Page 17 of Guarding Truth

TUESDAY, 10:00 A.M.

Caleb blinked, making sure the image standing in front of him in the hallway of his apartment building was real and not some mirage.

Juliette. The woman who’d walked out of his life without even a backwards glance had now entered his world as suddenly as she’d left it.

His mind tried to form words. Say something. Anything. “I just can’t get over the fact that you’re here, standing in front of me.”

“Well, imagine my surprise seeing a twelve-year-old version of you waiting for me this morning with a piggy bank and a story about a break-in.”

He suppressed a groan. “I’m so sorry. I guess the events of last night shook her more than I thought. I should have gotten her in to see the school counselor.”

She smiled and his pulse hammered in his ears. She’d always had that effect on him.

His whole world was defined by logic and reason. Except when it came to Juliette. His brain short-circuited around her.

“It’s crazy to see you as a parent,” she said. “It suits you though. Ivy is just like you.”

The compliment sent warmth rushing across his face. “Thanks. But what brought you to Savannah of all places?”

“My grandmother passed away about a year ago. I wanted to honor her memory by keeping the house she left me.” Her voice had that hint of a Southern accent, and living in Savannah must have brought it out.

Juliette was still as beautiful as he remembered. Her dark-blonde hair was short and stylish, not long like she used to wear it. But her warm golden-brown eyes brought back the flood of fond memories. How many nights had they stayed up late, talking outside the barracks? It had been a long time since he’d had that kind of connection with anyone.

A door opened and Caleb’s neighbor, Abigail Prewett stepped out. “Oh, I thought I heard voices.”

“Hi, Abby. We were just going inside.”

“What happened? Oh dear. Why isn’t Ivy in school? Is this because of the break-in?”

Caleb appreciated the older woman for helping pick Ivy up from school when he had to work late, but sometimes her nosiness grated every nerve he had. Abby cared for her grandson, who happened to go to the same school as Ivy. Caleb tried to extend her some grace, because she was a recent widow, having just lost her husband to a rare cancer. Abby understood Ivy more than most people, having been a professor at a technical college before resigning to take care of her husband. The woman geeked out over robots with Ivy and often helped his niece with her programming homework.

But she was still annoying.

Abby sized up Juliette, and a grin spread across her face. The woman was probably in her late fifties and had that Southern grandmotherly charm.

“And who is your beautiful friend, Caleb? You didn’t tell me you had a girl?—”

“Thanks for checking on us, Abby, but we were just heading in.” He had to get Juliette away from his prying neighbor, because he didn’t have a logical explanation for Juliette’s presence, let alone Abby thinking Juliette was his girlfriend. Before Abby could say another word, he ushered Juliette into the apartment.

“I’m so sorry for the mess in here. Work has been a bit stressful.” The table of laptops and papers created a visual representation of the state of his affairs. Messy. Chaotic.

Desperate.

He’d never let anything in his life get this out of control. Juliette would probably question whether he was fit to be Ivy’s guardian. Just like Ivy’s grandparents.

He cleared some space at the table and offered her a seat. Ivy attempted to sneak off to her room, but he snapped his fingers. With a pout, she took a seat next to Juliette. He sat down and sandwiched Ivy between them.

“What’s going on? Someone want to fill me in?” He faced Ivy. “Last I remember, I dropped you off at school. I watched you go in. Why would you go to Juliette for help behind my back? We could have talked about calling her.”

A flicker of fierceness flashed across the girl’s face. “I’m sorry, Uncle Caleb. But I needed help you wouldn’t refuse. And you wouldn’t listen to me about not going to work. I saw the picture and thought about your Army friends. They always have your back. You told me that much. Juliette can help. She’s a professional bodyguard. I think she even guarded the president once.”

He glanced at Juliette. She shook her head and mouthedno.

Ivy pouted. “Well, she probably could. She’s that good at protecting people.”

A professional bodyguard suited Juliette. The woman had dedicated her life to protecting others. She was as fierce a protector as a momma bear with her cubs. It was what made her an amazing Ranger. She risked her life as easily as breathing if it meant saving someone else.

But he didn’t need a bodyguard. His mind scrambled to put the pieces of Ivy’s puzzled emotions together.