The Cowboy's Second-Chance Family

“You made the coffee, that’s enough.” He picked up the large jagged mug pieces and tossed them in the trash before soaking up the liquid. “Get to work and make sure you don’t pull any pranks on Spencer here.”

She glanced to Noah, who was still standing far closer and smelling far better than should be legal.

“I’ll have you know that last stunt with the sugar and salt with the coffee was not me. It was Carla.”

When he grunted, Lucy merely glanced to Noah and shrugged. She headed from the break room, well aware the new officer was directly behind her. If only Carla were here tonight to help take some of this pressure from Lucy. She’d never had this instant attraction before so she seriously needed to get ahold of herself.

Why did the first interest since her husband’s death have to be a man dealing with such grief? He was in no place to even look her way, let alone flirt.

Flirt? Mercy sakes, what was she saying? They had a job to do and she’d do well to remember they were technically coworkers.

“Are you sure your hand is okay?” he asked as they came to the dispatch desks with all of the monitors and phones.

“It’s fine.” How many times could she say fine? “Did you get cleaned up?”

He glanced to his shiny, patent leather shoes. “They just got splashed. I think your hand and the floor took everything.”

When he looked back up, his eyes went straight to her chest. Well, maybe this attraction wasn’t one-sided.

“You have coffee on your sweater.”

And perhaps it was, because he wasn’t looking at her boobs at all, but the coffee she’d spilled. She knew her sweater was damp, but she didn’t exactly have another shirt to put on. And of course it was a white sweater. Classy. So classy.

“It will dry,” she stated, waving a hand through the air as if she wasn’t bothered, though she was cringing each time his eyes dropped to the stain.

She took a seat at her desk and gestured to the empty chair beside her. “How long have you been in Stonerock?”

“Almost a week.”

Lucy pointed to one of the monitors with the layout of the town. “I assume you’ve been out driving around and familiarizing yourself with the area.”

He nodded. “The streets are a grid. Pretty easy to get around.”

“This won’t be much different from where you were before,” she explained. “Stonerock is small, low crime. I’m sure you know all of that, but you will get to know the people in no time.”

As she explained how things would work from her end, he nodded and listened without interruption. When the line lit up, Lucy held up her hand and took the call.

The frantic voice of a child came over the headset and Lucy went into that calm mode she had to settle into when trying to offer comfort to the stranger on the other end. And when that stranger happened to be a child, Lucy tried to compartmentalize her feelings and remain in control.

“My mommy is having a baby,” the little boy screamed. “Right now!” The child’s voice was drowned out by a woman’s cries.

Lucy went to the flip cards on the desk and found the one she needed to issue the proper orders. This wasn’t her first baby call and it wouldn’t be her last. She managed to get a neighbor’s name and called her while keeping the child on the line. While paramedics were on their way, Lucy wanted another adult there for the child.

All in all, the call took about four minutes before the medical squad arrived on the scene and the neighbor came to take the little boy. Lucy disconnected the call once everyone was safe and taken care of.

As she eased back in her seat, she caught a side glance of Noah. The adrenaline during the call had her completely forgetting about him—and that was saying something.

“You did good,” he commented.

Lucy laughed. “Well, that’s my job, so...”

“It takes a special person to be able to do that, though.” He eased forward and met her eyes. “Not everyone could remain calm in a time of distress. You’re literally the lifeline to those people in need.”

Lucy shrugged. She’d never thought of it that way, but he was correct. Still, she didn’t take to praise very well. She was doing her job, helping others who couldn’t help themselves, and she only hoped in some small way that she made a difference.

As more calls came through, she took them and talked to Noah in between. After about an hour, Officer McCoy came through to take Noah out on a call.

Part of Lucy hated to see him go, but the other part was relieved. She was having a difficult time sitting here ignoring his domineering presence.

As Noah stood up, he started to say something but a call came in and she tuned out everything else. This was going to be one of those nights where the phones were nonstop. Some days were like that and she was grateful she had something to occupy her time other than the mysterious new officer.

