Page 19 of Empower

I had also gone to the soccer camp and liked it, but my heart wasn’t in it. Not anymore.

Not like it was when Raine told me about what she wanted to do with her life.

I hadn’t realized that you could even do that.

And something deep inside of me called out… ‘This is you’re calling. You’re needed.’

That was how I found myself starting fall classes to become a neonatal nurse.

We were four months in when Raine tore down the steps to me where I stood waiting for her with a huge smile on her face, when I called out, “Hey hooker, what’s up?”

“He’s on his way home!” She yelled and wrapped me in a hug as we both started jumping with excitement.

I was so happy for her.

She missed him.

It was almost as if the other half of her heart had been missing.

And hours later as I stood beside my dad, I got it.

The other half of her heart was home.

My eyes strayed to where he stood.

Watching.

A soft smile on his face.

And I was still watching him when his eyes moved from his daughter and Tank and then to me.

I didn’t tear my eyes away from him.

To say I was happy for my best friend would be an understatement.

I had heard about people being connected, but I’d never experienced it first-hand.

Not until I met Lena.

And even more so as I stood against the bar as we celebrated Tank popping the question to Raine.

That was when I smiled, huge and called out, “Matron of Honor right here. Cassidee is a bridesmaid, as well as Shea. And ladies when I get married it’ll be the same. Only Raine will be my maid of honor since she’ll be married.”

Everyone chuckled at my words but one person. Just one.

And when my eyes locked with his, I titled my head to the side in curiosity.

What about what I said would have caused him to have both of his hands clenched into fists, that all too familiar tick in his jaw, and his eyes narrowed?

And even more so, what was it about what I said that caused him to slam his beer bottle down onto the bar top, storm down the hall, and disappear into his office?

I knew he wasn’t upset about Raine and Tank.

Or else he would have thrown Tank out of here.

Needless to say, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it in all the months leading up to their wedding.

Which was held on the first day that Tank met Raine four years ago.