AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Roots," he murmured. “What makes you think she even wants roots? Seems to me she’s avoiding them like they’ll drag her down with them.”
"I don’t know.But have you seen the way she looks at you? That's not the look of someone pining for a life on the road. That's deeper."
Tommy considered this, watching the way Grace’s smile reached her eyes, the way her laughter seemed to fill the room. There was an ease about her that he hadn't seen before, and it grated on him in a selfish, shameful way.
"You really think so?" Tommy asked, the doubt in his voice barely veiled.
"I know so. Don't sell yourself short. You've got a lot to offer."
Tommy watched Grace for a moment longer, a mix of emotions swirling within him. Then, with a deep breath, he nodded at Jack and pushed off the kitchen counter.
He made his way toward her, determined to be part of her world… no matter how different their paths might seem.
CHAPTER13
Grace
Two weeks later,Grace found herself sitting in Tommy's squad car for the second time. The cozy yet professional interior reflected Tommy's personality perfectly. From the neatly organized dashboard setup to the surprisingly comfortable seats, the car was an extension of the man who drove it.
Grace was alone in the car as Tommy and his partner Jack responded to a call about two men fighting inside a house on the outskirts of Snow Hill. As she waited, she couldn't help but reflect on the past two weeks. She and Tommy had been casually dating, though—just as she feared—she couldn't shake the feeling that his emotions ran deeper than he let on.
This ride-along wasn't even necessary for her travel writing... Tommy had insisted it was just forfun.
Leaning her head against the window, Grace watched her breath fog up the glass. It was a cold winter day, the kind where the chill invaded Grace's bones no matter how many layers she wore.
"Stay warm in there," Tommy said as he got out of the car, pulling Grace from her thoughts. "Jack and I will be right back."
"Copy that," Grace replied with a wry smile.
When he'd been dispatched to the outskirts of Snow Hill for this call, they'd said it was a fight between two roommates over rent. Hopefully, it'd be easy to help them solve it and wouldn't involve any bloodshed.
As Tommy and Jack met up in front of Tommy's vehicle, Grace watched the two friends interact as they prepared to go up to the ramshackle house. It was clear they knew how to joke around—Tommy likely brought that out in everyone he knew. But they could also slip into professional mode without seeming to bat an eye.
Grace's eyes widened as the front door of the house swung open with a loud crack, and two men came tumbling onto the dirty porch mid-fight. Their faces were red with anger, their fists flying, and their shouts echoed in the crisp winter air.
She gasped, not expecting to witness something like this on her just-for-fun ride-along.
Still, she rolled down the window just enough so she could hear.
Her heart raced as she watched Tommy and Jack approach the fighting men, her mind taking in tiny details as if it were all happening in slow motion. Snow crunched beneath their boots, and their breaths formed puffs of white vapor in the frosty air.
And the men continued to brawl, seemingly oblivious to the officers' presence until they intervened.
"Hey, break it up!" Tommy shouted, grabbing one of the men by the collar and pulling him away from the other. Jack did the same with the second man, both officers maintaining their composure despite the chaotic scene.
As the situation began to deescalate, Grace gaped at Tommy and Jack. They seemed completely unfazed, effortlessly mediating the dispute with calm authority, as if they did this every day. For all she knew, maybe they did. Or, at least, they had when they were both cops in Philly.
It was remarkable how they managed to keep control. She had a hand over her heart as if she could somehow keep it from pounding by applying a little outside pressure.
"Alright, gentlemen, let's talk this through," Jack said firmly, his breath visible in the cold air. "No more fighting, okay?"
"Fine," one of the men grumbled, still glaring daggers at his opponent.
"Good," Tommy said, nodding. "Now, let's discuss this rent issue and figure out a solution that works for both of you."
Tommy had mentioned earlier that neither of the men involved had outstanding warrants, so as long as things didn't escalate any further, there would be no need for arrests today. Grace's heart rate began to slow, sensing that the situation would resolve itself without anyone getting seriously hurt.
Grace hung on each and every patient word Tommy spoke to the roommates, and when it was all said and done, she nearly laughed when one of the men actuallythankedthem.
