Page 121 of Sergeant O'
I grinned. “I told her to just put them in my house with Alan, but she refuses.”
“Oh, that’s right.” She slid off the counter and poured more coffee into her travel mug. “Alan’s supposed to get here today with your truck. No more bumming rides and borrowing cars for you!”
“Thank God.”
She nodded toward my attire—Angus insisted I wear a tie when I was at the station if I wasn’t going to be in uniform.
“I thought you had physical therapy today?”
“I did. It was earlier.”
With a sigh, she poured creamer into her mug, then leaned back against the counter. “What are we going to do when you go back to regular duty?”
“Angus and I have been talking…”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh? Do tell.”
“I asked to go on midnights and work my schedule so it lines up as close to yours as possible.”
She set her mug down and wrapped an arm around my neck. “Or… I can switch my schedule and work days. Four tens, to matchyourschedule.”
“You really wanna do that?”
“I want to be with you as much as I can. I know you’ll still have overtime, and I probably will, too. But maybe if we at least have the same days off…”
“We could have a baby.”
The words were out before I even realized it.
Her eyes got big, then a small smile crept across her face.
“I’m not having a baby unless I’m married first.”
I gave her a wink.
“Way ahead of you, Sunshine. Except, you won’t see the proposal coming—I’m that good.”
Epilogue
Alan
Two days on the road and I was ready to trade my right arm for a good cup of coffee. Fortunately, I knew exactly the place.
As I drove down Main toward Lainey’s bakery, I noticed Haven Springs looked exactly how I’d left it; something I found comforting.
I wasn’t planning on staying in town long. I’d come to return Brian’s truck and spend some time with my little brother and his new family before I headed back to Lancastle. My parents were flying in tomorrow to meet Lainey and Conor. At Lainey’s insistence, they were staying with Adam and her. Brian said I could crash next door at his place since he’d been staying at Jade’s.
I think that was his way of letting me know she was officially off-limits.
I found a parking space right out front and took a second to stretch my back once I got out of the truck before going inside.
The bell over the bakery door jingled when I opened it. The smell hit me first—sugar, coffee, warm bread. Lainey stood behind the counter in a pinkBeaumont Bakeryapron, while Jade leaned against it, talking animatedly with her hands She paused mid-sentence when she noticed me and lit up in a smile.
“Alan!”
“Hello, ladies,” I said. “I’m in need of coffee.”
Lainey laughed. “You came to the right place. I just made a fresh pot.” She reached for a mug, then paused and looked back at me. “Or were you thinking an espresso or cappuccino?”
