Perfect Fit (2 page)

“It’s me,” he yelled back, bending to give his parents’
new dog, a small white fluffball that resembled a dust mop, a pat on the head, still marveling that they’d named the furry thing Kojak.

“Well, come give me a hug,” Ella called out, as if she hadn’t seen him in ages. In reality, she’d stopped by the police station yesterday to say hello.

He grinned and his shoulders eased downward. The insecurities that always followed thoughts of perfection fled at the warmth in his mother’s voice and the comforting smells of home.

“Come on, little man. Let’s go say hi to Mom.” He headed for the kitchen, Kojak by his side.

Along the way he passed the family room, where his father lay snoring in his recliner, football game on the big-screen television he and his siblings had bought them for Christmas last year. Knowing Simon needed his rest, Mike let him sleep.

“Hey, Mom,” Mike said, entering the kitchen and giving her the requested hug before turning to the oversized pot on the stove. “Smells delicious.” He lifted the lid only to have his mother smack his hand with her wooden spoon.

“Hey! No sampling.” She waved her weapon in front of his face, a knowing smile lifting her lips.

Despite his father’s illness, she’d managed to retain her cheery disposition, and if a few more lines creased her beautiful skin, it didn’t affect her good looks at all. Wavy auburn hair curled naturally around her face, adding to her youthful appearance.

“Hey, family!” His sister Erin’s voice sounded from the entryway.

“In here,” Mike called back, then winced because his father was sleeping.

“Dad’s snoring,” Erin said, striding into the kitchen with a box in hand. “A hurricane couldn’t wake him.”

“That’s because I gave him a painkiller a little while ago. His back was hurting,” Ella said.

Mike pushed past the fear in his throat. The old man was strong. He would pull through. “What kind of cake did you bring?”

“Angel food. Dad’s favorite.”

Of course. Erin was always the good girl, doing the right thing without being asked. Mike could barely remember to get himself someplace on time, let alone bring something with him.

His sister placed the white bakery box on the counter. “Hi, Mom,” she said, pecking her cheek. “Big brother.” She grinned and pulled him into a hug.

“Hey, pest.”

She nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. “Jerk.”

“Squirt.”

“Enough!” Ella yelled at them like they were naughty kids, and Erin laughed.

“It’s just so easy to fall back into it.” She shook her head and grinned. Erin was a true mixture of both parents. Their mother’s once-dark hair was now auburn with reddish highlights, and Erin’s was naturally so with Simon’s hazel eyes. Eyes that now danced with laughter. “So where’s Sam?” she asked.

“Your brother isn’t here yet.” Ella glanced at the clock on the oven and frowned. “He’s late, and that’s not like him. Is he working a shift today? Maybe he got held up.” She looked to Mike for the answer, since he was now his brother’s boss.

“Not that I know of, unless he switched with someone.”

“Well, let’s sit down in here for a little while and wait. Give your father some more time to sleep.” Ella gestured to the Formica table and they all grabbed a seat, same chairs they’d each eaten in growing up.

“How’s Dad doing?” Erin asked. “You mentioned back pain?”

Ella nodded. “The doctor said he might try radiation this
week instead of waiting until later on. It’s supposed to shrink the tumor and help with the pain. But he’s handling the chemo well enough. And his spirit is amazing,” she said with obvious pride.

“What about you?” Mike asked his mother, reaching for her hand.

She immediately waved him off. “I’m fine, Michael. I’m not the one who’s sick.”

Mike shot his sister a knowing look. Their mother acted like Superwoman, stepping up and handling everything without complaint. Perfection personified, Mike thought. But he knew she had to be exhausted. He opened his mouth to argue that she needed rest too, but Erin shook her head, telling him to let it go.

Fine, he’d listen for now, but at some point his mother would have to give in and let someone else help her out for a change.

Suddenly the telephone rang, and Ella rose to answer it.

“Don’t pressure her. She likes feeling needed,” Erin whispered as their mother spoke on the phone. “I’m coming over to sit with Dad one day this week so she can go get her hair done. Sam promised to play chess with Dad one afternoon this week. She’s getting breaks.”