She wanted to know more about him, and living in this tiny town, she’d definitely find out. It wouldn’t take long for the busybodies to be all abuzz with the backstory of their newest resident.

* * *

After they’d finished the call, which amounted to a couple of guys getting too rowdy outside of Gallagher’s, the local bar, Noah climbed back into the patrol car. He wasn’t used to riding on the passenger side, but he also wasn’t used to this town, nor life without his ranch, not to mention life without his wife.

Each day was better than the last, but there was still that void he figured he’d always carry around.

Just as Officer McCoy started the car, Lucy’s calm voice came over the radio.

“We’ve got a missing child at 186 Walnut Street. The mother reported he was in his room and was supposed to be changing for bed, but now he’s missing.”

Just because he was a police officer didn’t mean he didn’t feel. Each case he encountered was different, and each one deserved his full attention and compassion. Noah’s heart clenched at the fear that mother must be facing. He knew that fear of loss and the unknown.

“There’s a creek that runs behind their house so the mother and some neighbors are there now,” Lucy added.

McCoy turned on the siren and raced through the streets. Lucy’s voice continued to keep them updated as she stayed on the line with a family friend. Lucy’s sweet voice was exactly what he’d told her earlier—a lifeline. She was the link between the caller and the officers and she truly didn’t see what an important job she had.

He should feel guilty thinking of her in any way except as a coworker, but there was something so innocent, yet so... He couldn’t find the right word. Recognizable? Yes, definitely. He recognized the pain in her eyes, too. She did well to mask it, but it was there all the same. Perhaps she used that support group more for herself than she realized. And that was all fine and good, but talking among a group of strangers wasn’t for him. He could get over his grief just fine on his own time.

Within minutes they were pulling up in front of a small white cottage. Already people had congregated on the lawn. Adrenaline pumping, Noah raced toward the back of the house where he was told the mother was. McCoy went to talk to neighbors to get a description of the boy.

With the rains lately, the creek was up and Noah prayed this would only be a search and not a recovery.

Flashlights shifted all over the backyard, Noah’s included. He tried to focus on the water, because if the boy was in there, he was in the most danger. Hopefully he was just in a neighbor’s tree house or something that innocent and safe.

“He’s there!” someone shouted. “He’s caught under that shrub on the other side of the creek.”

Noah followed the light stream from someone’s flashlight. Immediately he took off running in the direction, his light bouncing as he ran faster.

He heard a woman scream and take off down the edge of the creek just in front of him. “Hold on, baby!”

Noah didn’t think twice and he didn’t stop to say anything. He raced past the frantic mother and the other people who were trying to figure out how to get the boy out.

As he ran into the cold water, Noah called out to the boy, “Hang on. I’m coming for you.” The poor little guy was crying and the hood of his jacket had gotten caught on a dead limb sticking out from a bush along the creek side. His jacket was dark, but the bright yellow shirt made it a little easier for Noah to focus in on him.

The water was nearly to Noah’s waist and colder than he’d initially thought. He didn’t know how long the boy had been out here, but with the sun down, things had cooled off quite a bit.

The frantic mother continued to encourage her son to hang on as Noah trudged through the water. Blocking out all the chaos behind him, Noah focused solely on this boy.

“I’ve got you,” Noah told him when he finally reached the child. “Wrap your legs around my waist and put your arms around my neck. I’m going to untangle your jacket.”

The boy continued to cry and didn’t move.

“My name is Officer Spencer, but you can call me Noah. What’s your name?”

“C-Conner.”

The boy’s teeth were chattering. “Okay, Conner. I need you to be a big boy. I need a partner since my partner is in your house helping. Can you be my partner out here?”

Conner nodded. “I just wanted to see the storm and then I saw a c-cat run to the water. I wanted to s-save it.”

“You’re a brave boy, but right now I need you to wrap yourself around me so I can get you out of here. I don’t know about you, but I think this water is cold.”

Finally, little arms and legs went around Noah. Realizing the boy was about Emma’s age, he felt a tug on his heart. Calls with kids always hit closer to home.

