No Good Deed: A Small-Town Romantic Suspense Novel

Bonus Scene

Sean Falcone drove along the deserted strip of highway. He was in no hurry and had no firm direction. His last construction job was finished, and he hadn’t settled on his next one.

For now, traveling east was a good enough destination. Maybe he’d head down to Miami and check out what had changed since he’d left. He hadn’t been back since his buddy’s funeral.

All these years later and that time still burned in his blood. Charlie shouldn’t have died over in that hellhole. He’d always been the happy one growing up. He’d liked everyone, and they’d all liked him right back.

It must have been the Irish blood running through his veins. Charlie O’Dea had been a charmer. But he hadn’t been able to charm the IED that had shredded his body. There hadn’t been enough left of him to ship home.

His death had broken his dad’s heart. And his little sister’s. And the heart of the community around them. Their neighborhood had been a mix of at least a dozen ethnic communities, with most people getting along like family.

Like so many big cities, gangs had started gaining more and more ground in close-knit neighborhoods. Sean wondered how Seamus O’Dea was coping. Charlie had come by his charm naturally. The gregarious man ran a successful Irish pub in an area dominated by Cuban and Hispanic foods.

Maybe Sean should drop by and see the man. And Charlie’s sister, too. The last time he’d seen her, she’d been wearing her grief like a suit of armor. Little Branna had grown up to be a fierce and gorgeous woman.

But Miami held tough memories and Sean had avoided it for a long time. Except for Charlie’s funeral, he hadn’t returned since he’d enlisted.

Was it time to revisit those memories, or was it time to head up to Vermont and see his other Army buddy? Troy had called him again that morning, putting the bug in his ear. Apparently, he’d found himself a woman to love, and the two of them were full of plans for their town with its ridiculous name.

Plans that Troy wanted Sean to help with.

Maybe it was time.

And maybe he’d keep on driving until he found his own place.

His phone buzzed with a text as Sean pulled into a gas station.

He swore at the message as his gut twisted with fear.

The decision had been made for him.