Three Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 220

Bonnie rubbed her eyes and gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I didn’t know your dad died in the line of duty. I hope we didn’t upset you.”

“Not at all,” Aiken said. His voice was calm, steady, like talking about someone else's story instead of his own. “It’s been ten years. My mom and I moved on a while ago.”

Bonnie always struggled with finding the right words. She glanced at Aiken, with his strong, open expression, and said, “If your dad knew you followed in his footsteps and became a cop, he’d be proud of you.”

Aiken chuckled, remembering his dad’s stubborn streak. “Honestly, if he knew, I bet he’d show up in my dreams just to say, ‘So, did you use my service medal to get into the academy? You better watch yourself or I’ll have your hide.’”

That got a burst of laughter out of Bonnie. She quickly tried to stifle it, but her cheeks turned bright red. Aiken grinned, clearly enjoying her reaction. Before he could joke about it, his phone rang.

The caller ID flashed the station’s number.

Aiken sighed as he picked up. It was exactly what he expected. The snow had made things busier and they needed all hands on deck.

“That’s just part of the job,” he said, slipping his phone away. “We’re never really home for our families. My dad missed so many family dinners. He wasn’t even around when I was born. Sometimes I wonder if people like us should even start families in the first place.”

Something twisted in Bonnie’s chest. Without thinking, she stepped forward and hugged him. It only lasted a second, but it was enough to leave Aiken frozen in place, caught off guard.

“It’s because of people like you, all those holiday tables have someone coming home. Families get to be together because you protect them,” she said softly.

Bonnie gave him a sunny smile, bright and hopeful as a winter morning. “When I finish my grad school exams, if you’re free, let’s go skiing together.”

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