Page 99 of Anchor Point

And every word out of my mouth was a lie because I’d still been looking and still had no resolution to this fraternization problem. On the morning after Mac’s breakdown, he rose quietly, later than normal, took Buster for a run, and then came back and made us breakfast. I was surprised to find that Rosie had joined us, but she’d climbed into bed with me as a little girl whenever she was troubled.

Her sneaking in in the middle of the night made me realize that our little family implosion was worrisome to her.

Add to it Mac’s quiet, reflective mood, and it felt like we were all walking around waiting for the other shoe to drop. It felt like he’d withdrawn, and I worried about what might be going through his mind.

“You’re staring out that window, looking like you’ve got something on your mind,” he said, catching me off guard at the end of the second day.

He’d gotten a phone call in the middle of dinner and had gone out the door as he answered. The move was unusual for him and just added to the trepidation I felt.

“Maybe I do. Maybe I’m just looking for a way to make things all right. If it weren’t for my job, we could get married.”

He crossed the room and slipped his arms around my waist, pulling me into his chest and brushing a kiss to my temple. A deep, satisfied sigh left my lips because no matter what, this was where I belonged. Nothing else mattered except being with him.

“Sweetheart, I need to tell you something.” His words felt weighty. Meaningful.

The seriousness in his voice sent a direct shot of anxiety to my system. He drew in a deep breath and said softly, “I quit.”

Every muscle in my body froze. He quit? Quit what? Me? Us? My thoughts were racing as he continued, “You don’t have to worry anymore. I took care of the problem.” He spun me to face him, placing a gentle kiss on the tip of my nose. “I promise you, if it’s in my power, I’ll always take care of your problems.”

I leaned back to gaze into his eyes. “What?”

“That call I got was from Trina. The city accepted the terms of my resignation. So, Chief Hawkins, this is my official notice that I quit.”

I stared at him, unable to comprehend the words.

“What about your retirement? The lake house? What about the station? The guys?”

With the tip of a finger, he pushed the curls from my forehead, his gaze tracing the movement. Those eyes swept my face, and when they met mine, they were full of so much love.

“I froze it. So I’ll still get my pension, I just won’t be retiring like I’d planned.” His fingers trailed down my arms to link with mine. His deep, soulful eyes, warm and so full of love, made my heart hurt. “I’m selling the lake house.”

Horror rose up in me. “Mac, no!” He couldn’t do that. That house held so many dreams for him. He’d been planning his future in that house since before his father died.

“Sweetheart, I choose you. Always. You and Rosie are what makes life worth living. You’re my anchor; you hold me steady. I was a fool for letting you go the first time.” He kissed me on the nose again, tightening his arms around me. “I’d give up the world, but I’ll never give you up again.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Mac

My last shift was solid evidence that it was the right time for me to leave. We’d run all day, endless ridiculous calls. The kicker came in around seven p.m. when we were dispatched to save a cat from a tree.

A collective groan rose. We’d just sat down to have the first meal of the day.

We pulled up to a familiar address, and I glanced across the street, wondering when Francis had gotten out of rehab, and why she hadn’t just called Mike to come over and rescue her damn cat.

The guys all piled out, and we made our way to the door.

As I hit the top step of her porch the front door swung open. “Thank God you’re here. Come on, follow me.”

“Hey, Mrs. Francis,” I greeted. “Good to see you back in action.”

She waved me forward, and I followed, assuming we were going to the backyard. I passed through the front doorway into her front sitting room, and the light clicked on unexpectedly.

“Surprise!”

My whole shift waited in that room, ridiculous party hats, blowers, everyone yelling and cheering. My guys from my station sidled in behind me, slipping on more stupid-looking party hats.

Further in the house, firefighters from other shifts, police officers, medics who ran calls with us, and even some of the county guys were there. An entire houseful of men and women I’d worked with over the years.

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