I headed out of the station and got on my bike to go home. I was officially on vacation, and I was going to do everything in my power to avoid the woman that I knew had arrived today. Making a mental list of all the ways to keep me from searching for her, I decided to head to the community center in the morning, that would take a lot of my time and keep me away from Sophie. Arriving home to my quiet two-bedroom first floor without a view condo, I quickly changed out of my uniform. Most people would complain about windows that overlooked the parking garage but not me, since I didn’t have to pay condominium fees. Provided I was with the sheriff’s department and agreed to park my marked unit in the front spot, which was reserved for me. The property management company thought that it deterred criminals. Most of my neighbors were elderly, and I tried to visit them when I could to fix anything they needed or just change out lightbulbs. 

I walked a few doors down, to Mrs. Goodwin’s condo. She was a neighbor that I checked in with even on days like today when I wasn’t in the mood or didn’t have time to make my rounds to everyone else. For her, I always found time to visit. She was my favorite. Hell, she even had a key to my place and frequently came over and cleaned. While she was there she would iron my uniforms and stock my fridge with home cooked meals. At first, I tried to object but realized that she needed it as much as I truly needed having someone do it. I gave my standard shave and haircut knock.

“Is that my Carter boy? Come in here. I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“It’s only been a week.”

“But to an old woman like me, that’s forever. You never know how many days you have left.”

I let out a laugh. Mrs. Goodwin was probably going to outlive everyone. “I just stopped by to see if you needed anything. I’m on vacation this week. Orange County is on spring break, so I’ll be trying to put in some extra hours at the community center.”

“Boy, you are too good. Why haven’t you met a girl yet?” Her words struck me deep. I had met a girl, but then that girl up and disappeared. “What’s that look on your face for? Did you meet someone? Come on in and tell me all about it. I just made some fresh oatmeal cookies, and I was packing some up for you. I know they’re your favorite.”

I walked into her kitchen, spotted a burned out light bulb, and grabbed a new one from the shelf above her washing machine so I could change it for her. All the while, I thought of what to say. Mrs. Goodwin wouldn’t let me leave without something. “May I ask, how long were you married?”

“Sixty-one years. Alfred and I met our first year of college.”

“How long did you wait before you got married?”

“Oh, have you fallen madly in love with someone?” I shook my head, letting her know that wasn’t it. “He asked me out on a date, and we were married eight months later. I just knew that he was the one. We had our fights over the years, some doozies. But no one ever gave me butterflies in my stomach like he did. Do you have butterflies, Carter?”

“I did but she left, and the butterflies just seemed to die.”

“Can whatever it was that separated the two of you be fixed?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’ve built it up to more than it really was, sometimes our mind plays tricks on us and remembers things that didn’t really happen. It was ten years ago. She was seventeen, and I was twenty when we first met. It sounds stupid, I know.”

Mrs. Goodwin’s wrinkled hands clasped mine. “Alfred and I were eighteen, and after our first date I went home and told my mother that I had just met the man I was going to marry. So, no, it isn’t stupid. I didn’t find out for quite a few years that Alfred had gone to the jewelry store and bought my ring”—she pointed to the diamond that she still wore even though she’d been a widow for more than ten years—“after our third date. Carter, you go find that girl and see if the spark is still there. Your heart will let you know. The heart never lies.”

Leaning over, I gave Mrs. Goodwin a peck on her cheek before grabbing the plastic container of cookies. “I’ll get your container back to you in a day or two. You know how much I love your cookies, I’ll go through these pretty fast.” I left her apartment and headed back to mine, dropping the container on the counter before grabbing my keys and deciding to head up to Sixes to grab some dinner.

I had taken Mrs. Goodwin’s words to heart and knew that it was only a matter of time before Sophie and I ran into each other. I just wasn’t expecting it to be tonight and here, in my go-to place to relax. I looked up at the sound of my sister’s laughter coming from the dance floor, but I wasn’t focused on her, I was focused on the gorgeous woman a few feet behind her who was swaying to the song. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. 

Steadying myself against a table, I fought the lure that had pulled me in ten years ago, and still called to me after all these years. I closed my eyes, and my heart ached over all the nights we talked for hours on the phone, over the times we sat in the car and talked about nothing and everything. All those times I told her that I loved her but I couldn’t show her because she wasn’t eighteen . . . yet.

