Broken Barriers (Barriers Series Book 4) by Sara Shirley Read Free Book Online

more time. Dreams can heal your soul . Then I flipped the card over to see the business hours listed as well as information about the shop. Cupcakes, coffee, and art…oh, and free wireless Internet. I barked out a laugh at that one. The joys of having Internet at the touch of your fingers seemed all but foreign to me. I’d grown accustomed to it again, but everything took time. Or at least that was what I kept reminding myself.
    I finished gulping back the water and let the ice clink against the empty bottom before placing the glass into the sink. I tossed the business card onto the counter and watched it slide halfway across. With nothing else planned for the night, I walked to the back door and shoved my feet into my leather flip-flops and headed out onto the deck. A few owls started hooting from the trees as my feet slowly walked down the stairs.
    The last bit of evening light left a faint hint of the path leading to the docks visible. A few small trail lights cast a simple shadow as I moved toward the water. Dried-up pinecones crunched under my feet as I trudged to the docks. There had always been something serene about the water. It mellowed my inner turmoil like nothing else. It was probably one of the many reasons why I instantly chose to stay here until I could bring myself back into the real world.
    I stopped walking the instant my feet reached the end of the wooden dock. I kicked off my flip-flops and sat on the edge to dangle my feet in the cool, refreshing water. I turned my head to stare at the clear sky above me. Stars were burning brighter with each minute that passed. Thoughts consumed me of a night quite like this one, only there was nothing remotely relaxing about it.
    All of a sudden bright flashes of white and orange lights streamed across the evening sky. The images instantly had me reaching for my rifle stock and the strap that should have been at my shoulder. My eyes slammed shut while my heart palpitated in my chest. My blood pulsed through my veins, and the hammering in my head would not subside.
    I didn’t realize where I was anymore. Thoughts of one night raced across my mind, and I couldn’t push them away, no matter how hard I tried. Those memories were what shattered me in my sleep and were still fresh on my mind. I wished they weren’t, but they were.
     
    The guys were all hanging out in my can and enjoying the contraband items sent over for my birthday. If there was one person who would be able to smuggle nip bottles of tequila and Jack Daniels to me, it was my brother-in-law. God bless Josh.
    In addition to the booze, he managed to ship over several new DVDs, new socks and underwear, and freshly baked banana bread. Well, freshly baked a week ago when he mailed it. Evidently, Courtney felt the need to contribute something, and she knew it was my favorite.
    I almost threw it out, but couldn’t let it go to waste. Plus, the guys had already seen the contents of the box as I opened it earlier, and there was no way in hell it was being tossed.
    Over here, we didn’t get these so-called delicacies. We had the standard military-issued chow every day. Unless, of course, it was a holiday or some sort of military milestone, then they splurged and maybe gave us a nice meal.
    The sounds of Fall Out Boy thumped heavily against the poster-covered steel walls of our living quarters. Some Vince Vaughn comedy was playing on the TV, but no one was paying any attention to it since Club MP was currently going on for my birthday.
    The shots of tequila gave me the numbness I needed to force thoughts of Courtney away. I only wished it wasn’t so hard. No matter how much I didn’t want her in my head each day, she was there and wouldn’t be leaving any time soon.
     
    My mind wandered back to the present. Fireworks being set off at another lake house for the Fourth of July had pushed me to this state. My head hung in dejection over something that could have been avoided. It wasn’t, though, and I