Page 74 of Redeeming Melodies

Caleb was quiet for a long moment, the kind of silence that said he was choosing his words carefully. "You ever think maybe he ran because it meant something? Not because it didn't?"

"Doesn't matter now." But my heart kicked against my ribs anyway. "Got bigger problems anyway. Jimmy's case, the investigation-"

"Stop." Caleb's voice went firm. "You're allowed to have feelings, Jake. Even with everything else going on. Being sheriff doesn't mean you stop being human."

The laugh that escaped me sounded hollow. "Some human. Can't even figure out what I want until it's walking out my door at five in the morning."

"What do you want?" His eyes held mine, not letting me look away. "Really want, not what you think you should want."

Fuck.

"I want my house to feel like home again." The truth spilled out before I could stop it. "Want Tommy's laugh filling up empty rooms and Elliot's smile over morning coffee and that feeling like maybe I'm not just existing anymore, you know?"

"Yeah." Caleb's voice went soft. "I know exactly what you mean. Felt the same way when Liam moved in. Like suddenly there was color where everything used to be gray."

"But Liam stayed." I stared into my coffee like it might hold answers. "And you knew what you wanted. I'm thirty-five and just now figuring out I might not be as straight as I thought."

"Love doesn't care about timelines." He reached across the table, squeezing my arm. "Or labels. Or what you thought you knew about yourself before someone came along and changed all the rules."

"Not love." The denial came automatic, defensive. "Just-"

"Just someone who makes your house feel like home?" His smile was gentle but knowing. "Someone worth taking risks for?"

My chest felt too tight suddenly. Because he was right - Elliot wasn't just some sexual identity crisis or midlife rebellion. He was pancake mornings and quiet strength and everything I didn't know I was missing.

"He's got enough going on." The words came out rough. "Custody battle, career changes, building a life here. Doesn't need me complicating things."

"Maybe he needs exactly that." Caleb sat back, something soft crossing his tired face. "Sometimes complications are worth it. Sometimes they're exactly what we need to become who we're meant to be."

The diner bustled around us, morning regulars living their normal lives while my world kept shifting on its axis. Gemma refilled our cups without asking, her quiet efficiency a reminder that life went on even when everything felt uncertain.

"What if I'm reading it wrong?" The question barely made it past the lump in my throat. "What if that kiss was just wine and starlight and him needing comfort?"

"What if it wasn't?" Caleb countered. "What if it was real and that's what scared him? What if he ran because sometimes getting exactly what you want is terrifying?"

The possibility hit like a thunderbolt. Because yeah, maybe Elliot ran. But maybe he ran for the same reasons I'd been hiding behind my badge all these years - because feeling this much for someone was fucking terrifying.

"Jimmy just has this way with people." Caleb's voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. “Only known him a few months, since he started managing Liam, but it feels like he's always been part of the family."

The tension in Caleb's shoulders told its own story - this wasn't just about a friend getting hurt. This was about someone targeting their inner circle, their chosen family.

"You should've seen him with Liam before that big show last month." Caleb stirred his coffee absently. "Liam was freaking out about the venue size, and Jimmy just sat with him for hours, talking through every scenario until the anxiety passed. That's just who he is, you know? Always knows exactly what people need."

Yeah, I knew. Even in the few months I'd known him, Jimmy had proven himself the kind of guy who made everyone feel seen. The kind who remembered how you took your coffee and asked about your mom's health and noticed when someone was having a rough day.

"Got a lead." The words tasted like ash in my mouth. "Someone who might've wanted him quiet."

Caleb's hands went still on his mug. "Someone local?"

How did I tell him one of my own deputies might be behind this? That I gave a badge to someone who could do that to Jimmy?

"Yeah." My voice came out rough. "Can't say much yet, but we're close. Real close."

"Good." Something hard entered Caleb's voice - a tone I'd never heard from him before. "Because whoever did this? They didn't just hurt Jimmy. They hurt our whole town."

The diner suddenly felt too small, too close. Because Jimmy might have been relatively new to Oakwood Grove, but he'd woven himself into the fabric of our community so seamlessly. Supporting Liam's career, getting involved in local events, always ready with that easy smile and genuine interest in everyone's lives.

"I'm going to nail the bastard." The promise came out like a growl. "Whatever it takes."

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