That took way too long. A three-car pile-up turned into five cars by the time we got there. A total mess that might have cost me. The sun is coming up and I am just now getting back to the station. There’s a lot of work to do, rigs to put back in order, equipment, and a fucking mountain of paperwork before I can get back to Bela. What kind of leader would I be if I were to leave the crew to handle all the work themselves?
Fuck, she gutted me last night. Hit me with a sledgehammer and shattered everything I thought I knew about women. Bela is different from everyone. More caring, open, and honest than I think I can be. Emotions come easy for her but for me, it’s like getting on a runaway train with no breaks, failsafe, or destination. My gut instinct is to hide who I am. Ten years of undercover work does that to a man. But if I want her, I’ll need to change.
Duke walks in looking as tired as I feel and drops his weight into the chair opposite mine and kicks his feet up on the edge of my desk.
“How did dinner go last night?”
I grunt.
“That good?”
“I fucked up.”
“As usual.”
Duke’s voice is somber. “Tell me you didn’t scare off the best baker we’ve had in town since forever.” He holds his hands up. “No offense. Your mom and dad’s place was great, but she has a flair about her doughnuts I can’t get enough of.”
“Scare off.” I hook onto those words and push to my feet.
I never had anyone who cared enough to find out details of my past. To have someone who cares enough to ask?
“What’s up? You heading out?”
“I reacted badly to something Bela did for me. How many times do you think I can apologize before I’m given a kick in the ass?”
Duke shakes his head. “Wrong person to ask. I think you know who you need to talk to, though.”
He’s right.
She deserves more, deserves a man who would never steal away her smile, but I can’t let her slip away. Can’t even fathom another man touching her much less loving her.
“Hold down the fort?”
“Go do what you gotta do.”
I grab my phone, pull up contacts, and hope like hell I’m not too late.
***
Bela
“Are you going to hide out in there forever?”
I turn the door handle to the bathroom at the sound of Poppy’s voice. I called her five minutes after making my mind up about my next move this morning, painful as it is.
Miles never came home last night. And if that isn’t a dead ringer of how he feels, I don’t know what is anymore.
I push open the bathroom door, not even trying to hide the tears streaming down my face. “I’m not leaving forever, sweetie. Cherry Falls is where I want my new life. But I need to take a breather. I’ll use the few days the workers need to finish up the repairs and then I’ll be back. Mom wants me to visit anyway.”
“How am I going to live without my best friend for four days?”
I give a soft laugh, but my heart isn’t in it. “You’ll be fine! We’ll do a Wine Wednesday as soon as I get back.”
I head upstairs and Poppy is right behind me, unpacking everything I put into my small duffle bag.
I grab her hands. “Will you stop? I need clean panties and bras.”
“Not if you don’t leave. Look, ask your mom to come here. I’m sure she would loooove to help you pick out new curtains that actually match.”
I head to the bathroom for my toothbrush to come back only to find my duffle being shoved into the closet.
Poppy turns a triumphant smile on her face. “Do you love him?”
I fall onto the bed. “I swear it’s like a million zaps of electricity dances over my skin when he enters a room, Poppy. I see him and I can’t help but smile. He does this thing with his face that makes him look all tough but deep down he’s a teddy bear.”
“Don’t let him hear you say that.”
I huff out a deep sigh and sink to the floor, my knees to my chest. Poppy joins me. Together we stare at the patchwork to the flooring. “I do. I do love the man and it scares me.”
Sirens blast through the cocoon of silence and we both pop up, running to the window.
“Ms. Andrews, we know you are in there. This is the Cherry Falls Police.”
“Is this a good time to ask when was the last time you saw the fire chief? You didn’t brain him with a frying pan or anything, did you?”
I dash for the stairs and swing the front door open. “Officers?” Three police cars face the bakery and a small crowd starts to gather around.
“Bela Andrews?” Sheriff Graham Larson drops his loudspeaker into the seat of his cruiser. Everyone in town loves the guy with a deep love for my doughnuts and a good joke.
“Sheriff Larson, what’s this about?”
“Bela, I hear you and the fire chief are having a couple of issues.”
I prop my hands on my hips and eye the man across from me. He’s leaning on his cruiser, aviator glasses on with a smirk tucking the corners of his lips in place.
“And?” What is it with small towns and getting into everyone’s business?
“I’m just helping a friend out. Mind stepping this way, ma’am?” I take a hold of my arm and I follow the sheriff, curious as to where this is going. He’s only a few years older than me so for him to call me ma’am makes me want to laugh. I follow him around the corner and nearly trip over my own two feet. What the heck?