If he didn’t get this jacket untangled in the next few seconds, Noah was going to cut it off. This boy had been waist deep in the water long enough. He shivered, not just from the cold, but from fear.

Finally, the material came free with a rip. Noah wasted no time. He waded back through the chilly water as the boy clung to him. On the bank, the crowd had grown and the mother stood sobbing, reaching her arms out, anxious to take her son.

The paramedics were right beside her, also ready to take the boy. Noah reached Conner out to his mom and climbed up the embankment. McCoy grabbed Noah’s elbow to help him out.

The paramedics and the boy’s mother were racing through the backyard, toward the driveway around front to the ambulance. The boy would be fine, but protocol required he get checked out. Noah would bet Conner wouldn’t venture out to explore by himself anytime soon, and probably not near that creek for a long, long time.

“Good job, Spencer.” McCoy slapped him on the back. “Already playing hero on your first serious call. You’ll fit in just fine.”

Noah smiled as they walked through the yard. He didn’t want praise for doing his job, but he was glad he could help.

“At least the dip in the creek got the coffee off me,” he joked.

McCoy laughed. “I thought you didn’t get any coffee on you.”

Noah shook his head. “I just told Lucy that so I wouldn’t hurt her feelings. She’d already burned her hand and felt bad enough.”

They reached the car and just as Noah pulled the handle, Conner’s mother came up and wrapped her arms around him.

“Thank you,” she cried, pulling back. “I promise I don’t let him get near the creek. He’s never done that before.”

Noah placed a hand on her arm. “And I’m sure he won’t do it again. You both had a scare, but you’ve got a brave boy. He wanted to see the storm and then tried to save a cat. You’re doing a good job, mama. Kids are curious creatures by default.”

She swiped the tears from her eyes and offered a smile before turning to go back to the waiting ambulance. Conner sat up on the cot inside the open doors and waved at Noah. Waving back, Noah offered his own grin.

Within minutes he and McCoy were headed back to the station where Noah could change and get dry. And see Lucy. On the short trip back, McCoy and Lucy exchanged some information about the boy being transported to the hospital.

Once again, her tone stirred something inside Noah. Something he didn’t want to address because he shouldn’t be having these feelings. Should he?

He was human, he was a man, and he had natural desires. There was something about Lucy that made him not want to brush aside these unwanted emotions. No one had been able to reawaken the dead inside him for months. But whether it was her sweet voice, the compassion he already saw in her, or the underlying vulnerability she tried to hide, something about her drew him and made him want to get to know her more.

At this point, he figured they’d be seeing each other on a near daily basis. He might as well just roll with it and see what happened. But at the same time, he had to guard his heart. He was still healing, he was still in new territory...but he was also still fascinated by the gentle blonde with wide, expressive green eyes.

As they pulled into the station, Noah couldn’t help but wonder what the next few days, weeks, and months would bring.

He hadn’t known what to expect from this new town, but a reawakening in his desire certainly hadn’t been on his list.

Chapter Three

Her nerves were near shot. Noah had been on the force for nearly a week and she’d worked five days out of the seven. Her usual part-time schedule had shifted into full-time since Carla had to be out with her mother for the next couple of weeks.

Which meant more face-to-face time with Officer Brooding and Sexy. Why, why, why did this man have to be the one she found so attractive? Why couldn’t she get stirrings for a schoolteacher or a garbage man? A man who put his life on the line every day was an absolute no-no.

Her husband had done the same thing. Day after day he’d put himself out there...until one day he was gone.

Noah had only been on the force a short time and already he’d proven he was a man of loyalty, integrity, and compassion. He’d taken the little boy from the creek incident a stuffed animal before his shift. And the only reason anyone knew of that was because the mother called to tell Captain Cameron St. John what an amazing officer he had.

The back door opened and closed. Before she could turn to see which officer was coming on duty, a call came in. She pressed the key on the computer to answer and adjusted her headset.

“Stonerock Police Department.”

“I have someone walking through my backyard carrying a baseball bat.”

