1022 Evergreen Place - Debbie Macomber [121]
“It can happen easily enough,” Chad said. He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table.
“Especially when one of the sexiest cheerleaders on the squad made a play for me.”
“Hey, you’re only human.”
“Yeah, only human.” Roy wasn’t proud of this next part. “I broke up with Corrie. As they say, I had bigger fish to fry. I knew I’d hurt her and I felt bad about that, but Alicia—the cheerleader—made it clear she didn’t like competition.”
Chad grinned as if he understood Roy’s quandary. “It was either one or the other, right?”
“You’ve got the picture.” Roy paused and sipped his beer. “Corrie left school and I have to tell you I was relieved not to see her around campus. Especially after Alicia dumped me.”
“Any particular reason you lost the cheerleader?”
Roy nodded. “I got hurt, put on injured reserved. My star had fallen. Alicia moved on.”
“Bigger fish?”
“You bet.” Roy’s hand tightened around the beer mug. “I decided that if I was going into law enforcement, I couldn’t risk another injury. So I gave up sports and concentrated on my studies.”
“You joined the Seattle police force, didn’t you?”
Roy nodded. “I made detective.”
Chad arched his brows.
“That injury returned to haunt me years later, when I hurt my back during a chase, and it led to my taking early retirement. But that’s another story.”
“Is there a point to this story?” Chad asked.
“Oh, yes, there’s a point. I’ll get to it in a minute.”
Chad lifted his mug. “If you’re buying the beer, take as long as you want.”
Roy chuckled, relaxing against the back of the captain’s chair. “I ran into Corrie on campus a short while later. That was the following year. We met at the library. When I saw her again, I was stunned by how beautiful she was. How genuine. I couldn’t believe I’d left her for someone as superficial as Alicia.”
“I’m surprised Corrie would have anything to do with you.”
Roy had to agree. “She didn’t make it easy. I sort of accidentally on purpose showed up at the library every night, about the same time I knew she’d be there.”
“Smart man.”
“I didn’t make detective on looks alone.”
Chad grinned.
“Eventually Corrie realized I was serious and agreed to go out with me again. I didn’t make the same mistake twice, and just before I graduated I asked her to be my wife.”
“Now that was a good move.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more.” Roy straightened and stared down at his beer. “The night before we were married, Corrie told me that when she’d gone home to live with her family she’d given birth to my baby.” He made eye contact with Chad.
“Gloria.”
“Yes, Gloria. I didn’t know I had a daughter until after she’d been given up for adoption.” Chad frowned.
“Like her mother, Gloria tends to be…cautious with what she shares. Private.”
“Yes, she does,” Chad said.
Uncertain how to lead into the purpose of his visit, Roy met Chad’s eyes again. “She says you’re seeing someone else now.”
Chad held his look. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not discuss my personal life.”
“That’s fine with me. However, before I say anything more, I want to tell you that I’m taking a huge risk seeing you this afternoon.”
“How so?”
“My wife is dead set against it, and when Gloria finds out she’ll probably never speak to me again.”
“She came to see me.” Chad took a sip of his beer. “About three weeks ago.”
“So she said. Did you ever ask her why?”
“I know why. She changed her mind again. Frankly, she’s done this to me twice and I’m through playing her games. If she sent you to talk to me, then you’ve wasted your money on good beer.” He paused, as though everything was beginning to add up. “But you said she might not appreciate the fact that you came to see me, so what’s up?”
Roy ignored the question. “I came because I wasn’t going to sit idly by and let history repeat itself.”
Chad stared at him.
“Are you that obtuse, young man?” Roy asked.
Chad’s mouth fell open. It seemed to hit him all at once. His chest expanded and then as quickly deflated. He stood, thrust his hands in his pockets and walked around the table.
“Another beer?” the bartender called