Forever Hers by Walters, Ednah (top 50 books to read txt) 📕

microwave said it was nine-ten. “Aren’t you supposed to meet your father at nine?”

“I rescheduled. Coffee?”

“Yes, thank you.” She watched him pour the dark brew then add vanilla creamer. Not only had he thought of her preference while preparing breakfast, he had let her sleep in. He made it so hard to stay mad at him. She wasn’t one to hold a grudge, but she needed to guard her heart.

He turned and offered her the drink, then studied her. “How are you feeling?”

“Great. You?”

“Not so great. I hate sleeping alone.”

Me too. “You’ll get used to it.”

He laughed. “You’re funny.”

“I know. Go and get ready for your meeting while I finish here.”

“Thank you,” he said with relief then stole a kiss and sauntered out of the room. She had no chance in hell of resisting him, but she was determined to try. After all, after the trip to Charlottesville, he would be back in L.A. while she...

Her throat closed. She couldn’t continue to work at the lake house or accept the position at Chase’s restaurant. Lauren might have a different family that needed a housesitter/housekeeper, so all hope wasn’t lost.

Refusing to become a cliché and mope around like a tragic heroine, she got busy fixing his mess. The eggs tasted worse than they looked, so she did her best to fix them then adjusted the setting on the toaster and popped in more bread. When they settled around the table to eat, it was to a scrumptious breakfast. Raelynn wolfed down her food then went back to her dollhouse, leaving the two of them alone.

Eddie didn’t appear to be in a hurry to leave. He leaned back against his chair and sipped his coffee, his gaze on her. She squirmed.

“Shouldn’t you be going? If our flight is at noon, we’ll need to be at the airport at least an hour early to check in and go through security.”

“We won’t need to. Lex insisted we use the company jet. I’ll try to keep the meeting with my father short, but be ready to leave by eleven. I want us in Charlottesville before dinner, which reminds me. I spoke with Briggs this morning. Everything is going according to plan. I’ll fill you in later.”

He’d been cagey about his so-called plan, but now she wanted to know everything. She might love him, but she couldn’t afford to be too trusting. She hated having doubts about him now, but last night soured things between them.

“What about Lori? Is she coming here or will she meet us at the airport?”

“She’s coming here. I spoke with her already.” He glanced at Raelynn, who was lost in her make-believe world. “We can take all Raelynn’s new toys if you like. It’s a long flight and since it will be just the four of us, there will be enough space for her to play.”

“Okay.”

He looked at his watch and got up, then he walked to her side, cupped her face and lifted her chin. He studied her face for such a long time she thought he’d say he loved her again.

“Be ready by eleven,” he said instead, then pressed his lips to hers.

She watched him leave; wishing she knew what went on in his head. Before he walked through the door, he glanced back, smiled and put on his aviator sunglasses. She forced her heart to behave.

She was still lingering at the table when the doorbell chimed. Lori stood in the doorway with a designer suitcase with her initials on it. Wearing boots, floral dress shirt and a white vest, she epitomized Boho-chic.  “Is my brother gone?”

Amy forced a smile. “Yes.”

“Good, because I have someone here who’s dying to meet you.” She stepped aside and an older woman stepped out from the car at the curb. The gray eyes and black hair sprinkled with gray gave her identity away before Lori said, “This is my mother, Iona Fitzgerald. Mom, Amy Kincaid.”

***

Eddie entered the building, looked around and grinned. It didn’t matter that it was a Saturday, his station was overcrowded and loud, cheap perfume and coffee permeating the air. After Sandpoint Police Department, it was nice to be back.

Ignoring everyone, he walked past people waiting to talk to detectives, those who had just made bail, desks with cops conducting interviews, processing criminals or busy on their computers. He made it clear past the main room before someone noticed him.

“Fitzgerald is back.”

“Nice tan, Fitz. Vacation agrees with you.”

Eddie flipped him off and kept going.

“Duck. Incoming.”

Eddie blocked the playful punch, a dig at the incident that got him suspended in the first place.

“Come on, give it up for Fritz,” someone added. “He was right. Saunders was clean as a whistle.” Applause and whistles followed.

Eddie grinned, happy to be vindicated. He’d known his former partner was innocent. Funny his father hadn’t mentioned it last night. Eddie gave them a mock salute and continued to the inner office.

Commander Lucas Fitzgerald was talking to one of the new female detectives, but dismissed her when he saw Eddie.

“It’s good to have you back, son,” he said as he walked around the desk to give him a hug.

“I still have a few days of my suspension left. Then anger management class to complete and a psych evaluation.”

His father chuckled. “I know. I pulled a few strings after the IA cleared Saunders, so your suspension was reduced to three weeks. Officially, you can have your badge back.” His father opened a drawer, removed the badge and slid it across his desk.

“Thank you.” Eddie turned the badge over and touched the seal. Weird. The excitement of getting it back wasn’t there. Until a month ago, he’d lived and breathed his job. Perhaps he’d get his mojo back once Nolan Reither was behind bars. “What about my gun?”

“You have to finish anger management class and have a psych evaluation first before you can get it back. You are also confined to your desk until you pass both.”

Eddie leaned against the chair and pinched the bridge of his