Page 8 of Fools in Love

They drove in silence for the first mile. He wasn’t quite sure what to say to her. The way Nick talked about his sister, Tom had assumed their relationship was good.

After what he’d just seen, maybe it wasn’t as good as he’d thought. Then again, he knew all too well that pain could cause anyone to be on edge.

When he’d spotted her dancing on the sand in the darkness, he hadn’t been sure who she was at first. Then he’d seen the bandages on her knee. His foggy brain had registered her fluid motions, and he’d realized who she was.

He’d moved closer to her, drawn by the beauty of her movements. He’d seen that the wave was going to hit her, and thankfully he’d been close enough to race over to catch her and stop her from falling.

When he’d wrapped his arms around her, everything in him had shifted. He’d never felt anything like it before. Almost as if he’d touched a live wire. His entire body vibrated with something new.

He understood the desire she had to move. It had been there in her attempted dance on the wet sand. She loved it. She missed it.

“I shouldn’t have freaked out like that,” Kate said with a sigh, breaking into his thoughts.

Tom glanced at her and realized she was rubbing her leg just above the wrap that covered her knee. He knew what pain could do to a person. He could remember times when he’d been in pain, how he’d wanted to lash out at someone. Anyone. Usually, it had been whoever had been closest.

“Are you in pain?” he asked, suddenly concerned that she’d hurt herself.

“No,” she said quickly, then she sighed. “Have you ever had surgery or been injured?”

He was quiet for a moment, remembering all the times he’d suffered, and then swallowed the memories to answer with a simple, “Yes.”

She turned slightly towards him. “It’s like being hangry. When you’re in pain.”

He nodded. “Your brother will understand.”

“It’s not about him. I…” She glanced down at her leg. “It’s the reason haven’t been going out. I’m… bitchy. I don’t want anyone else to get in the path of… well, me.”

He raised his eyebrows as he pulled into her parents’ driveway and killed the car.

She unhooked her seatbelt and turned to him. “First impressions are important. I’m sorry if I made you believe I’m a spoiled woman who treats her family bad and cries on stranger’s shoulders.”

He chuckled. “I didn’t mind. Besides, Nick deserves some attitude. He once put shaving cream in my work boots.”

Kate’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t know you two worked together.”

He nodded. “Your brother and I have been partners for almost three years.”

“Great.” She groaned. “Is there some sort of cop rule that you tell your partner everything?”

He chuckled again. “No. Not when it comes to his sister. I think you can work things out with him whenever you want.”

She was quiet for a while. “Tom…?”

“Reyes,” he answered easily. “Is Kate short for anything?” He’d only ever heard people call her Kate.

“Katherine,” she answered.

“You know, getting outside in the fresh air will help. When you keep yourself cooped up, you tend to dwell on the sorrow of what you’ve lost instead of focusing on the good that can come from the changes,” he said, giving her advice he’d been given years ago.

She tilted her head, and her long blonde hair fell over her shoulder. “You sound like you know that from experience.”

He nodded once. “It’s the reason I moved to Pride in the first place.” He glanced out the dark windows and noticed Nick’s Jeep pulling into the drive beside them. “It’s obvious your brother loves you enough to want to work things out.” He motioned with his chin.

Kate groaned and reached for the door handle. Tom rushed out, and Nick met him by the side of his car to help Kate out.

“I’m sorry,” Nick blurted out. “I’m just concerned—”

Kate wrapped her arms around her brother. “I was a jerk,” she said into his shoulder. “Thanks for breaking me out tonight.” She waved towards the house. “I promise, next time you do, I won’t bite your head off.”