Page 62 of Nica
“Restless?”Dusty asked, though he had a feeling he wasn’t going to like where this conversation was headed.
“The same way I was restless right before I met Maggie,” Ridge said with a knowing grin.“The same way Shiloh was acting all twitchy before he finally caught up to Renee, chasing that woman halfway across the country until she finally gave in.”
“And the same way half our brothers acted right before fate decided to drop the perfect woman right in their paths,” Shiloh added.“It’s like a family curse, except instead of being cursed, we’re blessed.”
Dusty shook his head.“Good thing that’s the Boudreau curse then, and I’m not a Boudreau.You two are reading way too much into this.I’m just not feeling the holiday spirit this year.”
“Uh-huh.”Ridge’s grin widened.“That’s exactly what I said.Right up until Maggie literally pointed a shotgun in my face.Could have knocked me over with a feather, because I knew right then I was a goner.”
“And I was convinced I just needed to focus on work,” Shiloh chimed in.“Which meant chasing after Lucas’ missing sister.When I finally caught up with Renee, it was like fate had smacked me between the eyes and turned my whole world upside down in the best possible way.”
Dusty took a long drink of his beer, hoping it would wash away the uncomfortable feeling that the twins might be onto something.“You’re both crazy.”
“Maybe,” Ridge conceded.“But we’re crazy and happy.And my bet is that before Christmas Day, you’re going to be eating those words.”
“Christmas?”Dusty raised a brow.“That’s awfully specific.”
Shiloh shrugged.“Call it a hunch.The universe seems to have a sense of humor when it comes to timing.”
Out on the dance floor, the music shifted to something slower, and Gabe pulled Nica close, whispering something in her ear that made her beam up at him, like he’d just promised her the moon.Dusty felt that familiar pang again—not jealousy exactly, but a longing for something he couldn’t quite name.
“Look,” Ridge said, his voice gentler now.“All we’re saying is don’t be so quick to run off somewhere.Sometimes the thing you’re looking for has a way of finding you when you least expect it.”
“And sometimes,” Shiloh added, “it finds you right here at home, where you never thought to look.”
Dusty considered their words, watching as more couples joined Gabe and Nica on the dance floor.Maybe the twins were right.Maybe he was just restless, waiting for something he didn’t even know he wanted.Or maybe he really did need to get out of town for a while.
Either way, he supposed he’d find out soon enough.
“Well,” he said, raising his beer toward his friends, “here’s to whatever comes next.”
While the party continued into the wee hours, Dusty climbed behind the wheel of his patrol cruiser, driving through the streets of Shiloh Springs.He’d guzzled a couple cups of coffee before leaving the party.He’d volunteered for the night shift, knowing most of the people wanted to celebrate with Gabe and Nica.He wished them all the best.Nica was a good friend, and he still felt guilty about her being taken on his watch.Still had headaches from the blow to the head he’d taken when she’d been snatched from under his nose.
Driving through the streets of Shiloh Springs didn’t reveal anything.There were no emergency calls during the middle of the night.It was close to the end of his shift, and he patrolled the long empty stretch of road that led toward town.An unexpected feeling, something akin to anticipation swept through him.Nothing he could put a name to, but it made him sit up straighter in his seat, scanning the dark sides of the street, looking for…he wasn’t sure what he looked for, but his instinct, the one who usually alerted him to trouble, was pinging like a pinball machine.
Something was out here—he knew it.Felt it deep in his bones.Something different.Something unexpected.And the thought ricocheted through his mind that nothing would ever be the same again.