Page 3 of Dreaming of Us

The manager was led to the cash drawers and instructed to fill the bags. The first guy stood over the group of scared and crying people while the second guy barked out orders to my manager. I held my breath as they moved over to my station.

Suddenly, in the distance, sirens could be heard. Both gunmen jerked their heads up to look at the door. “We have to go, now!”

The bank robber who was collecting the money with my manager cursed viciously and jumped over the counter. “Therewas a panic button on the floor I didn’t know about. The bitch pushed it.”

The first guy pointed his gun down at my head, but his partner yelled at him to get moving. Both of them moved to the door, but not before I saw the rage in their eyes when they looked at me.

Chapter Three

BRAYLIN

As soon as the masked men left, everyone seemed to let go of whatever hold they kept on their emotions. Cussing and crying could be heard from everyone as I jumped to my feet to grab onto Mrs. Arbuckle before she could fall over.

“Come on, let’s sit down,” I spoke as calmly as I could to her, sure that her nerves were utterly frayed from all the terror of being held at gunpoint. I took her elbow and let her lean heavily on me. I wouldn’t have imagined that someone so small could seem that heavy, but I did my best to guide her to the waiting area. As soon as she sat down, I rubbed her arm gently. “Is there anyone I can call for you?”

“My son,” she whispered as she withdrew a cloth handkerchief from her sleeve and passed it over to me, gesturing toward the wound on my forehead. “I need my boy.”

“Of course,” I said soothingly. “Do you have his number or a cellphone?”

She opened her small purse, pulled an older model phone out, and handed it to me, directing me to the recent calls list. I saw that nearly every last call she’d made in the previous fewdays was to her son and had to bite back a grin. While I was on the phone with him, the police finally arrived, and several officers came rushing into the bank lobby.

With the phone to my ear and answering frantic questions from the older man about his mother’s health, my gaze caught on a familiar dark-haired man. Colton had just entered the bank. It wasn’t until then that my knees began to shake, and my eyes started watering.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Arbuckle. Your mother is fine, but I’m sure she should go see her doctor. I have to go now; the police just arrived.”

Without waiting for a reply, I ended the call and slipped the cell phone back into her purse. I swallowed hard as I watched the police move around the lobby, taking in the way they all seemed alert and on guard, even though the robbers had already left. I sank wearily into the seat next to Mrs. Arbuckle and took her small hand in mine, as much for my comfort as it was for hers.

Just a minute later, paramedics arrived, a stretcher being pulled behind the two men. I watched as they stopped the first officer, likely to ask who their patient was, before the three of them glanced around the room. With a heavy sigh, I stood up from my seat, knowing that they likely couldn’t see where we were sitting in the waiting area. With all the people milling about and the large, leafy plants that kept the waiting area from feeling cold and soulless, Mrs. Arbuckle and I were well hidden.

With a reassuring smile to the elderly woman beside me, I stepped forward. At my movement, several heads turned in my direction, followed by a few gasps. I knew I must look like a mess. I watched as someone nudged the paramedic who was looking for someone to treat. As soon as the guy who looked to be about my father’s age saw me, he began to squeeze around all the police and bank customers who were milling about.

I saw Colton turn to look at what everyone was talking about as they recounted the story. I saw his bright blue eyes grow cold as they took in my appearance. I glanced down at my outfit to see the pretty pink blouse I had worn that day to pair with my floral skirt dotted with bright patches of blood.

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath. I had sunk a good portion of my paycheck into getting appropriate clothing to wear while at my job. The loss of one blouse wasn’t horrific, but as a young woman trying to make it on my own, I hated to see any waste. I doubted the material would be able to handle what would be required to get blood stains out of it.

“Miss, can I take a look at your head?”

I looked back up to see the paramedic standing in front of me with a concerned look on his face. He was handsome, in an older man kind of way, with the spots of silver coming in at his temples, and seemed physically fit under his starched white uniform shirt. I gave him a small smile and a shake of my head.

“Please, I need you to take care of Mrs. Arbuckle first.”

I waved my hand, turning sideways so he could see the distraught woman behind me. Honestly, she didn’t look much better than she had earlier, and I was really beginning to worry about her. The paramedic looked her over, and with a brisk nod, he stepped past me but paused. “I’ll get her taken care of, but I’m calling in someone else to see to you as well.”

I gave a nod of acknowledgment, then turned as I felt someone walk up beside me. I wasn’t surprised to see my manager there, knowing that he’d want to talk to me sooner rather than later, but I hadn’t expected to have Colton looming over me, still with that look of thunder on his face. I glanced back at Mr. Black.

“I’m so sorry this happened to the bank, Mr. Black. I pushed the floor button just like we were taught.”

His kind brown eyes were compassionate as he took in the cloth that was still pressed to my forehead. “You did great, Braylin. I hate that you were injured, though. Are you in a lot of pain?”

I shook my head and winced at the sudden movement. I ignored the growl that came from my side and gave a slight shrug. “Maybe a little.”

Mr. Black tsked. “You should have just done what you were told.” I squared back my shoulders, but before I could get angry, the older man soothed my ruffled feathers with a hand on my shoulder. “But it was a wonderful thing you did to protect one of this bank’s oldest customers.”

“You mind who you’re calling old, Johnny Black. I’m not too old to give your momma a call and tell her how disrespectful you are.” Mrs. Arbuckle was pale and shaky, but it didn’t stop her from showing her sassy side. I chuckled, thinking that it was likely a good sign that she could still tell someone off. I turned back, my eyes automatically drifting toward Colton, and I saw him glaring daggers at the hand resting on my shoulder. I instinctively took a step back, out of reach of my manager, who fisted his hand at the loss of contact and stepped over to where Mrs. Arbuckle was having her blood pressure taken.

The death glare smoothed out to concern as Colton’s eyes moved from my shoulder and up to my forehead. “You protected Mrs. Arbuckle?”

I shrugged again and looked down, my eyes suddenly full of the broad chest I had been obsessed with for years. “He was going to hit her. I couldn’t let that happen.” My voice was quiet, but he still heard me, even through all the commotion around us.

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