Read Online Falling for Sarah by Cate Beauman - Free Book Online Page A

Sarah dashed around the kitchen, making Austin’s meal. She poured a cup of coffee, set the steaming mug in front of him. His eggs, bacon, and toast followed shortly after.
    He sniffed with reverence. “This smells amazing. I haven’t had anything good to eat in a week.”
    Wanting to think about anything but Ethan, she sat with a piece of toast and a cup of tea. “Why’s that?”
    “I was on duty. Surveillance usually equals fast food and little sleep, but it’s part of the deal.”
    “It’s not all glamorous, huh?” She smiled before sipping her tea.
    Austin, handsome and sweet, smiled back. “Not even close.”
    “Well, I won’t keep you long this morning. I’ll head out to get Kylee in the next hour or so. She’ll be pretty upset I’m so early—so will my mother—but I think a day at the beach should take care of that. My schedule’s clear today so we might as well take advantage of this warm front.”
    “It’s no trouble, Sarah. Take your time. I’ll be back at sundown to keep an eye on things.”
    “I have to admit it’s a comfort knowing you won’t be far. Having a serial rapist running around the Palisades is scary. Knowing someone was violated five houses down is terrifying. Thank God Hailey wasn’t home.”
    “The story’s been all over the news this morning. They’re saying a light blue poker chip was found on the woman’s bedside table. This is the fourth rape with the same M.O. The media’s officially calling the bastard the ‘Blue Chip Rapist’.”
    “That’s horrible.”
    Disgust hardened Austin’s kind eyes. “Yeah, it is.”

    Sarah sat in her beach chair, snapping pictures with her Nikon. Kylee filled colorful buckets with sand while Sarah captured the moment.
    In her pink and white striped sun hat, Kylee beamed. “Play with me now, Mama.”
    Sarah hit the shutter button before letting the camera hang by its neck strap. “Are you ready to make the castle?”
    “Yes.”
    “Let me put my camera away.” She put the camera in its bag, moved closer to her daughter. Kylee’s small hands patted the sand down in the buckets as Sarah did. Her daughter’s cheerful chatter soothed her as the sound of waves crashed against the shore. The salty scent of the sea whipped along the breeze, giving her the energy she’d lacked for most of the day.
    Her argument with Ethan still weighed heavy on her mind. The hard look he’d seared her with and lack of inflection in his voice as he left troubled her. He’d sounded so final when he’d spoken of security and Austin handling it for her—as if he had no intention of coming back.
    Tears threatened again.
    “Mama.” Kylee’s soft, sandy hand shook her leg. “Mama!”
    Sarah blinked behind her sunglasses, forcing herself back in the moment. “Yes, honey.”
    “Look!”
    The lopsided pile of sand, perilously close to crumbling, glistened in the sunshine.
    Kylee clapped and grinned.
    Infected by her daughter’s delight, Sarah grinned back. “What a beautiful castle you’ve made. I need to take a picture of you next to it.” She dashed forward, concerned that Kylee’s creation would fall apart before she captured the moment. “Sit next to it. That’s a girl. Now give me your best smile.”
    She snapped the picture, looked down at the screen. “Perfect.”
    “Dis castle is our house, Mama. I the princess and you are the tween.”
    “That sounds very special.” Sarah smiled as she played with Kylee’s ponytail.
    “And Ethan is the ting.”
    Sarah’s hand stopped halfway through Kylee’s hair. Her smile vanished.
    Kylee frowned. “Dat’s nice too, Mama.”
    Sarah forced another smile. “Yes, it is.” She wanted a change of subject. “Let’s get some ice cream from the stand. We can walk by the water while we eat, but then we have to go home.”
    Kylee scrambled to her feet. “I want strawbewy.”
    Hand in hand, they walked to the stand.

    He sat in the car, peering through his binoculars, looking for the next one.