Chapter 11

Tasha couldn’t believe it. Here she was walking down the street with Joe. Her Joe! Her heart was pounding, her hands sweating just a little. Which was odd since she had faced navy seals without an ounce of worry. This should be a happy moment. After months of chatting online, she could see her Joe in person.

Apple Cove was different from anything Tasha had ever experienced. The air was mostly fresh but tinged with the dull odor of cattle in the distance. It wasn’t a good odor, but Tasha found it comforting. There was green all around: trees, bushes, flowers. All the buildings had their own distinct style, and none of them were higher than two or three floors. So different from being in a lab or on the base in a large cold big city. The surroundings were almost as exciting to Tasha as the company.

Joe’s face was flushed, his hands quivering just a little. A normal person wouldn’t have noticed. But Tasha was trained to spot these types of reactions. She thought it was so c