Playing for Keeps Playing for Keeps (Hope Valley #10) - Jessica Prince Page 0,4
just because I let her sucker me out of ten bucks the first time we met.” I was attempting to downplay it, but I couldn’t lie; that was nice to hear. I hadn’t had a whole lot of that in my life, so I still wasn’t quite used to it, but I was getting there—or trying my best to, at least.
“Nah, she can con people out of their hard-earned cash, then walk away without looking back. It’s because of how good you are with her.”
Damn, that was nice to hear too.
“Yeah, well, she’s an easy kid to be good with. I like her more than I like most grownups.”
His chest rumbled with a low chuckle. “Yeah, I get that.”
He watched me like he wanted to say something else but wasn’t sure how to voice it. Closing my eyes, I tipped my head back against the chair, letting the light breeze skitter across my face, but even then, I could still feel Micah’s scrutinizing gaze on me.
I let out a sigh and mumbled, “Just say what you have to say already.”
His voice was several octaves lower when he spoke next, like he didn’t want anyone to overhear what he was about to say. “I know we haven’t talked about this since the hospital, but have you given any thought to trying to find your—”
My eyelids flew open and I lifted my head to frown at him. “No,” I interrupted, my clipped tone leaving no room for argument. “And I’m not going to. You promised you’d never bring it up again.”
He pulled his legs back, bending his knees and leaning forward to brace his elbows on them. Micah gave me a hard, determined look. “No, I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone, and I haven’t. I never promised I wouldn’t bring it up.” His expression changed, sympathy and a hint of sadness washing over his features, making the hard a bit softer. “Charlie, you have a—”
“Stop it.”
“Sister,” he finished, refusing to listen to me. “You have family out there somewhere, and I’m sure she’d love nothing more than to be a part of your life.”
My throat suddenly grew dry, the lump forming inside of it making it difficult to breathe. “You don’t know that,” I croaked.
“Yes I do,” he insisted, those three words holding more passion and intensity than I expected. “I do know, because that’s exactly how I’ve felt every damn day since I met you. It’s how Hayden feels, and Ivy, and every person you’ve let in and shown the real you.”
I sniffled, trying my hardest to beat back the tears burning the backs of my eyes. I wasn’t a crier. I’d learned a long time ago not to waste my time with tears because they wouldn’t get me anywhere.
His jaw clenched with determination. “You have it in your head that you’re cursed or something, that you’re a bad person who doesn’t deserve good things because you’ve made mistakes, and I’m telling you now, that’s bullshit,” he spat vehemently. “You aren’t cursed and you aren’t a bad person. Anyone, and I mean anyone, would be lucky to know you. If you just said the word, I could find her for you.”
I hated how our nice, relaxing evening had turned into something so intense, but I’d have been lying to myself if I said I hadn’t been expecting it. Micah had a tendency to dig in at times. It was the detective in him, always wanting to uncover the truth, get to the bottom of a mystery.
“I don’t know much about being a cop, but I’m pretty sure using the department’s resources for personal reasons is frowned on.”
“All right,” he conceded, knowing I had him there, but then something flashed in his eyes and one brow lifted up on his forehead. “But there is someone else who could do it.”
My heart pitched in my chest, banging painfully against my breastbone. “Micah—”
“He’s still asking questions,” he stated. “He’s not gonna stop, and I can’t blame him. He was the one responsible for keeping you safe. You snuck out on his watch to meet up with Cormack and nearly fucking died, for Christ’s sake. Man like Dalton, you think he’ll be okay never knowing why?”
No. No, he wouldn’t.
Just hearing Dalton’s name made my skin tingle and tighten. I wasn’t sure when I’d stop having such an acute physical reaction when it came to all things Dalton Prescott, but I hoped like hell it would happen soon, because this was getting ridiculous.