never successfully turned that off, and she hadn’t liked sharing his attention with others.
Sometimes, he wondered if he cared too much. Not that he blamed her. He didn’t even resent her for leaving. It’d reinforced what he’d always suspected. Relationships were hard, and for cops, ten times harder.
After Meghan, he’d dated on and off. Most of the women he knew in the Cove were either married or on their way, so he dated the ones who weren’t living here year-round. Whether it was for dating, sex, or casual hangouts—or a combo of the three—the women he saw didn’t much care about the hours he kept or the dangers on the job. It made for an easy, if unsatisfying, way to be a part of a relationship. He’d gotten used it, though. Some nights that was sad, and others, it was just what he needed.
Anyway, he had a girl in his life now. Lila. His pup was a long-term commitment for him. She’d never experience another harsh word or touch as long as she lived.
His date with Elli Bean tonight was another matter altogether. He was just being friendly.
Bullshit.
Okay, he was being friendly with a very open mind. Long term might not be in the cards, but he couldn’t deny his instincts that had twanged to life when he’d first met her. They twanged again now as he sped across the lake on the Jet Ski. Wind slapped his face, water splashed his legs, and the sun warmed his arms sticking out of the life jacket.
Whenever he thought of Elli, he wondered what she’d been through with the ex that had sent her fleeing for the Cove. Brady had a protective streak a mile wide. Hell, he’d become a cop because he wanted to help people. He’d be the first to admit he had a hero complex, which could be why he was preoccupied with Elli’s situation.
No one, especially a woman, should have to put up with a guy who wasn’t treating her like gold. He was determined to treat the women in his life well, even if he wasn’t going to be around permanently.
Similarly, if he could help Elli through a rough patch in her life, why not? His life was full enough without another attachment. He had Gramps and Lila to look after. He had the entire town to look after.
He powered down the Jet Ski and floated near Mariner’s Dock. He’d chosen it because it was close to the marina, and he figured Elli would enjoy seeing that as well as grabbing some dinner at one of the gourmet food trucks that parked here on weekends.
He waited. Watched. Waited some more. Then he parked and climbed off to poke around. He ran into people he knew, which was pretty much everyone, before deciding that something must’ve come up for Elli. She wasn’t here. Even in the crowd, he’d spot a petite brunette looking for him.
He climbed back onto the Jet Ski and zipped across the lake to her house. If something had happened between there and the dock, Lou might know. He tried not to imagine a disaster as he drove over the water, but he did anyway. Thinking the worst was another side effect of being a cop.
Since Lou had once owned a Jet Ski, but her dick of an ex-husband had taken it, there was an empty spot for Brady to dock.
He climbed off and dropped the life vest, pulling on a shirt and a pair of flip flops next. The second he moved to the side yard, he caught sight of Elli in her kitchen window. She caught sight of him, too, her brown eyes widening with guilt.
She pointed to the back door and he met her there as she was sliding it open. Her blue dress hugged her small curves, and the sandals boosted her ass and her calves in a way that sent his mind to the gutter.
“Didn’t see you at the dock,” he said.
“I stood you up.”
Well. That’s honest.
“I didn’t know how to get a hold of you,” she blurted as she shut the door behind her.
“Lou knows.”
“I didn’t want to tell Lou I was being a jerk.” She squinted one eye as she studied the lake behind him. She was damned adorable. “Where’s the boat?”
“I came on a Jet Ski.” He pointed at Lou’s dock. “Any reason in particular you stood me up, Elli Bean?”
“I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
“To take a tour of the lake?” He was officially