The Sheriff's Second Chance

by Tanya Agler

  How had he been so blind all these years?

  “Believing someone and believing in someone are two different things.” She removed her hand, giving no sign of accepting his apology.

  “I know you would never take something that didn’t belong to you. I’m doing all I can to prove that.”

  Georgie tugged at Beau’s leash until the dog, with some reluctance, stretched his way into a standing position. “Call if you have time to help with the reassembly.”

  Mike stepped toward her, laying his arm on hers until her gaze lifted. “Let’s start over.”

  “Why?”

  “For one thing, there’s Miss Brittany. She’s stripped down to her barest bones and out there for all to see.” He stopped and ran his hand through his hair.

  “Keep going.” Her voice didn’t disguise the dare lurking in the shadows, almost like she was prodding him to reach deep inside and confront the romantic in him, the side he never gave in to.

  “Then there’s me. You’ve seen me at my worst, betraying what was right in my teenage world.”

  “You’re being a bit harsh on yourself, don’t you think?” She shifted her weight onto her other leg. Beau whined before nudging her hand with his snout. She began petting him, and the dog’s protests faded away.

  “You were my best friend. You deserved better.”

  “I have a best friend—Lilah,” Rachel piped up. She came over to him, leaning her head into his side, seeking love and affection he was only too happy to deliver. “We always play together. She hugs me when my hand hurts.” Rachel nodded. “It’s important to be nice to your best friend.”

  In all those years no one had ever taken Georgie’s place as his best friend. Between the police academy and single parenthood, he didn’t have the time or the energy. Could he ever have replaced her? He bit back the sigh as honesty overtook him. Time and energy had nothing to do with it. Georgie was one of a kind. There would never be anyone like her.

  “Rachel’s right. We should be nicer to each other, beginning with me believing in you.” He ruffled his daughter’s hair and smiled over at Georgie. “What do you say? A fresh start.” He caught his breath. A new relationship taking the place of the old one. “What were you going to say earlier?”

  Georgie started and knelt next to Beau, kneading her fingers in his fur. “Um...”

  His phone rang, and he checked the screen. “It’s the station. I have to take this.”

  Getting everything into the open might let them take the bare bones of their relationship and build something new and meaningful, something classic and timeless. Most unlike what he’d shared with Caitlyn. He’d take the call, tuck Rachel in and move on with Georgie.

  “Harrison.”

  “Need you at the station, stat.”

  His heart plummeted. “Can you get someone else? I’m home with Rachel.”

  “It’s not a request.” Donahue’s voice was tight and unyielding.

  Mike rubbed his forehead, the pressure in his temples excruciating. “Can’t you call Edwards?”

  “Already did. He has a 102-degree fever.”

  “Dad flew out to California to be with Mom and Becks today. There’s no one to watch Rachel.”

  That pressure became downright unbearable. Headlines of “Cop Arrested for Leaving Daughter Alone” flashed before his eyes. Someone tapped his shoulder, and he jumped.

  “I’ll stay with Rachel.”

  He turned around and cupped the lower part of his smartphone. “I can’t ask you to do that, Georgie.”

  “You’re not asking. I’m offering.” She dipped her head, that signal of determination he’d missed so much over the years.

  “Thanks,” he mouthed before lifting his hand and getting back to Donahue. “I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

  Rachel gave a brave smile.

  Georgie headed over and squeezed Rachel’s shoulders. “Beau and I will stay with you in your room while you fall asleep.”

  The brief glimpse of what he could have if he asked for a second chance was too much. He ran upstairs and reached for his uniform. The perfect opportunity for honesty had presented itself, and he’d dragged his feet once more.

  The truth seared through him. What was he really afraid of? Her running away? Like his birth mother and Caitlyn? Heck, yeah. He leaned his head against the door to his closet. If he had another choice, he’d grab it. As things stood now, remaining silent was his only option, though. Rachel deserved a better life, one with dance lessons or art lessons.

  Was he using money to make up for his failings? For Rachel living with a scar the rest of her life?

