by Chloe Lang
* * * *
Nicole stood beside one of the four dragon statues in the center of the park in downtown Destiny. She’d learned this one was called the Red Dragon, or as others called her—The Dragon of Passion. The dragon lore that permeated this tiny town was seeping into her heart, not that she would ever admit that to anyone back in Chicago.
She looked over at Sawyer and Reed, who were standing with the rest of the attendees of this ceremony. She’d been with them for over a month now.
Passion.
She’d never imagined how strong it could be, but they’d shown her so much.
She was theirs and they were hers.
How much had changed for her since she’d arrived in Destiny? Everything. The call from Jason had set the ball rolling and now here she was—about to start her new job. But this ceremony was twofold. Looking at Ethel, Gretchen, Erica, and others in attendance—who were wiping the tears from their eyes—reminded Nicole of Charlie, the man who had given his life in the line of duty at the fire.
“Charlie was the kind of man—” Jason cleared his throat, likely trying to compose himself. “He was my friend, my partner.” The sheriff looked over at Charlie’s former wife and two kids. “Ashley, it means a lot to all of us that you’re here. You and your children are important to us, to Destiny. We hope you stay, but whatever you choose to do, we’re here for you.”
With tears streaming down her eyes, the woman put her arms around her young children. “Thank you, Jason.”
“Please join me in a moment of silence for our fallen hero, Charlie Blake.”
Nicole didn’t know the whole story that had happened between Charlie and his ex, but apparently the citizens here were ready to embrace Ashley.
“Thank you,” the sheriff said. “The other reason we have gathered here today is to welcome and deputize our newest member to our town and our county, Nicole Flowers. Officer Flowers is from…”
As Jason continued detailing her law enforcement background, Nicole looked up and saw Henry walking up to join the crowd. Happy tears tickled her eyes. She’d not known he was well enough to come today, but she was so glad he had. According to his doctors, it was a miracle that he’d been able to pull through Patti’s drug cocktail. Nicole knew it was part miracle and part Henry’s grit and toughness.
Thanks to what she and everyone here in Destiny had done, along with Jaris’s testimony, Henry’s good name was restored. In a few months, he would be officially retired.
He waved at her from the back. She smiled and waved at him.
Seeing Henry here made her think about her grandfather.
Granddad would’ve been so proud of her. Though not in his beloved Chicago, she was continuing the family legacy. Since she was little, he’d told her all he wanted was for her to be happy. She looked over at Sawyer and Reed, the two men who she would spend the rest of her life with.
She was happy. So very happy.
“Without further ado,” Sheriff Jason Wolfe said, stepping in front of her, holding the badge she would wear. He turned to Ethel O’Leary, the judge of Swanson County, where Destiny resided. The woman stood between her two husbands, Patrick and Sam. “If you please, Your Honor.”
She’d been told that the three O’Learys were all in their late seventies. Even so, they were quite the sunny trio.
Ethel grinned. “Raise your right hand, please.”
She lifted her hand and felt her own pride swell in her chest.
Judge O’Leary smiled. “Repeat after me.”
As Nicole repeated the words, the oath went deep into her being, sealing her to this town, to these people, and to her future.
“I swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of Colorado and support the constitution and laws thereof; and that I will, to the best of my skill and judgment, diligently and faithfully, without partiality or prejudice, execute the office of deputy according to the constitution and laws of this state.”
Ethel turned to the crowd. “Allow me to present to you our newest law enforcement officer for our county and our town, Deputy Nicole Flowers.”
The crowd applauded.
“Speech. Speech. Speech.” Gretchen, Erica, and others in the crowd were chanting in unison.
She hadn’t prepared anything. Nervously, she looked over at her new boss, the sheriff. He smiled and nodded. “You’ll do great, Nicole.”
“Thank you, Sheriff.” Then she turned to Ethel. “Thank you, Judge.” She looked at the crowd. These were her new neighbors, the citizens she was meant to protect. Glancing at Ashley and her children, she felt for their loss. “I didn’t know Charlie well, but I realize I have very big shoes to fill. It’s clear to me that everyone in this town loved and respected him. He will be greatly missed.” She looked up at her new neighbors and zeroed in on Patrick O’Leary. She’d learned that he’d recently been appointed to the top position of the town after the previous man holding it had been called back to active duty in the Marines. “Mayor, I would like to propose an annual day of remembrance for Charlie.”
“That’s our girl,” Reed said as everyone began cheering.
“That’s our deputy,” Sheriff Jason added.
“This isn’t an official meeting, but it seems the whole town is here.” Patrick laughed. “We have a motion. Do I have a second?”
“Second,” all of Destiny said in unison.
“So let it be done,” Patrick announced.
Ethel leaned closer. “Keep this up, Nicole, and you’ll be able to run for mayor someday. I would love for Patrick to step down and take it easy.”
“I’m not built for politics, Ethel.”
“Either way. Bravo.”
After a bit, the crowd quieted.
Nicole smiled. “I promise that I will do my best for the county and for Destiny.”
Another round of applause had Reed and Sawyer rushing up to her. They hugged her tightly, each giving her a sweet kiss.
Reed walked to the mike. “Henry Underwood, would you mind coming up her to the podium?”
Nicole wondered what he was doing.
As Henry approached the stage, the crowd stood, also obviously wondering what was going on.
Reed welcomed Henry by shaking his hand. “First, let me tell you how thrilled everyone here, including me and my brother, are to see you so healthy and happy. You’re a man of honor and you tried to do your best to keep Nicole safe.”
Sawyer moved next to Reed and took the mike. “You’re a real hero in our eyes, sir.”
The crowd cheered.
