“Can I see your badge?”
“I don’t have it on me, but the man with the sheriff is like family to me. So buzz me in.”
“I’m sorry. No badge, no entry.”
“Now listen here—”
“I’m sorry, Sarah. My sister is just worried,” Jonathan announced, coming up from behind.
“Dr. Cross, you’re supposed to be getting married today.”
“I am later.” Johnathan flashed his hospital badge. “I’ll show her in.”
Jonathan took my arm, and I shrugged out of his hold. “Don’t think that this makes up for what you did.”
“I wouldn’t dream of thinking that, Lizzy. I know how long you can hold a grudge.” He swiped his card until the door buzzed and then pulled it open. He walked like a man with authority, not the goofball I saw once a week at Sunday dinners.
“I need a status update on Sheriff Malcolm Michaels.”
With a few clicks of the keyboard, the nurse answered. “He’s stable, and they moved him into room 301 in the cardiac wing.”
“Thanks.” Taking my arm, he led me through the ER instead of back out into the waiting room and only stopped at the elevator. We waited for the people to exit before we stepped on.
He pushed the button for the third floor. “I thought I was doing what was best. You two were sneaking around behind my back, and he was too old for you.”
“That wasn’t your decision to make.”
“It was at the time,” he answered, and we lingered in silence until the elevator dinged our floor and we stepped out. He steered me away from the nurses’ station and down a hall of rooms.
“So, are you two a thing now? You know he’s dating someone.”
“Was dating someone,” I corrected and paused outside the sheriff’s door, stopping my brother. “And for the record, I make my own choices. Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” Jonathan said and shoved through the door, leaving me to follow.
He stopped, and I bumped against his back. I moved to his side to see around him. Ben was holding his grandfather’s hand. He had his head lowered. Worry lay thick in the room. Had we found him in time?
“How is he?” Jonathan asked.
Ben rose from the seat. His jaw ticked, and he advanced on Jonathan. I stepped between them as they glared at each other over my head.
Resting my palms on Ben’s cheek, I waited until he lowered his gaze to mine. “He’s still my brother. I’m the only one who’s going to kick his ass, and now is definitely not the time.”
“Put them in their place, Lizzy,” Sheriff Malcolm said from across the room.
I held Ben’s gaze until he gave me a slight nod. Satisfied, I stepped out of their way and walked to the bed.
“Now I know my visit got your blood pumping, but seriously, Sheriff.”
He chuckled and then winced. “I hear you saved my life.”
I shrugged. “CPR is basic training. So, you can thank the sheriff’s department.”
“Smart and skilled, Benjamin. You need to keep this one.”
“I’m trying, Gramps, but the stubborn woman has other ideas.”
Eight
“Speaking of which, I should be thanking you for all the theatrics and dragging Ben away for the rest of the day,” I teased.
“Ah, darling, you don’t fool me. You enjoyed the cliffs, didn’t you?” he said, picking up my hand. He frowned. “Where’s the ring?”
“She turned me down,” Ben said.
“What ring?” Jonathan asked, coming across the room. “Ben, tell me you didn’t.”
“Jonathan Douglas Cross, I own a gun, and I’m licensed to use it,” I warned. Not that I’d shoot my brother on purpose, but I’d found another reason to add to my list of when to keep my gun locked up and out of reach.
“I’d listen to her, Doc. Her shooting skills are beyond reproach, even if she needs help with her choice of men.”
“Maybe we need to get your eyes checked while you’re here. I’m still in the room.”
“Fine, fine.” Malcolm sighed. “She’s woman, hear her roar. She chooses, and neither of you dipsticks get a say.”
I moved to stand, and the sheriff took my hand and squeezed. “Remember what I said, darling.”
“It’s not something I’ll forget, Sheriff,” I said and kissed his forehead. “Now don’t be a stubborn mule. You do what the doctors and nurses tell you, or I won’t come back and visit with updates from the station.”
“This one is just like my Helen with her demands.”
“If I’m half the woman she was, then I’ll take that as a compliment. Now I’m going to run, but I’ll check on you later.”
“Looking forward to it, Red.”
I handed Ben his phone, his car keys, and his grandfather’s house key. “I locked everything up and put King away. Your car is parked in front of the ER.”
“How are you going to get home?”
“I’ll take her,” Jonathan announced.
“Oh no, you won’t. I can’t be around you right now.”
“Ben, you drive her home,” the sheriff growled.
“Nope, he’s going to stay here with you until he can talk to the doctor. I’ll call a cab.”
“At least walk the girl out,” Malcolm said.
I turned at the door and met Ben’s gaze. “I guess I can let him do that.”
