Page 84 of Hot Cops

“It didn’t look like nothing,” Finn muttered.

“We’re friends, Finn. That’s all.”

“Closer than friends,” Finn corrected. “Family.”

That was—and wasn’t—true. Landon had never made any secret of the fact he’d wished countless times he had been born into the Collins clan. And while he’d been “adopted” into her family, there was no denying things had gotten fuzzy between the two of them lately.

Was that what Finn was worried about? That she and Landon might cross a line they couldn’t step back over?

“Nothing has changed for either of us. I swear.”

He nodded and she wasn’t sure if she saw or imagined a look of relief on his face.

“I think I should go to the police station. Try to set things straight.”

“Dad’s going to be here in a few minutes, Sun,” Darcy said. “He really doesn’t want you to go to the precinct. Right now, no one knows who you are. If you show up, people might put one and one together and?—”

“I know that, but Landon?—”

“Landon isn’t in trouble.” It was the first time Padraig had spoken. “He saved you last week. Chased away the bad guy.” He crossed the room and hugged her. He’d done the same thing the night of the mugging, but she’d been too distracted by what had happened to acknowledge the warmth of it.

She squeezed him back. “I’m fine, Paddy.”

“Thank God,” he murmured, his cheek pressed to the side of her head. “I couldn’t stand it if anything bad happened to you.”

She felt guilty for causing Padraig even a second of worry. Mia’s face flashed before her eyes as she closed them, desperate to fight back the tears gathering in her lashes. She’d only known Paddy’s wife a short time before she’d passed away. But that one year of friendship had been enough for Mia to leave a hole in her heart no one would ever fill. She missed her every day.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Before Mia, love was something they all felt for each other, but rarely expressed out loud. Since her passing, Padraig was much freer with the words.

“I love you too, Paddy.”

He kissed her on the forehead. “While you wait for Uncle Aaron, you might want to pay a little visit to someone downstairs.”

She grinned. “Pop Pop?”

Padraig winked. “He’s a nosy old man. Go indulge him.”

Sunnie sighed. “Let me call work and see if I can trade shifts with someone. This is going to be a pain in the ass, isn’t it?”

“Depends on how you look at it,” Padraig said. “Stuff like this is as good or bad as you want to make it.”

Her older cousin always found the best way of looking at things, putting a positive spin on stuff that always helped.

“A day off is never a bad thing,” she joked. “And hey, viral is pretty much synonymous with famous.”

He ruffled her hair playfully. “Atta girl. Just don’t let the fame go to your head.” He excused himself and headed back downstairs, Darcy and Yvonne following.

Finn still leaned against the kitchen counter. She hated seeing him so worried. Walking over, she hugged him. He wrapped her up in his arms, squeezing her tight.

“You’re a pain in the ass,” he murmured, making her laugh.

“I know. It’s what you love best about me.”

He was silent for a moment, then he released her without another word, walking out of the kitchen.

Sunnie called one of her nursing colleagues, relieved when the first person she reached out to gladly agreed to switch shifts with her.

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