Trusting Will (The Camerons of Tide's Way #3)

by Skye Taylor

  “I want to wake up with you in my arms every morning and go to sleep after making wild passionate love. But there’s more to it than that. I love you. I love who you are. Even when you worry about everything.”

  He dragged his hand through his hair. “I love Sam. I want to be his dad. Not his real dad. I know he already has one in heaven, but I want to be the dad that’s going to be around for him to grow up with. I want to teach him about things. About girls and sports and how to be a man. The stuff boys need to learn from their fathers.

  “But mostly, I want to be your husband. I know you think I live a dangerous life, but that’s about to change too. I want to be around for a long time. I want us to grow old together. I want to love you for the rest of my life.”

  He paused in his litany.

  “But this is about you, too. Don’t tell me no until you’ve had time to think about what you really want. What you want deep down inside of you. Because just maybe I’m the guy who can give it to you. So, please, don’t say anything right now. Think about it first. Okay?”

  BREE THOUGHT about it all week. She had trouble thinking about anything else.

  If she was ever going to trust her heart to a man again, Will had to be that man. Trusting Will had become her mantra all week. She made every decision, even little day-to-day ones, with the thought of trusting Will clutching at her heart.

  With Sam back in the apartment, there could be no overnights. No falling asleep, sprawled together in sated contentment. No waking with Will’s arm tucked firmly around her waist. They made love quietly in her frilled and flowery bedroom long after Sam had fallen into the dead sleep of an active little boy. There were condoms in her bedside table now, and she’d contemplated calling her doctor for a prescription. But the question of trusting Will with forever still loomed.

  She had not even told Will she was in love with him. She’d only just admitted the truth to herself. She still struggled with the ramifications of being married to a cop. A trooper, she corrected herself. Will was a trooper. But it meant the same thing. The same dangerous occupation. The same potential for heartbreak. If there was to be any turning back, it had to come soon before she got in any deeper than she already was. But she couldn’t bring herself to tell him that either.

  Sam was delighted when Will showed up for supper every night. He didn’t question the change. He just chattered through the meal, happy to share everything about his day with Will as much as his mom. More than half the time, Will put him to bed, too. Another thing they both seemed to enjoy and another thing Bree worried about if this arrangement was not going to be permanent. She had to make up her mind before she broke everyone’s hearts.

  As they cruised north in Will’s Jeep, Bree gazed across at him, thinking during the whole ride about the issue of trust. They were headed to the big regional Pinewood Derby. Sam and another competing scout whose mom had to work while his dad was out of town were in the back seat arguing amiably over who had the best chance of winning. So there had been no personal conversation, but just the way Will kept looking at her, she knew he was thinking about the same thing.

  As they drove into the city, Bree gave up studying Will and glanced out the window.

  “I’m glad you’re driving. I’d never have found this place,” Bree commented as he navigated a warren of little side streets.

  “I used to be stationed up here.” He grinned at her and turned into the parking lot of a sprawling elementary school surrounded by pavement and chain link fencing. “I’ve actually been inside this building before. When I was a rookie, I got assigned to a couple of assemblies to talk about street smarts.”

  “I bet you were good at it.” She could picture him charged up with enthusiasm and an auditorium full of grade school kids hanging on his every word.

  “I’m a better lover.” He wagged his eyebrows at her and made her blush.

  He pulled the Jeep into an empty spot and turned to the boys in the back. “Ready to go show them what Pack 84 is made of?”

  The boys tumbled out of the car and joined a stream of uniformed Cub Scouts funneling their way into a side door. As Will reached for Bree’s hand, he smiled down at her with so much love in his eyes that it made her catch her breath. She still hadn’t told him she loved him. She opened her mouth to speak, but just then a hand clapped down on Will’s shoulder, and he turned away.

  “When did you turn into a Boy Scout?” A man even taller than Will flicked the neatly rolled blue and gold tie that hung down the front of Will’s smartly pressed khaki scout shirt.

  “I’ve always been one. Made it all the way to Eagle Scout.” Will laughed and turned to Bree. “This is Ross Coleman, the most irreverent trooper I know. Ross, Brianna Reagan.” He hesitated as if he wanted to say more and added, “Her son is one of the racers today.”

  “We’ll be cheering against each other then. Ross Jr. is determined to win, and I think he’s got a pretty good chance.”

  The three of them walked into the building together and into the din of a hundred boys and twice as many adults. A man with a microphone was doing his best to get the crowd’s attention, but people continued to talk over him.

  Bree had a headache already. If she had her way, she’d head right back out the door and wait in the Jeep, but Sam would be very disappointed in her if she did. So, she did what most of the other parent-spectators were doing. She climbed up into the wooden bleachers and found a seat with a good view of the race tracks. She saved a space for Will if he had a chance to join her and concentrated on locating her son. When she spotted him finally, he was standing at Will’s side. She relaxed and thought about where her life should go from here.

  She pressed her forehead into the palms of her hands and closed her eyes. Doing her best to block out the noise and confusion around her, she thought about the days since she and Will had first made love and thought about the decision she needed to make.