Reed turned to face her. “Henry, as you know from our phone call the other day, since Nicole’s arrival, Sawyer and I have fallen deeply in love with her.”
They called Henry? When? “What’s this all about?” she whispered to them, hoping it wouldn’t be picked up by the mike.
“Patience, little one,” Reed said, and continued. “As we told you on the phone, we feel it is appropriate for us to ask you for her hand in marriage since you are like family to her.”
Henry smiled, tears in his eyes. “It would be my honor and pleasure to give my permission to you both. May you always make her happy.”
Sawyer and Reed got down on their knees in front of Nicole and the whole town.
“Nicole, you are my world and have helped me see things about myself I never could without you,” Reed said. “Would you do me the greatest of honors and become my wife?”
Sawyer took her hand. “Nicole, you are the woman I’ve always dreamed about, even better than my dreams. You have given us a family again. Would you be my wife?”
Tears of joy streamed from Nicole’s eyes. “Yes, yes, yes, to you both.”
The crowd roared and cheered.
Reed kissed her and stepped aside. Sawyer was right there to kiss her after.
Erica, followed by Ethel and other locals, ran to them with congratulatory hugs.
Surrounded by so many won
derful people, Nicole glanced up into the clear blue sky for a moment.
I am so very happy, Granddad. I’m finally home.
* * * *
Enjoying the late Saturday afternoon, Nicole sat on the tailgate of her guys’ truck with Reed on one side of her and Sawyer on the other.
Every chance she could convince them to take her out to look for Connie, they would. So far, they hadn’t seen any signs of the big cat. With Nicole’s job as deputy, these outings only occurred a few times a week.
Reed held the binoculars. “There she is.” He handed them to Nicole. “Up the mountain, baby.”
She peered into the lenses and saw the big cat climbing up to a ridge. “I see her.” Connie had fully recovered, getting the vet’s seal of approval several weeks ago. Nicole and Erica had cried when they’d taken her to be released, but both of them knew it was what the amazing creature needed.
From the very first, Nicole had felt a connection to the mountain lion. Connie was wild, strong, and self-sufficient.
Suddenly, she saw the big cat stop and turn to her. It seemed like Connie’s big golden-brown eyes were focused right on her.
“Can she see me from this far?” she asked them.
“Yes,” Sawyer said. “Connie can see much farther than we can.”
Nicole gasped when she saw movement in the brush just above where Connie stood. “Oh no.” Was the creature strong enough to face another predator? Had they released her too soon?
“There’s another mountain lion,” she told them.
“It’s about time the old girl found herself a boyfriend,” Reed said.
“You think it’s a male?” She felt him squeeze her hand.
“How’s Connie acting around the new cat?”
“She doesn’t seem overly concerned.”
“Then Reed is right, baby,” Sawyer said. “Connie’s got herself a sweetheart.”
Her heart leapt for joy, watching Connie’s new mate brush up tenderly beside her.
I’m glad you got your happy ending, Connie.
Without warning, the two beautiful creatures disappeared from view, heading into the tree line.
She handed the binoculars back to Reed. “Let’s call him Charlie.”
* * * *
4:59 p.m., Friday—TBK Tower
Reed walked into the TBK building with Nicole and Sawyer. This morning they’d just broken ground on the new house they were building for Nicole—a five bedroom, three and a half bath home not far from the family cabin. It would be a place they could make new memories together with her.
Thirty days. God, had it only been a month since their first night on the back porch with the moth? He smiled, remembering how that little insect had been the thing that had sparked what had become a whirlwind romance. He was in love.
Love? A word he had always found hard to utter. A word he only said to Nicole. It was sacred. Meant only for her.
They were coming to get Erica to take her back up to the cabin. She lived in their parents’ old home in town. A change of scenery might do her good. With Eric Knight and the Texans, TBK’s new badass programmers, in Dallas trying to weed out the malicious code Kip had planted in their system for a couple of days, Erica’s workload was lightened.
Nicole had told Scott about the getaway idea for her, and he had happily cleared the rest of her schedule. Nicole thought Erica could use some girl time to work through the guilt she was still dealing with over the attack in this very building four months ago.
God, he loved Nicole. Always wanting to do her part, to make a difference. Though the town wasn’t quite over the loss of Charlie, Reed knew with Nicole as the county’s new deputy, the healing would begin.
They came to the elevators that would take them to the top floor where Erica worked as the Knights’ personal admin. When the doors opened, out came Jason with Scott Knight and Dylan Strange.
Dylan was yelling into his cell phone, which was quite odd behavior for him. Reed had never seen Dylan shaken like that. Ever. Until now.
Reed’s entire body tightened up in instant concern for the only person he believed could have Dylan reacting this way.
“I don’t care if he’s on vacation,” Dylan shouted. “Get on the fucking phone and find Cam now. Tell him to get his ass back here ASAP.”
Erica? Something was terribly wrong.
“Flowers, how did you hear already?” Jason asked, his eyes tight with worry.
“Hear what, Sheriff?” Nicole asked.
Dylan turned to her, his ever-present sunglasses not hiding his emotions this time. “Erica has been kidnapped by the Russians.”
THE END
WWW.CHLOELANG.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chloe Lang began devouring romance novels during summers between college semesters as a respite to the rigors of her studies. Soon, her lifelong addiction was born, and to this day, she typically reads three or four books every week.
For years, the very shy Chloe tried her hand at writing romance stories, but shared them with no one. After many months of prodding by an author friend, Sophie Oak, she finally relented and let Sophie read one. As the prodding turned to gentle shoves, Chloe ultimately did submit something to Siren-BookStrand. The thrill of a life happened for her when she got the word that her book would be published.
For all titles by Chloe Lang, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/chloe-lang
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