I took several deep breaths as I tried to regain my balance, remembering the way her smile used to light her eyes, and now as I looked closer, it seemed that her light was gone. It was replaced with a hint of sadness edging her eyes. She danced with abandon, and the words to the song “She Used To Be Mine” hit home.

I didn’t want to make a scene, not here. Sixes was the favorite hangout for local law enforcement and most of the fire departments. In other words, I knew just about everyone. I seriously considered turning and sneaking back out but, my sister’s voice stopped me. 

“Well hell’s bells. Yo, bro.” I steeled myself, knowing those words were always followed by a five-foot-nine blonde catapulting herself onto my back like a fucking chimpanzee. And not letting me down, Stella leaped onto my back. 

I swore to God the girl was never going to grow up. Anyone who saw the two of us next to each other would have no doubts that we were related. We had the same blond hair, blue eyes, height, and well . . . we just looked alike. Even though my sister was trying to get my attention, my focus wasn’t on her, it was still on Sophie, who was talking with Leo and Piper. I wiggled my shoulders to extricate myself from Stella’s grasp. I could hear Stella laughing as she jumped down but I ignored her, I was transfixed on the way Sophie’s dark hair bobbed back and forth. I imagined wrapping it around my hand as I . . . shit . . . fuck . . . don’t go there, Carter. There are people around but damn it all to hell, no one told my dick that he needed to worry about attracting attention. Oh no, he was at full attention remembering the night I had pulled her over and propped her sweet body up on the hood of her car. God, I still remembered the way she tasted when I licked my fingers. And of course, it was at that moment that Sophie turned to me, our eyes locked, and it hit me—Sophia Kostas had crushed me. The sound of my sister’s heels stomping on the ground as she ran back to her friends sounded more like shots yanking me from my memories and replacing them with hurt and fury.

“Come on, you need to meet Kayson’s cousin.” Stella waved me toward her table where Sophie stood, our eyes still locked. “Sophie, this is my brother Carter.”

She stretched out her hand. “You might not remember me.” Her hand was shaking, and when she spoke there was a light quiver in her voice, it shattered her false image of assurance. “I know that it’s been ten years.” Her voice was still so soft and alluring. “And you may only remember me as the girl you used to pull over for speeding, but I valued our friendship and . . . well . . .”

“Only remember you as the girl I pulled over for speeding? Did I hear you right?” I couldn’t control the ire that was slowly bubbling up inside me.

“Yeah, well . . . um.” 

A searing pain shot up my jaw as I clenched my teeth tight. “Sophia Christine Kostas born July fourteenth, lived on Skyline Drive in Kissimmee. You really think that I only remember you as the girl. Who. I. Pulled. Over. For. Speeding?”

“Wow, you have a great memory.” She was being flippant after I spent ten years wondering what happened to her.

“You two know each other?” Leo interrupted.

Sophie stared at me, her eyes pleading for me to answer.

“Yeah, we know each other. Ten years ago, I worked patrol where Sophie lived, and we got to know each other because she tended to have a lead foot.”

There were a few moments of silence as everyone tried to evaluate the volatility of the situation.

Sophie slid to the side. “I’m not feeling well. I’m going to head home. Talk to all of you later.” Sophie dropped her head and shielded her eyes as she passed me and headed out the door.

Without a word to the women all staring after Sophie, I turned and followed her to the parking lot. 

By the time I caught up to her, she had just grabbed the handle to her MINI Countryman, but I threw my arm against the door, holding it shut. “Oh, Sophie.” I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her against my body. “Don’t leave so soon.”

“Let go of me,” she snapped.

Dropping my arms, I took a step back but only gave her enough room to turn and look at me. As if I couldn’t help myself, I moved one hand to her hair and wrapped a lock of it around my finger. “Your hair is straight. What happened to all the curls?”

“It changed. Things just happen.”

I gave her a quizzical look, I had no clue what that meant. “For years, I was left wondering what the hell happened to you. So many damn nights I stayed awake afraid that I’d go into work the next day only to find out that someone discovered your body. I didn’t know if you’d been kidnapped. Raped. I’d waited until you turned eighteen to show you how I felt, to prove to you that my words weren’t just words then”—I held my hand out in front of her face and made an explosion gesture—“Poof you were fuckin’ gone.” Bringing my hands to my face, I slid them down, stretching, trying to erase the emotions that I’m sure she could see. “You know what? Maybe you were just another teenage girl trying to prove that you could get an older guy. It was all just a game to you, wasn’t it? Admit it, Sophie.” I took a deep breath to regain some control. 

