Page 21 of In the Arms of a Hero

She nodded and sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. “I get that. I really do. But when you were talking to Andy, two things struck me. You have a lot going on in your life and career in the upcoming months, and I totally understand. Working toward becoming a detective is important and needs your full attention. I wholly support you in that.”

He tilted his head, noticing how calm she was on the outside but how tightly her hands were clasped in front of her. Her knuckles were white, and when he stared at her face, he could see her chin quiver and her lips tremble. He thought of his past breakups, each of them initiated by him. He had been met with tears, tantrums, anger, and even a slapped face for leading them on or not giving them a chance.

But Belinda was working so hard to maintain her calm after admitting she overheard a conversation that must’ve been painful. And even though the words were coming from her, they were initiated by his actions. Once again.

He finally asked, “What’s the second point that struck you?”

She pressed her lips tightly together for a moment. “I knew what I felt for you was growing and getting stronger.” A scoff barked out from her lips. “I wasn’t exclaiming vows of love, but I knew I was ready to date you exclusively. You hesitated when Andy pushed you about where you saw our relationship going. You held back. And when he brought up the upcoming changes in your life, you freely admitted that starting something now would be difficult.” Her chest heaved as she swallowed deeply. “I respect your need to focus on yourself, but I don’t deserve tobe with someone… give my heart to someone not ready for that kind of relationship.”

He opened and closed his mouth several times, feeling like a fish out of water. He couldn’t get enough oxygen to his brain even to form a coherent thought.

Her lips curved slightly, but the smile held sadness, not joy, and for that, his heart squeezed in his chest.

She bent and gathered her camera case sitting on the ground and started to walk past him.

He reached out to grab her arm and twisted around quickly. “Belinda.”

Her gaze lifted to his face.

“What… what were you looking at when I walked up? What had you so fascinated in this graveyard?” His question surprised himself, but suddenly, he wanted to know what had been on her mind.

Her head turned slightly as her gaze now roamed over the headstones. Her shoulders lifted in a little shrug, and she said, “People find graveyards to be sad and lonely places. But I’m always fascinated by the visual testimonies that someone lived and died. Every person here had a life, and there’s no way to know what they did with their life. But when I’m here, it makes me think of them. They lived, they loved, they worked, they played. I always hope they had friends and love and enjoyed life.” She shrugged again. “I know it sounds weird, but I feel a certain peace here. It reminds me to live and to love.”

They were quiet for a moment as the breeze blew past them. He searched for words as beautiful as the ones she’d spoken, but that had never come easily for him. He had sometimes felt that he was broken inside but now was convinced he was. “I’m sorry. I think there’s something… I know there’s something inside me that just…”

Her sad smile remained, and she nodded, stepping closer. Lifting on her toes, she placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. “I wish you all the best, Aaron.”

With that, she turned away and walked to her car. His gaze never left her, and he stood in the middle of the graveyard, staring at the road long after she disappeared.

11

Aaron stepped into his father's warm, lived-in kitchen. The sight of his dad ensconced at the table with a cup of steaming coffee in front of him was as familiar and comforting as the house itself. Sally was also at the table, and as was always her way, she greeted him warmly.

Sally and her husband, Toby, had been his dad’s neighbors for as long as he could remember. They’d never had children but pitched in whenever they could, going far beyond neighborly duty. Toby helped with the exercises Aaron needed to strengthen his muscles when he was little and later taught Andy how to drive. Sally would chauffeur them around when his dad worked and babysat whenever needed. And her prize-winning cakes always found a way onto their table. Toby had died just before Andy had left the Navy, but Sally had stayed in their little house next door.

Aaron had wondered if, after all these years, something special had developed between his dad and Sally, and finally, a few months ago, they began dating openly. In truth, Sally was the only mother figure he remembered, and he couldn’t have been happier for both of them.

Her smile slid from her face as her eyes filled with concern. “Aaron, honey, you look like you need to talk to your dad. Let me get you a cup of coffee and a muffin, and I’ll get out of your way.”

He wanted to call her back, never intending to make her feel like she didn’t belong, but in typical Sally fashion, she anticipated what he was feeling. She had a deep sensitivity that had always allowed her to understand all of the Bergstrom men. “Don’t you worry about me. I have lots of things I need to work on, so I’ll let you two chat.”

He nodded his appreciation, grateful for her insight. Once he had the cup of coffee in his hand, she reached over to pat his cheek, and he bent to kiss hers. With a smile, she walked out of the kitchen, and he knew she would head next door. His dad stood at the back door and watched until she was safely in her house. As they sat at the table, his dad remained quiet, but Aaron couldn’t seem to find the words he wanted to say, so the silence fell between them heavily.

His dad sighed, then asked, “Why do I have a feeling this is about Belinda?”

Surprised, he asked, “Why do you say that?”

“It was something your brother said after Thanksgiving. Something about how he hoped you wouldn’t let this one get away.”

He winced, hating the words but now understanding why his family held that opinion. “I don’t think I know how to have a relationship, Dad. Granted, while I’ve dated women before when I know it’s not right, I break it off. I’ve never cheated. I’ve never even moved on right away.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that, son. If you know a relationship isn’t right, then there’s no reason to drag it out, making everyone feel bad.”

“Maybe I just don’t know how to make a relationship last.”

They were silent for a few more minutes before his dad spoke. “Belinda felt different, didn’t she?”

Aaron nodded, feeling the familiar ache in his chest when he thought of her. “Yeah, she did. I don’t know if I can even call it a breakup because we’d only spent a few weeks together. And this time, we parted ways simultaneously.”

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