Chapter Sixteen

  Derek knew his new co-workers weren’t expecting him at the station bright and early on Saturday morning, but he had a few hours to spare before he met with his real estate agent. He thought he should be productive instead of wasting any more time obsessing about Ashley.

  He’d done everything he could—left countless voicemail messages, called Josh, stopped by her house—all to no avail. She knew he needed to see her, but she was obviously determined to make him sweat it out.

  A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. “Come in.”

  Mike stood in the doorway clutching a file. “You got a minute, Chief?”

  They hadn’t seen or spoken to each other since Ashley’s birthday party, and Derek had no idea how he would feel now that he’d officially taken over as his boss. “Yeah, come on in. I was just settlin’ in.”

  Mike surprised him by extending his hand. “It’s good to have you on our team.”

  Derek reached across the desk to grasp his hand without thinking twice. If Mike was ready to call a truce, he would welcome the opportunity to make amends. “Thanks, Mike. It feels damn good to be back.”

  “Mind if I sit down?”

  He gestured to one of the chairs on the opposite side of the desk. “Be my guest.”

  “Congratulations on breaking that case back in Little Rock.” He cleared his throat and held the manila file folder tighter. “That was some amazing police work.”

  “I can’t take all the credit. It was a team effort.” Derek glanced at the file. “You wanna go over a case?”

  Mike suddenly looked uncomfortable. “Uh, no, not exactly.” He took a deep breath and passed the file across the desk. “There’s somethin’ I wanna show you.” He shrugged. “I thought it might help you understand.”

  Derek opened the file and was shocked to see newspaper clippings of various high profile cases he’d worked on over the years. “Oh wow,” he said, holding the most recent one in his trembling hand. “These date back years…” He looked up at Mike. “A lot of years.”

  “I wanted to be just like you.” He looked at the worn newspaper clippings instead of looking Derek in the eye. “I thought if I could figure out how you did it, you know, solved cases, then maybe I could be as good a cop as you someday.”

  Derek cleared his throat. He didn’t know what the hell to say to that. Other officers and superiors had praised his skill and work ethic before, but he knew with Mike, it was personal. “I’m flattered, hell, beyond flattered.”

  Mike lowered his head. “After you left, I asked my old man if I could subscribe to the local newspapers in Arkansas. I knew I could just look it up online, but there’s something about seeing it in print, ya know?”

  Derek shook his head. He rarely read the coverage of his cases, but knowing that Mike did made him glad he’d been fortunate enough to garner so much publicity in his career.

  “Do you get it now?” Mike asked quietly. “You were my idol, man. Then you just bailed on us. That was a really shitty thing to do.”

  Derek closed the file and set it aside before leaning forward. “You’re right; it was. I’m not even gonna try to give you an excuse, because the truth is, I can’t. What I did was inexcusable. You and your brother were great kids. I loved you like you were my own sons, but…”

  “But you thought you were doing us a favor by leavin’? You thought if you weren’t in the picture, maybe my parents could work it out.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “Jay. He said I should listen to what you had to say.” He smirked. “He also said I should cut you some slack, ‘cause I sure as hell ain’t perfect.” Mike sobered as he looked Derek in the eye. “He’s right; I’m not.”

  “None of us are.”

  “But I expected you to be ‘cause you were larger than freakin’ life to Jay and me. My parents were the disciplinarians, especially my old man, but you were so cool. You’d take us places, coach our teams, let us ride in the front seat of your sports car with the top down.” He laughed. “It may seem stupid now, but we thought it was the coolest thing.”

  Derek smiled at the memory of the boys begging him to put the top down at the first hint of decent weather. They didn’t want to take the school bus; instead they wanted Uncle Derek to drive them to school so they could show off for their friends. “I remember.”

  Mike laughed. “You were this badass SWAT dude. Nobody at school wanted to mess with us.”

  “Your old man was a badass too, ya know?”