  Did it matter? Lessons and some luxuries might make life better for Rachel. His skin crawled at using Georgie for Rachel’s gain. Georgie was bound to be hurt once the truth about the Thunderbird came out.

  No other options entered his mind, and he hurried to get ready for work.

  * * *

  HER NERVES ON EDGE, Georgie followed Rachel upstairs. Ginger rushed ahead while faithful Beau hovered at her side. Rachel clambered into her bed, flashing a tired smile.

  “Thank you for staying with me, Miss Georgie.” Rachel patted her bed and then pointed at a pile of books. “Will you read me a book? KitKat told me a story will help me fall asleep faster.”

  Georgie glanced around, her smile frozen in place, her gaze sweeping the room. Did Mike have another pet he hadn’t told her about? “Who’s KitKat?”

  Ginger jumped onto the foot of the bed, and Rachel giggled. “KitKat’s my teddy bear.”

  Georgie chuckled and sauntered over to pick the first book off the pile. A cover with a princess and a baby dragon stared back at her. It figured that a girl with enough gumption to approach a stranger about fixing her father’s car would like something different.

  Without further ado, Georgie settled on a spot near the corner, away from Rachel.

  “KitKat doesn’t mind if you come closer.” Rachel picked up her teddy bear. “She likes hugs.”

  Okay, then. Sidling closer, Georgie slipped her arm around Rachel, gave her a quick squeeze and released her. A whiff of something clean and fresh tickled her nose. Baby shampoo wasn’t that bad.

  Had Kevin been wrong? Opening her heart for Rachel and her father was easy, too easy. Besides, they made it almost as effortless as a Maserati engine, except for the times when Mike doubted her. Then she wanted to pull out her hair or go fix a carburetor to offset his sheer stubbornness.

  Slaying her own dragons was proving more difficult than she’d imagined. Exhaling, she opened the book and started reading. Georgie laughed at the picture of the baby dragon causing mayhem at dinner. Rachel giggled, too, and right there, she stole Georgie’s heart.

  Georgie kept reading, her eyes misting at the courage this little princess summoned when leaving the castle to raise the dragon by herself.

  Rachel pulled on Georgie’s sleeve. “Are you okay?”

  Georgie laid the book on her lap, turned to Rachel and smiled. The princess didn’t have anything on this little girl, who’d gone through so much physical pain over the past month. “I like your story. Thank you for letting me read to you.”

  “I like Princess Alixandra. She’s doesn’t think inside the box.”

  Georgie chuckled. She had a feeling Mike would hear that often about Rachel in the years ahead. Then the soft glow faded. Georgie wouldn’t be around for those exchanges. Mike would tell some other woman all about Rachel’s progress. Georgie’s stomach knotted at the idea of another woman chatting with Mike, laughing with him, kissing him. Her jaw clenched, and she let the jealousy wash over her.

  Blinking it away, Georgie nodded. “A lot like you.”

  Rachel shrugged. Ginger snuggled against her, and Rachel stroked the cat’s fur. “I couldn’t leave my daddy like Princess Alixandra does.” Her voice was soft, almost
hesitant. “My daddy thinks I want art lessons and dance lessons, but I just want to spend time with him.”

  If anything, Georgie was more convinced than ever she’d misjudged how intelligent Rachel was.

  “A girl who knows what she likes. Nothing wrong with that. Definitely outside the box.”

  “Keep reading, please.”

  A few more pages later, Georgie glanced at Rachel, asleep, her mouth slightly ajar, her cheeks soft with slumber. With as much stealth as she could muster, Georgie closed the book and eased off the bed. The pets jumped down. Rachel moaned and turned over, her arms clutching KitKat. After Ginger and Beau slipped out, Georgie clicked off the light and shut the door behind her.

  After kicking off her shoes, she curled up on the couch, checked her smartphone and winced. Three texts from her mother. Her fingers flew against the screen, letting her mother know an emergency came up and she was fine. After updating the repair shop’s Facebook page to include the time for the next car care class, Georgie checked on Beau. Chuckling, she found him asleep in the corner with Ginger cuddled up against him. Who’d have guessed a prickly independent cat would become best friends with a lovable furry dog?

