Page 58 of Expiry Dating

CHAPTER TWENTY

Ace’s injury had been a wake-up call. In fact, the entire week had managed to slap some sense into Brady. Life was short. If he had a chance at being happy, then he needed to go for it. Fight for it.

Although he’d been planning for days what he was going to say to Alice, he had yet to talk to her. Mostly because he knew he only had one shot at this. Which meant he had to get it right. Perfect even, if he had any hope of convincing her to give him a chance.

Seeing his brothers again had been emotional. It had brought up a lot of feelings he’d been trying his hardest to ignore. But after a large helping of support and understanding from his friends, he felt like a new man. A new man who hopefully still had a job.

After getting back last night, he’d decided his first stop today would be the station. Clarkson, Bluestone’s sheriff, hadn’t been too pleased when Brady had called him from the airport, so he was afraid of what he might be walking into.

He let out a deep exhale before knocking on the office door.

“Come in,” Clarkson bellowed.

Brady found his boss behind his desk, shuffling a stack of papers of what was most likely yesterday’s paperwork.

“Ah, he finally remembers he has a job.” Although sarcastic, there was no animosity in his tone.

Thank God.

“Sir,” Brady greeted, a small smile stretching the corners of his lips. “I’m sorry again for taking off like I did. I’m back and ready to work. Wherever you need me.”

Clarkson studied him for a moment. “So, you gonna tell me what had you hightailing it out of Bluestone so quickly?”

Right. He’d left quite a lot of information out during his short phone call to beg for vacation days. “My friend, he was hurt. Badly. And I needed to be there for him.”

The sheriff took his time contemplating Brady’s answer before replying. “How’s your friend now?”

“Not in the best shape, but he’ll make it.”

“And you ... how are you doing, Brady?” Clarkson’s usual gruff tone took on a gentler edge. concern flickering in his grey eyes.

Brady scrubbed his hands across his jaw. Damn, I need to shave, I must look like shit. “I’m doing better, sir. Actually, that’s in large part thanks to you.”

Clarkson cocked his head. “Oh really?”

“You were right. I wasn’t taking my rehab seriously. And if you hadn’t kicked me in the ass and forced me to go back to PT, then I’m honestly not sure where I’d be right now.”

A rare smile quirked up his boss’s lips. “Nice to know the threat of desk duty works on you, Deputy.”

“I appreciate you stepping in, sir, really, I can’t thank you enough.”

“Anytime, Brady, anytime.” Clarkson’s smile widened. “Take the weekend off. Your shifts are covered until Monday. Go see your girl.”

Will she want to see me is the real question?

“Appreciate that, sir.”

That went much better than he’d expected. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he took his extra days off and ran before his boss had a chance to change his mind.

***

Brady had a big romantic gesture all planned out. Well, in his head it was planned out at least. So when Alice started banging down his door, he was frozen for a moment, unsure of what to do. For a second he considered pretending he was out, but that would be madness. She was all he’d thought about for seven days. The idea of her being only yards away had his whole body convulsing.

Trying to calm his nerves, he took a few deep breaths as he strode toward the front door. He needed to remember what he wanted to say, but as he opened the door, his mind unhelpfully went blank. All air left his lungs as he looked into Alice’s deep blue eyes.

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