Page 11 of Once Upon a Holidate
“There is a different rhythm here. It’s a good place to raise a family. I enjoyed growing up here and I’m glad to be back.”
“You never had more kids?” she asked.
“Nope. Just Joylyn. I thought I’d have more. I was married for a while and we talked about it, but somehow it never happened.”
“You’re divorced?” she asked.
He nodded. “It was unfortunate but not dramatic. We were both busy with our jobs. I was gone a lot and we drifted apart.”
“How were you gone a lot?” she asked. “I thought police officers worked regular hours.”
Their server brought over their food. Garrick thanked her, then looked at Wynn.
“I took on a few special projects. For several years I was part of a task force with the DEA. I did a little undercover work, and that meant being gone for several weeks at a time.”
Wynn stared at him. “You were an undercover agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration?”
He picked up a french fry. “It wasn’t like the movies. I went undercover locally a few times, then had a couple of assignments in Colombia. That’s about when my marriage hit the skids, which was bad, but losing Joylyn was worse.”
Wynn did the math. “That’s the rough patch you mentioned, when she was fifteen?”
“Yeah, and that was not an easy transition. She got very independent very quickly and told me she didn’t need to spend time with me. Every time I came back from an assignment, I hoped she had changed her mind, but she never did.” He sighed. “Teenagers aren’t easy.”
“Don’t say that. Hunter’s fourteen.”
“Brace yourself.”
“I don’t want to. I want him to be eight forever.”
Garrick laughed. “Sorry. You don’t get to make the rules.” He picked up his burger. “All right, I’ve been doing all the talking and I’ve surprised you with my dark, dangerous past. What don’t I know about you?”
“Nothing that exciting.” Garrick an undercover agent with the DEA. And now he was a cop in Happily Inc. That must have been quite the journey.
“You were married to a rock star?” he prompted. “Once stole artwork from the Louvre? Have a tattoo of a cobra on your back?”
She started laughing. “So you have an imagination. That’s interesting. And sadly, no to all of them.”
“You’re sad you’re not a tattooed art thief?”
“A little. My life is fairly ordinary. I have a business, I’m a single mom and that’s about it.” She paused when she realized how boring that sounded. “I mean I have friends, of course, and there have been a few men in my life.”
“Anyone I know?”
“I dated Jasper for a while.” She knew he and the local thriller writer were friends.
Garrick’s eyes widened with surprise. “When?”
“Maybe three years ago. We broke up before you moved back.” She held up a hand. “It’s fine. I’m close friends with his wife Renee, and Jasper and I have stayed close. It’s very civilized.”
“I guess, although he and I hang out and he never said anything to me.”
“How much time do you and your friends spend talking about the women in town?”
“None. You’re saying that’s why he never mentioned you. I get that. It’s good you two get along. My ex and I didn’t stay friends.” He paused as if he was going to say something else, then shook his head. “I’m okay with that.” He looked at her. “No kids other than Hunter?”
“No, although I think you would have noticed them hanging around the house. I’m not the type to keep children locked up.”
“Good to know. Did you want more kids?”