  Then again, she and Mike shouldn’t have worked as best friends in high school. A prickly independent female hanging out with a popular family-driven guy. Yet they had worked.

  For a while. Both of them had moved on since. Maybe it was time for her to move on once more. Getting attached to Mike and Rachel? Was that too inside the box for her?

  The beep of an incoming text roiled her stomach. She’d already answered her mother. Whipping out her phone, she paused. It wasn’t her mother. It was Max.

  Surgery successful. No chemo. Next scan in 3 wks. Travis says you’re bringing new customers in. Expected no less. Will sign contract & collect down payment upon return. Any word on comics? If not found, can’t reduce asking price.

  Georgie clutched her phone as tightly as Rachel had grasped KitKat. She didn’t know what surprised her more, Travis’s belief in her or Max’s expectation of her buying him out. She had only said she might be interested. Then again, she hadn’t expected Cullinan to keep stalling about the pit crew with texts of sponsors pulling out and other excuses. Bristling at all the changes and upcoming decisions, she curled up on the couch.

  The biggest decision, though, revolved around Mike and his question. Would she give their friendship a fresh start? Her insides churned. Even she could tell the chemistry between them was mutual. Was friendship a precursor for something more? Something serious and mind-boggling and real?

  She’d never stayed in one place long, except during her engagement. She’d never wanted to. Rising off the couch, she paced the room. Beau stirred, and both pets whined in protest over their disrupted sleep.

  A relationship with Mike would change everything.

  Mike would come in handy about now. His emotional steadiness calmed her, even more than assembling an engine, reading an owner’s manual or attending a car show.

  She missed Mike.

  But could they start over? Not with the promise to her mother hanging over her head. With a harsh sigh, she picked up her phone and typed in her reply. She couldn’t buy Max out. All weekend she could have interrupted her mother’s musical fest with Kitty and talked to her. Yet she hadn’t. That, in itself, spoke volumes. Leaving as soon as Max returned would be best for everyone. Her fingers stilled. She couldn’t hit the Send arrow.

  Instead, she deleted her answer.

  The reasons she had for leaving were the same for staying.

  * * *

  MIKE OPENED THE creaky door and tiptoed into his house. This time the security company showed up and the robbers had fled. One of these days...

  His breath whooshed out of his lungs at the sight of Georgie asleep on the couch, curled in a sweet ball. It wasn’t often she wasn’t moving at hurricane force. This was a rare opportunity, indeed. Without a doubt she was gorgeous, with those long full eyelashes and rosy cheeks. He almost hated to wake her.

  She stirred and rubbed her eyes before noticing him. A smile brightened her sleepy features. Waking up to this face would be a blessing.

  “You’re back.” Even with the tinge of sleep slightly slurring her words, that husky voice packed a punch.

  “Yeah.” Stop sounding tongue-tied. It’s Georgie. He’d stayed up many a late night before, so he couldn’t use that as an excuse, either, for the lightness spreading through his limbs. “It’s close to two, so feel free to stay. My bed is comfortable.” Her eyes widened, and she sat straight up. He hurried his explanation, “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

  Georgie reached for her shoes and slipped them on. “I appreciate the offer, but I should be getting home. If Rachel saw us both here in the morning, she’d undoubtedly ask a lot of questions.”

  “She would.”

  Of course, Georgie was right. He’d never let a woman spend the night here. Between work and single fatherhood, he hadn’t dated much. Hadn’t wanted to. Until now.

  Beau lifted his head and trotted over, wagging his tail. Mike bent down and scratched behind Beau’s ear. Ginger peeked open one eye and carried herself upstairs with a regal air, as if the interruption to her sleep schedule was most intolerable.

  Georgie met his gaze, a chuckle crossing her lips. “I guess Miss Ginger loves her beauty sleep.”

  She found Beau’s leash and clicked it onto his collar. When she walked by, the sweet smell of her tingled his nose. She reached for the doorknob, but he held up his hand.

  “You never told me why you came tonight.”