  He shook his head. “I know. I love my dad. He’s the best, but you were the guy we counted on when we couldn’t go to our parents with stuff, ya know?”

  “Yeah, I know.” Derek had never felt smaller than he did seeing the disappointment reflected in Mike’s eyes. “I’m sorry. I screwed up, big time.”

  “Yeah, well… since we’re gonna be workin’ together now, I thought we should try to put the past behind us.”

  “I’d like that a lot.”

  “You’re still the best,” Mike said quietly. “And I wanna learn from the best.” He smirked. “Just so you know, I’m gunnin’ for this office one day.”

  “That’s okay by me. I figure I’ll be ready to give it up in another ten years or so anyways.”

  “About my mom…”

  Derek held his breath, waiting. “What about her?”

  “If you two wanna try to work it out, I’m cool with that.”

  Derek’s face split into a grin. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear you say that.”

  He shrugged. “I just want her to be happy. She hasn’t been happy in a really, really long time. Not since before you left.”

  “Her happiness is the only thing that matters to me.”

  Mike stood up and extended his hand again, a smile tugging at his lips. “Just so ya know, you hurt her and you’ll have me to answer to.”

  “Hey, speakin’ of your mama… do you happen to know where she is?”

  “She was visiting my grandparents, but she must have decided to cut the trip short ‘cause I just got a text askin’ me to pick her up at the airport in about an hour.”

  Derek smiled. “You mind if I do the honors?”

  “Be my guest.”

  After a day and a half, Ashley knew hiding out at her parents’ house was a waste of time. She needed to return home, contact a real estate agent, and start packing. She made some important decisions while she was away. Just because she and Derek weren’t going to be moving on together, that didn’t mean it wasn’t time for her to move on alone.

  She loved her old house, but she didn’t want to live in the past anymore. She was thinking about a nice little bungalow within walking distance of the elementary school where she worked. She could have flowers and a little vegetable garden, maybe a few fruit trees and a swimming pool, but most important, it would be all hers. There wouldn’t be any ghosts from her past haunting the hallways.

  Ashley was busy looking for Mike’s black SUV, so she didn’t see Derek right away. When she did, she stepped off the curb and nearly did a nosedive onto the concrete.

  He looked so handsome; she had to slip her sunglasses back in place to hide her reaction to him. He was wearing faded blue jeans and a light blue, graphic print T-shirt that matched his eyes. Without even realizing it, he was attracting the attention of every woman walking by. But he didn’t seem to notice because he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  She dipped her head when he was only a few feet away. “Hi.” She didn’t know what else to say. She felt foolish for tracking him down in Arkansas, even more foolish for avoiding his calls since. They were going to be living in the same city. They had many of the same friends, so like it or not, they would have to learn to coexist.

  He grinned as he slipped his Maui Jim’s in the front of his shirt. “Hi, yourself. I hear you been hidin’ out with the folks?”

  She tried for righteous indignation, but didn’t quite pull it off when he caught sight of the smile she’d been trying to hide from him. “I wasn’t hiding out… exactly.”

  Derek laughed, revealing a flash of white teeth against a deep, summer tan. “What would you call it? You must know I’ve been tryin’ to reach you all goddamn week.”

  She sighed. “I know… I’m sorry. I should have answered, but I didn’t know what to say.”

  “I know what to say.” He reached for her hand and, without thinking about the consequences, she let him have it. He quickly pulled her forward and she landed against the solid wall of his chest. “How ‘bout I start by tellin’ you how much I missed you?”

  Ashley permitted herself the luxury of relaxing into his strong arms. She didn’t know where things stood between him and Rosanna, and at the moment, she couldn’t summon the energy to care. The only thing that mattered was that they were both here, together. “I missed you, too.”

  He pulled back to frame her face with his hands. “Then why the hell did you leave my condo before I got there?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Three’s a crowd, Derek.”

  “You’re right. That’s why I sent Rosanna home.”