“Why didn’t anyone ask me to help out?” he asked, too petulantly for his liking. The fact that he hadn’t thought to relieve his mother had him feeling out of sorts and selfish. As usual, he’d fallen short compared to his siblings. So what else was new?

“We figured you had your hands full taking Dad’s place and getting up to speed,” Erin said.

“It’s been a month. I’m as up as I’m going to get. The rest depends on everyone accepting how I want to do things.” He’d have made time for his mother. He was about to say as much when Ella returned.

One look at her pale face and Mike shot to his feet.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, placing a bracing arm around her shoulder.

Erin came around her other side. “Mom?”

“Sam’s been in an accident.”

Heart pounding hard in his chest, Mike eased his mother into the nearest chair. “What happened?”

“That was Cara,” she said of Sam’s partner. “His car crashed into a tree. He’s at University Hospital now.”

“Cara was with him?” Mike knew for a fact they weren’t on duty today, but it wasn’t surprising they were together. Those two made a mockery of the notion that men and women couldn’t be just friends.

It was Mike who couldn’t just be Cara’s friend, not after an explosive one-night stand three months ago that he’d yet to get out of his head. “Are they both okay?”

“Cara sounded fine. Sam’s being assessed,” his mother said, still trembling.

Mike swallowed hard. His mother’s fear wasn’t an easy thing to deal with, not when she was usually so strong. But she’d been hit with too many things at once lately.

“I need to go to your brother, but I can’t leave your father. I don’t want to drag him out there and put him under all that stress, around sick people and germs…”

This was something he could do to help. “I’ll head over to the hospital,” Mike said, glancing at his sister.

She nodded. “And I’ll stay here with you and Dad.”

“No.” Ella shook her head. “You go with your brother. You two should be together when you get news on Sam.”

Mike immediately thought of a solution. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll call Aunt Louisa to come over,” he said of his mother’s sister who also lived in Serendipity a few streets away. “That way you and Dad won’t be alone.”

“I don’t want to be a bother to her.”

But Erin had already reached for the phone and begun dialing over their mother’s objections.

A few minutes later, their aunt was on her way over while Mike and Erin headed for the hospital.

Officer Cara Hartley paced outside the emergency
room, hoping for news on her partner and waiting for his family to arrive. She didn’t know which members would come, given Sam’s father’s condition, but her gut told her his brother, Michael, would be one of them. As laid-back as he appeared, when it came to doing his job or caring for his family, the man was as take-charge alpha as they came.

He also liked control in the bedroom, something Cara knew only too well. She shivered at the reminder of one incredible night a few months ago when Mike had been home for the weekend visiting his father. He and Sam had shown up at Joe’s Bar, they’d flirted, he’d bought her drinks, he’d walked her to her car, and the next thing she knew, she’d agreed to let him follow her home and take her—not just to bed but wherever he damn well pleased. He’d been phenomenal, bringing her to heights she’d only dreamed of and igniting a hunger that had fueled many fantasies in the months since.

“Dr. Nussbaum, please call extension fifty-three. Dr. Nussbaum, extension fifty-three.” The voice over the hospital loudspeaker broke into Cara’s heated thoughts.

Although those sensual memories had been a welcome distraction from worrying about Sam, the last thing she wanted to be thinking about was the man who was now her boss. He’d completely rocked her world, but he hadn’t mentioned it since his return. Granted, she hadn’t brought up the subject either, but his complete refusal to acknowledge her as more than one of his officers grated her female pride. Even the few times they were alone, Mike had been abrupt and all business.

When he arrived, she had no doubt he’d want to talk
about what she and Sam were doing on Route 80, heading back to Serendipity from the outskirts of town. They’d been looking into a cold case Mike had assigned to them and were just beginning to realize that the implications of their findings might affect Mike personally. She wouldn’t share anything without Sam’s permission. Not even with her boss. Hopefully he wouldn’t push for information. If she had good news about Sam, maybe he wouldn’t delve too deeply into where they’d been or why.

Suddenly the street doors swung wide and Cara caught sight of Mike, his dark hair longer than regulation for a cop, his leather jacket giving him a dangerous edge. During the week, he wore suits and ties when he had scheduled meetings, but Cara knew he preferred his beat-up leather and jeans to the stuffy boss clothing the job demanded.

