Chapter Twenty-Seven
Bailey woke up slowly to the feel of Aaron rubbing her back lightly. She rolled toward him with a sleepy smile on her face.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said softly, giving her a quick kiss.
She beamed. “Good morning, handsome.”
No matter how many times she woke up next to him, she was always so happy that he was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes every morning.
She still felt giddy when he kissed her, and got butterflies just from looking at him.
She didn’t think she would ever get over how thankful she was that they had found each other again.
“It’s your first official day of work today at the Blue Ridge Police Department. How are you feeling about it?”
That was one thing she loved about Aaron—he was always so thoughtful and he cared about her feelings. “I’m excited,” she replied. “A little anxious, too, if I’m being honest. The last first day I had at a police department didn’t go so well.” She shrugged a shoulder.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “That’s true, but just remember that Blue Ridge isn’t Kings Mountain, and there are more good cops out there than ones like what we dealt with from Kings Mountain.”
She sighed. “I know you’re right. I’m excited to be part of the department here. Willis has been such a big help with our case.”
“You have a lot to offer the brPD. I’ve always known you were a good cop, even before I fell in love with you,” Aaron said.
Bailey smiled. “Right back at you, Ward.”
Aaron laughed. “Want to make some breakfast together before you have to get ready to go?”
She sat up and swung her legs off the side of the bed. “Yes, that sounds great.”
They made their way into the tiny kitchen of the cabin where they lived.
Even though it was a small, cramped space, it was sentimental to Bailey because it was their first place together.
She knew that someday they would need to find another bigger place, but for now, she was happy right where they were.
They worked together like a well-oiled machine.
Bailey brewed the coffee and set the table while Aaron scrambled eggs and made some toast. Then they sat down to eat breakfast together, like they did almost every day.
They chatted comfortably about the sanctuary, their friends, and Aaron’s plans for the day while Bailey was at work.
After they cleaned up their dishes, Bailey took a shower and got dressed for work.
She looked at herself in the full-length mirror—it almost felt strange to be wearing a uniform again after everything that had happened.
It felt good, though. Being a police officer was what she was meant to do. She’d never been more sure of that.
She walked out of the bedroom and into the small living room where Aaron was, and did a flirty little spin like she was a supermodel at the end of a runway. “What do you think?”
Aaron whistled. “Hottest new cop I’ve ever seen in Blue Ridge,” he said, linking his arms around her waist.
She swatted his chest playfully. “You probably say that to all the new cops.”
He tipped his head back and laughed. “I can assure you, I definitely do not.”
She went up on her toes and kissed him. “I love you. I’ll see you tonight.”
“I love you, too. You’re going to kill it today, and I can’t wait to hear about it when you get back.”
Bailey smiled as she walked out the front door of the cabin to her truck. She couldn’t wait to see what the day had in store for her.
Bailey drove down the mountain toward the town of Blue Ridge, thinking about the accident she’d had on that very road just a few months earlier.
Although it was a scary, horrible, painful situation, ultimately it was what had allowed them to arrest Ziegler and his band of crooked cops, and get justice for the people who had suffered because of them.
She pulled into the parking lot of the small-town police department and took a deep breath, gathering her courage.
She knew Willis and had met many of the other officers while working the case to put the corrupt cops behind bars.
It was also part of living in a small town—almost everyone knew each other in some capacity, even if the only interaction they had was a friendly wave when their paths crossed at a local store.
She realized that she enjoyed small-town life more than she thought she would.
When she thought back to her time working behind a desk in a small beach town and how much she wanted to get back to Kings Mountain, she couldn’t believe how her life, and desires, had changed.
She didn’t need fast-paced and dangerous.
She was perfectly content to make sure that Blue Ridge stayed the safe and quiet little town it was.
Of course, Aaron being in the safe and quiet little town had a lot to do with her change of heart as well.
With one last calming breath, she stepped out of her truck and walked toward the front doors of the police station. Once inside, she walked up to the front desk, where a pleasant-looking older woman sat.
“Hi, I’m—” she started.
“Bailey!” the woman exclaimed, her face lighting up with a smile. “I know who you are, honey. Sheriff Willis is waiting for you in his office. Do you want me to show you the way?”
Bailey couldn’t help but smile back at the kind woman. “You don’t have to do that. I know the way.”
The woman nodded. “Okay, dear, but let me know if you need anything. My name is Evelyn.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “I keep these officers here in line like they’re my own children. You be sure to let me know if anyone gives you any problems.”
