Page 38 of Once Upon a Summer Night

“We get out in front of everyone so they see exactly what’s happening before they hear it through the grapevine. Hard to spread fake news when it’s not fake.” He released her chin and straightened, excitement in his eyes. “Del told me yesterday that she, Isaac, Mia, and Alex are all going to the Tipsy Barrel tomorrow evening. I guess Max Williams has some live music lined up. Wanna go with me and get these rumors started off right?”

Go out together, in front of the whole town so soon? Was henuts?

But the way confidence radiated off his body, she could tell he’d had this whole conversation planned out. Which meant he also knew she’d have a difficult time telling him no. She shook her head and laughed softly. “You have an answer for everything, don’t you?”

He grinned. “You know I do.”

“Good, then clue me in on what you had for breakfast, because I need to add those confidence boosters to my diet, too.”

His grin turned devilish. “If you stay over at my place, I’ll show you exactly what my breakfast routine is.”

With that, he pulled her close and kissed her breathless. This time when he released her, Hannah didn’t bother looking at the window. Nor did she care. Her body was humming with anticipation over his invite and the implications laced within. Judging by Chase’s darkened pupils, he felt it, too. He gave her butt a swat with the book he’d just borrowed for Cody and winked as he headed for the door.

“See ya tomorrow, Han.”

*

Chase headed backto the fire engine parked out front, lips still tingling from that last kiss and head full of hope. Was it wise, given the fact that she neither lived nor worked here? Maybe not, but he refused to think relocation wasn’t an option. Bourbon Falls had everything she and Noah needed, something he was determined to help her see.

Full of optimism, he climbed into the front passenger seat and tossed Cody the book he’d borrowed from Mia.

“Driving Reign?” Cody studied its cover. “You drove over here to get me book two?”

“You said you enjoyed the first one.” Chase clicked his belt into place. “Mia said this is another page-turner. And if we like this one, there’s more arriving next week.”

“We?”

Chase shrugged. “It sounds like a good series. Figured I’d give book one a try while you start on this.”

“Okay, what’s up?” Joey asked from the driver’s seat as he pulled away from the curb. “First you show up whistling this morning, now you’re talking aboutreading? What gives?”

“I read. Just…not here.”

Joey arched a brow. “Song lyrics on YouTube videos don’t count.”

Chase chucked an empty Gatorade bottle at him.

His buddy dodged the attack, laughing. “Seriously, man. You’re acting different lately. Less stressed or something. Does it have anything to do with our new office help?”

Hannah had sure called it, their colleagues quickly putting two and two together. But really, was it all that terrible if the others knew? These guys were like family to him. If they watched out for him, they’d watch out for Hannah, too. Then again, if they knew, news would soon reach the chief. Chase wasn’t sure if he was quite ready to have that conversation.

“Sure does. Have you seen how much work she’s taken off my plate? Aside from the after-hours calls that still go to me, I’ve been able to go back to just being a regular captain.”

Joey gave him a flat look, but Chase didn’t spill. There would be a time for that, but it wasn’t here or now.

He stayed successfully mum on the topic the rest of his shift and even behaved himself when Hannah arrived for work the next morning. Tough to do, when he was fighting the urge to pull her close and kiss her breathless.

“Any idea if we have a scanner around here somewhere?” she asked from behind her father’s computer as he prepared to leave.

“Here?” Chase looked around an office stuck in the 1980s. “You’re kidding, right?”

“I figured as much. But I was thinking—if we could scan all these papers and save them to the computer, it’d actually be easier to find stuff. Well, the stuff needing to be found, anyway. I have no idea why Dad saved half this crap. I mean, seriously, does he really need meeting agendas from three years ago? Wednesday, I almost started chucking things into the dumpster, but then I thought, my luck, I’d throw out the first thing he came back and went searching for.”

Chase rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, I don’t think the chief would be very happy if he saw that all his history had been pitched.”

“Which is why the scanner idea seems like it might work,” she said. “Think we might have money in the budget for one?”

“Not sure, but if I were you, I’d call Mildred Stevenson, the town secretary. She may know of an unused scanner lying around in someone’s office. Then you won’t have to mess with the purchasing paper trail.”

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