Page 42 of Everlasting Promises

Rocking back on his heels, a slow smile spreads. “You can come in, too. I know how much you enjoyed playing with the puppies.”

“Oh, I thought it was a kid-only type thing.”

“Well, it’s supposed to be”—he lifts and drops a shoulder carelessly—“but I can make an exception for you.”

My pulse skyrockets, pounding in my ears at an almost deafening level. “You’re too kind, but I don’t want to intrude on your program. I see how much it’s helped Evan, and I’d hate to get in the way.”

“You’d never be in the way, Hope.” He winks at me, sending a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering in my stomach. “Anyway, say hi to Ev for me.”

“I will. Bye, Ben.” I raise my hand and wiggle my fingers in goodbye.

“Bye.” He climbs into his cruiser and pulls out of the parking lot.

My shoulders roll inward, and feeling light-headed, I draw in a much-needed breath. Thank goodness he’s gone.

19

BEN

I tracethe condensation on the outside of my almost empty glass and watch the way the droplets change shape. Hope always looks beautiful, but she looked stunning with the afternoon sun highlighting the natural golden hues in her hair. Her lashes looked dark and thick, and when she looked down, they fanned across the apples of her cheeks. I don’t think she has any idea how breathtakingly beautiful she is.

A full glass of beer slides across the table in front of me, and I glance up at Sebastian. “Thanks.”

He tips his head and drops into the seat opposite me. “You okay? You seem distracted.”

His concern is apparent, and I realize I’ve been flaky tonight. I’ve only been half-listening and not fully participating in the conversation. My mind is so full of Hope and Evan that I’ve had a hard time concentrating on anything else. The only time I’ve been completely switched on is when I’m working, and even that’s been a struggle. The rest of the time, I move through my day on autopilot, my mind a million miles away. “Sorry.”

Creases appear between his eyebrows. “Why are you sorry?”

I shrug. “I’ve been shitty company tonight, and it’s not like we get to spend a ton of time together with our rosters.” I straighten in my seat, vowing to push Hope and Evan from my thoughts so I can give Seb the attention he deserves. “How’s work been?”

“Had to use the jaws of life to cut a young guy out of his wreck last weekend. He was a mess. I’m not sure if he survived. His vehicle certainly didn’t.” He takes a long drink of his ice-cold beer. “I wish these young guys would take speed limits more seriously.” Placing his glass back on the table between us, he adds, “I’m pretty sure I heard the paramedics talking about a blood alcohol level of 0.15.”

I’d like to say I’m surprised, but I’m not. I shake my head with disappointment. “Alcohol and speed are a tragedy waiting to happen.”

“Yep. They think they’re fucking indestructible.” We’re both quiet for a few moments. We’ve seen too many serious accidents resulting in permanent injury or death because of stupid, risky behavior. Stuff that could have been avoided if the kids had taken a moment to consider their actions and possible consequences. Seb takes another drink, never taking his eyes from me. “So, what’s up?”

I take a moment to gather my thoughts, but it’s like wrangling a litter of rambunctious puppies. I take another drink and swallow it down. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out, so I try again. “A few weeks ago, I picked up a kid after being called out to a gas station. There was a group of kids shoplifting. By the time I arrived at the scene, there was only one kid, so I took him home.” Seb nods to let me know he’s listening. “We spoke a little in the car, and I discovered his dad was killed while serving in Syria.”

“Ah, man. That’s gotta be tough to lose your dad like that.” Seb leans forward and places his elbows on the table, bringing him closer to me. If anyone knows what it’s like to lose a parent on the job, he does.

I nod. “Yeah.” I sigh, remembering the pain in his voice when he told me. “I really felt for the boy. When I took him home, I met his mom.” Just thinking about Hope makes my blood heat. “She was clearly upset when she saw me on her doorstep with her son.” I flick my eyes up to my best friend’s face. “She was so fucking beautiful; she stole my breath.”

A slow smile tips up his lips. “Like, how beautiful on a scale of one to ten?”

“She’s not even on the scale, man.” I inhale a deep breath as his eyebrows rise halfway up his forehead. I never talk about women like this. I’ve never been so affected before.

“Tell me you asked her out.”

I shake my head. “She invited me inside so I could tell her what happened, and I literally watched her heart break. It’s obvious she’s still grieving the loss of her husband and hasn’t moved on at all. She’s so emotionally devastated, but she’s still doing her best to raise her son. Her strength makes her even more attractive to me, but I can’t do a thing about it.”

He narrows his eyes and tilts his head to the side a little. “Why not?”

“I invited Evan to join my program at the shelter, so we’ve spent a little time together. She’s a great mom, a strong woman, and sexy in all the ways that turn me on, but she’s still completely in love with her late husband.” I look out into the crowd.

“Damn. That’s tough. You can’t compete with a ghost.”

“I know and I don’t wanna compete with a ghost. To me, there’s no competition. If I were ever lucky enough to gain herattention, I wouldn’t ever expect her to stop loving him,” I tell him, my voice gruff as I struggle with my emotions.

---