her fingers through her hair, drawing the curls together at the nape of her neck. “I’d have to agree. Thanks for helping me get upstairs, too.”

  Duke leaned against the counter near where she was standing. “Anytime.”

  His gaze captured hers, his hazel eyes turning a shade of green.

  Avalon’s breath caught. Her heart skipped a beat and then another at the intensity she found in his eyes.

  She broke their contact and nodded toward her nearly empty plate. “Did you eat breakfast yet?”

  “Earlier. Thank you, though.”

  Avalon released the hair she’d been holding and let it fall down her back. “No problem. What’s the plan for today?”

  “I thought we would take the four-wheeler and ride around the farm, have a picnic lunch. I got used to them this last week.”

  Her surprise at his words must’ve shown on her face. Duke was making an effort and she appreciated it.

  “That sounds great.”

  “Okay, good. I’ll go check on some things and I’ll meet you back here in an hour.”

>   Avalon nodded and watched him go outside, tossing one of his slightly tilted smiles her way.

  It wasn’t ten minutes before he returned, the corners of his mouth turned down and his brows drawn together.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “The four-wheelers are gone.”

  Avalon stared at him. “Someone took them?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to find out.” Duke withdrew his cell phone, hit a button, and held it to his ear.

  She listened as he talked to Rudy. It didn’t last long, and Duke wasn’t getting the answers he wanted.

  “Dad says no one there has borrowed them. I’ll drive around the property and see if I spot them. If not, we’ll need to call and file a police report.”

  The four-wheelers were pieces of equipment essential for getting around the farm. They were also expensive to replace. Avalon assumed they would be relatively easy for a thief to sell. “I want to come with you.”

  Duke gave a single nod. She slipped her shoes on by the door and he took her hand, leading her to the car.

  They drove around the property for half an hour before giving up. “They aren’t here,” Duke said.

  “Who would take them? Is the main gate still locked and closed at night?”

  Duke went to the desk in the living room where they kept paperwork in one of the file cabinets. “Not usually. But that may change. They must have loaded the ATVs onto a trailer. We would have heard something if the thieves rode them out of here.”

  “What are you searching for?”

  “The paperwork from when I purchased the ATVs. The VIN numbers are on there. We’ll need them when we file the report.”

  They found what they needed and headed into town. Duke kept his jaw clenched, his eyes riveted to the road ahead of them. Avalon stayed silent as they entered Yuma. By the time they finished filing the police report, it was nearly noon. Her stomach announced her hunger as they got back into the car.

  “It sounds like we’d better feed you,” Duke said, raising an eyebrow at her and winking.

  “That or risk mutiny.” She was getting nauseous and silently begged her stomach to calm down.

  “What about the downtown café?”

  “That’ll be great.” The café had always reminded Avalon of Gracie Belle’s Diner in Kitner. Thinking about the vegetable beef soup there made her mouth water. She settled into her chair, moving a mint from one side of her mouth to the other with her tongue. Food was on the way.

  When the waitress placed the bowl of soup in front of her, Avalon breathed a sigh of relief. The tantalizing aroma teased her as she waited for the broth to cool down a little before taking the first bite.

  “Bread?” Duke held half a roll out to her, already smothered in butter.

  “Thank you.” She took a large bite and rolled her eyes in pleasure. “What?”

  Duke’s eyes glittered with amusement as he watched her. “People will think you haven’t eaten for a week.”

  Avalon’s cheeks grew warm in response to his attention. He sat across from her and kept his eyes on her as he ate his own half of the roll in two bites.

  As food filled her belly, the jittery sensations ebbed. She needed to put a package of crackers in the car and another in her bag for instances like this.

  ~

  Avalon took a drink of her tea. “What are we going to do about the four-wheelers?”

  Duke shrugged as he finished his bite of fried chicken. “They didn’t sound real positive about finding them. I guess we’ll file the theft with our insurance and replace them. There’s no way around that.”

  Avalon nodded. She used her spoon to get the last bite out of the bottom of her bowl. “Do you know what bothers me the most?”

  “What’s that?”

  “We didn’t hear a thing last night.” She used her hands to rub her upper arms. “It’s creepy.”

  He agreed. He owned more than one firearm but usually kept them in the safe in the master bedroom. From now on, he would keep one out at night until he felt certain they were safe.

  Maybe it was neurotic, but he didn’t even like the idea of Avalon staying at home by herself during the day. Suddenly, her request to join him while working in the fields didn’t seem like such a bad one.

  There had been several times in the past he’d considered getting a dog. He never mentioned it before. Maybe now was a good time. “What do you think about going by the humane society and looking at the dogs?”

  Her eyes widened. “Really?”

  “It would be fun. And I’ll bet a dog would have heard the thieves last night.”

