Page 41 of Love in the Storm

“Uh-huh.” Lyric watched him walk away before covering her gaping mouth. Being stranded with Officer Asa Scott was definitely a good thing.

15

ASA

Asa left Lyric in the living room with her jaw on the floor. He didn’t care one bit about his looks, but working out was a part of the job he enjoyed. It helped that Jacob was starting to show interest in running. He could run laps around the gym while Asa lifted weights.

Tossing his shirt into the washing machine, he set it for a short cycle and headed back to the living room.

Lyric sat in front of the fire holding a marshmallow over the flames, carefully watching it as she slowly rotated the stick.

“A watched mallow never toasts,” he said as he sat beside her.

“I’m giving the perfectly toasted thing a try. If I have the patience, that is. It’s starting to look really tasty.”

He grabbed the bag and put another on his skewer. “Once you try it, you’ll never go back.”

Lyric rolled her eyes, then returned her gaze to the task at hand. “We’ll see about that. This is a lot of work.”

“The best things in life are worth the hassle.”

That earned him a look. She tilted her head and inhaled a deep breath. “Someone else told me that once.”

“Really? Was it good advice?”

She looked back to the fire, and a small wrinkle formed between her brows. “It was. Still is. I guess that means I need to trust you on this one.”

Asa bumped his shoulder against hers. “You should probably trust me all the time. Just sayin’.”

“Do people always trust you?” she asked, a hint of sadness lacing her question.

“Not at all. It’s not because I don’t try.”

“It’s because you deal with criminals all the time.”

“It’s not just that. I have to get along with judges, attorneys, probation officers, dispatchers, and other first responders. Sometimes, it’s easy. Sometimes, I take out my frustration on a punching bag after work.”

Lyric tilted her head until it rested on his shoulder. “How do you always know the right thing to do? Is that something you’re born with or do they teach it in a class?”

Asa lifted her chin with a finger until she was looking up at him. There wasn’t a hint of the smile he’d come to crave. “I don’t always know the right thing to do, and I don’t pretend I know it all either. There are some things I feel strongly about, and I’ll fight for those truths. But there are still a lot of things I don’t know, like why you’re sad right now.”

She shook her head. “I’m not sad. Just thinking too much.” She pulled her marshmallow away from the flames. “I think it’s ready.”

“Take a bite and find out.”

She slid the mushy marshmallow off the stick and took a bite. After a few chews, she let out a humming sound. “You win. It’s delicious.”

Asa turned his stick over the fire. “I’m just glad you like it. You want this one with the chocolate and graham crackers?”

Lyric popped the rest of the marshmallow into her mouth and shook her head. “That one’s yours,” she said around the mush she chewed.

“No, it’s yours too. Get the crackers ready.”

She grabbed for the plate where she had crackers and chocolate laid out. He pulled the marshmallow away from the flames, and she squished it between the two halves.

“Man, this looks too good.” She took a bite, and her eyes rolled toward the ceiling. “It’s amazing. You have to try this.”

Asa held up a hand. “No, it’s for you.”

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