Concealed Hearts (Hometown Jasper #4) - Nicky James Page 0,91
my head inside the storage room on my way past but finding no one.
The door was propped open, so I knew Matthew had been in there recently.
Murmuring voices traveled from farther down the hall. A knot pulled tight in my belly as I assumed the worst and hoped for the best. All those fears I’d carried for twenty years were being realized despite how illogical. A tiny seed of doubt remained, and until I faced the men and women I worked with daily, I wouldn’t know the truth.
Matthew was gay. John was a huge advocate and had shown multiple times over the years his willingness to fight against injustice of any kind.
Was I paranoid? Probably.
I didn’t stop until I was outside the conference room door where the whispered voices originated. The door was cracked an inch. People shuffled around inside, but no one spoke. I didn’t know what to expect, but I refused to stand there another minute and worry. Rip off the Band-Aid, face the firing squad.
I heaved a sigh and shoved the door open, ready for whatever was on the other side.
My defenses were on high alert, so when a whoop of cheers and clapping erupted, followed by party horns and my constables throwing ribbons and streamers, I almost took a fighting stance, my brain thinking I was under attack.
It took a second for the picture of celebration to come into focus and register.
A handwritten sign on the wall read, Hero of Jasper. It was surrounded by colorful balloons, and there was a cake in the middle of the conference room table. I frowned, bewildered.
“What’s going on?”
“We thought your bravery last night deserved to be celebrated.” John eyed Matthew. “A dual celebration, I guess.”
“Whatever. Don’t listen to him. It’s a coming-out party,” Matthew explained. “These guys said it wasn’t professional and you wouldn’t appreciate it and that we should celebrate your hero status instead. I disagreed. It’s a coming-out party.” He blew his party horn again and made a flashy motion with his hands. “To Chief Elkhart, the bravest man in Jasper, who not only saved a boy from taking his life, but he came out to his whole town after many, many, many, many years of hiding in the closet.”
“Watch it, kid, I’m not that old.”
“You’re old enough to be my dad.”
I scowled.
Matthew clamped his mouth shut, but his eyes gleamed with humor. I’d lost my edge with him, but that wasn’t a bad thing. He was a good kid. Hard-working.
I scanned my constables’ faces. Each one of them was smiling, waiting for my reaction. Not a single look of scorn or a frown. I was a fool to have doubted them.
“Belinda made you a cake.” Harriet waved at the table with a sympathetic smile. “She came by earlier and delivered it. She wants you to know she’s happy for you and wishes you all the best.”
Those were the words written in blue icing on the top. All the best.
I would need to thank her. And apologize for being so elusive and standoff-ish for years.
“This is…” I cleared the emotions from my throat. “A surprise. And completely unnecessary. I’m not a hero. I was just doing my job. Any one of you would have done the same thing.” I rubbed the back of my neck, overwhelmed by the attention.
Matthew moved forward and touched my arm. “It’s more about the other thing. We’re proud of you for being so brave.” He winked and added, “You know, at your age.”
“Kid, you’re asking for it.”
John chuckled and cut in. “We support you, Windsor. All of us. For what it’s worth, this changes nothing.” John scanned the other constables. “Am I right?”
Everyone agreed.
It was more than I expected. For years, I’d anticipated the worst. Their support left me speechless. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say we can cut the cake. I’ve been dying for a piece since Belinda dropped it off.” Lucas rubbed his hands together and licked his lips. “I’ve been up for over twenty-four hours. I deserve cake. I need cake. Sugar. All the sugar. God, I’m so tired right now.”
Julie covered a laugh with her hand and shoulder bumped Lucas, almost sending him off balance. “So dramatic.”
“It was a very stressful night, thank you very much. Cake.” He couldn’t stop staring at it.
The relaxed atmosphere in the conference room was heartwarming. When Harriet found a knife and a stack of plates and moved closer to cut the cake, I held up a hand, stopping her.