The Protector's Promise. Shirlee McCoy

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СКАЧАТЬ again. Not for love. Not for companionship. Not for anything. Her girls deserved a stable, secure home. That’s exactly what Honor planned to provide for them. Nothing would change that. Not circumstances. Not friendships. And certainly not a good-looking prosecutor whose eyes reminded her of home.

      THREE

      The next few days passed in a blur of work and chores. Honor’s supervisor had worked hard to schedule around Candace’s classes, allowing Honor to work four ten-hour shifts. Honor appreciated it, but by the end of the fourth night, she was exhausted, dragging herself to the nurse’s station to punch out and praying she had the energy to drive home.

      “Are you heading straight home, Honor? Or would you like to go have something to eat and a cup of coffee first?” William Gonzalez glanced up from some paper work he was filing as Honor grabbed her coat and purse. Despite the long shift he’d just worked, Will looked wide awake and raring to go.

      “I’m definitely going straight home. I’ve got a million things to catch up on this weekend. The sooner I get started, the sooner I’ll be done.”

      “I hear you. Maybe we can hook up another time?” He smiled, flashing straight white teeth. At a little over five foot nine, with dark eyes and a compassionate nature, William was the handsome center of romantic attention at Lakeview Haven, and he knew it.

      Unfortunately for Will, Honor was much too busy for light flirtation—or anything else, for that matter. Though she had to admit, since she’d met Grayson Sinclair, she’d spent far too much time wondering what it would be like if she did have time. Remembering his dimple, his eyes, the warmth of his fingers when they’d brushed against hers…

      Stop it!

      You are not some teenage girl mooning over a boy. You’re a grown woman who’s had enough of love to last her a lifetime.

      She forced her attention back where it belonged: on her conversation with Will. “My life is pretty hectic right now. I don’t have time for much more than work and the girls.”

      “Too bad. You and I have a lot in common.” He smiled again, but there was a tightness to his expression that hadn’t been there before. Had her refusal offended him? Honor hoped not. She and Will worked the same shift and she didn’t want there to be tension between them.

      “The same thing we have in common with all the other nurses here, I’d say. Our jobs.” She tried to make light of things as she put on her coat and buttoned it.

      “And that we’re both far from home. I grew up in Mexico. My entire family is still there. Makes for a lonely life sometimes.”

      “Lonely?” Honor smiled and hiked her purse up onto her shoulder, knowing that Will was anything but that. “The way I hear it, you keep pretty busy with the other nurses around here. I’m not sure how that adds up to being lonely.”

      Will laughed and shook his head. “I do like to hang out with some of my co-workers, but that doesn’t mean I’m not lonely. Especially on the days I work. These ten-hour shifts are killers when it comes to friendship.”

      “We do get three days off. I’m sure you find plenty of time to go out when you’re not here. Rumor has it you’ve dated every nurse here.”

      “Except for you.”

      “Which is exactly how I plan to keep it.”

      “Why?” He seemed sincerely curious, and Honor answered.

      “I was married before, Will, and I have a daughter. At this point in my life, I’m not looking to begin another relationship.”

      “All right. That’s cool. Hey, give me a minute to finish filing this paper work and I’ll walk you out. It’s still dark, and you never know what might be hiding in the shadows.”

      “The parking lot is well lit, I’ll be fine. Thanks for offering, though. See you Tuesday?”

      “See you then.” He waved and turned his attention back to his filing, leaving Honor to walk down the corridor and into the lobby alone.

      The front door opened onto a wide veranda that wrapped around the building and provided a covered area for the residents. Colorful chairs and small tables were spaced carefully to allow room for walkers and wheelchairs. During the day, the area had a serene and cheerful air.

      In the dark hours before dawn it was anything but cheerful. Bright overhead lights cast long shadows across the cement floor, creating odd shapes that could have been object, creature or person.

      Honor shivered as she hurried toward her car, trying to tell herself there was nothing to be afraid of, but unable to shake her fear. She might have left behind the apartment where she’d been attacked, but the memory still haunted her. Wild eyes peering out from a black ski mask. A knife slashing toward her. The quick, hard beat of her heart as she put her hand up to defend herself and fell backward screaming. The crashing thud of the door as her neighbor kicked it in, running to her rescue with his service revolver in hand, shouting for Honor’s attacker to put down the knife. The sharp report of the gun as he’d fired. The soft thud of a body hitting the ground.

      Blood.

      Everywhere.

      Honor shuddered. Thank the Lord Lily and Candace had been at the library. If they’d been home…

      She shook her head, refusing to put words to what could have happened. She’d been over it all in her mind during the days that followed the incident. After several sleepless nights, she’d known she had two choices—spend her life reliving the horror she’d experienced or thank God for keeping her family safe and move on. She’d chosen the latter.

      Sometimes, though, doing that was harder than it should be.

      She pulled open the car door and had started to slide inside when she heard the quiet shuffle of feet on pavement. She glanced around, saw nothing and dropped into her seat, pulling the door closed, locking it against whatever might be lurking in the darkness.

      A sharp tap sounded on the back window of the car, and Honor screamed, her hands shaking as she tried desperately to get the key in the ignition. Another knock sounded, this one next to her ear, and she screamed again, turning toward the sound, expecting to look into a ski-masked face.

      Instead, she met Will’s concerned gaze.

      She unrolled the window, fear making her angry. “What in the world are you doing?”

      “Bringing you a message.” If he realized how afraid she was, he didn’t show it.

      “A message?”

      “Yeah. Janice just called and said we’ve got a staff meeting Tuesday at noon. It’s mandatory. She was going to call you at home, but I told her I thought I could catch you.”

      “Tuesday at noon? Are you kidding? Our shift doesn’t begin until two.”

      “That’s what I told her, but she said we’ve all got to be there.”

      “All right. I guess I’ll have to work it out.”

      “See you then.” Will waved and strode away.

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