She lowered the cup and turned to face him again, bracing her hands on the bench behind her.
“I don’t need this right now, Cubby. I have some personal stuff going on that I’m trying to get a handle on, and I definitely don’t need you calling me princess, because I’m not anymore.”
“You don’t need a friend to lean on?”
“You are my brother’s friend, not mine.” She said each word slowly. “And I can handle myself.”
“Sure you can, that’s why I found you in that bar. And for the record,” he drawled, “we are friends.”
“Stop it!” she hissed. “Stop antagonizing me.”
“Just stating facts, princess.”
She closed her eyes briefly, and he watched the struggle she had with herself, then when she opened them she managed a tight smile.
“We are both mature adults and I would ask you to respect me as I do you. I have to deal with this my own way, and once that is done, I plan to go back to work. So please leave, and please do not tell my family how you found me—”
“Injured, drunk, and broken.”
“I am not broken,” she said between her teeth. “I’m not that pathetic girl I once was, I’m a fucking cop, and a good one. So don’t think you can treat me like her.”
What the hell did that mean?
“Okay, so broken was wrong. How about hitting a low point?”
Her fist clenched, but she didn’t throw something at him, the way he knew she wanted to.
“I’m going to bed; please lock the door on the way out. Thank you for calling in on me, and give my love to my family.”
After those politely spoken words, Katie raised her chin and headed for a door, closing it with a soft decisive click behind her.
Cubby gave it an hour, sitting on her sofa, waiting in case she needed him. He then opened her door and found her sleeping on her side, hands tucked under her cheek. He watched for a while, thinking how sweet and innocent she looked. Looking around the small room he found pink curtains and pillows, a matching bed cover. So not everything had changed about Katie; she’d always had that pink thing going on. After brushing a soft kiss on her cheek, he left the room. He found three bottles of bourbon and poured them down the sink, and then left. He’d be back, and when he did, she wouldn’t like what he had to say.
Chapter Two
Katie woke as the door to her bedroom opened.
“I thought that was a nightmare,” she said, looking at the large sexy male standing there. Lifting the pillow beside her off the bed, she placed it over her eyes, needing the time to regroup and hide her feelings.
“I’m damned sure you mean wet dream, princess.”
“Go home, Cubby.”Please, Katie added silently. Her head hurt, her mouth tasted foul, and she had the hangover from hell, which was pretty much how she woke up most mornings these days.
“No can do. Now drink this, then take these tablets for that sore head you’ve got, and here’s your phone.”
Removing the pillow, she looked at him. Tall, with wide linebacker shoulders, Cubby Hawker was one hunk of a man and had always made her heart go pitter patter—or would be if her heart still had the capacity to feel. His hair was deep red with gold streaks, and his skin tanned from hours spent outside. He had eyes the color of the waters that ran clear and cold in their hometown. She’d hung on this man’s every word for more years than were comfortable, and he’d never reciprocated, just teased her and kept her at arm’s length. She’d changed everything between them the day before she was due to leave Howling for LA. Telling him she loved him was one of her biggest mistakes, especially when he’d told her to stop fooling around, and that there wasn’t and would never be anything between them. It had hurt, but she’d banished the pain right along with the silly girl she’d been, and moved on with her life.
“Why do I need the phone?” She took the water and drank down the aspirin, because she needed it, before handing the glass back to him.
“Because your brother is on the other end of it.”
“No.” She shook her head and tried to scramble across the bed.
“Cut it out, Katie.” Cubby grabbed her before she could get off, dragging her back. Holding her in place with one hand, he held out the phone with the other. “Jake’s been up all night worrying about you; the least you can do is talk to him.”
“He wouldn’t be worried if you hadn’t called him.” Katie glared at Cubby and then the phone.
“I thought six years in LA might have eradicated that selfish streak of yours.” His words hurt, but they had her reaching for the phone and putting it to her ear.