  “Like I said earlier, it doesn’t matter.” Her gaze lowered to the carpet. For once Georgie wasn’t being entirely honest.

  He reached out, his index finger caressing the soft skin under her chin. “Please tell me.”

  Gulping, she stepped back. He removed his finger, giving her the space she needed and clearly wanted.

  “It’s late. I’m not making sense. You get me all jumbled up.”

  His chest swelled, and a slight smirk came over him. Georgie was so independent, so together. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” She parroted his face, and he couldn’t help but laugh, a strange feeling taking hold in his gut. Then a blank expression came over her. “You haven’t tried to kiss me again.”

  He took a deep breath as he remembered why he hadn’t tried to kiss her again. Just tell her. I might be blowing this all out of proportion. Letting her decide was the fair and honorable thing to do.

  She moved toward the door. “Your silence says everything.”

  Forget silence. He wedged himself between her and Beau and leaned down, the sweet smell of her never sweeter. Her lips were sweet, too. He’d waited so long for another kiss. Intelligent, caring, sweet Georgie, part of his youth, part of his present. Most important, he wanted her as part of his future. Pulling her closer, he waited for any sign she didn’t want him to kiss her. Instead, she kissed him, her lips warm and giving. All he knew was he didn’t want to be anywhere else. For once he didn’t have to second-guess himself. This was right.

  Too soon, she broke off and blinked, her green eyes glittering.

  Sizzling tension electrified the air.

  “I’ve wanted to do that for two weeks,” he admitted.

  “Next time don’t take so long.” She escaped out the door faster than a Corvette on octane.

  He watched her until she and Beau were safe in her car and her taillights faded from view.

  The taste of Georgie lingered on his lips. By all rights, he should be floating. Why hadn’t he told her the simple truth and let her decide if she wanted another kiss after he laid everything out on the table?

  The truth was ugly. It wasn’t just the Thunderbird, and he knew it. He’d been able to get over Caitlyn because she’d never gotten under his skin like Georgie. He wouldn’t deny he’d l
oved Caitlyn. Devastated at her walking away without a backward glance, he’d had a reason to pick up the pieces and stay strong. Rachel had been a baby, starving for love, hungry for life, hungry, period.

  But Georgie?

  Georgie was one of a kind.

  He cared. Caring, though, created a combustible combination, perhaps too dangerous, with his long record of women who had left him.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  GEORGIE WHISTLED AS she made her way to the kitchen. Beau’s dish was empty and so was Georgie’s stomach. A quick breakfast and she’d be off to work, where Miss Louise would be waiting for her to repair her sedan.

  She breathed in the aroma of cinnamon and vanilla but stopped short. Her mother stood in front of the stove. Georgie strode over and peeked in the black skillet. French toast?

  “Mom, that’s the worst thing for someone recovering from two stent procedures.”

  Her mother turned toward her, her left eyebrow arched. “I’m allowed to make my daughter’s favorite breakfast, am I not?” She pointed to the kitchen table. “I’ve been up for two hours, and I started my day with oatmeal and fresh fruit, so sit and enjoy.”

  Warmth flooded over Georgie’s cheeks, having nothing to do with the heat of the kitchen. “Sorry to jump to conclusions.” Georgie lowered her gaze and shuffled her feet. Her mother knew French toast was her favorite? A surprise to start the day.

  “Thank you for making me breakfast.”

  Her mother raised her hand and patted Georgie’s cheek. “You don’t let me do much for you, so I’m happy to do this.” She smoothed Georgie’s hair. “If only you’d let me schedule you an appointment with my hairdresser.”

  No one turned a compliment into a barb quite like her mother.

  “I’ll grab something for breakfast at the Biscuit Barn. Beau’s in the garage apartment, since Heidi and Travis have a repair scheduled today. I’ll be home at lunch to let him out.”

  As Georgie swiveled on her steel-toed boot to leave, her mother reached out and caught Georgie’s wrist. “Now it’s my turn to apologize.” Beverly lifted her chin before letting go and plating the finished toast. She smiled and handed the dish to Georgie. “I guess you’re old enough to wear your hair the way you like it.”