Hooking Him (How to Catch an Alpha #3)(4)

“Stay,” he orders, and I blink up at him in disbelief.

“I’m not a dog you can just order to do something,” I hiss, tucking my feet into the car.

“Yeah, I know. My dog actually listens.” He slams the door and walks away, leaving me fuming.

CALVIN

I shut down my computer and lean back in my chair, rubbing my eyes. It’s been a long day, a long month, and an even longer year. I need a vacation, preferably near a lake where I can spend my days drinking beer, fishing, and watching the sun set while doing both those things.

With a weary sigh, I roll my chair back and start to get up when my cell phone rings. When I see my mother’s name on the screen, I sigh for a completely different reason. Without answering, I know she’s calling about what went down with the Golden Girls and their newest recruit, Anna. Anna Belle McAlister, a woman with hair that reminds me of warm whiskey, eyes the color of an evergreen forest, and skin that looks kissed by the sun. Not a beautiful woman—a gorgeous one who’s had me thinking of sweaty nights wrapped in cotton sheets all damned day.

Fuck.

I grab my phone, swipe my finger across the screen, and place it against my ear. “Mom.”

“Calvin, I just got off the telephone with Pearl a moment ago, and I . . . I just . . . good Lord, Calvin. Did you honestly speak to a woman like she was Bane, then go on to tell her that Bane is better behaved than she is because he listens?”

I knew it.

“Mom, I told you before you need to stop listening to that woman and her posse.”

“So you didn’t say those things?”

I tip my head back toward the ceiling and shake my head. “The woman you’re referring to was just in a car accident. I asked her to go back to the car to get out of harm’s way. When she didn’t listen, I escorted her to the vehicle.”

“And then?” she asks.

“And then I contained the scene of the accident and did my job.”

“You’re leaving out the part about when you talked to a woman—who, from what Pearl says, is sweet—like she was a dog.” I listen to her let out a deep breath. “Boy, you do my head in.”

“So you’ve been saying since I can remember.”

“I know I raised you better than that, Calvin Miller. And I’m telling you now that you need to apologize to that girl.”

“Mom, I’m not going to apologize for doing my job.”

“No, you’re going to apologize for being rude to her.”

“I’ll get right on that.”

“I’m serious, Calvin Drake Miller. You better apologize.” She doesn’t shout, but I still know she’s serious by the tone of her voice.

“Fine. Are we done?” I stand and pick up my badge, clipping it back on my belt, then grab my keys.

“Yes. Now, are you still coming over for dinner tomorrow?”

“I’ll be there,” I agree as I walk out to the main room of the station, lifting my chin to a few other officers as I pass them on my way toward the exit.

“Good. I’ll see you at six. Maybe you can invite Anna. That’s her name, by the way. Pearl said she just moved to town and is working at the Sweet Spot. Maybe you can stop by there tomorrow and invite her to dinner.”

“I’m not inviting her to dinner.”

“Why on earth not?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say, ignoring her question.

“Invite her to dinner.”

“I gotta go, Mom.”

“Fine, love you. Talk to you tomorrow.” She hangs up, and I shove my phone into my back pocket, then walk out of the building toward my truck, parked on the street. I get in, start the engine, and head through town.

When I reach my place, I get out and head through the gate and up the front walk. I hear Bane bark as I get close to the front door. The barking stops as I put my key in the lock, and then, just like always when I arrive home, Bane greets me, circling my feet as I shut the door and then flip on the light.

“Hey, boy.” I rub the top of his head and sit to take off my boots. I then give him a rubdown before I get up and head for the kitchen. I go to the pantry for his food and fill his bowl, then walk to the fridge, grab a beer, and then take a gulp before looking for something to heat up for dinner. And like I’ve done every night for the last five years, ever since the woman I thought I was going to marry walked away because she was unable to handle my career as a police officer, I eat while watching TV, then go to bed alone, with only my dog to keep me company. But for the first time in five years, I wonder if it’s fucking time to put myself out there again.





Suggestion 2

SAY NO, EVEN IF YOU WANT TO SAY YES

ANNA

“You know if Gaston comes in and sees what you’re doing, he will lose his mind, right?” I ask Chrissie—my boss, the owner of the Sweet Spot, and a woman I now consider a friend.

“What Gus doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” She grins, and I look at her stomach, which has grown considerably over the last few months, and the large bag of flour she’s dumping into one of the plastic storage containers.

I walk to her and take the bag, ignoring her grumbling as I take over. “I’m pretty sure he’s installed cameras in here just to make sure you’re not overdoing it.” It’s a joke, but in all honesty, I wouldn’t put it past him to have done something like that. He’s very protective of his wife, and his protective nature only seems to have grown since she got pregnant.