Page 83 of Love Resurrected
“We go back a long way, the chief and me. He was a friend of my father’s, and he’s given me a lot of leeway over the years. But if this wasn’t the breaking point for him, I’ll be surprised. I’m at the point now where I need to be serious about my choices. He can’t possibly keep giving me fourth and fifth chances without the other guys getting bent out of shape.”
“Guys like Neil?”
“Yeah, that prick.”
“I agree. I think I called him that in my head earlier today, as a matter of fact.” She giggles.
“Ah, great minds think alike and all that.”
“Why do you think you do the stupid stuff?”
“Honest answer?” I turn to look at her. In my attempts to be honest with myself, I suppose I should be honest with her.
“Yes, please.”
“I don’t care. About anything. I’m trying to change that, make it more of anI didn’t care about anything.You know, past tense, but it’s hard.”
“I’m sorry.” She reaches her hand over and touches my arm. “I can’t begin to know how you feel. I was a child when my mom left us, but I still feel the loss every day.”
“You haven’t talked to her since she left?”
“No. Once she decided she was done, then she was done.”
“Wow. That’s awful.” I turn to give her my best sympathetic look and hope it’s convincing. It’s not one I’ve used often over the last few years, and I think I’m out of practice.
I pull into the station and park next to her car. Even though it’s in the next spot, I still walk her to it and kiss her goodnight on the cheek.
“Thank you for a great evening,” I surprise myself by telling her, even though it’s true.
She looks up at me, her face a mix of surprise and appreciation. “I should thank you,” she says. “You showed me a whole different side to you tonight. It was fun and unexpected. I liked it.”
I watch her as she pulls away. For lack of anything better to do, I follow her home to make sure she gets there safely, though there’s no reason she wouldn’t. As I turn to make my way out of her neighborhood to head home, my phone rings.
Ethan.
I answer through my car system. “Hey bud, you were—”
“B, can you get to the hospital, man? It’s bad. I’m scared. She’s bleeding. And the baby—”
“I’m on my way. Do you need anything?”
“Can you let Tenley know?”
“I just left her house. I’ll get her and we’ll be there in a minute. Don’t worry, everything will be okay.”
I disconnect the call, make a quick U-turn, and speed back to Tenley’s, calling her as I go.
29
Tenley
I’ve barely kicked my shoes off before my phone is ringing.
Brad.
“Did you follow me home?” I smile.
“I’m thirty seconds away. Be outside waiting. Sadie is in the hospital.” He disconnects before I can say anything else. It can’t be the baby; his voice was too serious.
