Hero By Night (Independence Falls 3)

“Copper is valuable,” Mr. Shiny Head continued, refusing to look her in the eye. “And right now there are a lot of desperate ­people out there.”

“I see.” She rose from her chair, refusing to let this man see even a hint of her own anxious need—­not to steal, but to find a job. And maybe rekindle her pride along the way. “Thank you for your time, sir.”

Her heartbeat raced as she turned to the door. But this time, fear took a backseat to the anger rising up. She needed to get out of here before she said something she might regret. And she wanted Hero by her side. Leaving her dog in the parking lot with Chad no longer seemed like a good call now that she knew she’d never had a shot at impressing this man. Because when Mr. Shiny Head looked at her, he saw a woman first, and a veteran second.

Lena closed the door behind her, resisting the temptation to slam it, and marched down the hall, her gaze focused on the exit. There had been a time—­back when she wore the uniform and did her job alongside the other men and women willing to sacrifice everything, including their lives, to serve their country—­when the ­people she worked with saw only one thing when they looked at her. Soldier.

She’d wanted to return to civilian life. She’d dreamed about it. But some days, like today, she missed the sureness of knowing she belonged.

Lena stepped into the parking lot and spotted Chad sitting in his truck with Hero at his side, the windows rolled down. Both males spotted her at the same time. Hero stood, struggling to maneuver his large body in the front seat, his tail wagging fast and furious, practically shaking the truck.

“That was fast. How’d it go?” Chad asked as she climbed into the passenger seat. “Did you get the job?”

“No.” She wrapped her arms around Hero, holding him close, no longer caring if dog hair covered the slacks and button-­down shirt she’d worn for the interview. “When they said veteran, they meant a man.”

Chad’s smile vanished. His hands gripped the steering wheel, hard, his knuckles turning white. His jaw clenched and his gaze shifted to the door. For a man who claimed he didn’t play the part of the alpha male hero, Chad Summers looked ready and willing to introduce Mr. Shiny Head to his fist.

Lena tensed, prepared to stop him from fighting her battles. That fell beyond the barriers of their temporary agreement. And even if this were real, she didn’t need him to stand up for her.

“Tell me something, Lena,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “Can you do this job? Are you qualified?”

“Yes.”

“Would it scare you to be out here late at night?” he challenged. “Would you need Hero at your side?”

“I never had a chance to mention Hero.” She ran her hand over the dog’s soft coat. “But no, I’m not afraid.”

Because sometimes need trumped fear. And she needed this job. She needed to feel as if she could take a meaningful step forward.

He nodded, leaning back, releasing his death grip on the wheel. “Then it’s a good thing you haven’t given up on yourself isn’t it?”

Her hand moved to the door, determination rising. She’d fought, dammit. She’d run into the fire. She’d done her job. And she could do this one.

Lena opened the truck door and stepped down, waiting for Hero to follow. “I’m going back in there.”

Chad smiled and she swore she saw pride in his easygoing, charm-­your-­pants-­off expression. “Damn right you are.”

Standing tall, she marched past the parked cars, Hero at her side. Maybe she couldn’t change the manager’s mind. Maybe he’d throw her and her dog out. But she refused to walk away feeling somehow less than the men she’d served with because she was a woman.

CHAD HAD A list a mile long of what made a woman sexy. But right now, watching Lena march into that jackass’s office, determination topped the chart. It outshone the natural beauty that could have landed her on the pages of a magazine—­at least in his opinion. And yeah, maybe he was reading the wrong kinds of magazines to make a solid judgment, but right now, it didn’t matter. When Lena had every reason to quit, she’d gone back inside, determined to fight.

“That’s my girl,” he murmured to the empty car.

For a split second, he’d debated going in there and throwing a few punches. But this was Lena, the woman who’d pushed forward, fighting her way toward the life she wanted when others had written her off. If she could survive two tours in Afghanistan—­which was a helluva lot more than his zero—­she could take on some paper-­pushing jerk. She didn’t need him to fight her battles.

Chad stared at the door leading into the office building as that realization sank in. Lena didn’t need him. That was a good thing, wasn’t it? No strings, no promises, a cut-­and-­dried deal—­

The door swung open and Lena marched out, Hero at her side. Long hair flowing behind her, her stride strong and sure, an I-­just-­kicked-­some-­ass expression on her face—­most guys would run for the hills. But Chad just stared.

He waited until she opened the truck door and climbed inside behind Hero before he asked, “How’d it go?”

“I made it clear to him that I don’t accept failure as an option,” she said, buckling her belt. “And I may have mentioned the Silver Star.”

“So he’s star-­struck now, huh?” Chad turned the key and put the truck in reverse.

“Maybe,” she said with a small smile. “Either way, I got the job. It’s only part-­time for now. Four nights a week, starting on Friday. ”

“But it’s a start.” He steered the truck down the main road. “Ready to celebrate?”