  For each of the thirteen days since she had woken up in Will’s arms and heard his declaration of love, she had considered her answer. He’d told her to take her time to think about it, and he hadn’t put any pressure on her to make up her mind.

  He loved her. Probably more than she deserved. And they were good together. They could probably be even better if she committed herself to the relationship as irrevocably as Will already had. It had only been two weeks, but so far there had been no alarms, no nail-biting nights waiting for him to come home from God only knew what kind of day. In fact, he’d been home ahead of her most nights, and her kitchen smelled like dinner the moment she walked in the door.

  Because of his crutches, Bree had been driving Sam to school and picking him up, and when they arrived home, Will greeted them at the door. She’d been shocked the first night, wondering how he’d gotten in. But it turned out Sam had “loaned” him his key. It was as if the two were ganging up on her, trying to convince her to say yes.

  There was no maybe in Sam’s mind. He took their altered situation in stride and made the most of it. Will, for all his confident, can-do attitude, seemed less sure of himself. She sensed it sometimes in the way he touched her. She saw it in his eyes as he hovered over her, staring into her eyes in the hushed, expectant moments before he made love to her. He hadn’t said anything, but he acted as though he were walking a tightrope. She wasn’t being fair to him, stringing things out like she had.

  A fresh assault of shouting brought her out of her reverie. Scouts were jumping up and down as the first heats began. She spied Sam again. He was like a limpet, staying close to Will wherever the man went. He clutched his bright green racer in one hand while the other reached out now and then to balance himself against Will’s side.

  Everything Will had said he wanted to be for her son, he was already doing a good job of. With no reason in the world except unselfish love, Will was being the father, the man Sam so desperately needed t
o have in his life. Tears started in Bree’s eyes as the realization of her decision coalesced in her heart. Everything Will had promised to be for her, was hers for the taking. She just had to put aside the fear that had isolated her for far too long and reach out.

  Bree thought about the house Will had taken her to see. A kitchen with space for a table big enough to feed a whole Cub Scout den. And four bedrooms. A man alone had no need for such a large place. A man with a growing family did. Will was not an adrenaline junkie looking for his next high. He was a man putting down roots and planning for his future. A future that included her, she realized now. She wondered if he had held off signing the papers because he wanted her name to be on them.

  She thought about the Rapid Response Team he’d made the short list for. He hadn’t discussed it with her, and she hadn’t dared to ask. It sounded dangerous. But if it was something he believed in doing—if he was convinced it was a better way for him to make a difference, then she shouldn’t try to dissuade him. Service to others was a part of who Will was. Part of the man she had fallen in love with.

  Her gaze followed him as he moved about, talking to another leader for a moment, bending to congratulate Timmy, the boy who’d ridden up with them, on his third place finish. Chatting with one of the race officials with his hand resting on Sam’s shoulder. The official handed Sam a bright red ribbon, and Will gave Sam a high five before squatting down and pulling him into a celebratory hug.

  Sam hugged Will back as his crutches clattered to the floor. Timmy picked one of them up and Will the other. A moment later they were all scanning the bleachers. Looking for her, no doubt. She stood so they could see her and made her way down the steps to meet them halfway.

  To meet her future halfway. There really wasn’t a lot she needed to say. Just four words. I love you, and Yes.

  Chapter 24

  NONE OF THE BOYS won first place, but they all seemed pretty upbeat as they left the regional Pinewood Derby. Even Gareth wore his ribbon for participation with a grin of satisfaction. Ross Junior had won the derby just as his father had predicted, but Ross Coleman was generous in his congratulations to Timmy and Sam as they said goodbye in the parking lot before everyone piled into Will’s Jeep.

  As they got on the road, Bree debated how and when or where she would tell Will her decision. Not here in the Jeep because she felt sure such a momentous occasion should be sealed with a kiss. Maybe tonight. Maybe she would include Sam. Or maybe she would wait until he was asleep and they were alone. Her breathing quickened as she pictured Will’s face when she told him.

  They hadn’t been on the road ten minutes before Timmy spoke up from the back seat. “I have to pee.”

  Bree rolled her eyes at Will. He shrugged as if he expected as much.

  “Can you wait until we find a gas station?” Will asked, glancing at the boy in the rearview mirror.

  Timmy nodded.

  A few miles later a GoGas sign loomed up on the left. Will pulled in and parked. He got out to accompany Timmy inside.

  “You go too, Sam,” Bree told her son. “Then we won’t have to stop again.”

  Will ducked his head back inside to ask, “We’ll get some snacks and drinks for the trip home. You want anything?” Bree shook her head, and Will hurried to follow the boys inside. Even with his crutches, Sam got around pretty fast.

  WITH THE VISIT to the men’s room taken care of, they each chose a drink from the cooler. Will grabbed two bottles of water, just in case Bree changed her mind.

  “Only one thing,” Will told Timmy, who already had a sleeve of mini donuts and a bag of chips and was reaching for a package of cupcakes.

  Sam balanced on his crutches and chose a bag of Doritos that he handed to Will to carry. They made their way to the cash register.

  Two hooded men crowded close against the counter in front of the clerk. Will reacted instinctively. He stopped walking and held out an arm to halt the boys beside him as well. His heart raced, but he kept his breathing even and studied the two men closely.

