The Unexpected Choice (20 page)

While she watched everyone living their li
ves
, a dark figure brushed past her and came to stand a few feet away, leaning over the railing with his glass.
She could only see his silhouette, but it was enough to make her nervous.

Lana wasn't sure how long she stood there staring at those massive hands
,
but the soft clearing of a man's throat brought her attention upward.

The first thing Lana noticed was that there was something familiar about his eyes.
They were kind, understanding eyes a shade of blue she'd seen before.
The second thing that entered her mind was
that i
f this
had been
any other time or place with different circumstances she would have been attracted to him.
His jaw sported a five o'clock shadow and the blond of his hair contradicted the darkness of his skin.
His lips were full and perfectly shaped but marred by the down-turned edges as he frowned at her.

She looked down at his hand still holding the glass and realized with nauseating disgust that she
was
attracted to him, even despite his obvious strength.

“I…I didn't mean to stare, I'm sorry,” she mumbled, looking away.

He didn't say anything, but she felt his eyes on her.

“Lana?” he finally asked.

The sharp turn of her head caused her vision to blur, and she grasped the railing for support.
His hand reached out for her
,
b
ut before he ever touched her, she regained control of her balance and his hand fell away.

“Welcome back,” he said.
But his tone was anything but welcoming.
He sounded angry with her.

“Do I know you?” Lana squinted against the dim light, trying to figure out if she went to school with him. But nothing about him stirred any memories…except those eyes.

He fell silent for a long time, his jaw pulsing.

She noticed then that he wore a police uniform.
She squinted again and read the name on his badge.
Lucky
.
That was an odd name for a man of his stature.

“Do I know you?” she asked again.

“I heard you were back in town,” he said in his southern drawl.
“Can't say I'd come back here if I had the choice.”

“My father lives here.”

A derisive snort escaped his lips.
“Don't remind me.”

“I'm sorry.
I think I'm missing something.
Did we go to school together?”

Again, those piercing blue eyes studied her.
“I'm Lucky
.
”

“Lana Stevens.”

“I heard from some folks in town that the beauty queen came home.
A lot of people are looking forward to seeing you again at the reunion this fall.”

“I'm not going,” she said quickly.
No way, no how would she be around all those jocks again, listening to their crude comments and smelling their foul, alcoholic breath.
So far, she hadn't seen any at the party, but if she did, she would avoid them like the plague. By the reunion though
, she would have to stay indoors anyway because of her condition.

“Pity.”

Lana frowned and looked back over the party, trying to figure out why this man wouldn't tell her who he was.
Her lungs felt like they were on fire and nausea coiled like
an angry snake in her stomach.

No.
Not now.
Recognizing the signs immediately, she exhaled a deep, slow breath.
She couldn't be having a panic attack!

Forcing a
nother
breath in, she swallowed down the disgusting lump in her throat and cleared it.

“Sheriff, huh?
Where are you from?”

Talk to me.
Distract me.

“From around here.
I made
s
heriff about three years ago.”

“Sheriff Meyer finally decided to retire?”
Inhale, exhale.
It was a simple concept but one her brain couldn't quite grasp.

He nodded once but kept his gaze averted.

She was out of questions.
What now?
Now the panic attack was about to get the best of her and the last thing she wanted to do was make a scene.

“Excuse me,” she
mumbled
and rushed past him.

His arm snaked out and grabbed her wrist.

“You okay, Lana?”

She
stared at his large hand
consuming hers, as sweat beaded on her brow.
Then her eyes trailed up carefully to meet his.
The sudden contrast from angry to concern stopped her heart momentarily.
The panic attack faded for a second
,
and she tried to remember where she'd seen those eyes.
They
had such
a
magnificent
color
.

“I'll be fine.
I just need to get to a restroom,” she whispered.

“You're white as a sheet.
Are you sick?”

That was one way of putting it.
“Actually,” she licked her lips.
“I am.”

His grip loosened and her wrist slipped free.
“What's wrong?”

Lana shook her head.
She didn't want to talk about it
,
and she certainly didn't want his pity.
She didn't even know the man.

As panic overwhelmed her again, she thought about the restrained strength in his touch and the muscular frame underneath the uniform.
He could twitch a finger and she'd be across the room.
Just like it had been with James.

The bathroom had a line, and she couldn't wait.
Her control was slipping
fast
and her heart slammed against her chest
.
Whipping back around to the outside, she pushed past the crowd and finally found a haven in
a
darkened back corner where no one stood.
She sat
on her knees
facing the bushes, her chest heaving and her heart racing.

After ten years, she was finally free of James.

Only to realize
that
freedom came with a price.