I turn back to Poppy, my mouth hinged so far open I’m pretty sure everyone can see the back of my throat. “Poppy,” I hiss. “Oh my God. What’s going on?” She waves a hand at me, shooing me on. “Go. Go.” The grin on her face tells me she knows more than she’s letting on about.
I spin back around to see the entire town standing behind Miles taking up all of Cherry Popper Way. Traffic has come to a huge standstill and unlike in Syn City, there’s no horn blaring and cursing. Not here. Nope, Cherry Falls folks are a different breed of people.
This town sees someone in need and they are all there to help. The proof is literally staring me in the face. Everyone I’ve ever meet and so many new faces are smiling back at me with so many varying degrees of hope I’m kind of intimidated. Like what are they expecting of me?
“Miles, umm…what’s going on?” I turn back to look at the sheriff but he’s no help. He and Poppy have their cell phones out like there’s something about to happen.
Miles steps from the crowd and comes to a stop in front of me. Powerful. Commanding. I can mentally see him patrolling the streets of Syn City. Putting the bad guys behind bars and protecting those in need. I see it every day and now that I know a bit of his past the final puzzle piece clicks into place.
“Umm, okay.” After several breath-stealing heartbeats, I find my voice. “Miles, I have to go home for a few days,” I say.
“I know, Poppy messaged me. Bela, you are home.”
I knew it.
He takes my chin in a gentle hold and pulls my eyes to his. I still see remnants of our encounter last night and the hole in my heart opens wider.
“I’m sorry about last night. I had no idea it would trigger you.”
“You didn’t trigger me, sweetheart. You destroyed the darkness inside me with your light. Your kindness. Your heart. No one has ever done that for me.” His voice is thick with emotions and his eyes plead with me to understand. “I didn’t know how to handle all that at once. No words came to me then. And then—” He shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans and lets out a deep breath like he’s held it for hours.
“And then you had to leave,” I finish for him.
“Yes.”
He takes my hands in his larger ones. Standing this close to him, the warm sunshine raining down on us and the half the town watching, I feel exposed and slightly out of my comfort zone. But I sense he has more to say, so I lace my fingers with his and listen.
“You don’t owe me anything, my beautiful Bela. It’s me who owes you everything. A thank you at the very least.”
I shake my head. “For what?”
“Giving me a reason to love.”
My brain stutters while my heart soars. I know the words, understand the words, but my brain has a hard time digesting them.
“But first, I figure I’ve messed up so many times I might need a little more help this time around.” Miles jerks a thumb over his shoulder and gives a chin nod to the sheriff.
“Help with what?”
Miles, still holding my hands with tens of Cherry Falls residents standing behind him, kneels.
I can’t breathe.
“Miles,” I say shakily.
“Bela Andrews, you left me speechless last night but this morning everything became crystal clear. I love you. I don’t know how to love, yet here I am doing it. You make it that simple. No instructions needed. When I first saw you behind the counter of your bakery I knew there was something special about you. It’s why I stayed away. I felt I would never be good enough, but I couldn’t stay away for long. Your light drew me in and now I can’t live without you.”
This man is going to make me cry in front of the whole town. And it’s going to be on TV, too. The new crew just pulled up and they are already jumping out of the van.
I turn my eyes away from them.
“Miles,” I force strength into my voice and make myself sound strong because he needs to hear these next words if he never hears another syllable in his life. “You are worth every ounce of love anyone gives you. You are a true hero in every sense of the word. To those who know they need you, and to those who don’t. Your light is so bright, so strong, it is what drew me near. Not the other way around.”
Miles stands and cups my face with his hands.
“Never think for a second your ability to absorb the darkness in this world makes you dark. This world should have more people like you in it and that is God’s honest truth. I love you.”
I inhale the scent of him and feel a calmness settle over me. “Marry me, Bela. Marry me today. Let’s have babies. Lots of babies and teach them all how to make doughnuts—”
“—to love. Let’s teach them how to love.” I cut in and he laughs warmly.
“To love.” Miles draws me into his arms and we stand like that, me breathless and his heart racing.
“Is that a yes?” he husks close to my ear, sending shivers racing through my body.
I pull back, eyes on his. “Yes, Miles Malone. I’ll marry you!” I see Poppy run up before the flash and I can only grin bigger. I’ve somehow won the lottery in life. How I don’t know but I’m going to grip my winnings with both hands and never let go.
Miles sweeps me into his arms, bringing back my laughter. “I never want to miss a day of your laughter.”
Cheers erupt, and I’m pretty sure cameras zoom in on us when his hot lips crash into mine.
Honestly, I am not paying attention. I can’t. He consumes me entirely. When his tongue strokes over my lips I open for him—my mouth, my arms, and my heart.
“Let’s go home—we have dessert to get back to.”
“And a baby to make.”
