Echoes of the Past by TJ Hamilton

Author:TJ Hamilton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Escape Publishing

Chapter Seventeen

Hayden’s eyes slowly adjusted to the light streaming through the curtains. It took him a couple of seconds to work out where he was.

The air was thick with the smell of frying bacon and he smiled. This was everything he’d hoped for and something he’d thought he’d never have again. Walking into the kitchen, he found Leila trying to cook with one hand. His chuckle caught her attention. She smiled with an animated look of defeat.

‘I feel so useless,’ she laughed.

‘Here, let me help.’ He took over and she allowed it without hesitation.

‘I’ll make the coffees. I can do that much.’ She gave a soft smile.

Moving around the kitchen with her felt effortless. Their bodies were in harmony with each another, like they always had been.

‘Did you sleep okay? Sorry if I kept you awake with the tossing,’ she asked.

Frowning, Hayden looked over at her and shrugged. ‘Didn’t feel a thing. Slept like a baby.’

Their eyes met on that word; it still had a sting to it. Hayden tilted his head slightly, and smiled his apology. She nodded in reply to everything he couldn’t say out loud.

Leila set the round white table in her kitchen as he finished plating up their breakfast feast. It was all so natural, but he wouldn’t break the spell by daring to say it out loud.

Hayden was beaming when they sat down together.

‘I forgot how much you grin all the time,’ she teased.

‘When life makes you smile, you go with it.’ Hayden said and cut off a big bit of bacon before shoving it in his mouth.

He could see her grimace from the corner of his eye, and decided to take smaller bites.

‘So there is a snag in this whole situation that I need to talk to you about,’ Leila said as she put a piece of toast in her mouth, munching on it for a moment.

He knew where she was going with this. Even Jayden had called it: her job changed everything. He cursed his brother under his breath for both causing his snag and being right about it.

When she finished her mouthful, she continued, ‘I love being back around you again, believe me. But—’ She paused. ‘I just can’t. For Brayden’s sake. It took a lot for me to convince the bosses and board of authorities I was going to remain impartial with Brayden. Being with you compromises that.’

Nodding, Hayden took another bite of his bacon and looked out of the kitchen window, fury eating away at him. He could feel her watching him.

She huffed. Loudly. ‘So, you have nothing to say about it?’

He shrugged. ‘What is there to say? I agree. I knew this would be the case, and Brayden needs someone like you in his corner. That’s as important to me as you are.’

‘Right. Okay.’

She straightened in her chair, as if a weight had been lifted, and took a sip of her coffee.

‘But it’s not forever … I mean, eventually the bosses at the station will see that you’re a decent person, and as soon as I’ve got my stripe I’ll have a bit more respect and… Well.

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