“Whatever,” Caden said with a hint of amusement, earning him a smile from Evan.
Half an hour later Caden was at the police station, working on reports and thinking about the scene that had unfolded at Seaside. He covered his mouth as a soft laugh accompanied the memory of the half-naked women acting like silly teenagers who had snuck out of a slumber party. The laugh quickly turned to heat, coiling like a snake in his belly with the image of Bella in her silky underwear.
What was it about her?
His chief’s voice beckoned him into his office, startling him.
Caden stuck his head through the chief’s doorway. “Chief?”
Chief Bassett was a serious man with tufts of strawberry-blond hair and pinkish skin that reminded Caden of a newborn mouse. He motioned for Caden to sit in a chair across from his desk.
“How’s it going?” Chief Bassett asked.
Caden shrugged. “Fine.”
“Your kid settling in okay?”
The chief had reached out to him several times in a similar friendly manner, checking in in a way that had been rare in the large precinct he’d come from in Boston.
“Yeah. Evan’s doing okay. You know how things are at that age. He’s having a tough time making friends, but I’m hoping that once school starts that’ll sort itself out.” He wrung his hands together.
“Moving is tough on teens; that’s for sure. You asked about moving to day shifts, and I think we can accommodate that after next week, if you’re still interested.”
Caden felt himself smile. “Absolutely. That’s great. Thank you.” He’d been working only a few night shifts each week, but he didn’t like leaving Evan alone overnight, even though he checked on him often while he was out on patrol. When he’d first decided to become a cop, he’d known the risks of the job and that night shifts would be difficult. But Caden had always liked rules and structure, and helping people was in his nature. The job appealed to him on so many levels, and the outlook of being indestructible that went hand in hand with youth hadn’t allowed him to question the risks. Evan had been just an infant, and leaving him at night, when he was sleeping safely in his crib with his parents in the next room, seemed like a better option to Caden than taking a desk job and leaving him during the day. He didn’t want to miss those first few years with Evan. At the time, his mother worked part-time, and between Evan’s naps and his mother taking over for a few hours each day, he was able to spend quality time bonding with his new son while paying his dues with the station. By the time Evan went to school, Caden had transitioned to day hours. He hadn’t loved the idea of starting over again at a new station, but after George was killed, starting over seemed like a small price to pay for a safer job.
Chief Bassett nodded. “I thought you’d be pleased. No trouble last night?”
Not unless you consider running into a gorgeous blonde trouble. Caden shook his head. “Nah. Typical night. Any leads on the thefts?”
“No, nothing new, but you know, keep your eyes open.”
“Will do.” Caden pushed to his feet to return to his desk.
“Hey, Caden, one more thing. Are you doing okay?” The chief’s gaze softened.
“Sir?”
“Losing your partner. As I mentioned when you were first hired, I’ve been through that loss. If you need to talk to someone, I’m around.”
It had been almost six months since George died, and Caden felt guilty for having almost gotten used to the idea that he’d never see his best friend again. There was a time when just thinking of George brought a surge of anger and sadness, but over the months, he’d come to grips with it. George and Evan had also been close, and Evan seemed to finally get past that hurt, too. Although there were still times when Caden would forget that George was gone, like when he bought his house in Wellfleet and reached for his phone to call George so he could share his news, or after a long shift when he was alone in his patrol car and he’d catch a glimpse of the empty passenger seat. In those moments, he drew upon the good memories they’d shared, until he felt balanced again.
“Thanks. I appreciate your concern. I think moving was the right thing to do. In Boston I saw him everywhere. Here…” He shrugged. “There’s something to be said about starting over.”
Chapter Three
BELLA, AMY, LEANNA, and Jenna were used to the shock of cold that often trailed sunset like a shadow on Cape Cod beaches. They hunkered down around the bonfire on beach chairs with thick sweatshirts and blankets across their laps. Layers of deep purples and dark blue surrounded the white globe of the moon, hovering above the ocean. Soon the sky would darken and the stars would become visible, but for the next thirty minutes, Bella had a dusky view of the surf fishermen lined up on the beach, hoping for one final bite from a bluefish that had somehow avoided becoming prey to the seals that had claimed the New England surf. It struck her how different her life would be if she lived on the Cape full-time. Would she make the time to sit on the beach on chilly March evenings or walk by the edge of the water in a parka, midwinter?
“Are you bummed that Kurt stayed with Jamie tonight?” Bella asked Leanna. Jamie Reed was another Seaside resident. His grandmother, Vera, owned the cottage next to Leanna’s, and Jamie had grown up spending summers with Bella and the girls.
“Oh, goodness no. But Amy’s gonna be mad, because when Tony found out that Kurt was staying, I heard him tell Kurt he’d stay, too.” Leanna pulled her blanket up in front of her face. “Don’t kill the messenger.”
Amy rolled her eyes. “You guys act like something between me and Tony is even a possibility. I told you. I tried to sail that ship and he turned me down. I’m not a glutton for punishment.”
“Oh, please. You know perfectly well that if he asked you out you’d jump at the chance.” Jenna bumped Amy with her shoulder.
“Of course. I’m realistic, not stupid,” Amy said. “But I won’t make the mistake of coming on to him again.”
Jenna nudged a rock with her toe, then leaned forward to pick it up.
“Here we go,” Amy said. Jenna had been a rock collector for as long as Bella could remember. Each summer she zeroed in on a different type of rock. This summer her fascination was on heart-shaped rocks.
Jenna shot to her feet with her hands on her hips. “Who’s coming with me to look for rocks?” She bounced on her toes like an excited kid.