Cupid's Cove--Valentine Serial--Debby Giusti

Duncan retraced his steps, feeling a heavy weight tug at his heart. Missy Taylor would never forgive him. Not that he blamed her. Her husband Rick had been the best friend a guy could have and his rock of support throughout their time in Afghanistan.

If only Duncan had gone on patrol that day. Instead he’d volunteered to drive the chaplain to a nearby Forward Operating Base. Rick had laughed at his newfound faith in the Lord, a faith that had been sorely tested since the IED explosion.

The chaplain had insisted Duncan wasn’t to blame, that he couldn’t have pulled his buddy to safety and probably would have been injured as well. He’d encouraged Duncan to turn to the Lord in his grief.

Something Duncan hadn’t been able to do.

Instead, he’d buried his pain deep inside and gone on with his life, trying to forget. Coming back to Cupid’s Cove had brought his grief to the surface again.

The cold wind buffeted his face as he hurried past his mother’s house and the bakery on his way to the pier. Glancing through the large storefront window, he saw the pretty woman standing at the counter, her hand raised as if to motion him inside.

Lacy. Her name brought unexpected warmth that curled around his guilt-ridden heart.  Then he shook his head. Who was he trying to fool? She deserved better than a guy like him. Besides, as long as Missy couldn’t forgive him, he couldn’t forgive himself.

The steeple of the Cove Church appeared in the distance. Surely God couldn’t forgive him either.

Duncan turned toward the pier, needing to distance himself from the memories and the thoughts of what could have been.

“Make your peace with the Lord,” the chaplain had mentioned.

If only he could.