Justice Reborn (Cowboy Justice Association Book 8) by Olivia Jaymes Page B
Authors: Olivia Jaymes
Ads: Link
lower body. Shit, she couldn’t believe this. Out of all the people in the world to meet, like, and work for, she found a police officer.
Someone who hunted fugitives. Holy hell and damn.
He reached across and laid a hand on her knee. “Are you okay? You look pale.”
She was pale. She’d also broken out into a cold sweat. The fear she’d been feeling earlier in the week was back in glorious Technicolor.
I can’t go to jail. I just can’t.
“I’m just shocked, that’s all,” she finally managed to stutter out. “I had no idea. It’s just so terrible that you were shot. But you’re retired? You look a little young for that.”
“They wanted me to ride a desk.” He leaned closer, his brows drawn together. “Are you sure you’re okay? You haven’t touched your lunch.”
It was a valid concern as normally she ate like a pig. Reaching out a shaky hand, she plucked the roll from her paper plate and took a tentative bite, trying to smile for Evan as if he hadn’t pulled the rug out from under her world.
“It’s good,” she said between bites. “It’s just the heat, I think. It’s so hot that it’s hard to eat.”
He was still frowning but seemed to accept her explanation. “Maybe you should drink some more water. I don’t want you getting dehydrated.”
She nodded and took a large gulp from the water bottle, her mind still whirling with the new information. He was still Evan her friend but he was also Evan, the former cop, and she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do now. She’d never been on the run before so she was unprepared. She took a few more gulps and tried to calm her racing pulse.
“So you must have a lot of cop friends, I bet. Do you miss it? Being a police officer, I mean.”
He took his time answering her question, completely unaware she was holding her breath for the answer.
“I thought I would,” he finally said, his gaze far away. Maybe to that day he was shot. “But not really. I liked helping people but I didn’t get to do nearly enough of that in the job. Then when I left the Marshal Service, I became the sheriff of my hometown in Montana. Jesus, that was the worst. I hated every damn day of it. So one day I walked in and quit. Slapped my badge down on the mayor’s desk, left town, and never looked back. I still don’t. I’m trying to figure out what my next phase in life is going to be.”
The lump in her throat loosened slightly. It sounded like he was well out of the life. “Your friends must miss you, though.”
He shrugged and reached for another piece of chicken. “Some do but so many of them were really just acquaintances. Sometimes a job is all people have in common and when that’s gone… My true friends don’t care what I do for a living. I’m glad I’m out, honestly. My life is a hell of a lot more peaceful and quiet. I can actually hear myself think now, which might be good or bad depending on the outcome.”
“So no regrets?”
“None,” he answered promptly. “I’m not sorry I did it but that chapter is closed. I’m moving on to something else. What that is I don’t know, but I’m ready to make a change in my life.”
Evan didn’t care. Josie slowly exhaled all the tension she’d been holding in when he’d told her his past profession. He’d left it behind and wasn’t monitoring police scanners hoping to get back on the job. She could relax a little.
But not much.
Chapter Eight
E van picked up a pizza at the end of their day before driving them back to his house. He’d take her back to the motel after dinner but he was glad he had another chance to talk with her. Having spent the last eight hours in her company he’d found it wasn’t nearly enough. He wanted to spend more time with her, asking her questions about every little thing, wanting to know what she hoped and dreamed about.
He was smitten and that was saying something. He didn’t remember the last time a woman had interested him as much as she did. Funny,
Someone who hunted fugitives. Holy hell and damn.
He reached across and laid a hand on her knee. “Are you okay? You look pale.”
She was pale. She’d also broken out into a cold sweat. The fear she’d been feeling earlier in the week was back in glorious Technicolor.
I can’t go to jail. I just can’t.
“I’m just shocked, that’s all,” she finally managed to stutter out. “I had no idea. It’s just so terrible that you were shot. But you’re retired? You look a little young for that.”
“They wanted me to ride a desk.” He leaned closer, his brows drawn together. “Are you sure you’re okay? You haven’t touched your lunch.”
It was a valid concern as normally she ate like a pig. Reaching out a shaky hand, she plucked the roll from her paper plate and took a tentative bite, trying to smile for Evan as if he hadn’t pulled the rug out from under her world.
“It’s good,” she said between bites. “It’s just the heat, I think. It’s so hot that it’s hard to eat.”
He was still frowning but seemed to accept her explanation. “Maybe you should drink some more water. I don’t want you getting dehydrated.”
She nodded and took a large gulp from the water bottle, her mind still whirling with the new information. He was still Evan her friend but he was also Evan, the former cop, and she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do now. She’d never been on the run before so she was unprepared. She took a few more gulps and tried to calm her racing pulse.
“So you must have a lot of cop friends, I bet. Do you miss it? Being a police officer, I mean.”
He took his time answering her question, completely unaware she was holding her breath for the answer.
“I thought I would,” he finally said, his gaze far away. Maybe to that day he was shot. “But not really. I liked helping people but I didn’t get to do nearly enough of that in the job. Then when I left the Marshal Service, I became the sheriff of my hometown in Montana. Jesus, that was the worst. I hated every damn day of it. So one day I walked in and quit. Slapped my badge down on the mayor’s desk, left town, and never looked back. I still don’t. I’m trying to figure out what my next phase in life is going to be.”
The lump in her throat loosened slightly. It sounded like he was well out of the life. “Your friends must miss you, though.”
He shrugged and reached for another piece of chicken. “Some do but so many of them were really just acquaintances. Sometimes a job is all people have in common and when that’s gone… My true friends don’t care what I do for a living. I’m glad I’m out, honestly. My life is a hell of a lot more peaceful and quiet. I can actually hear myself think now, which might be good or bad depending on the outcome.”
“So no regrets?”
“None,” he answered promptly. “I’m not sorry I did it but that chapter is closed. I’m moving on to something else. What that is I don’t know, but I’m ready to make a change in my life.”
Evan didn’t care. Josie slowly exhaled all the tension she’d been holding in when he’d told her his past profession. He’d left it behind and wasn’t monitoring police scanners hoping to get back on the job. She could relax a little.
But not much.
Chapter Eight
E van picked up a pizza at the end of their day before driving them back to his house. He’d take her back to the motel after dinner but he was glad he had another chance to talk with her. Having spent the last eight hours in her company he’d found it wasn’t nearly enough. He wanted to spend more time with her, asking her questions about every little thing, wanting to know what she hoped and dreamed about.
He was smitten and that was saying something. He didn’t remember the last time a woman had interested him as much as she did. Funny,
Similar Books
