Page 63 of Rogue Wave

“I’ll deactivate all badges and issue new ones to all employees,” Allen said. “And I’ll change out the codes on the security panels as well.”

I nodded back at him. “Can you also tell which badge was used to access which doors?”

He nodded at me, and Deputy Kingston followed him as they left.

A few minutes later, everyone was gone, and it was now just Hazel and me.

I sighed as I moved my hands to cup her face. “Your phone call took five years off my life.”

“You and me both.”

I pulled her into my chest and wrapped my arms around her tightly.

“I’m okay now, Hank. You can let go.”

“I can’t. Just give me a minute.”

I held on to her, relaxing as I felt her heartbeat and her lungs inflating and deflating against my chest. I rubbed my hand up and down her back—more to soothe myself than her.

“Usually, I make guys take me on a date first before I let them feel me up like this,” she spoke into my chest.

I snorted and shook my head. God, it took everything in me not to kiss her in public when she was cute and funny like this.

Amazing how this woman could make me smile after how messed up the last hour had been. It was why I was falling for her. Probably too fast and hard for any sane person, but I didn’t care.

She was quickly becoming the best part of my life. And come hell or high water, I wasn’t giving that up.

18

“Jellyfish = not a fish

Starfish = not a fish

Cuttlefish = not a fish

Shellfish = not a fish

Seahorse = fish”

—It’s science

Hazel

I awoke to one of my daily texts from Auntie about Hank. This had become a thing with her since they met him weeks ago.

Auntie:

What are you and your handsome sheriff doing today?

Me:

I work, but we did watch a new movie last night that I think you’d like. Now, I’m about to go on a walk with Dottie.

Diversion and deflection had been the keys with Auntie. Otherwise, she’d keep trying to ask questions that I didn’t want to answer.

I loved both her and Mom, but Auntie had no filter and had no problem asking the hard questions, so sometimes I just wanted to move on.

Which was what I had done. Wanting to clear my head and ignore Mom’s and Auntie’s texts for a bit, I’d gone on a nice walk on the beach with Dottie. Now I was packing my lunch for work, and my phone buzzed several times.