Speak No Evil_ A Novel - Allison Brennan [129]
Her eyes fluttered open, darker in the dim light. “Nick?” Her voice was thick with sleep.
“You awake?”
“Yeah.” She sat up, rubbed her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I want to marry you, Carina. Come to Montana with me.”
She stiffened beside him and he frowned. What was wrong? “Carina?”
She swung her bare legs over the side of the bed. “Montana?”
“That’s where I live.”
“But I live here!” Tears welled in her eyes. “I thought you understood. This is my family. My life. My career.”
He swallowed, his chest tight. “You knew I was going back to Montana today.”
“I don’t want you to go.”
“Come with me.”
“I can’t. For the first sixteen years of my life I moved all over the country. Every year a new school. Every year a new house, new friends, new parks. I never made a real friend until my father retired here, in San Diego. I’ve been here for nearly twenty years. My friends are here. My job. My family!”
She was right. He couldn’t ask her to leave.
And he couldn’t give up his career, either.
She must have seen the realization on his face. She reached for him. “Nick, please. Don’t go.”
He swallowed hard, tears stinging his eyes. “I have to.” He touched her cheek, whispered. “I have to.”
He tilted her chin up. The tears in her eyes made him ache. He wanted to tell her he’d never forget her. That he would always love her. That she had become the most important person in his life.
But he could say none of that. It wouldn’t be fair to her, and Carina deserved love just as much as he did. He didn’t want to trap her with some mind game.
He touched his lips to hers, tasted her for the last time.
“Good-bye.”
He picked up his bag and walked out.
THIRTY-SIX
DEPUTY LANCE BOOKER WALKED with Nick slowly across the bullpen.
“You did it. You manipulated Sam Harris out of the race.”
“Manipulate is such a strong word, Deputy,” Nick said, shuffling on his crutches. Today was his first full day back in the office after his knee surgery; he already felt the change in his body. The doctor said the surgery had been a miracle.
Maybe it was the change in attitude that made all the difference.
“All I did was play hardball. Just like he did to me before I left for San Diego last month.” They stood outside Nick’s office.
“I want to thank you for putting in a good word for me with Charlie Daniels. I promise, I won’t let you down.”
Nick nodded soberly. “You’ve never let me down, Lance. You’re a good cop. You’ll serve Sheriff Daniels well.”
Nick had convinced Charlie Daniels, the former deputy now in charge of Search and Rescue, to run for sheriff. His family had practically founded Bozeman, and his name kept Sam Harris out of the race. He had a clear field, and had agreed to keep Nick’s team in place.
“And you?”
Nick took a deep breath. “I’m going to get back into shape. And I’m moving to San Diego.”
“To be closer to your brother?”
“That, and other things. You know that song ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’?”
Booker tilted his head. “You left yours in San Diego?”
Nick grinned. “Now get back to work. For now, I’m still in charge.”
Booker left and Nick swung himself back on his crutches across the rest of the large headquarters. Slowly, reminding himself not to overdo it. He needed to be in prime condition next weekend when he surprised Carina with a visit—to properly propose to her.
He was going to miss Montana; he missed Carina a whole lot more. The one thing he’d longed for his entire life was unconditional love, and when he’d finally found it, he’d walked away.
He was going to rectify that mistake.
“Hello, cowboy.”
As if he’d conjured her from his thoughts, Carina sat in his chair, boots on his desk, faded jeans and black T-shirt. She wore his hat on her head and had left her thick hair down.
She was the most beautiful thing he’d laid eyes on since he left San Diego three weeks ago.
It hit him then that Carina had come to him. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her, devour her mouth with his, take her home to his bed. She wanted him, even though juggling their