Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

The late hour wore on Lexie as she strolled into the police station with Dixon at her side and Brantley a step behind. It had been a long night for everyone involved. Long, wet, and cold. But as the warmth of the station surrounded her, Lexie’s gaze landed on the older woman sitting behind the desk. Her light brown hair with streaks of gray was wild, no doubt from her dragging her hand through it as she waited. Leaving no doubt the woman she was looking at was Helen. While her shift had ended hours ago, she was still sitting there at her post, waiting for them to return.

“It’s about time, boys!” She rose from the chair and came around the desk, her gaze scanning Brantley before moving on to Dixon. “You look like hell.”

“Mom!” Brantley hollered.

“What? It’s the truth.” She turned her attention to Lexie. “And you, sweetheart, must be Lexie. What a night you must have had.”

“It was an adventure, that’s for sure.” She shook her head before adding, “One I’d like not to repeat anytime soon.”

“You and me both.” She tipped her head toward the door to the left. “That’s the chief’s office, but I’ve got you clothes laid out in there. He has a private bath with a shower. Why don’t you get cleaned up?”

Unsure what to say, she glanced back to Dixon.

“Go on. I’ll get cleaned up in the locker room and we can talk afterward,” he encouraged.

Before she could move away from the crowd, Helen grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “I’m a hugger, but…”

Letting out a soft laugh, Lexie smiled at the older woman. “I’m a mess. Another time.”

“Thank you.” Helen’s green eyes filled with tears. “It’s not enough but thank you for helping to make sure Brantley made it home tonight.”

“Come on, Ma, let me get you home.” Brantley stepped closer to his mother. “Chief, I’ll shower and be back. Okay?”

“No.” Dixon shook his head. “Shower and get some rest. I want you back here at first light. No doubt we’re going to have a lot to deal with in the morning.”

“Breakfast, my place. Let me show my gratitude with the fuel you need for the day.” Helen glanced toward Lexie and added. “You’ll come as well. I won’t take no for an answer.”

“We’ll be there,” Dixon said before she could argue. “Now go on, get out of here. Morning will be here before you know it.”

As if needing no further encouragement, Brantley led his mother toward the door. Leaving Lexie and Dixon alone in the deserted police station. Whoever was on the night shift must have been in the field because the place was eerily quiet.

“Go on and shower,” Dixon encouraged.

“I should just go find a hotel room. Wasn’t there a bed and breakfast a few blocks from here?”

“They closed a couple years ago.” He stepped toward her. “It’s not the best accommodations but there’s a sofa in my office, it’s pretty comfy. You can sleep there tonight and in the morning we’ll figure out a plan. I don’t want you out in that storm and I need to be here in case…”

“Dixon.” His name came out on a soft breath. “Thank you.”

“I was doing my jo?—”

“Don’t,” she cut him off before he could finish. “It’s not about your job. It’s who you are. When I was talking to Helen earlier she said you were supposed to be home. You weren’t supposed to be out on patrol. But if you hadn’t…”

“I was and that’s what matters.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her tight against the front of him. “Why are you back in Brookhaven? Why tonight of all nights?”

Why? She knew this question was coming. It had hung in the air all evening. Still, she wasn’t sure how to answer it. Maybe because she wasn’t completely sure of the reason herself. All she knew was she couldn’t spend one more minute in the New York apartment, and the only place she could think about was Brookhaven. More like the only thing she could think about was Dixon Meyer.

“Tonight’s storm is the worst on record. It’s been forecasted for days. So why tonight of all nights did you happen to stumble back into town? You could have gotten yourself killed. What would Milton say about that?”

“Milton isn’t my keeper, and I don’t have to run my plans by him,” she snapped, pulling back from him.

“Damn it, Lex, that isn’t what I meant, and you know it.” He took a step toward her, closing the distance she created. “It’s been more than ten years. So, I’m a little confused why you’re back. Hell, why both of us are acting as if no time has passed. Since you wrapped your arms around my neck I’ve wanted to kiss you. Now standing here…hell, Lex, I want so much more. But for all I know there’s a guy waiting for you back in New York or Virginia.”

“No guy. It’s been years since I had a serious relationship. Even then they never compared to you.” She reached up and cupped the side of his face. “I might have only been seventeen, but I fell in love with you. You were the only one I ever loved. Hell, Dixon, I’m still in love with you.”

“Then why didn’t you come back? Why didn’t you stay in touch? Why let so much time pass? I thought our love could overcome the distance. We only had a few months until we were eighteen and we could be together again. I loved you, Lexie Hale, part of me still loves you.” He stared down at her, his gaze locked on hers.

