Page 74 of Branded Hearts

Amelia’s cheeks deepen in colour, but a small smile plays on her lips. “Really? It seemed pretty obvious to me.” I smirk in response.

“Hm. Guess I was too busy looking at someone else,” I say, accompanied by a playful wink in her direction.

She shakes her head, laughter bubbling up lightly. The tension eases between us, and we slip into an easy rhythm of conversation. As we talk, I find myself captivated by her presence, content just to listen to her voice for hours.

“So, how was your day at work yesterday?” I ask, leaning forwardwith genuine interest.

Amelia smiles, a playful glint in her eyes before she giggles.

I raise an eyebrow, curious. “What’s funny?”

She leans in closer, shaking her head. “My day was… interesting. Quite funny, actually, now that I think it over. There’s this group of girls, troublemakers, at my school. They’re known to be quite bratty, and they, uh, well, they tried to intimidate me today during my lunch duty.”

My eyes widen with surprise as I listen intently. “Intimidate you? How?”

Amelia leans back, recounting the incident with animated gestures. “They were teasing me, calling me a loner, and questioning why you would even bother with someone like me.”

I’m baffled.

“Are you serious? But that was what, a while ago? And that came from year six kids?”

The thought actually bothers me, as weird as it may sound. The fact that young children are pestering her about me, teasing her. That’s wild.

“Yep. But I put them in their place.” She shrugs. “You should have seen their faces. I’m actually really proud of how I handled it. Usually the older kids make me nervous, but not then.”

“Good on you. I’m proud of you for sticking up for yourself. Kids these days, huh? That’s crazy,” I say, shaking my head in disbelief.

Amelia chuckles softly, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Yeah, who knew I’d have to fend off interrogations from pre-teens?” She grins.

“Well, you handled it like a pro.”

“Thank you,” she says, her smile turning sincere.

As we sit there, the restaurant buzzes around us, but our conversation stays focused and intimate. I find myself admiring Amelia even more, not just for her dedication to her work, but also for her grit in handling unexpected challenges.

Amelia leans forward, her eyes bright with curiosity. “So, how was your day at work yesterday?” she asks, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

I exhale with a sigh, contemplating her question with mock seriousness. “Work was...” I pause, then shrug nonchalantly, “fine.”

She eyes me closely. “Just fine?”

I chuckle softly, running a hand through my hair. “Yep, just fine. Sounds like your day had more excitement than mine,” I say with a grin.

Opening up about my day isn’t something I typically do, especially not in detail, but with Amelia, it feels different. It feels easy, like talking to an old friend who can appreciate a good joke.

“But seriously, I’m certain your day was more interesting,” she says.

“Not really. I was on highway patrol most of the day with my partner Daniels.” She nods, recognizing the name.

“Did you pull over many people?”

I smirk, feeling comfortable enough to share more. “Yeah, a few. Speeding mostly. You’d be surprised how many people think they can get away with it.” I pause, shaking my head. “Oneguy was doing over a hundred in a sixty zone. Claimed he didn’t see the sign.”

She laughs softly, her eyes sparkling with interest. “And what did you say to that?”

“I told him that the sign wasn’t the only thing he missed,” I reply with a smile. “He wasn’t too happy about the ticket.”

She smiles, leaning in closer. “Must be interesting, seeing all kinds of people on the job.”

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