Mike barreled through the lobby and headed straight for her, his sister right behind him.

“How’s Sam?” Erin asked.

“What the hell happened?” Mike barked at Cara.

She straightened to her full height, which at five foot three wasn’t much compared to his almost six feet. “We were in an accident, Chief.”

“Any news on Sam?” Erin asked.

Cara shook her head. “Not yet, but he was conscious when the ambulance brought him in.”

“I didn’t have you two on the schedule today.” Mike pinned her with a steady stare.

Cara looked into his chocolate brown eyes, wondering how they could have been so sexy all those months ago and so cold and forbidding now. “And if you’ll notice, I’m not in uniform. Your brother and I were out for a ride. It’s a gorgeous day,” she said, hating the evasion that fell from her lips.

“Ease up,” Erin said, punching Mike in the arm. “She’s not on duty and she’s as worried about Sam as we are. And lay off the formalities. Cara’s like family.”

Cara and Erin were the same age, and though they hadn’t
been best friends in school, they’d been in the same general group of girls, while Sam, a year older, had been a friend; it wasn’t until they both joined the force together that their friendship solidified and Cara became more a part of the Marsdens’ inner circle. By then, Mike had been long gone.

Erin pulled Cara into an embrace. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Cara managed a nod and hugged Erin back. “It was scary,” she said, allowing herself to admit her fear for the first time. She stepped away from Erin. Suddenly cold, she wished she were wearing a heavier jacket.

“You’re shaking.” Erin said, breaking into her thoughts. “And your cheek is bruised.”

“Air bag,” Cara said softly.

“Were you checked out?” Mike asked, his tone deep and gravelly, sending shivers through her that had nothing to do with the earlier accident.

“The paramedics cleared me at the scene. It’s just a delayed reaction, I guess.”

Mike’s frown deepened. “Let’s sit.” Without waiting for her to agree, he grasped her elbow and led her to a chair.

Because Cara’s legs were truly unsteady, she let him have his way. Erin picked a chair across the aisle, while Mike chose a spot beside Cara. He sat next to her, so close the musky scent of his aftershave warmed her in ways she couldn’t think about now.

“What happened?” Erin asked softly.

In a weird way it was a relief to go back to the accident and share the experience. “Sam was driving. He was fine one minute, and the next he doubled over in pain. I reached for the wheel, but I had no leverage and the car hit a tree.”

She blew out a stream of air and steadied herself before continuing. “My air bag deployed. His didn’t. Sam’s head hit the steering wheel”—she winced as she recalled the awful sound—“and his side of the car took the brunt of the impact. I was able to call for an ambulance and here we are.” She clenched her fists until her nails bit into her flesh.

“Easy,” Mike said as his big, strong hand covered hers and he gently pried her fingernails away from her skin.

Her entire body reacted to his touch, awareness jolting through her like a sudden burst of electricity. Startled, she met his gaze and in that moment she
knew
he was as stunned as she.

Until he jerked his hand back and rose to his feet. “Where is a damned doctor with some news?”

Erin rose and put a hand on her brother’s shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll hear something soon.” No sooner had she spoken than a familiar voice called out Cara’s name.

“Alexa!” Relieved, Cara jumped up and turned to Dr. Alexa Collins, a beautiful woman with auburn hair now pulled back in a bun. She was not only one of Cara’s closest friends but the doctor on call.

“How is he?” Sam’s siblings asked at the same time.

“He’s stable. He had an appendicitis attack while he was driving.” She glanced at Cara. “Did he mention any pain during the day?”

She thought back and shook her head.

Alexa frowned. “Then he must have covered and ignored it. Appendicitis pain typically increases over a period of time. Stubborn man,” she muttered, knowing Sam as well as Cara did. “Okay, well, he’s in surgery to take care of the appendix, and barring any complications he should be fine. He’s also got a concussion from impact with the steering wheel, but again, barring complications, nothing life threatening.” She smiled at Erin, Michael, and Cara to put them at ease. “I’m going to go back in. As soon as he’s in recovery, I’ll let you know. You can see him later.”

“Thank you,” Erin breathed out in relief. “I’ll go let Mom and Dad know.” She rushed outside, probably to a place she could use her cell phone.