Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (good e books to read txt) 📗

friend had been doing a good job keeping him up-to-date on how Connie was doing, but rarely did he call this late.

“Is she all right?” Trace asked by way of greeting.

“You’d know how she is if you had bothered to answer her calls over the last few days.”

“Just tell me!” Trace snapped, his heart rate amping up as his concern for Connie increased. “Is she okay?”

“Besides not eating or sleeping, she’s fine.”

Trace massaged his temples, trying to tamp down his anxiety. Connie couldn’t have weighed more than a hundred and ten pounds. She couldn’t afford to not eat.

“She wants me to go to the police station with her tomorrow.”

That surprised Trace. She rarely asked anyone for anything, and now that Daniel was in custody, Trace was surprised that she wasn’t trying to get rid of Riley.

“Good. I think it’s a good idea that she doesn’t go alone.”

“Trace, man, I get that you’re pissed about whatever went down with you two. Clearly, it was something she did, because she said something about you never being able to forgive her. But whatever happened, it’s not worth seeing her miserable. You’ve been acting like an asshole—Trinity’s words, not mine—and I’m thinking this might be a chance for you to patch things up.”

“How so?” Trace asked, wondering where the conversation was headed.

“Instead of me taking her to the police station, you take her. That’ll give her a chance to apologize since that’s what she’s been trying to do, but you keep dodging her calls.”

Trace huffed out a long, exhausted breath and stared into the night. Sitting on the balcony reminded him of the first night that Connie had stayed at his place. She loved it out there. Now, whenever he hung out on the balcony, it was impossible not to think of her.

“All right. You drive her to the police station, and I’ll meet her there.”

* * *

The next day, Trace stood near the help desk at the police station waiting for Connie. What a difference a couple of weeks made. It was like déjà vu, being back there. They’d been through a lot since the bank robbery, and it was over.

Almost, he reminded himself. It was almost over. He wouldn’t be totally comfortable until Atkinson was behind bars for life.

Trace glanced at his watch. Connie would be there in a few minutes. He had mixed feelings about seeing her. Part of him wanted to pull her into his arms and never let go. The other part of him knew he needed to tread lightly. They needed to talk and figure out if they were going to give their relationship another shot.

Left up to him, it would be a no-brainer. But he needed to see where her head was at.

Trace glanced at the door just as Connie walked in. She didn’t look his way, which gave him a chance to get his fill of her. Her hair was hanging down around her shoulders, and she was casually dressed in a yellow short-sleeved blouse and navy blue pants. Her signature high-heeled shoes covered her feet.

As if sensing him staring, she glanced his way and her eyes grew round. He already knew Riley hadn’t told her he’d be there, and he was glad he could surprise her. She had definitely lost weight, and the dark circles under her eyes were proof of lack of sleep. Despite that, though, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“Trace,” she said on a breath, but didn’t make a move toward him. She folded her lower lip between her teeth and her eyes searched his. It was as if she was trying to decide what to do or say.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he said, pushing off the wall and moving toward her. She met him halfway and launched herself into his arms.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she mumbled against his neck.

“Not as much as I’ve missed you. Damn... I’ve missed you like crazy.”

“I am so sorry for everything,” she said. When Trace set her on her feet, she reached for his hand. “I never meant to hurt you. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I already have.” He had told her that before leaving the safe house that day. Yet, considering he hadn’t answered any of her calls, she had every right to doubt that he really meant it. “We’ll talk more later.”

“Okay, but what are you doing here?”

He pushed her hair out of her face and cupped her soft cheek. “I didn’t want you to go through this by yourself.”

Connie leaned into his touch and her eyes drifted closed for a minute. When she looked at him again, Trace’s heart flipped inside his chest. The love glimmering in her beautiful hazel eyes told him everything he needed to know. She was his, and he was hers.

“Thank you for being here for me. I know I don’t deserve you, but if you feel anything for me...will you give me another chance?”

Trace studied her, his heart bursting with love, and he nodded. “Definitely. It’s you and me, baby.”

He lowered his head and kissed her sweet lips. All the anguish from the last few days drifted into the background. He kissed her hard and thoroughly, wanting her to feel how much he loved her. Wanting her to feel how much he had missed her. Sure, they had things to work out, but he was confident that they would get through this rough patch.

When the kiss ended, all he wanted to do was carry her out of there, but she had a job to do.

“You ready to help put a bad guy behind bars?”

She nodded. “I’m ready. Let’s do this.”

CHAPTER 25

Connie danced in her theater seat and mouthed the words to the song that the actress was singing. She had first seen this classic Broadway show the one time she had visited New York. Since then, she tried to get tickets to it whenever the show was in Las Vegas or Los Angeles.

“Exactly how many times have you seen this production?” Trace whispered close