Chapter 52
FIFTY-TWO
Amanda called her mother as she raced through the hospital. “Come on, pick up.”
She answered on the third ring. “Amanda?” Her mother was laughing.
“Is Zoe with you?” Amanda rushed out.
“Of course she is. Where else would she be? We’re watching a movie.”
“Just don’t let her out of your sight.”
“What’s going on?”
“There’s a situation, and—”
Her mother said nothing, but Amanda heard her moving around. When her voice came over the line again, she said, “Did you piss off the wrong person, Mandy? Tell me now.”
“Yeah, I think so.” She gave her the overview, and the call ended with her mother telling her she and Amanda’s father would keep Zoe safe.
Trent was pocketing his phone as she was putting hers away. “Patrol cars have been sent over to scope out the neighborhood, and a patrol officer has been assigned to sit out front of your parents’ place.”
Was this how their lives looked now? Always looking over their shoulders? “That son of a bitch!” She paced several feet through the hospital and turned back around. “He doesn’t get to do this to me, to us!” She wagged her finger in Trent’s face.
“I would never let anyone hurt you or Zoe. You can count on that.” Trent took her finger into his hand, folded his around hers.
Just his touch silenced her, calmed her, lowered her defenses. She peered into his eyes, shocked by the urge going through her. How she wanted to show Trent how she felt about him. Wrap her arms around him, hold him… kiss him.
“Amanda?”
Trent let go of her hand like it had scalded him.
“Carter.” Amanda tried to force a smile but surrendered to the fact there would be no point. There was no mistaking what Carter had just witnessed. It was a meaningful moment between her and another man. The sparks were tangible unless one chose ignorance or denial.
“What’s going on here?” Carter looked at Trent, back at Amanda.
She wanted to say nothing but couldn’t bring herself to downplay what had just transpired.
How close she’d felt to him, how right it was when her hand was in his.
“It’s not what you think.” There was some honesty in that.
She wasn’t cheating on him. Unless her heart counted, but it was time to have a frank conversation with Carter. He deserved that much.
Trent stepped back. “I’ll be over there.”
Carter licked his lips and met Amanda’s gaze. “What do you think I’m thinking? If you assume that I’m starting to wonder if you and your partner have something going on, then you’d be right. Do I have anything to worry about there?”
All she had to do was shake her head, but she couldn’t get herself to move from the neck up.
“I do.” Carter let this out on a sigh and raked his hand through his hair. “You’re in love with each other.”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“Based on what I just saw, I’d say it is. The way he looks at you, it’s obvious he loves you, Amanda. The question is, do you love him?”
Silence thrummed in her ears, carrying the thumping of her beating heart like a bass drum. He loves you, Amanda…
“Huh. Guess no answer is my answer. You do. Though I should have known. It’s not hard to miss… The way you look at each other and how he glares at me.”
“I’m sorry.” There was no point in denying her feelings. She’d only be lying to herself and Carter.
“You’re not the only one. I wasn’t looking for anything serious here, which you know.”
She nodded.
“But I don’t want to be second choice either. Someone you just pass time with. It’s too bad. We’re good together.”
“We were.”
“Ah, past tense. But I agree that it’s best that we call it. Take care of yourself, Amanda.”
“You too.”
He hugged her and kissed her cheek before walking away.
She stood there for a few seconds and eventually made her way to Trent.
“You okay?” he asked her.
“Honestly? I’m better than okay.”
He smiled at her. “Really? Why’s that?”
“It just wasn’t meant to be. It’s no one’s fault.
” She walked ahead of Trent, heading toward the car.
While a part of her was saddened by the breakup with Carter, she’d always known their time was limited.
She figured they had longer, but it was what it was.
She’d miss his friendship, but she might just do herself a favor and wean herself off men for a while.
That is unless she could find a way to be with the man she wanted.
But until then, she’d do what she did best. Focus on the job and on the most important person in her world, Zoe.