  She nodded. “You’re probably right.” She pursed her lips. “It’s a great idea.”

  A while later, Duke followed Avalon through a third row of kennels at the humane society. He enjoyed the way she interacted with different dogs. She’d crouch down, squeeze a hand through the bars, and pat each animal on the head. He chuckled when one of the dogs licked not only her hand, but stuck his tongue through the bars to wrap it around her wrist.

  Avalon grinned. “It would be like living with a giraffe if we had a dog with a tongue that long.” She stood and placed her hands on her hips, turning to survey the row of kennels.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “I wish we could give them all a home.”

  Duke did, too. He hated the thought of any of these animals staying in the kennels any longer than necessary. None of the dogs had seemed like the one, though. “There’s one more row. Let’s go take a look. We can always contact a rescue group if we don’t see the right dog here.”

  She agreed and they did as he suggested. When they reached the third kennel on the right, they both stopped.

  A young German shepherd observed them. One of his giant ears stood straight up, while the other flopped down. Duke read the information paper and saw they guessed him to be about ten months old. “Hey there. You’re a pretty boy.” The dog tilted his head to one side and studied them both.

  Avalon crouched down and stuck her hand through a gap in the kennel. The dog sat as close to the fencing as he could and leaned his whole body against her hand. His brown eyes kept going from her face to Duke’s.

  He nodded at the dog. “Do you want me to go find someone to let this guy out so we can see him up close?”

  She agreed. He located an employee who hooked the dog to a leash and led them to a small fenced area outside.

  The moment the employee handed the leash to Avalon, the dog plopped down on his belly while his eyes followed their every move.

  Duke sat on the ground and the dog didn’t hesitate to curl up on his lap and lay his head across his arm.

  Avalon chuckled as she joined Duke on the ground. She ran her hand over the dog’s soft head. “I think he likes you.”

  “Maybe a little.”

  She rubbed the dog’s ears and smiled as his eyes closed and his tongue lolled to one side. “I like that he’s not a puppy. Surely he’s already house-trained.”

  Duke liked the sparkle in Avalon’s eyes as she patted the dog, who wasn’t minding the attention at all.

  They played ball with him for a while and it didn’t take long to decide he was the dog for them. Duke ran into a store after they adopted the dog to pick up food, a leash, and two toys. On the drive back to the ranch, he sat behind the wheel while Avalon had the dog on her lap. He was big enough that parts of him spilled over her legs, sections of his gangly limbs suspended in mid-air.

  “He’s like a big baby,” Avalon said. “What are we going to name him?”

  They tossed several ideas around until they decided on Khanrad. Duke grinned. “Like Genghis Khanrad. Or Khaaaaaan!” He used his best William Shatner voice to recreate the quote.

  Avalon giggled and Khanrad cracked an eyelid to look at her. His mouth opened and he panted in what appeared to be a laugh.

  “I’ll take that as approval.”

  Khanrad enjoyed exploring the yard around the house as soon as they returned ho
me. Avalon walked up to the porch and rested her arms on the railing as she watched him. “He’s got a ton of energy. I’m glad we’ve got a lot of space for him to run around in.”

  “Me, too.” Duke joined her on the porch. His eyes weren’t on their new furry companion but were focused on the beautiful woman in front of him. Her dark blond hair pooled on the railing, flowing over the edge to move gently in the breeze.

  There were times while Avalon was gone when he stood in that exact spot and waited for the sun to dip below the horizon. He’d wondered where she was, worried about her safety, and imagined what he could have done differently.

  His mind told him he needed to continue to keep his distance. But his heart thudded painfully in his chest and disagreed with every rational thought that came its way.

  He took a few steps closer and breathed deeply. Her unique scent swirled around him and he itched to put his arms around her.

  If only there were a way he could get a glimpse of the future and know she would stay. She made it through the dinner the night before and was still there the next morning. Surely that meant something.

  “Avalon.” The words passed his lips before he realized he’d uttered her name.

  She straightened and turned, a smile from watching Khanrad still lingered on her face. The fading light from the sun behind her kissed her hair, creating a halo of yellow and burnt orange.

  Her bright blue eyes drew him in and he rested a hand on the porch railing behind her. The need to kiss his wife pulled him forward and he took a step closer to her, the toes of their shoes touching. With his other hand, he touched her upper arm and trailed his fingers down to her hand, holding it gently in his.

  Duke leaned closer. But when she stiffened and shifted her eyes from his face to his shoulder, he halted. The moment broken, he released her hand and took a large step back from her.

  “Duke, I …”

  He lifted his hand to stop her. The last thing he wanted to do right now was talk about their almost kiss. “Don’t. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed it.” He jerked his head toward the garage. “I’m going to go make sure everything’s locked up.”