Page 81 of Anchor Point

Rosie’s face lit up. “Mom and I love to camp!”

Jordan’s eyes darted between Rosie and Olivia excitedly. “We should totally take Pearl out for a girls’ weekend.”

“We could take Gracie and Buster somewhere they could swim!” Rosie, easily caught up in Jordan’s excitement, began speaking in exclamation points. “We could take our bikes! That would be the best! Mom, please say yes!”

Olivia laughed. A full, real laugh. One that I was intimately familiar with, but my friends were finally seeing her the way I saw her.

“It does sound like fun.”

“Awesome,” Rosie cried, practically jumping into the arms of her new bestie Jordan. If I could do something so simple as take my daughter camping and make her this happy, I’d do it every weekend. As it was, I was immensely grateful that this friends group that had always included me in their parties now seemed to also be opening their arms to my daughter and my woman.

Nate stepped up beside me and gave me a shoulder bump. “She’s a cute kid, Capt.”

“Told you before to call me Mac.”

“I know, sorry. But you’ll always be Capt to me. Just like she’ll always be Chief to me,” he replied, nodding toward Olivia. “It’s just a sign of respect. Not trying to make a big deal out of it.”

I made a low noise in my throat. I could see his point.

“Anyway, I’m glad you guys came out. It’s been fun. And heads up, Jordan will have that girls’ trip planned before you know it. So if you aren’t okay with it, now’s the time to speak up.”

I side-eyed him. “I think Olivia and Rosie can handle themselves.”

“And if the girls go camping, maybe you’ll see fit to invite all the guys to this lake house that you constantly talk about, but yet we’ve never seen.”

“I’ve invited you.”

“No, Capt. You’ve told us all about the renovations you’ve made, but you’ve never asked us to come help you, never called on us, even when we offered.”

“What are y’all scheming over here.” Thoren stepped to the other side of me.

“Eh, I was just telling Capt that if the girls go camping, the guys can head to the lake house.”

Thoren’s eyebrows shot up. “Hell yeah, I’ve been waiting on an invite for years.”

For the first time in forever, I felt truly chastised. We were tight at work. Our jobs demanded trust and being able to work together. But I didn’t realize that these men might actually consider me a friend outside of work, outside of being their boss. The realization was sobering.

Before I could respond, the women rejoined us, including Kylie, and the conversation shifted yet again. So much in my life was changing, and so much would continue to change before it was over with. And suddenly, my eyes were open to all I would miss when I did leave the department.

Olivia slid in next to me, our arms barely brushing, and I envied the casual ease with which these men could drape an arm around their women—Nate with Jordan—or press a kiss to their hair—Thoren with Kylie. Her pinky brushed mine, and I latched on to it with mine like a lifeline.

Friends.

Found family.

Laughter and love and fun.

I could see the life I wanted laid out before me, but what would I have to sacrifice to get it?

Chapter Twenty-Three

Olivia

The court square was hopping with energy when Rosie and I went into town the next evening. The Main Street Planning Committee hosted events several times a year to draw visitors to the downtown area. Market vendors were set up on all four sides of the courthouse sidewalk, shop owners had their doors opened, with chalkboard signs offering deals to patrons, and restaurants and bars in town had different wines available for tasting. The sidewalks were a crush of people out milling around during the Sip-n-Shop event.

The historic old courthouse had opened its doors for visitors to tour the hundred-plus-year-old building. Children played in the small grassy areas behind vendors under the twinkle-lit trees, and on every corner, a different musician had set up, offering an array of different music styles.

It was noisy and quaint and everything small town.

---