“So what’d you do, Sean?” Cyrus asked.
“He saved my life,” Aleta said, gazing at Sean, hoping he could read in her eyes what she was afraid to say out loud. “And I haven’t even thanked him.”
“Cool,” Cyrus said. He crossed his arms, looking extremely interested. “How’d you do that? Did you beat up the guy who beat up Aleta? Who was he anyway?”
Sean continued to stare at her, wearing a goofy smile. Aleta swallowed hard. Why didn’t he say something?
“You know what, young man?” Mom said, interrupting the silence. “I’m hungry. Are you?”
Cyrus swiveled his head to look at her mother and grinned. “I’m always hungry.”
“Would you like to come with me to the cafeteria and get a hamburger and maybe some french fries?”
Cyrus leaped off the bed. “Yes, ma’am. Do you think they’d have a chocolate milkshake?”
“Oh, I think that could be arranged.”
“Awesome,” he said.
Aleta exchanged a look with her mother, surprised by her intuitive understanding that she and Sean needed time alone.
Maybe she’d never really known her mother at all.
“Would you like us to bring you back something, Officer O’Malley?” Mom asked.
“Please call me Sean. And no, I’m fine, ma’am.”
Mom nodded, placed a hand on Cyrus’s back and urged him to start walking.
“They didn’t give me nothing to eat in that jail,” Cyrus announced in a wounded tone.
Mom stopped moving. “You were in jail?”
“Yeah. Sean got me out.”
“I see,” Mom said again.
Aleta smiled. Yeah, she and her mom had a lot to talk about.
“We’ll be back in an hour or so,” Mom said.
Sean finally stepped into the room to allow them to pass.
“See you later, Sean,” Cyrus said.
“Yeah, see ya, kid,” Sean said.
When they’d disappeared into the hallway, he closed the door and stepped closer to her bed. Neither of them spoke for a moment as his gaze traveled over her. She suspected he was searching for injuries as she had with Cyrus.
“Are you going to say, ‘I told you so’?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I’m not an I-told-you-so kind of guy.”
“Thanks for that.”
“You don’t have to thank me.”
Aleta nodded. Was that because what he did was part of his job? A job he no longer has?
He stepped closer to the bed. “How badly did he hurt you?”
“A broken rib and a concussion. Nothing permanent.”
She watched as Sean released a breath and understood he’d been worried about her.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
She raised her arms, ignoring the pain in her side. “I’ll let you know after you give me a hug.”
* * *
SEAN STARED AT ALETA. Hell, yes, he wanted to hug her. He wanted to scoop her up from that bed, squeeze her tight and never let her go.
But her face was scraped and bruised, her bottom lip split open, a black eye was starting to show. Damn, she looked like she’d been through a war zone. And she had a broken rib. Hugs were contraindicated for broken ribs.
“Please,” she said, her arms reaching toward him. “I need you to hold me, Sean.”
Needing to touch her, too, he bent over. She wrapped both arms around his shoulders, and he held her gently, breathing in her special fragrance, sending a prayer of thanks to God that He’d spared this wonderful woman any lasting damage from Burnett.
With a shock, he realized he’d just offered his first real prayer since Patrick’s murder. And for once the thought of his brother didn’t bring a wave of anger.
“Thank you,” she murmured in his ear.
He kissed her cheek and then, supporting her back, laid her down on her pillows.
She released a slow breath, which told him how much pain she was in.
“That hurt, didn’t it?” he asked.
“A little,” she admitted. “But it was so worth it.”
“Jeez, Aleta. You are as stubborn as they come.”
“And you’re not?”
He laughed a little, surprised that he could find humor in anything right now. “Maybe so.”
“Sit,” she said, patting the bed beside her.
“That’s probably not a good idea,” he said. “I don’t want to cause you—”
“Sit,” she insisted.
Careful not to jostle her, he settled down next to her.
She grabbed his hand. “Now tell me what’s going on. I saw you hand your gun to your sergeant. Why?”
“That’s not important.”
“Yes, it is,” she said. “Have you been fired?”
“Where’d you hear that?”
“The paramedic who treated me told me handing over your gun wasn’t a good sign.”
“I’ve been suspended.”
“Why?”
He shook his head. The last thing Aleta needed to feel guilty about was his employment situation.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s because of me, right? Because you came to rescue me?”
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“No.”
“No way is it your problem,” Sean told her. “But I was ordered to stand down and let SWAT handle the situation.”
