I do anything to help with dinner?”
“Nope. It’s almost ready. Would you like some iced tea? Or I have soft drinks.”
“Iced tea would be fantastic.”
Addison’s attention shifted to the dining room. It’d been converted into an artist studio. Canvases rested on easels. More were on the floor. A long table took up one wall and held clear organizational drawers filled with brushes and painting supplies. “I haven’t asked how things are going with your artwork. Don’t you have a show coming up soon?”
“In a few weeks. I’ve finished all the paintings for it.”
She drifted into the studio, stopping before a gorgeous painting of brilliant colors. A river flowed around large rocks before cascading into a waterfall. Something about it looked familiar, but she couldn’t place why. “Is this painting of an actual place?”
“Niagara Falls.” Jason joined her, close enough she caught a whiff of his aftershave. Something spicy and clean. “This is what it looks like when you skydive over the area.”
“You went skydiving?” She shuddered. “No, thank you. I’m terrified of heights.”
He chuckled. “It’s not for everyone.”
“Your paintings are beautiful and lifelike.” She’d looked up the cost of his paintings once. They sold for a small fortune. “Did you always want to be an artist?”
“No. Painting was a hobby until I was injured in Afghanistan. Then it became an outlet. Recovering from the IED explosion took a long time. Physical therapy, surgeries….it gives you too much time to think.”
There was an underlying sadness buried in his voice. Addison knew several of Jason’s comrades had died in the explosion that’d nearly killed him and Connor as well. He rarely spoke about it, and she didn’t want to push. “When did you start selling your paintings?”
“While I was still in the hospital, a doctor asked to purchase one. Little did I know, her father was the fourth richest man in the US. My career took off after that. I decided it was God’s way of intervening in my life. My artwork brings joy to people, but it also lets me give back to the community.”
Jason never bragged, but Knoxville was a small town. He donated a lot of money to various charities, such as the library, after-school programs, and the veterans’ hospital. She admired the way he’d turned a tragedy into purpose.
She elbowed him gently. “My dad used to say this phrase to me whenever life got hard. Triumph over adversity. That’s exactly what you did.”
“I didn’t do it alone. God was with me the whole way.”
“He always is.” Addison stopped in front of an unfinished painting of a little girl. She appeared to be about five or six and was running through a field of flowers. Behind her, dressed in a military uniform, was a man. “This is stunning.”
“That’s my goddaughter, Maddy, and her biological father. Marcus and I met during basic training and grew close. He died while on deployment. It’s a long story, but Maddy was adopted by a wonderful woman named Tara. She’s married to the Texas Ranger I mentioned earlier, Grady. They’ve become my close friends.” Jason’s gaze drifted over the painting. “Maddy doesn’t have any photographs of her dad, so I wanted to give her something to remember him by.”
Addison’s heart squeezed tight. Jason had to be one of the most thoughtful men she’d ever met. Everything about him drew her closer. His strength, his kindness, his innate goodness. But now wasn’t the time to muddle things with romance. The focus needed to be on finding the man who was trying to kill her.
After that…well, Addison would cross that bridge when she got there.
Thirteen
Forty minutes later, Addison threw her head back and laughed. Auburn curls spilled over her shoulders and her eyes twinkled. Had Jason ever seen a more beautiful woman? If so, he couldn’t remember.
“So here is Kyle carrying this pitiful kitten he rescued from the trash can while on a walk around the VA hospital grounds.” Jason cupped his hands together to demonstrate how small the cat was. “And oh, she was smelly. So what does he do? Kyle tucks the kitten into his jacket in order to sneak it into the hospital for a bath. Except the minute he steps into the room, a doctor shows up to check the stitches on his leg.”
Her eyes widened. “No.”
“Yes. And Kyle still has the kitten in his jacket. He lifts his leg so the doctor can check the stitches, and everything was going okay, until the kitten started meowing.”
“Hold on,” she said, between giggles.