“Do you know who this person is?” Lucy replied.

“No, but they’ve been out there for a few minutes just staring at the house.”

Lucy dispatched an officer and kept the caller on the line as she made sure the lady’s doors were locked and she was away from doors and windows. The woman didn’t sound frantic, but concerned.

Stonerock wasn’t known for having many crimes, but there were crazy people everywhere. She couldn’t take any call for granted.

Once the officer arrived and the caller confirmed it, Lucy disconnected the call. When she turned in her seat, she was alone in the room, but she knew who’d come in earlier. That aftershave still permeating the room had become so familiar, making her insides stir and get all schoolgirl giddy.

She was a grown woman getting giddy. How sad was that?

Keeping her feelings in check was the smart thing to do. She needed to keep her emotional distance from Noah, but each day she saw him, she realized she wanted to see more of him, to learn more about him. That need was a recipe for disaster and heartache. Neither of them was at a place in their lives to act on attraction. Of course, she was still assuming it was one-sided, which was all the more reason for her to rein in her school-girl crush.

Only this didn’t feel like anything she’d had as a teenager. Her attraction for Noah Spencer was all grown up...as were the dreams she’d been having since that first meeting in the rain.

Lucy came to her feet and stretched her neck from side to side. She was pulling a double shift today, which was fine. She could use the extra money to put back into the support group fund. Tonight was a meeting, but Kate and Tara were fine without her. It’s not like Lucy was ever missed.

“Thought you were off today.”

She jerked around to see Noah standing in the doorway drinking a cup of coffee. His dark eyes held hers and she had to force herself to not fidget.

“Taking on a few more shifts while Carla is out. I can always use extra money for my group.”

His dark brows drew in. “Aren’t you missing a meeting tonight?”

Lucy shrugged. “I am, but my girls understand. Sometimes we have to cover for each other.”

He took a sip of coffee from one of the disposable cups. When he pushed off the doorway, Lucy thought he was about to turn and leave, but he crossed the room and headed for her desk. Lucy spun around, pretending to stare at the monitors. It was a slow night, but she still wished for a call to come in right then. She couldn’t handle all this tension. Well, the tension on her part at least. She never could get a grasp on what he was feeling.

“What do you do in your spare time?” he asked as he took a seat beside her.

The question threw her off as she glanced to the clock. He was early for his shift by about twenty minutes. Why was he choosing to sit in here with her?

“Spare time?” she asked, fidgeting with her watch. “I’m usually looking for speakers for the group or community projects we can do. Giving back and lifting others up is a great way to—”

“No.”

Lucy jerked her attention back to him. “What do you mean, no?”

Noah set his cup on the desk and leaned forward. That dark stare of his zeroed in on her and she could easily see him cornering a suspect with those eyes, or seducing a woman. Those eyes held every secret, letting no emotion slip through. That whole guarded, sultry thing he had going might be the sexiest thing she’d ever seen in her life.

The uniform didn’t hurt, either. But she’d rather have a man not so committed to danger and more committed to...well, her. As selfish as that sounded, part of her hated knowing that her husband had sacrificed his life defending their country, but that was the type of man he’d been. And she could tell that was the type of man Noah was.

“I know you work and volunteer your time for the group,” he stated, still holding her in place with that mesmerizing gaze. “But I’m asking what else you do.”

“Oh, I study. I’m almost done with my online classes.”

Noah shook his head. “For fun. What do you do for fun?”

Lucy opened her mouth, then shut it. She thought for a second, but nothing came to her. Surely she’d done something for fun lately...hadn’t she? Her friends were always texting her or calling for some reason or another. But she couldn’t recall the last time they went out and did anything.

“I have horses,” she replied. “Two of them. They were my husband’s, so they’re mine now.”

Before she could even think of something she actually did just for herself, a call came in. It took great effort on her part, but she blocked out the presence of the powerful man beside her. The call didn’t take long and didn’t require anyone to be dispatched. An elderly lady had locked herself out of her home, but ended up finding her key in the bottom of her purse while she was talking.

