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Hannah’s skin warmed as a blush crept up her neck and cheeks. “Because it’s not like that.” At least, she was pretty sure it wasn’t like that, especially after he’d taken off yesterday and hadn’t bothered coming in today. Hannah was convinced she’d probably scared the crap out of him. She hadn’t realized how much she’d gushed on the news until she’d seen the broadcast last night. Geez, could she have been a bigger idiot?
“Well, he was on the news talking about the program he works for and how it helps stray dogs and troubled youth, and I have to say, it takes a special kind of man to do that kind of job.”
As if I didn’t already know that.
“Yeah, I know he’s great.”
“Well, let’s get our plates and watch it. You know we always tape the five o’clock news, and when I realized who he was, I figured you’d want to see it.”
Hannah nearly groaned aloud in frustration. She’d spent last night tossing and turning, convincing herself to forget about Blake, but it seemed like the universe was mocking her with him.
They filled plates for themselves and her dad, and when they walked into the living room, her mom said, “Turn on the five o’clock news.”
“I’m watching this!” Her dad hated having his nightly TV regimen ruined.
“And Hannah hasn’t seen it yet, so stop being a grump and turn it on.”
Hannah hid her smile in her sweet and sour chicken. Since she could remember, her parents had always bickered with each other, but it was never serious. At least, she’d never seen them seriously fight.
“Fine.” He scrolled through the DVR and pressed play. “I’m getting a little tired of your harping, woman.”
“And I’m done with you thinking you’re king of the remote. Now shush up.”
Her dad continued to grumble, but Hannah tuned him out as the newscaster came onto the screen. Her hair was artfully styled and her pretty face and trim figure perfect in every way as she stood next to Blake, introducing him. He appeared relaxed, but she’d been around him often enough to know when his eyes wrinkled at the corner he was either smiling or tense.
And he definitely wasn’t smiling.
“Sergeant Kline, can you tell me what was going through your mind when you made the decision to go after the armed assailant with nothing but your combat skills?”
Blake cleared his throat and shifted from his left to right foot.
“To be honest, Tamera, I just knew I didn’t want him taking Hannah off the premises.”
“Hannah is the woman he held hostage. So, this was personal to you?”
Hannah saw Blake’s cheeks redden, and she was mesmerized by the sight.
Until he spoke again. “No, I would have done the same for anyone in danger, but it’s not like what I did was that special. If someone thought they could help, they would. I’m just an ordinary guy who was in the right place at the right time.”
“Oh, I don’t believe that’s true, Sergeant.” The reporter put her hand on Blake’s arm and practically purred at him. “In fact, I think the majority of our audience would agree that what you did was extraordinary.”
Hannah winced as Blake smiled at the reporter, albeit stiffly. “It was what I was trained for, ma’am. Nothing special about it.”
The story cut to the Alpha Dog Training Program, showing video of teenagers and dogs, along with instructors demonstrating techniques for the kids. The voice-over explained how Alpha Dog was coming up on a year of being open and how it had assisted nearly one hundred kids in finding employment and specialty programs after completing their sentence.
The last clip was of Blake again, telling the reporter, “The real heroes are the men and women who launched this program and are determined to keep it going so that other kids can benefit from it in other states. They are amazing.”
Hannah’s eyes teared up a little at how humble he was.
“He seems like such a nice young man,” her mom said.
“Now can I get back to my program?” her dad growled.
Hannah ignored the bickering, her mind on Blake and how she’d told herself to just forget about him.
But with a guy like Blake, that was easier said than done.
THAT NIGHT, BLAKE sat on his couch, scrolling through Realtor.com and absently munching on his Jack in the Box tacos. There were several listings that he’d printed out, but they would deplete everything he had from his parents’ estate. It was crazy how expensive houses were now.
