An old familiar stirring roared to life deep within him. He spent so much time longing for a cutie of his own. Yet he wasn’t some hopeless romantic. He didn’t latch onto every pretty woman that came through there. His job had hardened him too much for that sort of thing—which was just one more reason why maybe it was time to let the badge go…
With Iris, his imagination had kicked into overdrive. He felt a magnetic pull toward her unlike anything he’d ever experienced.
Could this behisLittle? Was Iris Dawson the one he’d been searching for?
Those questions were still swirling around in his brain when Elena said, “Hey! Jocelyn and Graham are here!”
Without looking over his shoulder, Jack knew she was talking about Jocelyn Chambers and Graham Wells. The woman and man were regulars there at the nursery.
“Wait until you meet them. They’re so much fun!” Elena took Iris’s hand and said, “Come on!”
It seemed, though, that Iris was just as hesitant to leave Jack as he was for her to go. Their gazes lingered on one another for a moment, even as she was being pulled away by Elena.
“Goodbye, Jack Daddy. It was nice meeting you,” she called back.
“Nice meeting you, too,” he replied. “I’ll find you in a bit.”
He wasn’t sure why he added that last part. She might not want him to seek her out. But that fear was erased when she grinned and said, “I can’t wait!”
Smiling, Jack couldn’t help but wonder if maybe she felt that same magnetic pull that he did. He quickly dismissed the notion, though. There was no reason to get so far ahead of himself. Iris was just a cute Little. That was all. There was most likely nothing more to their brief encounter than the typical politeness of two people meeting for the first time.
He was so lost in thought, mulling it over, that he didn’t even realize Athena had approached and was standing next to him until she spoke.
“She’s adorable.”
He tried not to show that he was shocked by her sudden presence, but apparently, she noticed it anyway.
Laughing, she said, “Did I actually sneak up on you?”
“That’s not good in my line of work. Means I’m losing my edge and getting soft.”
She was still grinning wide. “I think it means you’re captivated by Little Miss Iris and her charm. But, since you brought it up, let’s talk about your line of work.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you given any more thought to retiring?”
“I’m only forty-two.”
“Yet you still have twenty years on the force under your belt. With a job as stressful as that, twenty is enough.”
His mind flashed back to the last conversation they’d had. Sitting on that very patio one beautiful spring night, he’d shared his soul, voicing for the first time to another person that he had serious doubts about his profession.
Doubts about the policies.
Doubts about the difference he made—or if he ever made one at all.
Doubts about everything that went with the badge.
It had felt good to get it all out, but it was just talk. Nothing would come of it.
Right?
“I can’t yet. Financially. Besides… I have to get Frank off the streets.”
He looked over to see Athena nodding. For a moment, he thought she’d say something else about Frank Holloway. But instead, she said, “Little Iris sure is a cutie, huh?”
Jack turned to face Athena. He thought of lying but pulled back from it. He hated dishonesty. The truth was always easier.
