Love Happens (book 2 of ‘a sheriff for Grace’)

Amber pov I arrived at my new apartment an hour ago. I feel so excited but also anxious about my new beginning. My life before my twenties was amazing. My parents were lovely, supportive, and always there for me. Until the day that they had a tragic car accident. I was in college at the time and when they called me to inform me about my parents' death I lost the earth under my feet. My parents were the best in the world. I couldn't imagine my life without them. My best friend Sissy help me a lot. During college and after when I returned to my hometown. There I met Ryan, the typical bad boy that charms you and you think that you are the luckiest girl on earth. And I was, for a while. When I make my first mistake to move in with him. And I say the first mistake because I did more than one. The first day it was a slap. Then continue to other things. He forced me to lose my only and true friend and it was only him. Every time I tried to flee he was everywhere. Every person tries to help, but it doesn't have a good end. So I just stayed and tried to be a good girl as he said. A few weeks ago a pediatrician, Grace, in the hospital where I worked saw me and she decided to help. In the beginning, I said no, I didn't want her to get in trouble because of me. But she had connections, she managed to find me a new home and a new work away from Ryan. I will be forever grateful to Grace and her brothers. Sheriff Steven Campbell made a great choice. Grace is a wonderful person. And here I am now in California. A friend of Grace's brother brought here and he left me a phone number to call about my new job. I took a shower and I went to the kitchen. They have even filled my fridge with groceries. I cooked something to eat and I decided to call Grace's brother, George. One of his friends owns the hospital so I have to call me about the details. “George MacLean” I hear a deep, husky voice and after a long time, my heart stops, in a good way. I find the courage to speak “Hello. I’m Amber” “Oh. Hi Amber. I was waiting to call me” “Yeah I just settled down and I decided to call you. Grace said about a job” “Yes of course. One of my friends is the owner. Actually and major shareholder. He can help, he has available spots in the administration offices of the hospital” “That’s great. Thank you” “Is nothing. I'm glad that I can help. You can be ready tomorrow morning at nine? I will pick you up to go together” “Sure. But you don’t have work? I don’t want to make you leave your job for me” “Is not a problem. I will see you tomorrow?” “Yes. Thank you again” “Goodnight Amber.” “Goodnight,” I say and we end the call. God, he has so a sexy voice if he is sexy and in person, I will have a problem. I called Grace and told her that everything is good and tomorrow I will go to the hospital. I thanked her again and ended the call. If she wasn’t Grace I would still be with Ryan and my life will continue to be miserable. I ate and decided to go early for sleep I have a long day tomorrow. The next day I chose to wear a black pencil skirt and a light pink blouse. And I decided to go with nude high heels and accessories. At nine o’clock I was ready and I heard the doorbell. I check myself, my blonde hair is down and it reaches until the shoulders. I open the door and I see a tall guy, much taller than me. With my high heels, I reach to his shoulders. He is wearing glasses, maybe I was with Ryan but I always had a thing with guys who wear glasses. As for myself a nerd I like nerdy guys too. “Good morning Amber,” he says with a smile and my knees became jelly. He is George, I will never forget that voice. He is smiling genuinely and even his gorgeous blue eyes smiling “Good morning George,” I say and I try to play it cool “How you know I was me?” “Your voice is the same through the phone. And also I don't wait for anyone else” I say and he laughs “You ready?” He asks and I nod “Let’s go. Aaron waits for us” he says and I take my bag. He drove to the hospital himself and we talked about random things. I’m sure he knows why I left Kolorado but he doesn’t talk about it and I’m glad. After a while, we reach the hospital. Is five minutes from the car from where I live now so even with walking I can come to work every day without I need a car. “Aaron is a close friend. We know each other from kids. So he was really happy that he could help me when I asked for a job.” He says when he parked the car “I don’t know how much appreciate what you and Grace have done for me,” I say and he smiles “I’m really happy that you are here now,” he says with a smile and I smile back. “Thank you for everything,” I say again “Let’s go,” he says and we exit the car. He touches my lower back and shows me the direction that we going. When his palm touches me I jump a little, I didn’t expect him to make that move. And since my ex wasn’t so gentle with me memories came to my mind. That’s unfair though, George seems a nice guy and Grace says such great things about him. And I trust Grace I saw a little hurt in his eyes and immediately I felt guilty “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean...” he