Serving Trouble by Sara Jane Stone Read Free Book Online

shook his head. “I’m fine. I’ve gone days with only an occasional combat nap.”
    â€œThis isn’t a war zone,” she said softly. “Just because you’re searching for someone . . . it’s not the same.”
    He stared at her as if ready to argue. “No, it’s not,” he said finally. “Just one big Goddamn nightmare.”
    â€œMaybe Caroline left,” she said. And took the nightmare with her.
    â€œNo.”
    She knew he was right. Problems didn’t just fade away. And the nightmares stayed whether you slept or not.
    â€œIf you’re planning to comb through the woods again tonight,” she said, knowing he would, “you should rest. Take a combat nap. Maybe make this one a double while I finish up here.”
    â€œI could use a few minutes of shut-­eye,” he admitted. “I have a meeting with Fern’s Brewery in the morning. Think you can be accurate with the list?”
    â€œDon’t worry, I’ve been counting since grade school,” she said, making a mental note to attend the meeting with him. He’d been joking about a promotion. But one day soon he might need an assistant manager to handle the ordering. And before she had dropped out of college, she’d been on her way to earning a degree in business management and marketing.
    â€œWhen is the meeting?” she asked.
    â€œNine,” he said with a sigh. “But they’re located up near Portland. Long drive.”
    â€œI could drive,” she offered. “And you could sleep along the way.”
    â€œJesus, you really are angling for a promotion, aren’t you,” he said.
    â€œIs that a yes?”
    â€œI’ll think about it.” Then he turned to the door. “I’m going to crash in my truck. Wake me before we open.”

 
    Chapter Five
    W AKE UP, S LEEPING B EAUTY.
    The memory of her soft voice floated through his dream. Hours earlier, before the sun sank behind the mountains for the night, Josie had knocked on his truck window. He’d been locked in a dreamscape filled with one boom after another—­an attack so vivid he could almost smell the burning canvas of the tent the insurgents had managed to hit with the rocket fire. Caroline had been by his side, shouldering an M16 while wiping away tears . . .
    Caroline.
    Noah opened his eyes and stared out into the bright morning sky. Right now, Josie wasn’t standing outside his truck ready to drag his ass into the bar when all he wanted to do was pull her in and lose himself in her soft curves. To hell with the fact she worked for him. To hell with Dominic and the shit storm he’d rain down on Noah for laying a finger on his sister. To hell with the last five years.
    He ran a hand over his face. Sometimes he wished he’d never left the barn that night five years ago. If he could have stayed there with Josie, keeping everyone else on the other side . . . but damn, he couldn’t live the rest of his life believing he could save the world. Tonight marked night five and he couldn’t even find the one person he wanted to help.
    Last night, after he’d followed Josie into the bar—­which she’d set up for the busy shift after she’d completed his inventory and done a helluva lot better job than he could have—­he’d endured hours of watching her move and smile at the customers. He’d closed up early and then, he’d gone to meet up with Josh Summers. Together, they’d searched another section of Oregon timber country for Caroline, who sure as shit acted like she didn’t want to be found. He’d driven home close to dawn, parked his truck beside the barn, and rested his eyes for a minute. That minute had extended until the memory of Josie woke him, sporting a whole world of wanting.
    He adjusted himself and opened the truck door. As he stepped down, he glanced at the barn. Shit, the light