Ben left his keys and phone on the table and followed me out. We were waiting in front of the elevator when he slipped his fingers through mine.
“Some day, huh?”
“I’d say so.” I smiled up at him as we stepped on.
“Thank you,” he said.
“For what?”
He turned to look at me. “For saving his life.”
I leaned into his arm. “He would have done the same.”
The elevator dinged, and Ben walked me to the front of the hospital where cabs were waiting. We stepped outside, and he pulled me into his arms and kissed me with so much tenderness and love, I could feel it pouring from him.
“What, no notice?”
He kissed me again.
“I’ll see you around,” I said, slipping my hand free from his.
“You can count on it.” He winked.
I got into the cab to find him still watching me. Determination riddled his face, and I knew then he was never going away.
Nine
My brother’s wedding started on schedule, with my cousin stepping in as best man in Ben’s absence. Johnathan looked like a man in love. Delilah, my new sister-in-law, was a beautiful, blushing bride.
My mom plopped down in the chair beside me. “We had a bet on whether you’d show up.”
Shock and surprise hit me. “Jonathan told you?”
“Everything,” my mom said, lifting the champagne glass to her lips. “It wasn’t right what he did, Lizzy, but he did it because he thought he was protecting you.”
“Mother.” Anger rippled me through to the core. “How can you say that? Ben is a good man. He’s smart, and he has a beautiful, caring soul. You should be so lucky if I end up with someone as wonderful as him. Besides, it wasn’t all Johnathan’s fault. Ben and I should have worked it out.”
She grinned. “I knew you loved him. You just confirmed it.”
“You’re an evil woman.” I grinned, taking a sip of the champagne.
“Now tell me, daughter. When are you going to tell him?”
“I’m not. It would be too much like admitting defeat and giving him the edge,” I teased.
“He surprised you by the trip down memory lane. Maybe it’s time for you to do something unexpected to show that you were worth the trip.” My mom gestured with her glass. “Look who just walked in.”
Ben stood under the threshold of the banquet room doors. His gaze slid across the room until it landed on me. A smile split his lips as he headed in my direction. I rose from my seat to meet him hallway when another woman stopped in front of him. His gaze held mine as he said som
ething in hushed tones and stepped around her.
“I was hoping to catch you.”
“We need to talk,” I said, taking his hand and leading him out onto the terrace under a star-filled sky.
We stepped into a darkened corner away from the sounds of celebration and lights spilling out the open doors.
“Listen, let me go first,” he started to say. “I was pushy and arrogant forcing you to spend the day with me. I rushed you, and I’m sorry.”
“I’m not,” I said, smiling up at him. “It was an emotional day.”
“You don’t understand…” he said.
“Yes,” I answered.
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, I want it all. The dating, the marriage proposal on the cliff, a long engagement, just to be sure we won’t kill each other, and I’ll even concede to an early morning or two.”
“Really?” His eyes looked so full of hope.
“Well, to everything but the early mornings.” I smiled and took his hand. “I love you, Ben. I never stopped.”
He pulled me into his embrace. “This isn’t a joke, right? Are you sure it’s not remnants of the magical fruitcake talking?”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
“Now who is giving the orders?” His lips twisted into a smile as they lowered to mine.
“You’re looking at me that way again.”
He cupped my cheek. “Lizzy, I never stopped.”
About Kate Allenton
Kate has lived in Florida for most of her entire life. She enjoys a quiet life with her husband, Michael and two kids. Kate has pulled all-nighters finishing her favorite books and also writing them. She says she'll sleep when she's dead or when her muse stops singing off key. She loves creating worlds full of suspense, secrets, hunky men, kick ass heroines, steamy sex and oh yeah the love of a lifetime. Not to mention an occasional ghost and other supernatural talents thrown into the mix.
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Visit her website at www.kateallenton.com
Visit Coastal Escape Publishing’s website at www.coastalescapepublishing.com
Books also by Kate Allenton
LINKED INC.
DEADLY INTENT (BOOK 1)
PSYCHIC LINK (BOOK 2)
PSYCHIC CHARM (BOOK 3)
PSYCHIC GAMES (BOOK 4)
DEADLY DREAMS (BOOK 5)
CREE BLUE PSYCHIC EYE
DEAD WRONG (BOOK 1)
DEADLY VOWS (BOOK 2)
DEAD FAMOUS (BOOK 3)
DEADLY TIES (BOOK 4)
DEADLY BLISS (BOOK 5)
HELL BOUND
MYSTIC TIDES BOX SET
MYSTIC LUCK BOX SET
MAID OF HONOR
HARD SHIFT
New Year’s Negotiation: January 1st Page 4