sighs “This way,” he says and we start walking “It’s not your fault. I wasn’t expecting it. So, I was surprised” I say. I don’t want to think that I’m scared of him “It’s fine. I understand” he says with a small smile “Just you know that you are safe here and I will never do something to hurt you,” he says and I’m touched by his words. After my parents died no one spoke to me like that. Ryan after I moved with him changed a lot. He never was the romantic type, but he respected me and we had fun. Everything changed when I sold my parent's house and I went to his house. He became possessive in a bad way, he was jealous without reason, and when something didn’t like he blamed me. He was hitting me, forcing himself on me, the last years were torture and I couldn’t get out. He owns the city and if I talk to someone he was in trouble later. So I just stayed and I endured everything. I will pray every day for Grace whom she saw at the hospital and from that day she helped me get out. And of course about her brothers who without a second thought helped me start a new life. “Thank you. That means a lot. You don’t know me at all and without thinking about it you agreed to help me” he smiles, God what a gorgeous smile. We walk inside and soon his friend and my new boss interview me for the job. I was already accepted to work he just asked some questions to realize where he would put me. He decided to have me as his second assistant and later maybe he will put me in the accounting department. He told me to start on Monday and as he gave a talk with George I was with his assistant and my colleague Hannah to explain the work. Everything seems easy, is things that I have done before “So you have questions?” Hannah asks me “For now no. They are things I have done before. If I have some questions they will come when I start working on them” “Sure I understand. For most of the jobs, you learn them empirically. Well we will work every day here together so whatever you want you can ask me” “Thank you. I was nervous about how people would accept me here” “You will find people that are bitchy and mean but they are kind people. As for me and my friends. You can sit with us during the break. You will fit perfectly in our group” she says smiling “Thank you” “No problem. Now tell me about you?” She asks and she leans closer “There isn’t much to say. I’m from Kolorado, I worked there at a hospital too” “Why you left?” She asks and I see she asks kindly from concern, not to gossip “Is long story” “I’m sorry I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.” “Thank you. Let’s just say that I wanted to leave from there” “I won’t press you. Just you know that you have a friend now. Not just me. I’m sure Aria and Nina will like you too” she says and we talk for a little while. She gave me also her phone number and we said to go for dinner on Saturday to meet the girls. They have a girls' night out and with joy want me together. We said goodbye and George left. I told him to let me home but he insisted on going for a coffee and doing me a little tour of the city. I had and really good time with him, he talked to me about his life and his studies. Now he works with his brother as an economic advisor and runs their companies together. He doesn’t have much time for hobbies, only baseball, and formula he watches sometimes with his brother and his friends. Other than that he reads books and watches movies. “I like Star Wars but I’m more fun of The Lord of the Rings,” I say as he drives to my apartment “Well I can tell you a few things and you tell me about Lord of the Rings. I haven’t watched any movies” “What ?” I ask suprised “How is that possible?” I ask and he laughs “I don’t know. Just didn’t happen” “You should watch them with me. I can initiate you in the story” I say and I think I'm blushing. Did I say that? f**k Amber I’m sure he has better things to do “I will love that. When you are free?” He asks and I stay to look at him “You want to see them with me?” “Of course. I like to watch movies with a fan of cinema like me” he says and I see him smile as he looks at the road “Well, I don’t have to do something. I’m still new in town so I will have a lot of free time after work” “Ok. Whatever you want we can arrange it. You have my number.” “Ok. I still have to settle down and this Saturday Hannah wants to go out for dinner with her friends. So I suppose from next week” “Is great you have made new friends. Hannah is a great girl. She married last year Aaron's cousin” “Yes, she told me. And about how Aaron made the meeting” I say and he laughs “He was so tired of Dean constantly asking about Hannah and he made sure they met. The elevator was his idea. He talked to the technicians and they stayed inside for hours. When they open the door they find them kissing with Hannah on Dean’s lap” he says and I giggle “She sounds so in love. I want that someday” I say low and I look outside. I feel his hand on mine “You will have it.” He says and I smile. I catch myself thinking that I want to have that with him. But I’m so silly, he will have less complicated women in his life.