Chapter Fifteen
Jude
Liam is stressed about something.
I noticed it this morning at roll call. He was distracted, checking his phone and then putting it down without responding to whoever had texted. When I asked if he was okay, he’d smiled and said he was fine, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. There’s something weighing heavily on him.
Now we’re on patrol and the distraction has followed him into the SUV. He drives with one hand on the wheel, scowling at the road. His jaw is set and his scent is off. Not bad, just charged. There’s a restless energy coming off him that makes my wolf uneasy.
“Everything all right?” I ask, studying his profile.
“Yeah.” He clears his throat. “Just have some stuff on my mind.”
“Work stuff?”
“No.” He hesitates. “Kara stuff.”
My stomach tightens. “Everything okay with you two?”
“I need to talk to her about something serious.” His expression is tense. “It’s high time it happened. I’ve put it off too long.”
“I see,” I say carefully.
He glances at me, a line between his dark brows, then turns back to the road. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what I want my life to be. Where things are going with Kara.”
My heart rate picks up and I feel a little nauseous.
I think I know what this is. I’ve watched it building for weeks.
His mom’s not-so-subtle comments about grandchildren.
Jack teasing him about buying a ring. Kara’s increasing pressure for commitment.
He’s been with her over a year now. The next logical step is obvious.
He’s going to propose.
The realization makes my blood run cold.
He’s freaking out because he’s going to ask her to marry him.
It makes sense he’d be rattled. He’s wrestling with the biggest decision of his life.
Proposing to someone is terrifying, even when you’re sure they’ll say yes.
Especially for a guy like Liam who takes commitment seriously.
“Sounds like your life is about to change,” I say, forcing my voice to stay even.
He grips the steering wheel tighter. “Yeah, it is. My life is going to be completely different. But I… I finally know what I want.”
“That’s great.” Even though my soul is dying, I’ll do what I can to be supportive. Liam’s happiness is everything. I want him to have the best life possible, and if he’s finally decided Kara is the one, then I’ll try to be there for him. Even if it kills me.
And it will kill me.
I’m relieved when a call comes through dispatch. A disturbance at one of the rental cabins near the resort. Possible domestic, neighbors reporting shouting. Liam hits the lights and we head toward the resort.
The cabin is one of the nicer ones on the ridge, A-frame style with big windows and a wraparound deck.
When we pull up, a man is standing on the deck, shirtless despite the cold, red-faced and swaying.
There’s a woman inside the cabin visible through the glass door, arms wrapped around herself.
Broken glass glitters on the deck near the man’s bare feet.
We approach together, but as we get closer, Liam shifts his position.
He angles himself so that he’s between me and the guy on the deck.
I frown and move around him so that we’re both walking up on the guy.
Since when does he get between me and the subject as if shielding me with his body?
That’s odd behavior. I’m his partner. I’m his equal.
While of course we look out for each other, we’re not supposed to be thinking about protecting each other when approaching a subject.
Liam gives me a quick glance, and I swear he’s about to tell me to stay behind him. I squint at him as if to say, What the hell are you doing? And he seems to realize he’s not following standard procedure.
He pulls his gaze from mine and addresses the man. “Sir, I’m Officer Martinez. We got a call about a disturbance.”
The guy sneers at us, leaning on the railing. He’s big. Taller than both of us, broad across the chest, with thick arms and hands that could do real damage. As we near, the stink of booze rolls off him in waves.
“I didn’t call you,” he slurs. “This is between me and my wife.”
“The neighbors called us so now it’s our business too,” Liam says evenly. “Is your wife okay?”
“She’s fine. Tell them, Michelle.”
The woman behind the glass door doesn’t speak. She just stares at us with wide, frightened eyes.
“Sir, I need you to stay where you are,” Liam says. “My partner is going to check on your wife.”
I move toward the glass door, but the man lurches sideways, blocking my path. “Nobody’s going inside my cabin.”
I say firmly, “Sir, I need you to step back. Right now.”
The man’s bloodshot eyes flicker between Liam and me. For a tense moment, I think he might swing. His hands are balled at his sides and his jaw is working.
“Don’t do anything dumb, or you’ll spend the night in jail,” Liam says harshly.
The man hesitates and then steps back. His shoulders slump and the fight drains out of him like air from a punctured tire. “I didn’t touch her,” he mumbles. “I just threw a glass. I’m drunk and acting stupid, but she’s fine.”
