The Corporal and the Choir Girl

Reegan had been stripped of everything. Her family. Her possessions. Her belongings. But she had to believe it was all for a reason.

"You know you can stay here as long as you need," said Maggie. “We have plenty of room in our place.”

"Brandon—Corporal Lucas—asked me to stay forever."

Maggie's brows rose. But not in alarm that a stranger had proposed a marriage of convenience to her. The soldier’s wife’s eyes shone bright with approval.

Reegan knew the story of Maggie and Dylan. Maggie had been a regular at the church since she was a girl. Though she’d never come with parents, always on her own. The veterinarian had had a tough beginning as a foster child, but she never lost faith. When Maggie had been kicked out of her apartment for having too many dogs, she'd walked right into a miracle. The miracle happened on this ranch where she met Dylan. They'd agreed to a marriage of convenience so he could stay on the ranch. In exchange, she could keep her dogs here and out of a pound where the disabled brood would've surely met their maker. In the course of events, after the wedding, the two fell madly in love.

That story had repeated four more times with the other soldiers who lived here on the Purple Heart Ranch. And it looked like the tradition would continue with Reegan and Brandon.

"Brandon asked me to marry him. You know, like you all did for the zoning."

The soldiers had thought the zoning regulations were a curse. But the rules had turned out to be a blessing in disguise as they'd each found the woman they'd spend the rest of their lives with. Maybe the same rules would now work in Reegan’s favor?

"Oh, honey," Maggie beamed at her. But she shook her head at the same time, which confused Reegan. Those two words were cautionary, but she said them with joy. "They all say it's for the zoning; a marriage of convenience. It never is. It always winds up turning into lasting love."

Reegan's heart skipped at that thought. Her mouth became parched under the cloudy sky. Her fingertips itched as they sank into the rich soil.

"Is that what you want?" asked Maggie. "Do you have feelings for Corporal Lucas?"

"I barely know him."

Yet she'd spent last night in his bed with him by her side. In a chair. But it was still more intimate than she'd ever been with a man. And there was the way he’d held her that morning before he’d made his proposal. Reegan was certain she could stay in Brandon Lucas’s arms forever.

"Eva and I barely knew Dylan and Fran before we said I do. And look at us."

That was true. It was all shaping up to be another purple-hearted love story. Except for one difference.

“Brandon feels guilty about what happened to Reece,” Reegan admitted. “He even mentioned that he thinks the fire was partly his fault."

"Guilt is a powerful motivator,” Maggie agreed. “But not enough to force a man into marriage. I've seen him looking at you these past few days. Especially that first day when you were singing in church. He looked like he’d found heaven."

Reegan went breathless. A light wind sent a shiver over her skin raising goosebumps. Maggie reached out her hand, and Reegan took it, needing something to hold onto.

"Just be sure it's what you want," said Maggie.

Was it what she wanted? Reegan knew she wanted to sing. She knew she wanted to stay in her home town. She knew she wanted to be held in Brandon's arms. With this arrangement, she could spend forever doing all those things.

She had her answer.

Chapter Fifteen

The tap-tap-tapping sound was incessant, like the clatter of rounds firing and shell casings falling to the ground. Brandon couldn’t stop his restless legs from moving. His entire body felt hot and cold at the same time. He needed somewhere for the energy to go.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He knew before his lashes touched the tops of his cheeks that the move was a mistake. Heat flared behind his lids. Tingling started in his palms. The muscles in his chest tightened.

He saw smoke in his mind’s eye. But he didn't see brown and orange hues of the desert. He saw the lush green and sturdy red brick of suburban America. The fire raged, and the brick of the house melted as he stood gaping in the street. Instead of a red-haired Reece, he saw the flames of Reegan’s long tresses as she looked up at her home in horror.

Her gaze went wide as the explosion rocked the foundation of her home. The blast knocked her off her feet. Before Brandon could move, smoke sank low to the ground and engulfed her body. He tried to get to her, but his body wouldn’t move. He was standing instead of lying face down, but it didn

’t matter. His feet wouldn’t move. They were mired in something dark, thick, and black as night.

It was guilt.

Brandon’s stomach churned. His breathing came in shallow pants until he roared. Brandon fought with everything in him, but the shame had a vise on him. As his internal battle raged, Reegan was swallowed whole by the gray cloud.

"Corporal Lucas?"