Colton K-9 Bodyguard. Lara Lacombe

rose and headed toward the door. “I’ll take care of it,” he said confidently. “You just rest.”

      He was gone before she had a chance to thank him, leaving her alone in the dim room. She leaned her head back against the stiff pillow with a sigh, not knowing whether to be grateful or concerned that Micah had headed out to deal with her father. Fenwick Colton was hard-headed and stubborn and used to getting his way. And he and Micah had always been like oil and water, the two of them never seeing eye to eye. If her father was upset now, and it certainly sounded like he was, seeing Micah would likely send him over the edge.

      But Bea was too tired to care right now. Micah wasn’t the same boy she’d dated in high school, and it wouldn’t take long for her father to realize that. Maybe Fenwick would view Micah as an adult now, and treat him accordingly instead of talking down to him like he always had.

      “And maybe I’ll sprout wings and fly out of here,” she snorted. The chances of Micah and her father turning over a new leaf were next to impossible, but a girl could dream.

      But...did it really matter? After all, she and Micah weren’t exactly going to pick things up where they’d left off. She couldn’t deny the idea was appealing. Part of her had never stopped loving Micah, and she wasn’t going to lie to herself and pretend otherwise. That didn’t mean he felt the same way about her, and even if he did, she wasn’t sure she could forgive him for abandoning her all those years ago.

      She shifted on the bed, the memories coming fast and furious now. Their last night together before Micah had left for basic training... They’d held each other all night, planning their future, picturing the life they would build together.

      It’ll be over before you know it, he’d whispered into her hair. And once I’m done with basic training, I’ll come back and we’ll get married. I can’t wait to see you wear my ring.

      She’d pressed her ear to his chest, loving the sound of his heartbeat in her ear. I’ll write to you every day, she’d promised. And I’ll start planning the wedding.

      He’d left early the next morning, and she’d spent the rest of the week trying not to cry. True to her word, she’d written to him every day, sealing each letter with a kiss. She’d known he’d be too busy to write back, so it was an exciting surprise to find a letter from him about ten weeks after he left.

      She’d raced up the stairs to her room, her heart pounding a mile a minute. Micah must be writing to tell her about when he was coming home, and to ask about the wedding plans. She’d been working hard to plan the ceremony—she wanted to keep things simple, which was almost unheard of her in family. But her father had made it clear he didn’t approve of her relationship with Micah, and she wasn’t about to ask him to pay for anything.

      She’d flung herself onto the bed and carefully peeled open the envelope, withdrawing the letter. She’d felt a slight pang as she saw it wasn’t very long—after so long apart, she wanted to know every detail of what he’d been up to—but she’d reminded herself he didn’t have a lot of free time, and his sleep was more important that the length of his letters. She sank back onto a pillow, intending to savor every word. But as she started to read, her elation had quickly turned to confusion.

      Dear Bea,

      I’m sorry to end things like this, but I don’t think we should be together anymore. Being away from you has made me realize we want different things, and I’ve come to realize that I can’t be both a soldier and a husband. I don’t need a wife tying me down and holding me back. I know this comes as a surprise, but I’m sure you’ll find someone else.

      Micah

      Even after all these years, she could close her eyes and see the letter clear as day. The image was burned into her brain, each word chipping away at her heart until she felt like there was nothing left.

      At first, she’d gone numb. After a few days, the pain had hit, followed quickly by anger. She’d written him back, demanding an explanation, needing to know why he’d changed his mind. She’d even tried calling, but that hadn’t worked. Eventually, she’d worked her way into acceptance and decided to move on with her life.

      That didn’t stop her from checking the news on a daily basis, her worry spiking every time she heard about an American death. She scoured the internet, searching for the identities of fallen soldiers, breathing a little sigh of relief each time she realized Micah’s name was not among the list of heroes.

      She had tried to find love again, but it just never seemed to be in the cards. She’d dated a few men who were perfectly nice, but they never made her heart race and her skin tingle the way Micah had. Just being around him had been enough to make every nerve ending in her body stand up and pay attention. He had made her feel alive, made the world seem ripe with potential, as if anything and everything could happen at any moment.

      It was so different from life in her father’s house, where everything was carefully planned and executed, leaving no room for chance. Routine and structure were the guiding principles of her childhood, and she’d long ago realized she wanted—no, needed—more freedom. The men she’d dated since Micah had been safe, and had met with her father’s approval. But marrying one of them would have guaranteed her future would echo her past, and she just couldn’t bring herself to sign up for more of the same. Much to her father’s chagrin, Bea had decided being single was preferable to a life spent yearning for more.

      It hadn’t been a difficult decision, and she hadn’t had any doubts about her choice. Until now.

      Could I be any more pathetic? She’d spent less than an hour in Micah’s presence, and with a splitting headache to boot, and she was already questioning her hard-earned happiness. Logically, she knew she’d built a good life for herself and that she didn’t need a man to find fulfillment or completion. I’m doing just fine on my own, she thought stubbornly.

      But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t ignore the persistent whisper of her heart.

      He’s the one.

       Chapter 3

      “I want to see my daughter. Right now.” Fenwick Colton’s voice rose in volume with every word until he was practically shouting in Micah’s face. Micah took a deep breath and mentally counted to five. He’d never had the best relationship with Mr. Colton—the man had made it very clear he didn’t approve of Micah dating Bea while they were in high school, and it seemed that time had not softened the sharper edges of the older man’s temper.

      “I’m sorry, but that’s not possible at the moment,” Micah said calmly. No matter how much he disliked Fenwick, he wasn’t going to lose his control. If Micah showed any kind of emotion or anger, Fenwick would undoubtedly use it against him.

      The man stepped forward, infringing on Micah’s personal space. “I know who you are,” he hissed, staring up at Micah with obvious hatred in his eyes. “You’re that skinny kid who tried to trap my Bea into marriage when she was just eighteen. Didn’t you figure out she doesn’t want you?”

      The barb hit home, but Micah had expected a personal attack from Fenwick. He stared down at the man, his poker face in place. At this angle, Fenwick’s blond toupee looked even more fake, and Micah realized that for all of Fenwick’s bluster, he was likely very insecure.

      “Is there a problem here?”

      Both Micah and Fenwick turned at the sound of the voice, and Micah felt a jolt of relief as he caught sight of Finn Colton, the K-9 unit chief, approaching.

      “No problem,” Micah said smoothly. “I was just about to explain to Mister Colton the fact that Bea is a material witness in a murder case, and I don’t want her speaking to anyone outside of her medical team until I’ve had a chance to interview her.”

      “You can’t keep me from my daughter!” Fenwick shouted, his face growing red with anger.

      Finn turned to his uncle.