Colt Crawford - Chapter 11 (Monday)

The question didn’t catch Krissy off guard at all. She had expected it, mostly because her parents bring up the subject so often. She looked down at her plate and chased a few pieces of pineapple with her fork. “I’ve just never found the right guy,” she said. “There have been a few who were sure I was the right girl, but they never really took the time to get to know me.”

Daring to take things to the next level Colt looked back at Krissy, his eyes locking in on hers. “What is it you would want a guy to know that they have never listened to in the past?”

“You’re not wasting much time, Colt Crawford.” A smile crept across Krissy’s face.

“My clock’s ticking, too.”

“In that case, I’d better hurry up and answer your question. All the guys I date like the fact that I am a cop. That’s why they date me. They want a secure, confident, driven woman.” She paused. “I can be those things, but it’s not what I want. Like I told you before, I would love to leave law enforcement behind, get married and have a couple of kids. It always annoys me to see parents drop their kids off at day care and expect someone else to raise them. I think that if you have kids, it is your responsibility to raise them yourself. The best baby sitter in the world could never love a child the way a mother can.” She looked down at her plate, then back up at Colt. “I’ve just spilled my guts. What about you? You’re still single”

“I’ve never taken the time for a relationship. Been too busy building my business, chasing my career.”

“Will that ever change?” Krissy asked with a hint of hope in her voice.

“This runaway trip of mine is the first step. And it hasn’t taken long to figure a few things out.”

Colt and Krissy sat on the patio at Sambos, staring out at the stars twinkling above the vast Pacific Ocean. “How long are you planning to stay here in Santa Barbara?” she asked.

“I have no plans. I didn’t exactly think things through when I left L.A.”

A waiter came by with their check, but it didn’t make any difference. Colt and Krissy were absorbed in their conversation and neither had any intention of leaving. “Do you ever see yourself settling down with a stay-at-home wife who raises her own kids?”

“To be honest, until recently, I never really gave it any thought. But it would be nice to have a hot dinner on the table every once in a while. And someone to share it with. It gets old eating alone.”

“We’re not alone tonight,” Krissy said, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

It was close to 9:00 when they finally wrapped up their conversation and walked hand in hand back to Colt’s car. “I’ll drop you off at home,” Colt offered. “I can pick you up in the morning and take you back to the police station.”

“I’ll need to be there by 8:00.” Krissy couldn’t recall feeling this content with any other guy she had dated. There was something different about Colt and she liked it.