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Chapter 24

"Hey, man, thanks for getting back to me." Tyler sounded cautiously optimistic.

"Of course. I'm sorry I didn't call sooner, but I wanted to wrap my head around the offer. First, let me tell you how much I apprecia?—"

"You're about to make me sad, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah, not as sad as you think. Theoffer is outstanding, and we both know it. I'm never going to get another like it in this field, but I can't take it. I've established myself here on the island and at the hospital. I'm not ready to go yet, maybe not ready to go ever."

"What's his name?" Tyler laughed from the other end of the line.

"Huh? Whose name?"

"There is no fucking way you'd give up this kind of job if there wasn't a dude involved. So, my full-of-shit friend, what's his name?"

"It's Beckett." I sighed like he was my middle school crush. "His name is Beckett."

"It must be serious if you are staying up there for him. When's the wedding?"

It was a reasonable assumption to think it was seriously serious. On my side, it was, and I was in it for the forever kind of commitment. I wasn't foolish enough to think Beckett didn't have serious reservations.

Hell, half the time, he had one foot out the door. Or maybe, more accurately, he thought I had one foot out the door. The only way to prove to him that I wasn't going anywhere was to stay again and again. Every chance that was offered for me to go, I would make a deliberate and obvious choice to stay.

Beckett, with good reason given his family, didn't see how amazing he was, and that killed me. He was such a contradiction between tough and sensitive, assertive and shy, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life convincing Beckett how beautiful of a human being he was.

"We haven't gotten that far yet," I answered. "But that's where I'm headed. He might take some convincing. But while I have you here, I wanted to talk to you about someone else for the job. I don't work here alone, and my coworker knows just as much, and probably more than I do, about the grant process and finding sources. She's been wanting to get back to Portland, where her entire family lives."

We spent the next thirty minutes going over how Thuy was even more perfect than me for the job. In the end, I promised to have her call him immediately, and he was willing to vouch for her based on my recommendation after they spoke and confirmed she was interested. I told him their need for someone was still there, so I would tell her what they'd offered me, and she'd know exactly what the hospital was willing to pay. Tyler didn't give a shit because he wasn't in human resources, so he agreed.

Thuy was on ER duty today, and I headed down there as soon as we got off the phone. She'd originally moved up to Seattle for college like me and took the job out here because she needed some experience right after school. Her entire family was still in Portland, though, including a fiancé waiting patiently to marry her. She would be stoked.

The emergency department was a madhouse when I stepped through the double doors. Teams were assembling, and the bays were being cleared. I didn't want to stop anyone's preparations. Usually, this level of activity indicated a multi-car accident, but I hadn't heard an all-call over the intercom. I made my way over to the back office to find Thuy. She was where I expected, working through the nurses' notes to confirm what services were available to the patients.

"Hey, Thuy, how's life?" She looked up and gave me a wan smile at my interruption. I'd been there. It was tedious work.

"Well, I'm neck deep in patient notes, which means it's going oh-so-lovely. What's up?" Thuy was a tiny woman, but she radiated energy. I loved working with her, but I knew I was about to make her day. There was still a pang, though, because we'd worked so well together, and I'd miss her when she moved.

"There's a job I think you might be interested in, and I may have already given them your name." I held up my hands in the universal sign of surrender. "Before you kill me for trying to get rid of you, let me tell you how awesome this would be."

Thuy looked at me with skepticism. "Yeah? I can't believe you're trying to get rid of me." She propped her chin on her hands and gave me a wicked grin. "I thought we were friends?"

"We are friends! And that's why I gave them your name because it's in…wait for it…Portland!" I shouted the last part.

"My guy, tell me more." She shoved all her paperwork aside and gave me her full attention.

"Yeah, so my friend from school—the better school—called because he'd heard about the amazing job we're doing. Remind me to remind our boss about this conversation when it's time for my evaluation…" I trailed off to make a note on my phone because I knew I really would forget if I didn't.

Thuy motioned not-so-patiently with her hand to get on with it. "Yeah, sorry, anyway Metro in Portland has completely screwed up their grant program, and now they are feeling it. They need someone, like, yesterday. I'm not leaving here, and I told him you were better than me anyway, so they should offer it to you instead. It comes with a forty percent raise over your current verified salary, and they will pay moving expenses."

Thuy's jaw dropped. "Are you fucking with me, William Chambers? Please tell me you aren't fucking with me."

"Nope, here's his number. He's expecting you to call him. Today. He wants you to call him today." Thuy threw herself at me and wrapped me in a tight hug. For someone who was barely over five feet, she had a tight grip. "Get going, woman. You have a return to Portland to make happen."

"Is the boss in the office? I don't want to call and have him walk in. That would be weird."

"Nah, he left this afternoon for a meeting on the mainland and won't be back until tomorrow. The office is empty and all yours. I'll take over ER duty for the rest of the day. Tyler will love you, and you'll be useless down here after the call anyway." Thuy laughed because she knew I was right about the last part, even if she didn't believe the first. "And the boss is a decent guy. He knows your family and Keoni are down there. He'd never stop you from moving forward with your life."