“I…” She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she fought for the courage to put it into words. “I was so angry when my father took a new position without even discussing it with us. We always made decisions like that as a family. But that time my parents made the decision without Milton and my input. I guess they knew what we would say. Neither of us wanted to move in our senior year.”

When she grew silent, he cleared his throat. “That doesn’t answer the question.”

“I hated Washington. I hated everything and everyone. I…” Tears welled in her eyes but she fought to keep them from overflowing. “I started drinking. It wasn’t long before the only way I could forget about everything was to get blackout drunk. A classmate sold fake licenses, and I got one, giving me access to all the booze I wanted. Milton drank with me sometimes, but nowhere near the level I needed. Without the alcohol, I couldn’t face the day. Those preppy bitches from school, the guys who only wanted one thing. It was all too much. I hated every second of my school day, and when I came home, it wasn’t long before I was passed out from the alcohol. We’d only been there two months and I was expelled from school. In that moment of my life, it seemed like the best thing that could happen. Little did I know it would send me spiraling out of control.”

“Lexi—”

“Don’t. I don’t want your sympathy.” She pulled back from him. “It took me two years before I got sober and put my life back together. Two years of daily drinking and mixing it with pills when I could get my hands on some. It’s a surprise I’m not dead or have liver damage. But here I am. I got my diploma and went to college. Milton started his company and hired me as the vice president and head of marketing and public relations department. I threw myself into the career, hoping it would make me forget about you, but it didn’t. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t regret losing contact.”

“Why’d it take you so long to reach out?” He stood there, his hands in his pocket, watching her. “You know there’s email, phone, social media—hell, a bloody carrier pigeon.”

“I…” Unable to face him, she turned toward the desk Helen had been sitting at, focusing on every detail of the wooden desk, down to the two pens sitting near the notepad. “I was ashamed. Embarrassed that I lost control, that I didn’t contact you sooner, hell, that I’m a walking disaster some days. Take your pick, Dixon.”

“I thought you…”

“What?” She glanced over her shoulder at him. “What did you think?”

“You found someone else. That this small town meant nothing to you and you couldn’t wait to get away from us all. I never…” He stepped toward her, placed his hand on her shoulder, and gently pulled her back to face him. “I never thought this was the reason why. But I wish you would have reached out to me.”

“Me too.” She brushed her hand along the side of his chest, just above his holstered weapon. “I thought about it after I put down the bottle. But I heard you joined the military. I didn’t know where you were or how to get in touch with you. It wasn’t until a year ago I saw you were named Chief of police for Brookhaven. There were so many times I wanted to call you up and I can’t even tell you how many emails I wrote but never sent. I just didn’t know what to say.”

“I wish you would have.”

“Then I heard about the storm…” Her fingers clenched his shirt, as if she thought he’d disappear in front of her. “I kept thinking if I didn’t come now, I might lose my chance forever. So without thinking, or packing anything but my wallet and laptop, I hopped on a plane to North Carolina. I’d hoped to make it before the storm, but it moved in quick. My plane was diverted to Richmond, Virginia, and as soon as I was behind the wheel of the rental car, I drove straight here. I didn’t stop for anything except gas and coffee. I just needed to get here.”

He cupped the side of her face and used his thumb to gently guide her face up to look at him. “I’m glad you’re here. Though I’m not happy you risked yourself when a phone call would have worked just as well.”

“Not for me.” She stared into his gray-blue eyes. “I spoke to Helen before tonight. Several times in fact. But I always chickened out before I could ask for you. See now why this had to be done in person?”

“Maybe because this can only be done in person.” He lowered his lips to hers.

The roughness of his chapped lips teased across hers. Instead of making her pull back, she let go of his shirt and looped her arms around his neck, drawing him down toward her. She opened her lips, giving him the access he wanted and his tongue slipped in, teasing along hers, as his fingers tangled in her hair.

A soft moan escaped her throat as he pulled back. “More.”

“Shower…” His gaze locked on hers and she could see the hesitation in them.

“Together.” She nodded as he took her hand in his and led her toward his office.

The day hadn’t gone as she planned, rather, it was far exceeding her expectations. Even if in the morning light, he woke to regret his decision and kicked her out of town, she was going to embrace every second of this. Dixon had been the man she’d fallen in love with all those years ago and now they were getting a second chance.

Not everyone gets a second chance at a happily ever after. I won’t let this pass me by.