“Remember, this is no one’s fault but Chad’s. I don’t want people to blame Lucas for this. He was only helping a friend out of a tough situation.”
“You’re right.” Kaleb chuckles as he straightens and rocks back on his heels. “I’m going to get out of here and let you finish up. Just know that we’ve all got your back. Everyone else wanted to come in and check on you, but Chief Carter would only let one of us inside.”
“Everyone else is here?”
“Yeah, Dom, Xavier, Ben, the rest of the guys on the fire department. Sam is still in Vegas, or he’d be here. He offered to fly home, but we told him everything was under control.” His eyes float up to the ceiling. “I’m trying to remember who else is out there. Some of the guys had to go to work.”
My throat is tight as a wave of appreciation washes over me. The other officers in Columbia had my back, but nothing like this.
“Even that dude from VO-TECH that we met our senior year from the next town over, Rick something, he showed up.”
“Okay.” I chuckle to ward off the sappy feelings. “I get it. Everyone and their dog showed up.”
Kaleb winks as he takes a step backward. “Ruby does have her pig with her.”
“Why in the hell does Ruby have her pig with her?”
“She was taking her to the vet when everything went down.”
God, I love this town.
Chapter Eighty-Five
Jake
The second I hear Emily’s car door slamming shut; I’m at the door waiting for her and Grace to come up the steps. Even after the longest day in history, she glows under the porchlight.
“Hey.” She smiles at me, and my knees nearly give out. What if…. Don’t go there. I shove the what-ifs into the recesses of my mind as I grip the door’s edge. “Everything okay?”
She nods while climbing the front steps as I let the door slam shut behind me. “Everything is good now.” Her eyes never leave mine as she sits Grace’s car seat near my feet. She’s covered in a lavender blanket with her beautiful face still with sleep.
“Yeah, everything is fine now.” I wrap my arms around Emily and pull her to my chest. I don’t know which of us shudders at the contact, but it’s likely both of us.
Her arms go around my neck, and for several moments, we hold on to each other. Not caring that my neighbor’s dog is barking nonstop from his fenced-in yard or that the stray cat I’ve been feeding every morning is slinking around our feet, alternating between purring and hissing at the dog.
This is the first time we’ve truly been alone since the ordeal happened. Everything is fine. She’s safe. They’re both safe. I just breathe her in and repeat the words. Everything is fine. She’s safe. They’re both safe.
When I pull back, I cup her face, inhaling the faint scent of her familiar perfume. “I love you so much, Emily. I’m so sorry–”
“Don’t.” She shakes her head as the cat plops down beside the car seat and sniffs at the blanket. “I’m serious. This was not your fault. It was not your fault that Chad got into trouble with the law. Chad didn’t become an asshole because you’re back in town. Or because you’re a police officer. This happened because Chad is a fucking asshole.”
The conviction in her eyes is almost enough to assuage my guilt, but not entirely. I’ll always bear some responsibility for the situation. I did come back. I did focus on him when he was driving an unlicensed vehicle. I couldn’t leave it alone when Grace was left at the police station.
And I didn’t stop my pursuit of him when he told me to back off. Or when he threatened Emily.
I’ll always blame myself for Emily and Grace being held hostage. But I’ll never regret coming home and finding my future. I inhale and rest my forehead against hers as she runs her thumbs along my stubbled cheeks.
“I don’t know what I’d have done if something happened to you and Grace.” I slowly inhale as another shudder racks my body. To push the emotions away, I pull her tighter to me.
She leans her head back, putting space between our faces. “Nothing did.”
She’s beautiful. It doesn’t matter that there are dark circles under her eyes and lines of strain marring her face. She’s perfect.
“I shouldn’t have taken Grace with me.”
Kaleb is right. We’re both cycling with unwarranted guilt. “Don’t think that. You did what you needed to do based on the information you had. No one knew Chad was out.”
“No shit.” Emily shakes her head. “I still can’t believe that.”
