Page 50 of Everlasting Promises

Well, that explains why he’s always keen to eat with me and Evan. He must get lonely. It’s not like he’s asking me on a date. We’d just be sharing a meal because we’re both alone and have to eat. It makes sense. I can make dinner for both of us.

I force a smile. “Sounds good. I can cook something for both of us if you’d like to come over around seven,” I say before I can change my mind.

His mouth tips down. “I wasn’t angling for a home-cooked meal. I can grab something on the way to your place so you can have a night off. I imagine you have to cook every night.”

I wave him off. “Nah, it’s okay. I enjoy cooking, and maybe I can make something suitable for adults for once.” It might be nice to have adult company for a change.

“If you’re sure?” I nod and he grins. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll bring something for dessert, and I’ll see you at seven.”

Flutters make themselves known in my stomach, and I swallow past the feeling that this is wrong. “Sure. See you then.”

Acid burns in my stomach,and sweat coats my forehead and down the curve of my spine.What was I thinking?I never should have agreed to dinner. And I definitely shouldn’t have invited him here and offered to cook for him.

I must have lost my freaking mind to think I could do this.

I pace around the island in my kitchen, berating myself for my stupidity. I can’t have Ben here.Alone.

It’s okay when he’s here to spend time with Evan, but this is different. I’m attracted to him, and I shouldn’t be. The backs of my eyes sting, and that telltale tingle fizzes in my nose. Hot tears well until they become too heavy and slide down my cheeks. I swipe at them angrily.

I can’t do this.

I don’t know why I thought I could.

Snatching up my phone, I navigate to my contacts and find Ben’s number. As I’m about to press his number to call, my phone rings, startling me, and I fumble to keep hold of the device.

It’shim.

I answer with a shaky finger and hold the phone up to my ear. “Hello?” My blood races through my body too fast and I grip onto the counter for support.

A long sigh sounds on the other end of the phone. “Hey, Hope. I’m so sorry to have to do this, but Rex and I have been called into work. An elderly woman with dementia has gone missing, and we need to help find her,” he says. Each word drips with regret, and I can imagine him running his thick fingers through the short strands of his hair. “This happens sometimes and I can’t say no. It’s part of the job. I’m so sorry to cancel. I was really looking forward to dinner.”

I look out my kitchen window to the darkness beyond and shiver—it’s only sixty degrees outside. That poor woman is wandering, probably lost and disoriented, out there somewhere.

“Oh no, Ben. Please don’t apologize to me. I completely understand.” Guilt washes over me at the relief I feel from him canceling. But then I think aboutwhyhe canceled, and I feel terrible for the missing lady and her worried family. “Your job is important, and it’s cold out there. Finding her and making sure she’s safe is far more important than dinner. Please don’t give it a second thought.”

He blows out a breath. “Thanks for being so understanding. Maybe we can have dinner another time?”

“Yeah, sure. Good luck with your search.”

“Thanks. Bye, Hope.” Regret is thick in his voice, but all I feel is relief.

Sweet,sweetrelief.

“Bye, Ben.” I sag against the counter as the phone goes dead.

23

BEN

I’ve never feltpissed about being called into work before. Even when it’s happened in the middle of a date. It’s part of the job. The job I love. But tonight, I’m pissed. What’s worse is that I got the impression Hope was relieved I had to cancel. I shouldn’t have suggested that we have dinner tonight. It was too soon. But it was impossible not to jump on the opportunity to spend some time alone with her, and now I’ve probably spooked her.

I pull into the parking lot of the nursing home and push my hectic thoughts away to focus on the task at hand. “Are you ready, Rex?”

He barks loudly in response, and my lips widen.Thisis what we live for. We climb out of the cruiser and head straight to the lead officer, who takes long strides straight toward us with his hand outstretched. “Taylor.” We shake hands. “Rex.” He rubs Rex’s scruff. “Thanks for coming out so quickly.”

“No problem.”

“We have an eighty-five-year-old female with dementia. Anne Sinclair. The home didn’t know what time she left the building, but we’ve looked over security footage and discovered she left around fifteen-thirty hours. They only discovered her missing when she wasn’t in her room when they went to collect her for dinner.” My eyebrows shoot up and he nods sagely. “Footage shows her wearing a cotton dress and no shoes. In the past when she’s had lucid moments, she’s attempted to escape from the facility. It seems she succeeded today.”

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