Torin (Hope City #9) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,12

is good. No, there’s nothing wrong. She’d lied to her family for months after getting home from Afghanistan. Even now she only offered snippets of the truth to Tara, with more coming out to her counselor.

“Good, good,” he said. “I have enough to feel guilty about and hated to add more guilt about you on top of everything else.”

His response surprised her, and her head jerked to the side. “Has something happened?”

“Oh, I thought perhaps your brothers or maybe Sandy would have told you.”

“I don’t know Sandy very well, and I don’t see my brothers all that often.”

“Not even Rory?”

Facing forward again, she ran in silence for a moment, then shrugged. “I suppose there’s very little my twin and I don’t share, but if this is work-related, then he hasn’t told me about it.”

“It’s probably because you haven’t been in the pub in a while.”

She glanced to the side again and tilted her head in silent question. She didn’t understand his meaning but remained quiet, assuming he would keep talking if he wanted.

He lifted a hand and wiped the sweat from his brow as they continued to circle the track. “This last week, a woman was roofied in the bar.”

She gasped, horrified for the woman and knowing that Torin would feel guilt. “Oh, no! Did she…?”

“No, it was caught in time. Sandy recognized what was happening and was able to get help for the woman.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” While she didn’t know Sandy well, she was Harper’s best friend and maid of honor when Harper and Sean married. Erin had spent a little time around the beautiful, accomplished woman during all the wedding preparations. She had heard from Caitlyn that Rory had his eye on her. Now, she wondered if this was the woman Rory was referring to the other evening. If so, she’d be happy for both of them. She wanted Rory to find love, and what little she knew of Sandy seemed positive.

Glancing back to the side, she observed the tightness of Torin’s jaw and understood his feelings of guilt. “I’m sorry, Torin. I really am.” She hesitated, then added, “You know, someone wise once told me that the sun eventually comes out.”

A smile slipped over his face, and they ran in comfortable silence for several more laps, pleased that it no longer felt awkward. She didn’t feel the need to offer platitudes, and he didn’t seem to need to fill the time with idle conversation.

“Do you feel comfortable giving me your cell phone number when we get finished?” he asked.

She forced her head to continue facing forward, not giving in to the urge to jerk around to look at him—or grin ridiculously.

Before she had a chance to respond, he added, “So we can coordinate our running times. That way I can let you know when I’ll be here… that is, if you want.”

Unable to keep the grin from curving her lips, she nodded as they continued to run. With him at her side, her mind settled. Easy, peaceful, comforting. Moving forward, one step at a time.

Erin jogged down the steps of Hope City University’s Nursing School that had been built next to Hope City General Hospital making it easier for practicums and job experience.

“Hey, Erin!”

She turned and smiled as her friend, Candace, jogged down the steps after her. She greeted her with a hug. “I feel like it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other considering we’re in different classes this semester.”

Candace pushed her glasses up on her nose and nodded. “I heard you were doing at-home nursing. How’s that going for you?”

“It’s okay. I’ve only got three patients that I have to check on. One is a man who has entered hospice and doesn’t have family nearby. The hospice nurses provide everything, but I can be there to learn from them and offer him comfort.”

“Wow, I can’t imagine how hard that is. I admire hospice nurses, but that’s not for me,” Candace said. Her eyes held concern as she stared at Erin. “How are you doing with it?”

She hadn’t told her family what she was doing, knowing they would worry, but she had seen death at its most violent. She’d stared it in the eyes as it ripped her own heart out. So, now, to help an older man pass peacefully was something she could do. She said none of this to Candace but instead shrugged. “I’m fine with it. I admit I wouldn’t want to be a hospice nurse, but I feel like I’m helping.”

“I