Read Online Finding Hope (Love's Compass Book 2) by Melanie D. Snitker - Free Book Online Page A

turned the knob and pushed it open with his elbow.
    “You know, you should keep your door locked and make sure you know who’s there before you invite him in,” he teased.
    “I saw you park through the window and unlocked the door afterwards. I knew it was you.”
    Had she been waiting for him to arrive? More likely, it was a coincidence that she saw him while catching a glimpse outside. Still, the thought made him smile.
    He spotted her sitting on the futon, her feet propped up on the coffee table. She was wearing a maroon running suit and her hair was damp. She smiled brightly as he gave her a wave.
    “You’re sitting up, that’s a good sign.”
    She shrugged. “I’ve been lying down a lot. It’s nice to have a minor change in scenery. I can almost see the dust on the top of my TV from this elevation.”
    Lance chuckled as he sat on the opposite end. It had been hard to see her tired and in pain at the hospital. That sparkle in her eyes was a relief.
    “I know you like tacos, but figured you might want a variety. You can eat what you like and put the rest in the fridge until later.”
    He withdrew tacos, fajitas, nacho cheese, chips, and a couple of burritos.
    Lexi’s eyes grew wide. “Wow. Yeah, that should keep me in food for days. I don’t suppose you have time to stay and eat. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy listening to Dick Van Dyke talk as much as the next girl. But he doesn’t give me much of a chance to get a word in edgewise and that’s putting a damper on our relationship.”
    With a laugh, he handed her a napkin. “I would be more than happy to stay and eat with you. Do you have any plates?”
    “In the cabinet above the sink. There’s not much to drink in the fridge except for water and iced tea.”
    “I’ve got it handled.”
    He found what he needed in the kitchen and returned, setting up their lunch spread on the coffee table. He asked what she wanted and filled her plate, handing it, a paper towel, and a glass of tea to her.
    “Thank you.”
    Lance watched as she settled the plate on her lap. He followed suit and soon they were enjoying their Mexican food in comfortable silence.
    Lexi finished her first taco and brushed crumbs off her mouth with the paper towel. “Tuck said you guys got to have breakfast yesterday.”
    “Yeah, it was nice. Between my job change and him being a newly married man, we haven’t had a lot of opportunities to get together and hang out.”
    “I’m sure. He misses you at work. But I’ve never seen him happier than he is now with Laurie.”
    Lance thought about his best friend and couldn’t agree more. Marriage suited him. He knew that Tuck had spent a long time convinced he would never find the right woman for himself. Lance thought back to the first time they’d met Laurie. Tuck had fallen fast and hard for the photographer.
    He must have been smiling at the memories because Lexi was watching him, a grin on her face. “What are you thinking about?”
    “How Laurie turned Tuck into a giant puppy dog.”
    She tipped her head back and laughed hard. “She did at that. I wouldn’t tell him that to his face, though.”
    Lance winked at her. “He’s big, but he’s not as fast as I am.”
    He and Tuck had wrestled for fun a lot growing up. He remembered one instance when the two of them had been racing in the Chandler backyard. They were twelve. Lance had caught Tuck and tackled him to the ground. Lexi had rolled her eyes, mumbling something about boys before turning around and going back inside.
    She had always seemed much older than he when they were kids. Now, seeing her like this and knowing she was going to face a lot of challenges with her chemotherapy treatment and recovery, he felt a surge of protection. If there were anything he could do to make things easier, he would.
    “Tuck mentioned that your post-op appointment is Friday.” He watched her expression out of the corner of his eye.
    Lexi’s calm demeanor faltered momentarily. “It’s at