“So why didn’t you?”
He shifted on the bed. “You know why.”
“No, I don’t.” She raised her chin. “You’re going to have to tell me.”
He picked up her hand and turned it over, frowning at the abrasions on her palm, knowing how much they had to hurt.
A few hours ago he’d been miserable over the thought that he’d never get the opportunity to tell Aleta that he loved her. Now he was sitting here next to her, beyond grateful that she’d survived the ordeal with Burnett, and he couldn’t find the words to tell her how he felt.
Funny how this was scarier than acting the big brave cop with a gun. He’d thought being a cop was the most important thing in his life. But loving this woman, protecting her—even if she didn’t want his protection—meant more to him than anything now.
“I went crazy when Hot Shot called me and told me Burnett had you,” he said, staring at her scrapes.
“I wondered how you found out.”
“He’s a good kid,” Sean said, raising his gaze to meet hers.
“Told ya,” she said, a huge grin spreading across her face. She winced and said, “Ow,” raising her hand to touch her injured lip.
“Serves you right,” Sean said. “I thought we weren’t doing that.”
She shrugged. “I guess you’re a better person than me.”
“No,” he said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “I don’t think so.”
She grabbed his hand again. “How long will you be suspended?” she asked softly.
“I don’t know. There’ll be a hearing.”
“So I was right. You could lose your job.”
“I hope not, but there is that chance.”
“I’ll testify,” she offered. “I have experience as a witness.”
Sean smiled. “The last time you testified, someone went to jail.”
“My mother will testify, too,” Aleta said. “She and my father know people. They’ll help.”
He nodded. “That’s not a bad idea. Thanks.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry I got you into this mess,” she said in a rush. “Can you ever forgive me?”
“There is nothing to forgive,” he said. “I’d do it all again.”
“Knowing you’d get in trouble?”
“I knew that
going in. The only thing I regret is I couldn’t keep you safe from that animal.”
“That’s on me,” she said. “I was distracted, worried about Cyrus and what—well, it doesn’t matter now. But I should have been more careful. You were right.”
Sean took a deep breath and entwined their fingers, careful not to hurt her wounds. He was dancing all over this damn hospital room to keep from telling her what she needed to know. Hell, she was doing the same thing, too. Were they both so emotionally damaged that they couldn’t admit they loved each other?
Did she love him? Want the things he wanted? He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Aleta. He wanted marriage, to have kids with her. He wanted her to meet his parents. He wanted to tell her more about Patrick. Because of Aleta, he’d somehow accepted that loss. He could remember his brother, shooting hoops, the good times they’d had.
He wanted to show her what a family was supposed to be like. She deserved that. Her parents couldn’t give her the love she needed, but he could.
Or could he? If he lost his job, what did he have to offer her? He’d seen the palace she grew up in. And even if he did keep his job, life with a police officer was never easy. That was why he’d sworn he would never fall in love. Did he want to put her through that kind of life?
She’d been through so much already. Maybe he should walk away now, so she’d never have to suffer through nights worrying about whether he’d come home alive.
“Tell me what you’re thinking, Sean,” she said.
“We haven’t known each other that long,” he said.
She nodded. “And yet it feels like I’ve known you forever.”
“Forever,” he repeated, raising his gaze to hers. “That’s what I want. With you.”
She sucked in a quick breath, and then winced and exhaled slowly, her eyes filling with tears.
This was so not the right time or place for a declaration of undying love.
“Maybe we should have this conversation another day,” Sean said, pulling back.
“Are you kidding me?” she asked, wiping the tears away. “Forget that nonsense.”
“You’re in a hospital bed.”
“And I want you in it with me. Come on. Lie down.”
“What? No way.”
“Lie down next to me, Sean.” She scooted away from him on the bed. “I need to feel you.”
“I’ll hurt you.”
She gazed at him with pleading eyes. “Please.”
Sean gingerly climbed into the bed beside her. She moved closer and placed her head on his chest. “Much better.”
Sean closed his eyes. This did feel good. Funny how touching her seemed to heal all of his problems.
“If I’ve learned anything today,” she said, “it’s that we need to say the things we feel. If we wait, it might be too late.”
“Yeah,” Sean admitted. “I had the same thoughts while searching for you.”
She looked up at him with eyes that were so full of love that he caught his breath. “So... What did you want to tell me?”
“That I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Sean sighed when tears again filled her eyes.
“Do you mean that?” she asked, voice trembling. “Really mean that?”
