Page 50 of The Deputy and the Single Mom

He didn’t want the look in Maggie’s eyes to change when she knew. Not when she tended to gaze at him as if he were one of the greatest men she’d ever met. No need to tell her yet just how wrong she was about him.

“I was married to Jack’s partner,” Kimberly said, neglecting to mention why she was no longer married to him. For now, he could live with that.

“I’ll let you two catch up.”

Maggie left before he had a chance to think of some excuse to keep her around. And he wanted to keep her with him. She calmed him somehow, centered him. Probably because only she managed to get his mind on other things.

The door closed, and he faced Kim, who threw her arms around him and then pulled back to stare into his eyes. “I’m worried about you.”

“You shouldn’t be. We went over this.” He felt his jaw tighten.

Kim took in her surroundings and then threw him a disgusted look.

“No couch, no table. One stool. Well, at least I can see you don’t plan on staying here for long.”

“That was the plan.” He would need caffeine, so he headed toward the coffeemaker.

Chief chose that moment to make his presence known, pushing at his dog bowl with his nose.

“A dog? You have a dog?” Kimberly’s eyes widened.

More like the dog has me.“I don’t have a dog.”

“Well, you could have fooled me.” Kimberly bent down to pet the attention-getter. “He looks hungry.”

“It’s a trick. Maggie’s daughter feeds him before she goes to school. Anyway, it’s temporary. I’m keeping him until we find the owner.”

“I’m glad. You need to come back to Virginia.”

“Nothing like getting right to the point.” Jack ran a hand through his hair.

“You needed a break, and I get that. Everyone does. But it’s been long enough, and running away won’t solve anything.”

Jack set out coffee mugs and poured the coffee. “Is that what everyone thinks? That I’m running away?”

Kim took a seat on his stool. “No one is saying that. The official word is that you’ve taken some time off. We all expect you to be back. You and I both know it’s not uncommon to take time off after a—”

“Shooting?” He finished the sentence.

She shut her eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, so why can’t you forgive yourself?”

He had half a dozen reasons, none of which he wanted to go over with Kimberly, of all people. He’d been the one to call her, to meet her at the hospital and hold her when they’d both received the devastating news. Apparently, somehow, he was supposed to forget her body nearly convulsing with sobs.

All because he’d hesitated. Hesitated when he should have taken the shot, because by the time he did the damage had already been done.

He’d managed to break out in a sweat, the drops rolling down his back, and all because of Kimberly. And the memories she’d brought with her.

“I don’t want to talk about this.” What he wanted to hear about were the girls. Robert’s pride and joy.

Kimberly talked about how they’d adjusted, Alison seeing a therapist and Amber taking horseback riding lessons, which had turned out to be therapeutic, as well. None of which, by the way, would have been required if Robert were still alive. But Kimberly refused to bring up that point.

“They’d love to see their Uncle Jack again,” Kimberly said with a smile.

That would be because they didn’t know, and according to the official release by the department, maybe they never would. Some things were just not fit for print.

“Yeah,” Jack said, taking a gulp of his coffee.

“Do you have to work today?” Kimberly asked.

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