Read Online Promise Made (The Callahan Series) by Mitzi Pool Bridges - Free Book Online Page B

herself watching the clock to see if it was time for him to show up.
    She’d had her chance with Dugan and blown it. The longer she was here, and the more she saw him, the more she wondered if she’d made a mistake.
    But would she have her degree now if they’d married? Would she have that sense of accomplishment every time she took on a new case? And won?
    She doubted it. Though Dugan had never asked or even hinted that she leave school, she knew what he’d wanted to do. She couldn’t have asked him to give up his dream to, at some point, take Ed Clark’s job. And she wasn’t about to give up hers to be a successful attorney.
    They were older now. What if they took up again like half the town wanted them to? Why would he even consider it after the way she’d treated him? He wasn’t an idiot. Besides, he had another woman in his life.
    Even if there was a way to rise above the pain of the past, she’d never hurt him again.
    Five years ago, Gram had let her know in no uncertain terms how she’d broken his heart. Dammit, her heart had taken a beating, too.
    Neither of them could go through that again.
    Maybe she should give Erik a chance. He loved her, she was sure of it. He was a good person, and even though he was inconsiderate at times, he was an honest man. He would be devoted to her.
    It was too bad she didn’t love him.
    She couldn’t conjure up Erik’s face. All she could see were Dugan’s green eyes, and his devilish smile.

Chapter Six
    Though Dugan had made his daily trip to check on Grace, he wanted to make another. Was he crazy? Grace was fine. If he was being truthful, it was Kate he wanted to see. Whenever she looked at him with those deep blue eyes, he wanted to kiss her.
    How unreasonable was that? Kate was his past.
    Yet, he wanted to be near her even if it was for a few minutes. Their brief conversations were never enough.
    He was nuts.
    Memories the sight of her dredged up gave him thoughts he shouldn’t have. He couldn’t forget the feel of her under him, the taste of her against his lips. And it was driving him crazy.
    So why punish himself? There were no answers to the hundreds of questions in his head. The biggest of which was why she’d stood him up in the first place. She’d tried to tell him and he’d brushed her off.
    Maybe, deep down he didn’t want to know.
    It didn’t matter. They would never get back together. There was no way he’d subject himself to another heartbreak, or another embarrassment like that. He wasn’t a fool. If he put himself in the same position he was in five years ago he would be. There were times back then when he didn’t know if he’d survive. But, as Ed Clark’s deputy, he’d regained his sanity or at least some stability.
    By the time Ed retired and Dugan was elected sheriff, he’d put his past behind him.
    Or so he thought.
    When he tried to analyze his emotional response to Kate, he couldn’t. Instead, he wanted to see her as often as possible. Even though the seeing brought back the hurt. Talk about a glutton for punishment.
    Did she have memories of the two of them? She’d always been smart and savvy. When she’d stood him up, she’d known exactly what she was doing.
    Still, when he unexpectedly caught her looking at him, he wondered. He shook his head and bent to his paperwork. The office was quiet, Piper’s snores the only sound breaking the silence. Normally, he liked nights like this. But tonight he was restless.
    Gripping his pen, he brushed thoughts of Kate aside and concentrated on his work. An hour later he threw the pen across his desk, got out of his chair and grabbed his Stetson. Long strides took him to the door in seconds. Piper followed him out.
    “Stay,” he said. But Piper had his own agenda and ignored the command.
    “I’ll be back shortly,” Dugan told the dog, but Piper scooted out the door ahead of him.
    When he opened the door to his cruiser, Piper jumped into the passenger seat. “You’ll be bored out here