When Lucy disconnected the call, Officer McCoy came in the back door. “Evening. Gettin’ chilly out there.”

Noah spun in the chair. “It’s downright frigid to me. I guess I’ll have to invest in thicker coats.”

“Drink more coffee,” McCoy suggested as he passed on through to the break room.

“It’s not too bad here,” Lucy replied once Noah turned back to her. “But I guess coming from Texas, Stonerock does seem cold in the fall.”

“Everything is different from Texas,” he muttered.

There went that darkness settling over him again. If she could just break through...but that would require her getting closer and spending more time with him. That probably wasn’t smart. Maybe she should have Tara or Kate reach out to Noah. Definitely a better option.

A sliver of jealousy speared through her at the idea of her friends getting one-on-one time with Noah.

“Are you upset about missing the meeting?” he asked.

Lucy tipped her head and eased back in her chair. “Why would you say that?”

“Because you’ve looked upset since I walked in.”

Upset? That’s what he got out of her appearance and attitude? She was seriously out of practice. Granted, she’d never had to initiate conversation or flirting with a man. Evan had asked her out and he’d taken charge. He was her first love, so...yeah, right now she was seriously out of her element. Maybe she should give up and stop trying. Had she even started, though?

“I’m not upset,” she assured him.

Noah grabbed his cup, but never took his eyes off her. “You hide it well, but something is bothering you. None of my business, though.”

He rose to his feet and turned to leave the room.

“Wait a minute,” she called. “You’re the one who seems all brooding and quiet. Over the past week you’ve barely said a word to me other than hi and bye. You talk to everyone else but me.”

Noah glanced over his shoulder. “I speak with you over the radio every day.”

Yeah, and that grated on her nerves because his low, gravelly voice always made her tingle and she did not want to tingle. Damn it, she didn’t know what she wanted, but she at least wanted him to stop torturing her. Maybe acknowledge her as more than an annoyance or someone not to be bothered with. But the casual greeting as he came and went didn’t sit well with her.

Well, maybe she wouldn’t mind so much if he did the same to everyone, but it was only her as far as she could tell. Had she done something to offend him? How was that even possible when she’d barely spoken to him other than to dispatch calls through the radio?

“Face-to-face, you ignore me.” That sounded so childish. Lucy came to her feet and sighed. “We’re like a family here, so I don’t want any tension.”

Noah shifted to face her fully. “Are you feeling tension?”

She was feeling sexually frustrated, but she figured announcing that wasn’t professional. Was this what it would be like getting back into the dating world? She wasn’t so sure she was up for this game.

Instead of answering his question, she asked one of her own. “Are you telling me you aren’t?”

Shut up, Lucy. Just shut up.

“Because I don’t try to cover my feelings,” she went on, ignoring that inner voice. “Attraction is a natural emotion.”

When his eyes widened, she seriously wanted to die. He seemed shocked, whether at her blunt statement or the fact he wasn’t feeling the same, she had no clue. Regardless, it was out there now and she really, really wished she didn’t always take the advice of her therapist and tell people how she felt.

McCoy came back through, whistling and holding his own cup of coffee. At the same time, another call rang through the room, effectively severing the awkward silence that had descended since she’d opened her mouth and opted to pour out her thoughts.

Lucy took the interruption as a sign that it was indeed time to shut up and stop telling Noah...well, anything. She quickly answered the call and sat back down at her desk. By the time she was done, Noah and Sergeant McCoy were gone and Lucy’s heart was still beating like mad.

She’d stepped over some professional boundary and she had no clue how to come back from that. Noah was now well aware of how she felt about him, and from the look on his face, he didn’t want to accept it.

Fantastic. How on earth did she come back from this embarrassing moment?

* * *

Okay, cooking wasn’t necessarily her thing. Actually, she was terrible at it. But Lucy knew how to bake and actually loved doing it.

Which was why she found herself standing on the porch of one adorable little gray-and-white cottage on the edge of town. Lucy secured the basket of cranberry scones under one arm and rang the doorbell with her free hand.