To Love Someone (Baytown Boys #14) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,23

to shower. Changing into clean jeans and a T-shirt, he glanced into the mirror and swiped his hand through his still-wet hair. Thinking about the meeting, he had to admit he was looking forward to it even if he had forgotten. The American Legion chapter in Baytown served the two-county area and former servicemen and women came religiously. In the couple of meetings that he’d been to, he’d met veterans having served mostly in Vietnam, Korea, and the Middle East, representing a diverse group that ranged from their early twenties to their nineties. The oldest member was in a wheelchair and was ninety-eight years old. He had served in WWII as an eighteen-year-old.

He had thought the AL meetings would be stiff, boring, mostly administrative. But he found that they had a chance to talk, plan new community service projects, and build camaraderie. Hell, he’d never been around so many people since getting out of the Navy.

Walking into the AL meeting room that evening, his gaze scanned the area, recognizing many of the faces. He wandered around to the side, not surprised to find Zac standing next to the table loaded with donuts and coffee.

“How the hell do you stay so fit when you eat like you do?” he asked.

Zac grinned around a large bite before swallowing. “Metabolism. Well, that and running.” He leaned forward and whispered, “But keep this a secret. Madeleine’s on a health kick, and we haven’t had donuts in the house for a while. I figured I’d get my fill of them here.”

At the mention of Zac’s wife, he couldn’t help but grin in return. Zac had grown up in Baytown, and now that Joseph was here, he’d met Zac’s original group of childhood friends and many of the others who’d moved here to settle. Good men and women, all of them, some with roots spreading deep as evidenced by their spouses and parents being part of the AL or auxiliary.

As he and Zac shifted to the side so that others could grab a donut, Jason joined them. “I’m lucky. Rose owns an ice cream shop, and on top of that, she’s pregnant. No strict dieting in our house!”

Joseph glanced to the side, narrowed his gaze, then with a chin lift to his friends, grabbed a water bottle from the table. Walking over to one of the older members sitting by himself, he loosened the top before handing it to the man. “I thought you might like something to drink, sir.”

The older man nodded, his eyes lighting, offering his thanks before taking the bottle in his shaking hands. The water threatened to spill out of the top, so Joseph reached out to steady the bottle on its way to the man’s lips. After a long sip, Joseph replaced the lid and quietly handed the man a napkin so that he could discreetly wipe the few drops from his chin.

Nodding his appreciation, the older man said, “I try to never miss an AL meeting. Best people in the world are the vets right in this room.”

Joseph opened his mouth to agree when the man looked past him and grinned widely, saying, “And the prettiest.”

Surprised at that comment, Joseph twisted his head around, seeing Samantha standing just inside the door, her wide-eyed gaze pinned on him. Her hair was down, the dark waves falling over her shoulders. Beautiful… damn, she’s beautiful. He had no idea how long she’d been standing there watching him, but then, he also had no idea why she was there. “Excuse me,” he mumbled, turning and walking directly toward her. Her gaze never left him as her head tilted back when he neared. He’d meant to just greet her, but curiosity took over. “What are you doing here?”

Her body jerked slightly, and she blinked. “What do you mean?”

“This is an American Legion meeting.”

She blinked again. “I know.”

“It’s for members. Ve—”

“Geez, Joseph. I know. It’s for vets.”

“Yeah, Samantha. Vets… veterans… not veterinarians.”

Her hands landed on her hips, and by now, he should’ve recognized the fighting stance. “First, you don’t think I can be a veterinarian, and now, you don’t think I can be a veteran. For your information, I’m both!”

Skirting around him, she stomped away, heading toward the front of the meeting room. He dropped his head back to look toward the heavens, but with his eyes closed all he could see was the image burned into his brain of her beautiful, dark, and very angry eyes shooting darts at him. Am I destined to put