"Yeah, he is, and, no, he wouldn't," she agreed. "You didn't take it because of Beckett?"

The worry was clear in her voice. While I was all in on him, Thuy had expressed to me before that he didn't appear to be in the same spot as me. My evenings were spent cooking for him or waiting for him to get off shift. When he worked second shift, he'd come home and have dinner with me at his house. It had been weeks since I slept in my own bed. But even with that, we hadn't talked about where we wanted to end up.

Yes, he was my boyfriend, but he rarely came to my desk and never acknowledged me when we were in the ER together unless it was work-related. I wasn't worried about it, but I understood why Thuy questioned it. She didn't know Beckett, but few did. I'd explained his shyness, but it was admittedly hard to believe, given how assertive he appeared while in uniform.

I wanted Beckett to be all in, just like me, and I kept telling myself he was there, even if he wasn't ready to say it. I'd marry that man tomorrow if I thought broaching the subject wouldn't send him into shock. His parents had convinced him he was unlovable and that his grandparents' affection was more a fluke than anything else. He needed to see what I felt was real, and it wouldn't happen overnight.

"Yeah, I didn't take it because of Beckett. This island is his home, and he's mine. I'm not leaving him."

Thuy cocked her head to one side. "You really do love him, don't you?" I nodded. "Then I hope he's everything for you because you're fucking awesome." I nodded again.

"I really am, aren't I? Okay, enough of this. Get upstairs and call so Tyler can say yes. I'll head back to the desk and figure out where we're at out there since I distracted you." Thuy gave me one more quick squeeze before dashing out the door with Tyler's number in hand. He was going to offer her the job on the spot. I knew it in my gut. Sigh, that meant lots of extra work for me until we could get her replacement in here. Worth it.

I gathered the documents she'd been reviewing on what was supposed to be her break and headed back to the nurse's station. It was easier on everyone if we were centrally located. If a situation called for privacy, stepping away to make a call wasn't a big deal.

As I situated myself behind the desk, I noticed quite a few officers in the facility. In fact, there were significantly more than usual for a workday afternoon. I glanced around at all their faces to see if Beckett was among them, but he wasn't. Given his extra-large frame and bulk, it wasn't likely I'd have missed him. I was about to return to sorting files when Cameron caught my eye.

He didn't look well. His eyes looked red-rimmed, almost like he'd been crying, and deep-set lines framed either side of his mouth. The dark hair prevalent in his family was a disheveled mess.

When he felt my gaze on him, he looked up and locked eyes with me. I didn't miss the small grimace that ghosted over his face before he schooled his features and headed in my direction. I glanced through the officers present in the noisy ER and confirmed once again that Beckett wasn't there.

Cameron was almost upon me when I heard it. The bellowing yell from the end of the triage area rang out across the ER, and I blocked all sounds except that one. The person yelling was shrouded behind a closed glass door and a curtain, but I knew that yell.

Beckett.

"Whoa, slow down. He's with the doctor, and he's fine." Cameron grabbed me with both hands and held firm when I tried to rush past him.

"Cameron, let me go." I tried to shake off Cameron's grip on my arms but couldn't budge it. "He's obviously not fine if he's in the fucking ER."

"If he wasn't fine, he wouldn't be yelling so much. The doc just needed to check him over, get him some stitches, and get him cleaned up. It looks worse than it is, okay? He's fine."

"Stitches don't meet the definition of fine," I retorted. "Let me fucking go!" I shook myself free and rushed across the ugly cream tile floor until I reached Beckett's room.

The doctor had apparently just left when I peeked around the standard-issue curtain, and Beckett was propped up on the bed. He looked more annoyed than hurt, which relieved me immensely. His uniform shirt was tossed carelessly aside and he took up all the space on the propped-up gurney. Blood streaked across his chest and his injured arm was hastily wrapped in a makeshift bandage.

"Baby, what happened?" I rushed to what I guessed was his injured side and gripped his shoulder. I laid my hand across his chest to reassure myself that his heartbeat was strong and steady. I felt its steady thrum when I buried my face in the crook of his neck. His free arm snaked around me and drew me close.

"Those fuckers we've been chasing wrecked the stolen truck they were in, and we had to fight it out. I'm fine. It's barely a scratch. I need a tetanus shot and some stitches. Hell, it's probably not even going to get me a day off tomorrow."

I had heard his words, but my mind had latched to the "I'm fine" part. They echoed in my head, playing on repeat as I attempted to convince myself of their truth.

After a few deep breaths, I lifted my gaze from where I had nestled into the crook of his neck. Gingerly, I traced along the side of his face nearest to me. With one finger, I followed the line of his brow, then trailed down his sharp cheekbones, and finally repeated the gesture along his scruffy jawline. On the other side, I mirrored the action. I craved the warmth of his skin, needing its reassurance that he was well and truly all right.