Bailey’s smile widened. “Thank you, Evelyn. I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“See that you do,” Evelyn replied, waving her off toward the sheriff’s office.
Bailey was still smiling from her interaction with Evelyn as she walked down to Willis’s office, finding the door open.
He was on the phone but motioned for her to come in and have a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk.
She looked around the room while he finished his phone call.
On the walls were awards and certificates, and on his desk and credenza behind it were pictures of his wife, kids, and grandkids.
She smiled at one particular picture of a little boy, face smudged with mud, holding up a tiny fish and grinning broadly like it was his prized possession.
Sheriff Willis said his goodbyes to the person he was talking to and hung up the phone. “Sorry to be on the phone when you first arrive, Bailey.”
“No apology necessary, sir, I know you’re a busy man,” she replied.
Willis nodded his thanks. “I take it you met Evelyn out at the front desk?”
“Yes,” she confirmed. “She seems very nice.”
“Oh, she is,” he replied. “Just don’t get on her bad side. One time I tracked mud through the lobby after I had been walking through the woods in the rain for a case. She was so mad that I had to bring her that fancy coffee she likes every morning for a week before she would forgive me.”
Bailey chuckled. “No to mud, yes to coffee. Noted.”
“I think you’re going to fit in here just fine,” he said with a smile. “Do you want to go meet the others before I show you the ropes and give you the whole introductory spiel?”
Her stomach flipped but she nodded confidently. “Yes, that sounds great.”
She followed behind Sheriff Willis as he led her out to the bullpen where the officers’ desks were.
“Everyone, this is Bailey,” Sheriff Willis said over the din of the busy environment. “Bailey, this is everyone.” He swept an arm around the room.
Bailey smiled and waved awkwardly. “Uh, hi, everyone.”
“You’ll have a chance to learn everyone’s names and get to know them personally soon,” Sheriff Willis promised.
Throughout the day, almost every single person found Bailey to talk to her and kindly welcome her to the department.
Some of them asked questions about how Aaron was doing or how things were going with the rebuilding of the parts of the sanctuary that were damaged in the fire.
She realized that she had no reason to be worried about these people being like the guys she had worked with in Kings Mountain.
Aaron had been right—they were good cops and good people.
She was excited to be a part of this group of officers.
By the end of the day she was tired but happy.
Some of the officers invited her to grab a beer at the local bar after their shift, but she declined, promising to join them next time.
She didn’t say no because she was worried about a repeat of what had happened at the bar in Kings Mountain, but because all she wanted to do was get home to Aaron and tell him about her day.
She got in her truck and drove back toward Warrior Peak. She waved at Hannah and River, who were taking a walk, as she drove by but didn’t stop to talk. She would give them all the details about her first day on the job tomorrow. Right now, the only person she wanted to talk to was Aaron.
When she pulled up in front of their cabin, she paused for a moment, taking in its charm. Sure, it was small and rustic and the hot water didn’t always work, but if home was truly where the heart was, then this was definitely home. At the end of a long day, that’s all she could ask for.
She got out of her truck and walked into the cabin to find Aaron cooking dinner. He turned and smiled when she came in.
“Hello, officer,” he said with mischief in his eyes. “I promise I’m not doing anything illegal.”
She tried to look stern, playing along. “I sure hope not, or else I might have to handcuff you.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Is that so?”
She nodded solemnly. “Yes, and I was given my department-issued cuffs today, so you better watch it, buddy.”
He laughed. “Let’s save that for later. First, let’s eat and you can tell me all about your day.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” she said. “I’m starving and whatever you’re making smells delicious.”
They sat down and ate together, and she told him all about her day.
The people she’d met, how kind they’d been, and how much she looked forward to working for the department.
Aaron listened and asked a few questions, then told her about his day.
He’d had some physical therapy and then worked on some small projects that he had convinced Lawson and Xavier to let him do.
“Sounds like we both had a pretty productive day,” Aaron said.
Bailey nodded in agreement. “Are you ready to do it all over again tomorrow?”
“I guess so,” Aaron replied. “But first, I have some other plans for us tonight.”
“Do you?” she said coyly, standing up from the table.
He stood, too, and grabbed her around her hips, lifting her off the ground. “I sure do. Let me show you.”
She wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked them into the bedroom, and couldn’t remember a time she was so content in all areas of her life.
She was finally where she was meant to be.