Page 38 of One Lucky Hero (Men in Uniform 1)

At least, that is what Violet had told herself a thousand times over the years.

Another car pulled up alongside her, and a man in military camo got out of the driver’s side. As he walked in front of her car to go inside, Violet watched him, imagining a different set of shoulders beneath the jacket.

Stop thinking about Dean.

It was hard, though. It seemed like anytime she had a moment to breathe, his face would flash through her mind and steal away all the air.

She’d made the decision not to call, not to continue the friends-with-benefits situation. It just wouldn’t work with her life, and besides, if she was this distracted by him after one night, she couldn’t imagine what multiple hookups would do. Getting involved with him would only derail her plans. She needed to focus on school, on getting Daisy off to college, and on Casey . . .

Why are you trying to convince yourself? It was one night. Eventually, you’ll forget all about him.

Casey rapped on the car window, and Violet turned to find him pointing to the trunk impatiently. She popped the lever and stepped out just as Casey slammed the trunk shut, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

He hit the sidewalk before she did, but she was still taller than him and caught up without any trouble, grabbing his arm. “Casey, I don’t want to fight with you. Please, just talk to me.”

“There is nothing to say! We’re going to be late.” Casey jerked away and kept walking inside.

Violet wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, but that probably wasn’t the best plan outside of a building filled with guys who carried guns for a living. She walked behind him through the glass doors. Casey handed his backpack over to a security guard to be searched, and another waved a wand over him, scanning for weapons most likely. Violet waited patiently until it was her turn, letting her gaze wander over the spacious lobby and beyond to a narrow hallway . . .

Two men stood just before the opening, both in green camo pants and green T-shirts with hats covering their heads, and the one on the left was familiar to her . . .

When it hit her why, her stomach roiled violently, and bile burned its way up her throat.

Tyler. Tracy’s Tyler.

“Shit!” Violet’s hand flew to her mouth as Casey and the security guards glanced her way, all of them frowning.

Clearing her throat, she grimaced at the vile taste in her mouth and the awkward slipup. “Sorry, just remembered that I left my coffeepot on.”

“You didn’t have coffee this morning,” Casey said.

Crap, she hadn’t. “I know. I was making it but forgot.”

They finished with Casey and waved her forward. While they went through her belongings with a fine-tooth comb, Violet’s gaze kept shifting back to Tyler.

And then it hit her. Tyler and Dean worked at the same place. So if Tyler was there, that meant Dean ran this place.

Oh, God, what am I going to do?

She couldn’t escape. Couldn’t just leave before Casey was settled.

“Just wait right here while we get someone,” the security guard with the wand said.

“Sure.” Violet stood next to Casey, trying not to look at Tyler. The last thing she needed was for him to notice her and go find Dean.

It wasn’t just that she hadn’t called him after their one night together; it was that he had seen her at her weakest, and she hated it. She didn’t let anyone see her like that, and yet he had been there when she’d broken down like an idiot. She’d been too embarrassed and reasoned that as sweet and understanding as he’d seemed, he was probably relieved that she hadn’t called. After all, what normal guy would want to get into an FWB relationship with a woman who had locked herself in his bathroom and cried for a half an hour?

“What is up with you?” Casey asked.

“Nothing, why?”

He stared at her with suspicion, and Violet glanced down to where Tyler had been, but he was gone. The man he’d been talking to was walking toward them with a large smile on his handsome face.

“Hello, there. I’m Sergeant Oliver Martinez. Welcome to Alpha Dog.”

Sergeant Martinez held his hand out to Violet first and then Casey, who didn’t even bother taking it. His deep blue eyes narrowed at Casey’s rudeness, but Sergeant Martinez dropped his hand without comment, as if it happened all the time.

“I’m Violet Douglas, and this is Casey.”