Beckett stared at me without saying a word. The words I'd been forcing myself to keep quiet bubbled out of me. "Sweetheart, I love you. You don't have to say anything or do anything about that. But, yeah, I love you and just need you to know that."

I carefullyencircled his waist and hugged him tight. After a few heartbeats, I felt his good arm settle around my shoulders which may or may not have been shaking because of the tears that quite inconveniently leaked from my eyes.

"Shhh, baby, don't cry. I'm fine. They're in jail. It's okay." Beckett repeated himself over and over. He didn't say he loved me back, but I knew he needed to mull over my words before he'd be able to respond. He hadn't shoved me away and told me he didn't need me or anyone. That was a hell of a lot of progress. Although, strong as he was, there was no effing way he could have pried me away from him right now.

"Officer Hagen, we really need to stop meeting like this. It's getting weird." Dr. Betchel swept back into the room and settled on the stool next to the bed. "Let's get you stitched up so you can get out of here."

He turned to me and asked, "Going home with you again?" I nodded. "Good, he doesn't really need watching like last time, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind a little babying. At least his mood has improved over last time." At his words, Beckett growled deep in his chest. "Maybe I spoke too soon."

The doctor made short work of putting a row of stitches across Beckett's forearm. Since the cut was across the top, he said movement issues were unlikely, as was permanent damage. He'd either have to have his doctor take them out or return to the ER so they could handle it. Intellectually, I recognized that Beckett was safe and he'd be good as new in a few days. I needed to get him home so I could fuss over him until my heart rate returned to normal.

After the doctor finished his work, the nurse reviewed the instructions for caring for the wound at home. The officers in the lobby all cleared out once it was clear that Beckett was relatively fine. He might have a reputation for being surly, but his coworkers had a tremendous amount of respect for him.

I was grateful to see how much they cared that he was okay. The only one left in the uncomfortable plastic chairs that lined the hallway was Cameron. He rose to his feet immediately when I stepped out of the glass cubicle.

"Will, is he really okay?" Cameron seemed more upset than necessary, with a shaky voice and wrecked expression. It wouldn't surprise anyone that I was unnerved by what happened. I was a social worker, not a cop. His reaction seemed over the top since he was likely there when whatever went down happened.

"Yeah, he's going to be fine. The doctor put in stitches, and the nurse reviewed the discharge instructions. I'm going to grab my stuff from upstairs and then I'll take him home and get some food in him. I texted my boss while we waited for the nurse, and I'm good to work from home tomorrow so I can stay with him. I doubt he needs me, but it'll make me feel better." I paused to take him in again before I asked, "Cameron, are you okay?"

Cameron's expression darkened before he answered. "Yeah, I fucked up. Goddammit." Cameron slammed his fist into the door adjacent to where he sat. After that spot of stupidity, he shook his hand like it hurt because I was sure it did.

"How did you fuck up?"

"I took off early since it was slow at the station and Beckett was reviewing the file. I annoy the piss out of him when he's trying to read and study something, so I left to go help Jonas at Mr. Mac's house." Cameron's voice trailed off before he took a deep breath and continued, "I should have been there to help him. This is the second time he was by himself."

"Was the first time when he got hit in the head?"

"Yeah, I stopped to talk to Cap about reserving a spot on the ferry, and we were going to meet up afterward, but he got the call to go out to the house."

"I don't know shit about this, but doesn't Beckett know he's supposed to be with someone?" I started to get riled up, but not at Cameron. The more I heard, the more pissed I was at the giant lug of a man who never asked for support.

"Yeah, he is supposed to be with someone, but we've had a run of retirements and leaves of absence. If no one is available, then it's going to happen that someone goes in alone, but that doesn't mean this one wasn't on me. The first one was the house check, and that's on me. The second one was coming up on a car accident, and who the fuck expects someone to wait for backup before checking on the people in an accident. There was no way for him to know they'd already stolen another vehicle and it was them in there."

The chief joined our conversation as he walked down the hall. "Our mistake, and I mean mine, is that we think our island is immune from people doing shitty things. It's something that I'll be addressing with the city council. We don't have enough people to cover and keep partners together at all times."

"I'm not sure if this makes me feel better, Chief." Cameron still looked miserable but perhaps a little mollified.

"I can yell at you tomorrow if it'll help. I knew you left today, and it was fine. Hagen really does get pissy when you interrupt him, and I was at the station too. At least the burglary issues are resolved, and I'm not above using it to get more funding for personnel."

The chief shrugged at us and then excused himself to check on Beckett. Cameron and I continued our staring contest for another few moments.

"Cam, I'll be happy to help you feel bad about yourself later. I need to get my stuff and get Beckett." Cameron nodded at me and then moved aside so I could get going. "Stop by for breakfast tomorrow. You and Beckett can be mean to each other." That earned the barest hint of a smile from him.

"Yeah, okay. Ten okay?"

"Yes, that's fine. And bring Mr. Mac." That request, closer to a demand, brought out a full-fledged smile.

"Done. He's kept himself shut away for a while. A change of scenery will do him good."

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