  Her heart started beating double time. She didn’t want to allow herself to get her hopes up. There was still the not so little matter of the family she knew he wanted. “You two aren’t getting back together?”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “What the hell would give you a crazy idea like that, darlin’?”

  At the sound of his husky laughter, several women turned and shot appreciative glances his way, prompting Ashley to tighten her grip on him. Those curious onlookers needed to know he was off-limits. “She said that’s what she wanted.”

  He sighed. “Did you ever think to ask me what I wanted?”

  “I don’t—”

  He silenced her with a kiss. “Can we talk about this later? I have an appointment to get to and I want you to come with me.”

  She tried to step back, but he wouldn’t release her hand. “What kind of appointment?”

  “You’re gonna have to come with me if you wanna find out.”

  She rolled her eyes, suddenly feeling happier than she had since she slipped out of his house the morning he left town. He was here because he wanted to see her. That had to count for something, didn’t it?

  Derek knew he was taking a risk inviting Ashley on his house hunt. He didn’t even know if she still wanted a future with him. But he didn’t want to buy a house she couldn’t imagine sharing with him… eventually. No matter how long it took, he was willing to wait.

  Judging by the listings his real estate agent had sent him, the first house they were going to see was by far the best. It was tucked away in an area of Hillsboro Village he and Ashley used to love. It was so close to the university, they would often sneak away to one of the local cafés or restaurants whenever they needed a little alone time in between classes. That area had some great memories for them, before their relationship took a turn for the worse.

  Ashley smiled as they drove past the boutiques and funky vintage shops she used to love. “God, it’s been years since I’ve been here.”

  He threaded his fingers through hers. “We used to waste quite a few Sunday afternoons down here, remember?”

  “Of course I remember.” She looked out the window. “I think that’s why I haven’t been back. Everything here reminds me of you.”

  He loved that this was still their place, an area untouched by memories of the other people who shared her past. He didn’t begrudge her the husband she’d built a life with or the kids she adored, but it was nice to know there was still a place that belonged to them and only them.

  Derek turned down a tree-lined street mixed with older and newer houses. Another street they knew well. They used to walk Fairfax and the neighboring streets and imagine what it would be like to share one of the quaint houses. The newer homes were bigger and more luxurious than the ‘charming’ homes they used to favor, but they weren’t kids starting out anymore. He thought she would appreciate the added space and upgrades of the house he’d selected.

  Ashley pressed her fingers against her lips and blinked back the tears. “God, I used to love this street. That house was up for sale when Josh and I bought our first home…” She pointed at one of picturesque bungalows that would be perfect for a small family. “I just couldn’t do it. I think he knew why.”

  Derek spotted the ‘For Sale’ sign and turned into the paved drive. He sat there staring at the house for a few moments, lost in his vision of the new memories he and Ashley could create in this house. It was perfect. “Wow,” he whispered, smiling. “I love it. I didn’t know if the pictures would do it justice, but they do. In fact, it’s even better than I imagined.” He turned to Ashley. “Don’t you think so?”

  “It’s beautiful, but…”

  His heart sank. He knew if she didn’t love it as much as he did, they would simply keep looking, but his intuition told him this was the house for them. “You don’t like it?”

  She gestured toward the house with a trembling hand. “What’s not to love? It’s gorgeous, I mean from the outside, but…”

  The real estate agent waved as she pulled into the double drive beside them. He’d called a woman Ty used to know from his high school days. In fact, if memory served, they were once an item, but Derek couldn’t swear to it. With four boys, there’d been a parade of pretty girls through the McCall house over the years.

  “Come on,” he said, reaching for his door handle. “Let’s see if this house looks as good on the inside as it does on the outside.” If the virtual tour was any indication, he knew Ashley would be impressed.

  “Hey, y’all,” Tanya said, stepping out of her shiny convertible. She walked around to the front of Derek’s truck, giving him an enthusiastic hug before he could reach Ashley’s side of the vehicle to help her out.

