Chapter 32
C onnor rose from his seat, his gaze on Raven on the other side of the glass. Her blond hair was down today, and she wore this cute red dress with boots that went halfway up her calves.
But it was the deep frown set between her brows that had him wanting to get closer.
Something was wrong.
He dodged around tables and customers as he headed toward the door.
Since the day he’d first lain eyes on Raven, she’d ignited something wild and protective inside him.
He wasn’t sure why. He barely knew her. Maybe because he had sisters, and protecting others, particularly women, was ingrained in him. Or maybe it was just her.
After the river incident, he’d wanted to take her home and make sure she was okay.
She’d refused, insisting she was fine to get home by herself.
Before he could reach the door, Maureen stepped in front of him. “Connor, honey, how are you?”
“I’m good. I just need?—”
Maureen touched his arm. “I was meaning to tell you that I saw this bird.”
Connor frowned. “A bird?”
“Yes. It had these beautiful blue wings with yellow tips.” She shook her head. “I was too eager though. I thought I was moving slowly, but it was obviously still too fast for the poor thing, because the bird spooked and flew away.”
Why was she telling him this? “I’m sorry.”
“That’s life. Move too fast and skittish birds fly off. I learned my lesson though, next time I’ll move slower. The beautiful creature had probably been hurt before.” She patted his chest. “I’ll see you later.”
His frown deepened. Because what the hell was that ?
He shook his head before stepping outside. And there she was. Raven stood with her back toward him, still hunched over her purse.
“Raven—”
She jumped and spun, coins flying everywhere. “Crap! Hi.”
He closed that last bit of distance between them. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She rubbed her brow. “That’s okay. I’m fine, just…jumpy.”
That wasn’t just jumpy—that was fear. But what had instilled such fear was the question.
She lowered and started picking up the money and dropping it back into the purse.
He bent down and helped. “How have you been since everything?”
She froze, gaze rising. “Everything?”
“The stuff with Cox and Polly?”
“Oh. That.” She swallowed and grabbed another coin. “I’m fine. I think if I’d killed him, I’d be less fine. But he lived and he’s in jail. I’m glad Polly’s okay.”
They both reached for the last coin at the same time.
He grabbed it first, but their fingers grazed, and she sucked in a sharp breath.
Fuck, he felt it too. It was like electricity shooting up his arm. At just a touch.
“It’s okay to not be okay after shooting someone,” he said softly. “The first time I shot a person, I went into shock.”
Of course, that person had died. But knowing that they were a scumbag helped. The guy dying had meant the world was a bit safer.
She frowned. “You were a SEAL, right?”
“Correct.”
“It must be nice.”
“What?”
“Well, you must feel really safe a lot of the time. Confident in your ability to protect yourself.”
The way she said it sat in his gut like a brick. “Do you not feel safe?”
Her eyes flared. “I just mean…” Another pause, then she shot to her feet and stepped back, almost stumbling on the sidewalk. “I should go. Thank you for helping me pick up my change.” She cringed. “How embarrassing.”
He rose slowly. “What’s embarrassing?”
“No one keeps change anymore.”
“I keep change.” Kind of. Not really. He was sure there were some loose coins somewhere in his truck. But hell, he didn’t want her to feel bad.
She took another step back.
“You’re not coming in?” he asked.
She glanced into the café through the window. And for a second, he almost thought he saw longing. Then she blinked. “No. I’ll see you later, Connor.”
He wanted to call her back. Fuck, he wanted just a bit more time to talk to her. Every time he did, he got lost in the soft sound of her voice. In the way she looked at him with those beautiful blue eyes, so wide and vulnerable.
But she was already gone.
He stepped back into The Pancake Bar and took a new seat at the end of the table. His mind was still on Raven though. On the way she’d jumped at the sound of her name. The fear that flashed in her eyes every so often for no apparent reason.
Why?
Ryan glanced at him. “Everything okay with Raven?”
“She flinched when I called out to her.”
Ryan glanced out the window to where Raven had stood, before looking back at him. “You think she’s in trouble?”
“I think she has a past. And I want to know what that past is.”
“Does she want you to know what it is?”
“Not yet.”
There was a pause from Ryan. “Remember, we can’t save everyone.”
Connor’s hands fisted. Because he knew that. He knew that better than anyone. He’d dated a woman for five years who’d had a past. A past he’d thought she’d moved on from. A past she’d promised would stay there.
But that hadn’t been the case. Fuck, it had hurt.
As the guys talked around him, he tried to focus on the conversation.
On how lucky he was to have his team in his life, and not from afar.
Not all doing different things in different states.
They lived in the same town, working the same job.
The feeling of rightness was exactly as it had been when he’d become a SEAL and met these men. They’d become an instant family.
As the team dug into their pancakes, a conversation behind him caught his attention.
“I still can’t believe Raven left him,” one woman said.
“How do you know she left him ?”
“Nathaniel. He’s still best friends with Xander.”
Xander?
“Huh. Odd that she’d do that. Xander has money and a successful business.”
“Plus, he looks like a young Brad Pitt.”
The other woman gave an exaggerated sigh. “Those beautiful baby-blue eyes. I certainly used to dream about them in high school.”
“Raven’s an idiot.”
Connor’s brows flickered. Xander must be Raven’s ex.
“Well, it looks like she’s paying for her mistake,” the other woman said. “She always looks so sad since getting back. And her events at the community center have been pretty empty.”
“I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”
Connor stood and moved to the counter, not interested in listening to the women’s petty gossip. He could have said something to them, but what the hell would that do? It wouldn’t stop them from gossiping.
When he reached the counter, he ordered a double shot espresso. The coffee here wasn’t as good as Bloom’s, but it would do.
His gaze returned to the window, where Raven had stood. She wasn’t there anymore. But he couldn’t get her fearful expression out of his head.
There was a story there. A story he wanted her to share with him. But first, he had to earn her trust.
Order book three, Connor and Raven’s story, Shattered by the Currents , now!