  If this was a holdup, neither of the guys wearing hoodies appeared to be armed, but just in case, Will didn’t want Sam or Timmy anywhere near what was going down. If the questionable hoodie-wearing guys hadn’t been between Will and the door, he’d have left their snacks behind and ushered the boys outside. Then he’d have come back to check things out. As it was, he could only urge the boys back out of sight behind a display of souvenirs.

  The boys scrambled into the nook Will pointed to. Their eyes went wide with surprise. Will held a finger to his lips to silence them before either boy could ask him what was going on.

  The clerk’s hand shot up holding a gun. Will moved instinctively again, but before he could get to them, one of the would-be robbers grabbed the gun out of the clerk’s hand. It went off, and the clerk disappeared behind the counter. Will yanked his phone from his pocket and dialed 911. That’s when the robbers turned and saw him.

  Neither wore masks. Not good. If they’d managed to either wound or kill the clerk, they’d be desperate to get away without being caught. Even though they had no way of knowing Will was a trooper, he could still identify them.

  Will dropped his unanswered phone in his pocket and raised his hands.

  “On the floor!” the robber shouted. He waved his gun in Will’s direction.

  Will sank to his knees, praying Sam and Timmy would stay out of sight. The kid with the gun couldn’t be more than eighteen, and his hand shook violently. No guessing what he’d do if he got spooked.

  Will assessed his chances of disarming the kid. Or getting to the second perp, who stood about five feet away to one side. Not good if the jumpy kid with the gun reacted without thinking. The second robber looked older. Maybe early twenties. Less frightened-looking. He’d probably done this before.

  “Keep your eyes on this guy while I check the aisles,” the older robber ordered. Will kept his eyes averted while still checking the guy out. His heart sank when he saw the telltale shape of a second handgun in the guy’s pocket. He pushed his hand in on top of the gun, and his fingers closed around the grip, but he didn’t remove it from the pocket. He’d probably shoot right through the fabric if he felt he had to shoot at all.

  For the first few minutes, Will’s heart had raced, and he’d just reacted. Now his training kicked in. He was in control and processing his options logically. Eventually the second guy was going see the boys. Will tried to inch his way in their direction.

  “Don’t move!” the teenager yelled.

  Will froze. Before he could come up with an alternative plan, the older robber appeared at the end of the aisle.

  “Get out there with your leader,” he ordered as he strode toward the now terrified boys.

  Timmy scrambled to Will’s side. His eyes were enormous and frightened. Sam was slowed down by his crutches. He looked behind him, then at Will with fear in his eyes.

  “Move it,” the man in the aisle ground out in an angry voice. His gun was no longer in his pocket. He aimed at Sam’s head.

  Will lunged for Sam, shielding him with his own body as they crashed into the souvenir display. Something slammed into Will’s back just below his right shoulder blade, and he fell. He’d been shot. Not by the in-control youth smirking down at him as he swaggered closer, but by the nervous teenager.

  “That’ll teach you to play hero, Boy Scout.”

  Will gritted his teeth against the pain and forced himself to sit up. “Leave them alone.”

  “Why should I?” the youth sneered.

  “They’re just kids.” Will kept his voice calm.

  “Couple of little Cub Scout turds,” the youth spat.

  “You’re going to be sorry,” Sam spoke up. “He’s a—”

  Will jerked Sam’s crutch out from under his arm. Sam fell into Will’s lap, sending a lightning bolt of
pain through his shoulder.

  Sam looked at Will in shock, his mouth round with surprise. “Wha—”

  “He’s an overgrown Boy Scout who’s too dumb to do what he’s told,” the gun-wielding robber snarled. “Now stay put, and don’t do anything else stupid.” The robber strode across to the counter and ducked behind it. “Get up, you lying sack of shit.”

  A moment later the clerk who had not been hit got to his feet and started to run. The robber smashed the butt of his gun down over the clerk’s head.

  “Put that gun in your pocket before you do something even stupider with it.” The older of the two was obviously the ringleader. He hit something on the cash register, and the drawer opened. He began shoveling bills into his pockets.

  If they planned to kill us, they’d have done it by now. The ringleader would have at least shot the clerk when he made an attempt to flee. Instead, he just put his lights out for a while. I got shot because the kid overreacted. Will began sorting through a series of disjointed thoughts, trying to put together a plan. Then the sirens began. He’d forgotten his phone with the 911 call placed before he’d jammed it out of sight into his pocket.

  A moment later blue lights began flashing across the interior of the convenience store.

  “Shit!” The older robber stopped grabbing money and shoved the drawer closed.

  “Maybe we can get out the back?” the kid suggested hopefully.

  “Are you a complete idiot? They’ll have the back covered too.”

  Two uniforms came in the front door, guns drawn, sweeping the area with both guns and eyes. Immediately the older of the two robbers shoved a gun against Sam’s ear.

  “Back off, or I shoot the kid.”

  “Let the kid go. We can talk,” one of the cops said in a level voice.

  “Get out!” the robber screamed and shoved the gun against Sam’s ear harder. Sam cried out as tears began rolling down his cheeks.