“How could I not love you? You’re the best person I’ve ever met, Aleta. The kindest, the smartest, the most forgiving.”
“Yeah, about that,” she said. She placed her head on his chest again.
“What?”
“You were right about my mom.”
He nodded. “I’m glad you two are talking.”
“Me, too. I haven’t even seen my dad yet, but I think they’re back together.”
“Did your mom tell you I went by the house to review the surveillance video?” Sean asked cautiously. Her reaction would tell him if she’d finally forgiven her parents. He suspected when she forgave her parents, she’d finally forgive herself, too.
“Father Mac told me. Mom and I haven’t talked much yet,” she said. “And he didn’t mention a video.”
“Burnett tried to get into their home last night and got caught on camera. The autopsy still hadn’t come back, and I wanted to confirm it was him. While I was there, your dad stopped by.”
“You met my father?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow. My parents and I still have a lot of catching up to do, a lot of issues to sort through.”
“Yeah, well, so do you and I,” he said. “Like for instance you haven’t told me that you love me.”
“I haven’t?”
“No.”
She raised her head to meet his gaze again. “I love you, Officer O’Malley. I want forever with you, too.”
“Like marriage and kids forever?”
“Is that a proposal?”
He swallowed. Put up or shut up, O’Malley. “Yes.”
She grinned and immediately winced. “My answer is yes and I want lots of kids.” She paused. “Although maybe not enough for a basketball team.”
“I may not have a job,” he warned.
“I have faith. I believe your bosses will realize you’re a hero and give you a raise.”
“Hero?” Sean snorted. “Not likely.”
“And if they don’t, Father Mac will hire you.”
“Well, that won’t work. Priests are supposed to be celibate. Once you heal, I have big plans for you.”
“You know I don’t mean as a priest.”
Sean settled her head back onto his chest. “That’s a relief. That collar was way too tight.”
Aleta played with the top button on his shirt. “What kind of plans?”
“If you didn’t have that split lip, I’d kiss you and show you.”
“Thank goodness I’m a fast healer.”
He stroked her hair, and they remained quiet a moment. They’d promised each other a lot, which was a good start. But he needed to be honest with her. She deserved to know what she’d signed on for.
“I intend to fight for my job,” he said.
“Good. We’ll win,” she said.
“How can we lose with that attitude?”
“We can’t.”
“Still, you should know living with a police officer is never easy.”
She nodded. “Cops are moody, right? And it’s a dangerous job.”
“And we don’t make a whole lot of money. Are you sure you’re up for all of that?”
“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m pretty strong.”
“Yeah, I noticed.”
Aleta placed her head on Sean’s strong chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek. She hadn’t believed anyone could love her, but she’d been wrong. She loved this man, and he loved her back.
And she knew what he was doing. He was trying to warn her that being the wife of a police officer would be difficult. Did he truly think she wasn’t strong enough?
But she’d gotten through her wild days. She could beat anything. She was not the loser she’d thought she’d been. Even her mother didn’t think so anymore. Besides, nothing life threw at her from now on could be worse than Bubba the Beast.
“Thanks for saving Cyrus,” she said.
“I was worried about him, too.”
“I know.”
And what a change that was. So maybe Father Mac had been right. Maybe she and Sean did make a good team. Somehow they were good for each other, made each other better people.
“I wonder how he and my mom are getting along.”
Sean’s chest rumbled with a laugh. “Good question. I think the kid’s going to be okay.”
“Me, too.” Thanks to Sean.
She closed her eyes, imagining their future. Life with him would definitely have its ups and downs, but everyone’s life was full of good and
bad, of compromises. Her parents had all the money anyone could possibly want, and they’d still split up.
But everyone, even her parents—especially her parents—deserved that important second chance. Sometimes maybe even a third chance was necessary. Maybe a happy life was all about accepting yourself and the people you loved for who they were. Forgiving them—and yourself—when things didn’t go as expected.
“Hey, who won the game?” Sean asked as he stroked her hair.
“I have no idea. Hot Shot and I left at halftime.”
“That’s okay,” Sean said. “There’ll be more games.”
“Yeah?” Aleta smiled at Sean’s teasing tone.
“As soon as you’re feeling better, we’re definitely going to practice some one-on-one.”
* * *
Don’t miss the next book in
The Rookie Files series,
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Keep reading for an excerpt from Cavanaugh’s Missing Person by Marie Ferrarella.
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A Cop's Second Chance Page 25