Texas K-9 Unit Christmas: Holiday Hero

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Lucas responded easily.

“He might not have been happy, but Camden wouldn’t hurt a fly.” She didn’t add that he’d have been too afraid of ruining his designer suits to get into a physical altercation.

“I’d like to speak with him anyway,” Lucas said. No doubt he expected Emma to offer Camden’s contact information. She didn’t want to. The last thing she needed was a visit from Camden, and he’d been looking for an excuse to fly down and see her. Which she didn’t understand, since he’d hooked up with Leticia Anderson about three seconds after Emma had left Boston.

“Can I have his contact information?” Lucas prodded.

Emma rattled off Camden’s address and cell phone number. There was no sense fighting the inevitable. Lucas was like a force of nature when he got a thought in his head—completely unstoppable.

He scribbled the information in his notebook, a lock of dark hair falling across his forehead. He’d let his hair grow longer than when they were kids, and she had the absurd urge to reach over and brush her fingers over it just to see if it was as soft as she remembered.

“Is there anyone else who might have a grudge against you?” he asked.

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m—”

A loud crash interrupted her words, the sound reverberating from the bathroom.

Bea!

Emma jumped up, the IV line ripping from her arm as she ran to make sure her aunt was okay.

FIVE

The night had been a disaster and the day wasn’t shaping up to be any better.

Emma had spent most of the early-morning hours sitting silently beside her aunt’s hospital bed. She’d spent the rest of them answering Lucas’s questions. Now, with the sun just passing its zenith, she and Bea had finally been discharged and could return home.

Unfortunately, home wasn’t where Bea wanted to go.

“You have to be reasonable about this, Bea,” Emma said for what seemed like the hundredth time. “You took a bad fall a couple of hours ago. There’s no way you should be walking around the mall.”

“It’s nearly Christmas, Emma. Do you expect me to not shop?” her aunt replied.

“That’s exactly what I expect. We’re both exhausted. I’m injured. We need to rest.” She tugged on the ends of her T-shirt. Or what had been her T-shirt about fifteen years ago. Thankfully Bea had managed to find jeans that Emma had brought with her from Boston.

“You need to rest, dear.” Bea patted her hand. “I’ll take the bus to the mall.”

“You can’t—”

“Everything okay in here?” Lucas walked into the room, his jaw shadowed with the beginning of a beard. He still wore his police uniform, the legs of his pants just a little wrinkled. Had he gone home? Or had he stayed at the hospital all night?

“Lucas Harwood? Is that you?” Bea used her walker to cross the room. “It’s been forever.”

Emma’s heart sank at the words, but she didn’t correct her aunt. Pointing out her memory lapses only added to Bea’s frustration and fear.

“It seems that way,” Lucas said with a kind smile. “I heard you two had been discharged. I thought I could give you a ride.”

“You can bring Emma home. I’m taking the bus to the mall,” Bea replied. “I have Christmas shopping to do.”

“That sounds like fun.” Lucas held the door open as Bea shuffled through, and if Emma had been close enough, she would have been tempted to kick his shin. Just to let him know that Bea going to the mall on a bus was not a good idea.

“Doesn’t it? There are a few children at church whose families are going through tough times. I plan to buy them each a gift,” Bea continued.

“They’ll appreciate that. I’ll just call my grandmother and ask her to stay with Emma while you’re gone.”

“I don’t need—” Emma began, but Lucas shook his head.

“Why would you do something like that?” Bea huffed, her blue eyes flashing with indignation. “I can certainly take care of my own niece.”

“You said you wanted to go shopping,” Lucas reminded her.

Bea frowned, her gaze jumping to Emma. “Well, I certainly don’t want to go if you need me, Emma.”

“I do.” Emma followed Lucas’s lead. That was so much easier than arguing with Bea.

“In that case, we’ll go home. I’ll make some of my chicken noodle soup and get a package of frozen peas for that cheek.”

“Thanks, Bea.”

“You don’t have to thank me, dear. I love taking care of you.” Bea smiled beatifically as the elevator doors slid open.

Emma stepped in behind her, pressing close to the wall as Lucas followed. He smelled like soap and sunshine, and he looked exactly as she thought a hero should.

Which was a problem, because she didn’t need or want a hero in her life.

He leaned toward her.

“You can thank me later,” he whispered, his lips brushing her ear. Warmth shot through her, and her heart jumped. She wanted to lean her head against his shoulder the way she had when they were teenagers, but they weren’t teenagers anymore. They were nothing more than strangers who’d once been friends.

“I’d rather do it now and get it over with,” she responded, bracing herself as she looked into his eyes. “Thank you, Lucas.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “You’re welcome. Although I have to admit I was hoping you’d thank me with a meal. I hear you’re quite a chef.”

“Who’d you hear that from?” she asked as he led them off the elevator and into the hospital lobby. Watery sunlight streamed through floor-to-ceiling windows, the parking lot beyond packed with cars and people. Nothing to be afraid of, but she felt a sharp zing of anxiety.

“Your ex. Camden had a lot to say about the wonderful meals you made for his family every Sunday.” His hand settled on her lower back, his palm warm. Emma’s breath caught, her nerves suddenly alive with longing.

She met his eyes, saw her surprise reflected in his gaze.

He’d been married and widowed. She was pretty sure of that.

Was he dating now?

It was a question she wouldn’t ask, because the answer shouldn’t matter.