Stolen Course (Wrecked and Ruined #2)

“I miss them,” she chokes out, and Eli pulls her completely into his chest.

“Shit, I’m so sorry.” I didn’t mean to upset her. I thought maybe she might be happy to see Sarah again. “I’m going to leave now. I’m really sorry. I’ll just grab Caleb’s coffee and be out of your hair before you even know it.”

“Caleb?” She suddenly perks up.

Eli lets out a curse, and I suddenly realize that I’ve said too much. I steel myself, ready for the reaction everyone gives when they realize Caleb and I are dating, but it never comes from Casey.

“Are you dating Caleb?” she asks with a quick swipe under her eyes.

“Yeah. For a few months now. I shouldn’t have said anything. I know this must be awkward as hell.”

“No. Not at all. Is he happy? I mean, are you two happy? Is it serious?” She asks a barrage of questions.

Her reaction completely confuses me, until it dawns on me—Casey doesn’t have a vested interest in this. She just wants to see someone in this whole mess moving on and finally happy again.

“Yeah, we are doing really well. I think he’s happy—or I at least I hope he is.” I laugh. “I’d say we are kind of serious. Maybe?” I laugh again.

Her lip begins to quiver as she nods. “That’s good. That’s really fucking good.” The relief floods her face.

Eli leans down and kisses her long black hair. She offers me a genuine smile, but that damn tear finally escapes the corner of her eye.

“Well, we’re going to head out, Emma,” Eli says to me as Casey begins to blankly stare into the distance.

“Yeah, okay. Sorry if I ruined y’all’s morning.”

Casey speaks up. “You didn’t ruin anything. I just don’t talk about Sarah or Manda very often. It’s still hard. I’m glad to hear Caleb is doing well though. He’s a really good guy. Loyal to a fault. I’ll let you know if I change my mind about visiting Sarah, okay?” She leans her head back against Eli.

“Yeah, that would be great.” I smile then head toward back toward the counter.

A few seconds later, Eli leads Casey out the door. A small sense of peace washes over me as I remember that simple smile on her face. I can’t help but hope she takes me up on the offer to see Sarah.





“DETECTIVE JONES,” I hear spoken in a sultry voice behind me. A smile immediately spreads across my face as I spin in my chair to see Emma carrying two large coffees.

“Oh, I love you, woman!” I say teasingly as I reach forward to grab one of the cups from her hand.

“Wait! Who said that was for you?”

“Excuse me! Do you have another man working here today?” I glance around the office. The only other man in the room is Bob Stein, a fifty-year-old man with a potbelly. “Huh?” I lift a teasing eyebrow. “Hey, Bob, were you expecting any coffee?” I shout across the room.

“Oh my God, stop. Here. Take it,” she says, annoyed, but she still leans in to give me a kiss.

All is right with the world if Emma is still giving me kisses.

“Thanks, sweetheart.” I take a long, much-needed, sip. The sludge they call coffee here is terrible, and after the late night I had buried inside Emma, I need caffeine to keep me going.

“So I ran into Casey earlier.”

I almost choke on my coffee at her announcement. “Casey Black?” I need to clarify. None of us have seen or heard from Casey in years.

“Yep. She was with Eli.”

“No. Shit?”

“Nope. I had no idea they knew each other.”

“Yeah, Eli and Casey had a relationship long before the accident. And trust me. I use the word relationship loosely. Eli was in love, and Casey thought they were just fucking. When Manda passed away, it left Casey so brokenhearted that she took off, leaving everything behind—including Eli.”

“Damn, that’s rough.”

“I didn’t know he and Casey kept in touch.”

“Oh they definitely have. I would wager they are even seeing each other again. She got upset and he was comforting her.”

“Really?” I ask surprised.

“Mmmhmm.”

“Wow. Well good for him. Casey’s a good girl. Eli just needs to fight a little harder this time.”

“Anyway, how’s work going?” She walks over to my desk and plops down on the corner.

“It’s going. I’d rather be at home in bed with you.” I trace a finger down her jean-covered thigh.

“I’d rather you be there too.”

“You didn’t schedule any shoots for my days off, did you?”

“Nope. I’m all yours.” She leans forward, begging for a kiss. Who gives a shit if I’m at work? I will never miss an opportunity to take my woman’s lips.

“Good. I told Lindsey we would come over for dinner on Thursday night. Then I’m chaining you to my bed until Tuesday morning.”