She let out a gasp of air at my words. “Please don’t be cruel.”

“Right, I get it. Like you weren’t cruel when you left me broken and confused for ten fucking years. I was an idiot. I believed that I had found my soulmate at twenty, and I believed in love at first sight. Now I know better. I know there’s no such thing. It was all just smoke and mirrors. Smoke and fuckin’ mirrors.” I shoved my hands into my pockets. “If you’ll excuse me, you don’t have to fake some illness to get away from me, I’ll leave instead.” I started to turn toward my Jeep, I needed to walk away from Sophia Kostas, close the door on those fucking memories. I wanted to do everything that I could to make her realize that leaving me was the biggest fucking mistake of her life. That was until I saw the tears that had pooled in her eyes, and I couldn’t fight the urge to capture one drop as it ran down her cheek. I stepped closer to her then reached out with my finger to let the tear slide toward my palm.

“Don’t touch me, don’t you dare fucking touch me. You have no clue what I’ve been through. I owe you an explanation—I admit it, just not tonight. It will take much longer than we have.” Her words sounded as if they’d been ripped from her soul.

“I think after what you did to me, right now is the perfect time to explain.” 

Her eyes narrowed. “You think that you’re the only victim here? Let me tell you something, I didn’t just break your heart; I broke mine, too. How do you think I felt?” Sophie took a deep breath, as if she were trying to contain the anger and hurt that were clearly visible in her eyes. Only, when she finally managed to shove them away, tears welled against her lashes. “Sometimes it isn’t about win or lose, sometimes it’s about who’s left standing. Guess what? I wasn’t left standing.”

“I don’t get the dramatics. Why are you fucking crying?” I reached for her hands and clenched them in my own. “Princess?” She sucked in a sharp breath at the nickname that I used to call her. “Why are you crying?”

“I don’t know, okay. There. I have no clue. I’m just overwhelmed by everything, the change of being back here, you.” Her shoulders rising and falling with each deep gasping breath.

“What about me?”

“I don’t know. Just you. You aren’t nice.”

“I’m not nice?”

She shook her head like a child with her lower lip protruding in a pout.

I moved in closer, fully aware that I was being an asshole. “I can show you nice. In fact, I think that I showed you nice on the hood of your car. Remember all the nice things I did to you?” I leaned in and brought my lips next to her ear. “And all the nice things you moaned?” She blushed at my words and the memories I knew that they ignited. “I remember as if it were yesterday. If you only knew the number of times I’ve dreamed about you. God, I couldn’t understand why you left.” I brought my forehead to rest against hers. 

“I can’t believe that all this time you were within reach, you were Kayson’s cousin. I searched for you for so long. After you left, I called you and texted you several times a day. Hell, I went by your house every day to look for your car. You know, even after it was sold, I couldn’t believe that you weren’t coming back.”

“Carter, I’m sorry for what I put you through, but I can’t do this right now.”

“But you can hang out with my sister?”

“I didn’t know she was your sister until I saw you two together. I mean, I knew you had a sister, but I didn’t know her name and hadn’t ever met her. I didn’t know you worked with my cousin, either. Yes, we need to clear the air. We need to find a way to get along, and I owe you an explanation. I want to tell you, I do, just now isn’t the right time, okay?”

“Sure. Of course. And ten years ago, when you broke my heart that wasn’t the right time either. You know what, Soph? I’ve told myself countless times that I could move on if I only knew why you left. Yet, here you are, and fuck me if I haven’t changed my mind. I don’t want to hear excuses. It isn’t going to change the fact that you left without telling me, cutting me off, and leaving me to wonder what the hell happened to you and what I did wrong.”

“Cart—” 

“No. Our captain always says, ‘Excuses only please the person who is telling them.’ I guess I’m just not ready to hear anything that will make you feel better for breaking my damn heart.” I shoved my hands through my hair, and Sophie used that moment of freedom to open her car door and jump in. She slammed it shut before I came to my senses, cranking the engine, and leaving me speechless to watch her tail lights disappear out of the parking lot.