Page 46 of Christmas in the Shadows

Had Tex once been like them? He didn’t want to think so. He wanted to believe he’d been his own person.

But he wasn’t sure anymore.

He definitely hadn’t been his own person once he’d joined the military. In fact, his commander had wanted anything but that.

But no more. He was tired of letting other people call the shots.

He glanced at Mikey’s friends again and paused, noticing something new.

They all seemed . . . squirrelly. Like they were nervous.

They talked in low, frantic tones.

Tex felt certain that none of them would want to admit to what was really going on.

In other circumstances, he might go into interrogation mode and pummel them with questions. But not in front of Lindsey.She already had enough on her plate without Tex making the situation worse.

As the conversation turned to football, Tex glanced at Chelsea.

The way she’d handled seeing Lindsey had been touching. She hadn’t hesitated to reach out. To offer a hug and listening ear.

People like her were rare. At least, in his life they were.

Chelsea represented all there was good in this world. She always had.

His mind drifted to that text he’d received.

I know what you did in Afghanistan. I’ll tell everyone unless you do what I say.

His stomach tightened.

Who had sent that? And what would this person demand? Why hadn’t the sender given the demand right away?

Tex hadn’t recognized the number—not that he’d expected to. But the area code was out of town. West Virginia, if he remembered correctly.

As everyone talked around him, he texted the number to one of his friends at the Shadow Agency, asking him to check it out.

Gage Pearson replied right away saying he’d look into it and that, if he couldn’t help, he’d ask his fiancé, Nia, if she could. Nia owned a tech corporation that had developed some amazing programs.

The minutes ticked by at the hospital, and no one made an effort to move. They were all just passing time until they heard an update.

Finally, the surgeon strode into the room.

They all seemed to hold their breath as they waited to hear what he had to say.

Chelsea held her breath as she waited to hear what the doctor had to say.

“I have an update,” the doctor announced before finding Lindsey’s gaze. “Would you like to talk in private?”

Lindsey stood. “No, you can tell everyone. We’re all here for him.”

The doctor nodded stiffly. “Mikey suffered a heart attack, which is unusual for someone his age. It was caused by an increase in low-density lipoprotein and a decrease in the level of high-density lipoprotein in the blood. High LDL and low HDL levels increase the risk of atherosclerosis, a condition involving a buildup of plaque inside arteries. In turn, this increases blood pressure and can disrupt blood flow.”

“What’s all that mean, Doctor?” Lindsey asked.

Chelsea rose and stood beside Lindsey, taking her hand.

“We had to do surgery—an angioplasty with stenting. I’m happy to say that Mikey made it through just fine.”