  “Hey, Tanya, long time no see. How’s life been treatin’ ya?”

  She grinned. “I can’t complain. I married my business partner. We’ve got twin boys. All in all, life’s pretty good.” She poked him in the ribs. “Not as good as it is for that hot shot brother of yours, though.” She rolled her eyes. “If I’d known he was gonna hit the big time, I wouldn’t have ditched him the night of our senior prom.”

  Derek laughed. “I’ll tell him you said that.”

  “If I had a dollar for every dumb mistake I’ve made over the years, I wouldn’t have to work for a living.”

  Lord, did he know how she felt. “With age comes wisdom, right?”

  She set her large-framed sunglasses on top of her head, pushing her shiny blond tresses away from her face in the process. “God, I hope so.” She walked toward Ashley and offered her hand. “You must be the lucky Mrs. McCall.”

  Ashley glanced up at Derek, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “Uh—”

  “Why don’t we get started on that tour you promised me, Tanya? I can’t wait to see the inside.” He didn’t feel the need to explain their relationship to a virtual stranger, and he could tell Ashley appreciated the reprieve.

  Tanya pulled the keys out of her oversize designer handbag. “You got it, Derek. I have the keys right here. The owners have already moved out of state, and they didn’t want a lockbox on the house, so they just left the keys with their agent. Another agent in our office has the listing, and he assures me the vendors are very motivated.” Her high heels tapped against the cobblestone walkway as she led them to the stained mahogany door.

  Derek pressed a hand to Ashley’s back, encouraging her to move forward. Judging by the look on her face, she would flee at the slightest provocation. Like he would let that happen; hell, he’d stand guard by the door if he had to.

  Tanya glanced at the gun and badge strapped to the waist of his jeans before she opened the door and punched in the alarm code. “So, you’re one of Nashville’s finest, huh?”

  “I am now. I just packed up my place in Arkansas last week.”

  “Well, welcome home.”

  He smiled as he pulled Ashley against his side. The look on her face when she looked around the main floor of the open-concept house said it all. She loved it as much as he did. “Thanks, it’s great to be back.”

  “How’s the real estate market in Arkansas?”

  “It must be good. I got two offers on my two-story penthouse within twenty-four hours of puttin’ it on the market.”

  Her lacquered mouth fell open. “Are you serious? God, I thought multiple offers were a thing of the past in this economy.”

  He shrugged. “I guess I got lucky. My building always had a waiting list and there were only four penthouse suites in total.” He followed Ashley’s gaze into the cozy family home off the gourmet kitchen. It had wall-to-wall built-in cabinets, painted soft ivory, a floor-to-ceiling fireplace, hardwood floors, and impressive plaster mouldings. He wouldn’t change a thing. Everything, right down to the furniture, was perfect.

  Tanya smiled. “You just might be gettin’ lucky this time around, too. This house was custom built about eight years ago, but they spared no expense. Everything, from the kitchen to the games room, is top quality.”

  Derek didn’t know a lot about new home construction, but even a layperson could see this was a quality house. “I like what I see so far.” He squeezed Ashley’s waist. “What about you, sweetheart? What do you think?”

  Ashley gaped up at him, as though she was at a loss for words.

  Tanya’s cellphone buzzed and she checked the screen. “Damn. My husband’s supposed to be showing the house down the street, but he got caught up making an offer, so I’m gonna have to head over there and meet up with his clients.”

  Ashley slipped out of his grasp and crossed the foyer to investigate the kitchen.

  Derek wasn’t ready to leave this house. In fact, he didn’t know if he’d ever be ready to leave, and judging by Ashley’s reverent expression, she felt the same way. “You mind if I lock up for you?” He grinned. “You can trust me.”

  She laughed. “Of course, take your time.” She handed him the keys. “I’m so sorry to have to bail on you like this.”