“Okay,” Liam says. “Let’s talk about it over here.” He guides the man to the far end of the deck, giving me a clear path to the door.
I check on Michelle. She’s shaken but uninjured.
She confirms he threw a glass at the outside wall, not at her.
Says he’s been drinking since noon. She agrees to go stay with a friend down the mountain.
While I take her statement and help her pack a bag, I hear Liam on the deck, talking the husband down in a patient, steady voice.
Afterward, in the SUV, I replay the scene in my mind. It’s amazing how many domestic violence calls we have to handle. Sometimes I wonder if anyone is happy in their relationship. I watch Liam out of the corner of my eye. Will he be happy married to Kara?
Does he ever think about the kiss we shared?
Because I do. Constantly. Or does his love for Kara eclipse anything he ever felt for me?
It must if he’s going to propose to her.
He wants to spend the rest of his life with her.
He wants to have kids with her. After that one kiss, he’s never made any attempt to touch me again. I guess that’s my answer.
Around noon, we stop at Summit Subs for lunch. While we’re waiting for our order, a woman comes in with a toddler on her hip and a preschooler clinging to her jacket. She’s pack, and when she spots Liam, her face lights up.
“Hey, Liam.” She shifts the toddler to her other hip and hugs him with her free arm. She’s tall with dark curly hair pulled back in a messy knot.
“Nora.” Liam grins. “How’s the clinic going?”
“Chaos as usual. Flu season hit early and I’ve been up to my elbows in sick kids and worried parents all week.”
Liam turns to me. “Nora runs the urgent care in town.”
I nod. “I see.”
Nora smiles warmly. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. You must be Liam’s new partner. I’m Nora Kessler.”
“Jude Collins.” I shake her hand.
“I’ve heard great things about you,” she says. “People seem to think you’re a good fit for Golden Peak.”
“I’m happy to hear it,” I say, and I mean it.
She swivels back toward Liam. “Hey, Liam, you’re coming to the Christmas bonfire this year, right? Be sure to invite Kara.”
“Oh, is it that time already?”
“Hello? Christmas is right around the corner.” She laughs and meets my gaze.
“I always have to nag Liam to show up to pack gatherings. I don’t know if he’s just lazy or playing hard to get.
” She’s friendly, but I notice she doesn’t invite me to the bonfire.
Why would she? I’m not pack. Neither is Kara, but she’s special to Liam, so her invite goes without saying.
I’m just the guy who lives in Liam’s spare room.
“He’s probably playing hard to get,” I say. “Liam needs a lot of attention.”
“Hey, that’s not nice.” Liam fake pouts.
Nora laughs and softly punches Liam’s arm. “I’ll give you all the attention you want, but you’d better not skip the Christmas bonfire again this year.”
Liam grimaces. “When is it again?”
“This coming weekend. Caleb likes it when the pack makes a good showing, so you should be there. I know your parents and Jack are coming. I’m surprised your mom hasn’t nagged you about it.”
Liam grins. “Who says she hasn’t?”
She rolls her eyes. “You haven’t done any pack stuff in a while. You should come.”
Liam laughs. “Okay. Okay. I won’t skip it this year.”
“Good. Because it’s going to be a big one.
Pete Garza is bringing that smoker he built, so we know the food will be amazing.
” She bounces the toddler, who is trying to eat her necklace.
“Tell Kara I have pictures from Costa Rica I’ve been dying to show her.
She’s the one who recommended the resort we stayed at. ”
“Uh… I’ll make sure she knows she’s invited,” Liam says, but that nervous tension from earlier is back. Is he afraid Kara will reject his proposal so he doesn’t want to make plans with her for the weekend?
Nora’s preschooler chooses that moment to knock a display of travel mugs off a shelf and she’s gone in a whirlwind of apologies and corralling small children.
When our shift ends we head home. I eat leftover soup Liam made during the week, while Liam showers for his date with Kara.
I listen to the shower running as I eat, looking around Liam’s cozy home.
I liked living here. I felt at home right away.
It was like I belonged here with Liam, but now I realize that was one-sided.
He’s going to move Kara in here and they’ll build a life together.
I’ll simply be Liam’s work partner who might occasionally be invited to dinner.
Maybe Kara won’t dislike me so much once she has a ring on her finger.