Healing Haven - Book 2 in Haven Series [Complete]

33| Cry wolf

Ethan crossed the threshold, mood sour and belly in knots. This was the last fucking place he wanted to be. But he'd rather face this than spend hours on his couch with a case of beer and the basketball game on blast like a pathetic loser who'd just had his heart ripped from his chest.

Wallowing in self-pity had never been his style.

"Hey," he nodded at a pair of wide eyes that blinked at him like he was an apparition.

"Hey." Sheryl blinked again. Frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be on vacation? What the hell are you doing here?"

Christ, he'd hoped he'd be able to make it through the front doors of the precinct without having to explain why, as someone who never took time off, that his plans to spend making love to Alyssa to celebrate their future had instead all gone up in smoke.

After Marshall called earlier that afternoon to update him on the whole Randy situation, every fiber in his body wanted him to race over to Alyssa. To make sure she was alright. And would have, except from one vital and harsh fact: she wasn't his problem anymore.

Ethan strode past her, jerked a shoulder. "Does it matter?"

"Yes," Sheryl insisted, hot on his heels as he pushed through the bullpen, "it is. You worked three double headers this week and clocked in twice that last month. You've gotta learn to take a breather. Carlos," she snapped when they reached the corridor as Carlos swung out of the kitchen, coffee in one hand and half-eaten Danish in the other. "Tell this idiot to go home."

Smirking, Carlos shifted on his feet and swallowed a mouthful of pastry. But that smirk faded as he took a hard look at Ethan and decided to swallow the joke as well. "You good, Chief?"

"Will be." Ethan hooked his thumbs in his pockets. "What's the spread been like tonight?"

"Sent Ramos and Bran twenty minutes ago to check out a B&E at the community records centre. Someone busted in the back door, rooted around the place. Made a hell of a mess."

"Jesus," Ethan muttered, pleased by the opportunity to sink his teeth into a problem other than his own personal life. "Anyone hurt?"

"No. Place was shut-up for fumigation. Mice. Was supposed to be cleared in the morning but Jacob Hanson says he saw a suspicious guy hanging about as he pulled into the lot across the street to play his lotto numbers at the convenience store. Heard the noise on his way out and called it in."

"Bran and Ramos checked in yet?"

"Was about to call them." Carlos said, nodding towards his desk.

"Good. Keep me posted."

"Ethan," Sheryl snarled, keeping hot on him as tucked away into his office and shut the door behind her.

"Sheryl, I'm really not in the mood for you."

"Tough shit, you're going to hear it." And leaned back against the door, hands on her hips, her gaze narrowed on his face. "What's going on with you, Ethan?"

"Doesn't matter. You were right, okay? There. I've said it, so you can spare me the 'I told you so' lecture, alright?"

The heat in Sheryl's gaze softened a degree. "Do you love her?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell her you loved her?"

"Ye—"