Chapter 1
“Dispatch to Valley View eighty-six…”
“Dispatch to Valley View eighty-six…”
“Corporal John Miller, we thank you for your service, and may you rest in peace.”
Lindsey woke with a start. Holding a hand to her knotted stomach, she stared up at the streaks of morning light dancing across the ceiling. It had been months since she’d had the heart wrenching dream. The one from the awful day two years ago when she’d buried her husband, and she’d nearly broken down in front of the church full of mourners listening to dispatch give his last call at his funeral service.
But today was a new day.
The day she was going to put everything behind her.
Throwing back the white comforter she’d recently bought to replace the navy one John had picked out only a week before he’d died, the pain in her stomach eased. Lindsey stretched her arm to the side. Looking to the empty space, she smiled.
“I’m doing it, John. I’m getting on with my life like I promised.”
Rolling over, she slid out of her lonely bed, remembering the night they’d returned from their honeymoon and John had insisted on having a conversation he deemed important. Despite her protestations, he’d broached the topic of what they should do if the unthinkable happened to either of them. As police officers both she and John understood the very real possibility either one or both of them might not come home at the end of the day. Although Lindsey hadn’t wanted to talk about the subject, fearing it would put a damper on their fairytale romance, John had been adamant. And now she was glad he’d insisted. Otherwise she might still be stuck in limbo, continuing to mourn her husband like so many of her friends and family back home in Valley View, Texas.
Stretching her arms over her head, she shuffled across the carpeted floor to the window. She reached over and ran a finger along the edge of a leaf on the only surviving plant from John’s memorial service resting in the center of her dresser. While she contemplated moving it to a different spot with better light in hopes of coaxing a bloom from the reluctant plant, movement in the common area of the apartments where she now lived caught her eye. She smiled as she spotted a young couple walking hand in hand down the path that wound through the tree-lined space. Watching the sweet interaction between the pair as they disappeared around the corner of one of the four buildings with units on both sides that made up the complex, John’s words reverberated in her head.
“Promise me, Lindsey. Promise you’ll find someone else.”
“I promise, but you have to promise to do the same.”
When she’d uttered those words to John she’d never in her wildest dreams thought they would come true so soon. But here she was, only four years later, facing them head on. While she still loved John with every fiber of her being, he was gone.
And it was time.
Time to forge ahead and make good on her promise. The promise to move past the devastation and get on with her life.
* * *
Later that morning, Lindsey straightened the shiny, silver badge displaying the Oaktown Police Department insignia pinned above the left pocket of her uniform shirt. Looking around the sparsely decorated, wood-paneled office she willed her wildly beating heart to slow down. She could do this.
“Anything else?”
Lindsey smiled at her new boss. “I don’t think so.”
“Welcome to the force, Officer Allen. Ready?”
“Thank you and yes,” Lindsey replied as she got up from the plush chair in front of the glass-topped oak desk strewn with a few folders. The chief’s use of her maiden name rang a bit hollow in her chest. It was necessary change, though, if she truly wanted a new start. There was always the chance someone would make the connection between her and her late husband. Her stomach twisted at the thought of anyone here looking at her with pity.
Straightening her shoulders and taking a deep breath she turned and followed her new boss out the door. Walking down the long, narrow hallway toward the training room, the rubber soles of her new work boots squeaking slightly on the polished, white linoleum, she was pleasantly surprised at the warm smiles and words of greeting from a few of her new coworkers. Smiling, and with a warm feeling bubbling up inside, she trailed behind Chief Scott as he made his way toward the front of the training room. Taking a seat in an empty spot at the end of the first row, Lindsey settled in for roll call with the Oaktown Police department.
After the chief went over the previous night’s incidents, several of which involved suspected members of a gang trying to move into the area, he motioned for Lindsey. Rising, she sucked in a mouthful of air in an effort to calm the fluttering in her stomach then moved to stand next to him. Looking around, she dropped her shoulders and slowly let out her breath. Thankfully, the faces staring back at her were devoid of the pity and sadness she’d grown used to in her old department. After John had died, her former coworkers either treated her with kid gloves as if worried she might break down at any moment, while others avoided her because they were reminded of the loss of their friend and fellow officer whenever she was near. Although she’d taken back her maiden name, it wouldn’t be long before her new coworkers found out she’d been married to an officer killed in the line of duty. Something she wasn’t looking forward to in the least. Taking a deep breath, she smiled as Chief Scott began her introduction.
Chapter 2
“Never, sweetheart. I’m happy with my life the way it is.”
That was the easy answer. He’d always enjoyed being single and free of commitment, although lately, hooking up with a stranger hadn’t held the appeal it once did. In fact, it had been three or four months since he’d been with anyone. But still, there was always a bevy of available women to warm his bed if he wanted. All he had to do was flex a muscle or flash the dimpled smile he was known for, and he’d instantly have one, if not two, beautiful women on his arm. Why would he want to tie himself down to just one? He’d seen what David had gone through with his disastrous first marriage. While his friend and coworker was in love with Rachel now, Gavin wondered how long it would last. Seemed like every time he turned around someone was splitting up with their wife or girlfriend. No, he was content with his life. He never had to worry about pleasing someone else—well, except for a few hours in bed, that is.
But he couldn’t deny the twinges of longing whenever David and Rachel looked at each other. What would it feel like to have someone look at him as if he was their moon and stars?
Flinging that errant and unwelcome thought aside—hopefully far out the proverbial window in his mind—Gavin shook his head.
“Rachel, Gavin’s a lady’s man and nothing you say will ever change that.” David chuckled as he stepped into the kitchen, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Handing over their baby daughter to Rachel, David smiled as he turned to Gavin. “Ready, Casanova?”
“Whenever you are, Captain,” Gavin answered, getting up from the bench on the far side of the farm-style kitchen table. Walking around, he reached down and lightly ran a finger along the crown of Kenna’s head. “See you later, princess.”
When David and Rachel’s baby girl gave him a toothless grin and cooed at him with her clear, bright eyes sparkling, Gavin took an awkward step back then turned and headed to the front door, trying to ignore the funny little lurch of his heart.
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