Page 30 of Everlasting Promises

I swallow my surprise. I thought he was in a hurry to get home, using my goosebumps as an excuse. “Sure. If you’d like.”

Evan cheers and then pats his thigh, running toward the beach. “C’mon, Rex. Let’s go, boy.” Rex follows him like he would follow my son anywhere. At least he’s excited to spend time outside now. That’s something, I guess.

I chuckle. “He loves Rex so much.” I glance up at Ben and then return my gaze to Evan and Rex. “He asked for a dog afterwe left the shelter last time. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t try to steal yours.”

Ben pushes his hair back from his strong forehead. “He’s welcome to spend as much time with Rex as he’d like.”

I remove my sandals, then head toward the water so I can wet my feet as we walk. Ben removes his shoes and socks as well, and we walk side by side in comfortable silence for a while. I don’t feel the need to fill the quietness that’s fallen between us, enjoying the gulls overhead, the laughter of the children, and the swooshing of the waves on the shore. Why I feel so at ease in Ben’s company so quickly is beyond me.

Now that we’re out in the sunshine, it’s considerably warmer. The breeze feels incredible as it kisses my skin, and the sun is warm without being scorching. It’s the perfect afternoon. I grin in appreciation.

“What’s that smile for?” Ben asks, and my smile drops.

A curly lock blows across my lips, and I use the moment to pause as I grip it between my fingers and tuck it behind my ear. I look up into his gray eyes surrounded by thick, dark lashes. “I was just appreciating the perfect afternoon. The sun’s shining and the breeze feels phenomenal.” My eyes sting, and my nose tingles when I realize I’ve enjoyed this outing—and not once have I thought about missing Wyatt. I tear my gaze from Ben’s, not wanting him to see my pain, and return them to the horizon, swallowing my grief the best I can. “We bought our house as close to the beach as we could afford because Wyatt loved to surf. When he was home, he’d wake early and hit the waves, then he’d come home to collect me and Evan and bring us down here for a couple of hours. We’ve sort of avoided it more than we should have. It’s been nice to be back here.”

I’m not sure what made me blurt all of that out, but I think I needed to bring Wyatt into the conversation—as a reminder. There’s something about Ben that has me opening up to him,and I’m not sure what that is, but I need to remember where my loyalty lies. Our hands brush occasionally as we walk, so I put more space between us. If he notices, he doesn’t say anything.

“Growing up in the country, I didn’t live close to the ocean, so I’m not an experienced swimmer, and I can’t imagine how hard it is to learn to surf. But I enjoy living as close as I do to the ocean now, so I can run or walk along the shore. I love watching the waves and tide roll in. I enjoy watching others enjoy the beauty of the water. The sunsets from my back porch are stunning, and I wouldn’t give them up for anything now that I’ve experienced them.”

Appreciation warms me to my center. I’m so grateful that he shared his experience with me instead of trying to soothe me with unnecessary platitudes.

Ben pauses and his eyes narrow as his body stiffens. When I follow his gaze, there’s a young man running away from the shore, carrying a pink backpack. The woman shouting after him is obviously torn between leaving her children and running after him. Ben drops his shoes and takes off, pointing toward the guy. “Rex! Go! Guard!” His voice is firm and unyielding.

Rex’s ears perk up, and in an instant, his fun-loving personality flips. He turns in the direction Ben points toward and takes off in a sprint—I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog run so fast. Ben’s hot on his heels, and even though he’s fast, he can’t keep up with Rex.

Evan comes over to me. “What’s going on?”

I point toward the young guy who’s running away and then back toward the lady. “I think that man stole her backpack. Ben and Rex are chasing him down.”

His eyes widen. “Woah. That’s so cool!”

I nod in agreement. I guess when you’re a cop, you’re never off duty. I collect Ben’s shoes, and we wander closer to the lady as we watch everything unfold.

Rex catches up to the guy and leaps onto his back, knocking him down. The backpack goes flying out of his hand, and then Rex seems to be growling at the man, his fur spiking up and ears erect. His stance looks incredibly threatening, but he’s not attacking the guy—more like keeping him in place.

Quite a crowd has gathered to watch the spectacle as Ben catches up to them, holding his phone to his ear. He doesn’t seem to be in a rush to call Rex off the thief.

Rex maintains his stance, growling at the young guy while Ben talks on his phone. Then, he pockets the device and stands with his hands on his hips, assessing the situation. My heart pounds in a heavy rhythm against my ribs.

He didn’t hesitate to act. Not for a single second.

The woman who had her backpack stolen, brings her hands up to her chest. “Oh, my god. That man and his dog stopped the thief.”

I step a little closer. “He’s a police officer. Actually, they both are.”

She turns toward me, her wide eyes falling on me. “Seriously?”

I nod. “Yeah. That was incredible to watch. I’ve only ever seen the fun, playful side of Rex. He’s amazing.”If not a little terrifying.

When I look down at Evan, his mouth is gaping, and his eyes are wide like moons. “Rex was amazing, Mom. Did you see him?”

“I did.” It was a little frightening to watch.He’s so gentle and playful with Evan, but what if he turned on him suddenly? Should I be so trusting of him with my son?

A few minutes pass, and when a police car pulls up, Ben drags the young man to his feet. They talk for a few minutes, then an officer heads toward us with Ben and Rex, while the other stays with the thief.

Ben hands the backpack to the woman with a smile, his straight white teeth surrounded by his short, dark beard almost sparkling beneath the sun. “Your backpack, ma’am.”

“Oh, thank you so much,” she gushes, her cheeks flushing pink. “You’re my hero.” Her appreciation seems excessive, and the way she leans forward, showing her cleavage, is makingmefeel uncomfortable.

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