Taking the iron, Sarah pressed the seams down so the material would lie flat.

She was a lot like her aunt. Hadn’t she dreamed of a love of her own during all the hours she’d put into the special quilt she’d made following her aunt’s death?

She’d poured so much love, so much emotion into every stitch as she’d grieved her aunt. Somewhere, there was a soldier who would return to his love, her quilt in tow, and they’d have happiness.

She’d pour just as much emotion into this new quilt, would send it off to wrap another soldier in love and good wishes.

Lord willing, she’d continue to do so as her aunt had.

Just as she finished pressing the newly sewn pieces, she heard a vehicle pull into her driveway. Her heart kicked into overdrive. That was Bodie’s truck.

Grateful her bedroom had a window on the driveway side of the house, she walked to it and saw Bodie getting out of his truck, Harry jumping out right behind him. Joy spread through her.

She shouldn’t feel such happiness at his arrival, but she did. He’d been at Hamilton House so much that his not being there when she got home had felt wrong.

After unplugging the iron, she practically ran to the foyer. Not waiting for him to knock, she opened the front door.

He stood on the porch, hand poised to knock.

“Hey there,” she breathed, smiling at him. Realizing he wasn’t smiling back, Sarah’s smile fizzled.

Looking at Bodie like this was a flashback to seeing him for the first time when he’d shown up at the community center. Just like then, his expression was tight, withdrawn, almost tormented. What had happened?

“Is everything okay?” she asked, reaching out to touch his jacket sleeve.

Rather than reassure her, he looked back into her yard, his gaze stopping on where Harry sniffed at a bush at the yard edge. “You busy?”

Not sure what she’d expected, her hand fell to her side. “Not doing anything that can’t wait.”

It wasn’t as if she was on a timeline to finish the quilt. But even if she’d been busy, she’d have dropped everything to talk with him when he seemed so upset. Something was wrong.

Still gazing out at Harry, he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. “I had it in my head what I wanted to say to you, but now that I’m here, words are failing me.”

That sounded ominous. She knew he was essentially finished with the work she’d hired him to do, having only a few small things left undone. Had he come to say goodbye?

“You want to come in? Have you eaten? I could heat something up for you.”

His gaze came back to hers and he shook his head.