Blinded by Beauty (Doms of Destiny, Colorado 8)

Her dream had come true. Chance was holding her, kissing her, confessing his love to her.

Chapter Six

Jaris clicked the remote, flipping through several channels, trying to keep his mind occupied. Even though he couldn’t see the television in the guest bedroom, he thought the noise would help lull him to sleep.

It hadn’t worked. Neither had the bottle of wine he’d brought with him from the kitchen. He’d drunk the last drop over an hour ago, and still all he could think about was Kaylyn.

He wanted her to be happy. He wanted Chance to be happy. They belonged together. He knew it deep down in his heart, but that didn’t make it any easier for him.

Leaning over the side of the bed, he rubbed Sugar on the head. “You’re the only one for me, girl.”

His eyes were open, but—like all his days and nights had been for over a year—there was only blackness.

Some would look at his life and think it had all been blackness, but they’d be wrong.

Sure, his mother had abandoned him when he was seven and it had been hard, but his dad had remained.

Dad. The man was his hero to this very day. Like Jaris, his dad had been a cop with the Chicago PD. They’d actually been on the force for a couple of years together, though Jaris had been a green rookie and his dad a seasoned cop.

Jaris had been on patrol across town when he’d learned about his dad’s heroism and death on the police radio. His father’s partner had been hit and was on the ground. They’d come upon a shootout between rival gangs. His dad had covered his partner with his own body, and ended up taking several shots. His father’s partner had survived, though his dad had not.

Losing his dad had been the worst day of his life.

Everyone had known Peter Simmons to be a fun-loving and wonderful man. Thinking Jaris needed a mother, he’d remarried three times, all of the marriages ending in divorce after a couple of years or less.

On Jaris’s sixteenth birthday, his dad asked him what he wanted. Jaris had answered he didn’t need anything, including a new mother. “You’re the only parent I need, Dad.”

His dad had given him one of his big bear hugs and had choked back a few “uncommon for him” tears. “Women don’t make it with old cops like your dad, son. It’s a hard life. Being a cop destroys relationships.”

When Jaris had told him that he wanted to be a cop, his dad had asked him to reconsider. Of course, he hadn’t. Being a policeman had been in Jaris’s very DNA. When he’d graduated from the police academy, his father had smiled with pride.

Losing his sight had been another hard day for Jaris. He couldn’t be a cop anymore. Everyone had expected him to go into a deep depression, but he hadn’t. He’d found a new life in Destiny. Like his dad, he didn’t get bogged down when things turned dark. As his dad had

always said, “Never focus on what you can’t change, son. Just keep pushing forward. Things will get better.”

For the first time in Jaris’s life, his dad’s words didn’t apply.

Things weren’t going to get better. While he’d been a cop, Jaris had never dreamed of having a permanent relationship with a woman. Given the track records of the men in his family with women, being single had suited him just fine. But that was before meeting Kaylyn. Now, his entire world was upside down. Trying to remain positive was impossible.

Kaylyn could never be his. She was Chance’s. Chance was hers. That was how it was. That was how it should be. Chance was his best friend in the world. He needed to be happy for his friend, and he was, but he was also sad that he would have to love Kaylyn from afar.

I’ll always love her.

“Sugar.” He swung his legs over the bed, feeling for her lead. Sugar was right there, where he needed her to be. “I need another bottle of wine, and I bet you wouldn’t mind having another treat.”

He stood and headed into the kitchen, doubting even more wine would help him sleep.

* * * *

Chance sat in Doc’s office with Kaylyn, keeping hold of her hand. She was in the wheelchair next to him, and Annie was on the floor on the other side of her.

Jaris had gone over to the sheriff’s office to find out what had been discovered about the shooter and the missing dogs. Lyle was taking care of Kaylyn’s other dogs up at the Boys Ranch.

Kaylyn squeezed his hand. “I’m so anxious to talk to Doc. What’s taking him so long?”

He smiled. “That’s the fifth time you’ve asked that since we got here. Remember, patience is a virtue.”

She giggled. “It’s been ten minutes. Punctuality is a virtue in my book. I guess I’m anxious about everything, Chance. Our dogs are still missing. I want Doc to get this over with and release me. Then we can join Jaris at the sheriff’s office and find out what has been discovered.”