“Because she’s married?”
“Divorced.”
“Oh?” she’d said again. This time I’d detected a hint of hope in her voice, and I was put at ease.
“We’re um … dating again.”
She’d inhaled a sharp breath. “You are?”
I’d smiled and confirmed. “We are.”
“I’m so happy for you,” she’d gushed. “I can’t wait to see her again.”
“We’ll be there for Wednesday dinner.”
“All right.” I stood from my desk and grabbed my suit jacket. “I’ll see you in the morning,” I stated to Shawn.
He looked at his watch. “Shit. I didn’t realize it was already five.”
We’d been working every hour on duty trying to solve Amy’s case, but we still had nothing. We were hoping a witness would come forward, but nothing had happened yet, and the webcam traces had led to nothing. The person—or people—was just too good at masking their actual location, and none of the IP addresses were linked to any leads.
“When do I get to meet her?”
I had started to head to the door, but Shawn’s question stopped me. I turned to face him. “Who? Reagan?”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
I smirked. “Monday.”
“What’s happening Monday?”
Oh, right. With everything going on, I’d apparently forgotten to tell him about the ride-along. Plus, the weeks had flown by. “I’m taking her on a ride-along.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, you want to tag along too?”
“Sure.” He grinned. “We can give her the full experience and have her ride in the back of a squad car.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, she’d like that.”
We said our goodbyes, and I drove to Reagan’s, needing to pick her up before I grabbed the boys on the way to my parents’. After I’d hung up the phone with my mom about bringing Reagan to our family dinner, I’d called Jessica. I didn’t need her permission to introduce them to Reagan, but I did it out of respect for her. We’d been separated and divorced for long enough. Plus, she was already dating again too.
“Hello?” she’d answered.
“Hey, it’s me.”
“What’s up?”
I’d taken a deep breath and just laid it out there. “I’m dating someone, and she’s coming to Wednesday night dinner at my parents.”
Silence had filled the other end of the line.
“Jess?”
“Sorry.” Another pause. “Are you asking for my permission?”
“No. I’m telling you that the boys are going to meet my new—well, not really new girlfriend.”
“Then they’ll meet my boyfriend.”
“Okay.” I’d nodded. “Whatever you want to do.”
As I pulled into the parking garage of Reagan’s building, I realized I was early, and she wasn’t downstairs waiting for me as per the plan, but that was okay. I had a key.
Letting myself in, I opened the door. Reagan was at her desk on her laptop. “Almost done, Buttercup?”
She glanced at the screen, probably the time and then responded, “Yep. Just need to hit save and then get my shoes on.”
I walked up behind her, and she turned her head, looking back at me. I lowered my lips to hers. “I hope you’re hungry. Mom likes to go a little overboard.”
“Starving, actually.”
“Good. Oh, and I got the approval for the ride-along. Monday, after you’re done with class, we’ll take a few hours and see what happens.”
“Yay!” she squealed, standing and wrapping her arms around my neck. “You just made this night even better.”
“Good. Now, time to meet and re-meet all the Valors. Plus Rhys.”
“And Jessica.”
I blinked. “Jessica?”
“Well, I’m assuming she’s going to come outside and want to check me out.”
I groaned and looked up at the ceiling briefly before responding. “Yeah, I guess she will. You know, to make sure you’re not a murderer or anything even though I’m a cop and shit.”
Reagan laughed. “Monday, I had a guy ask if I was a murderer.”
I balked. “Really? Why?”
She took a step back. “It was a customer of Judy’s. He works on campus or something.”
I furrowed my brows. “And how did the conversation turn into you being a killer?”
She chuckled again and walked into her bedroom. I followed. “He asked what my major was, and I told him I was doing CSI. He teased me and asked if I was into murder.”
I leaned against the doorjamb, watching her as she slid on her boots. “Did you tell him that your boyfriend is a cop and he wouldn’t like that?”
“Nope, didn’t get that far.”
“If you see him again, make sure you tell him.”
Reagan stood and cupped my cheeks in her warm hands. She smiled. “You have nothing to worry about. You’re the only man I want.”
“Good.” I didn’t mean to get all possessive, but I wasn’t about to lose Reagan a second time. I never wanted to be without her again.
“Can I act possessively when we pick up the boys?” she teased, moving past me toward the kitchen table where her purse was.
“Only when it comes to Jess and not my boys.”
“Trust me, I know your boys are your priority.”
“They are,” I agreed. I hooked a thumb over my shoulder as I followed her to the front door. “Don’t you need to turn off your laptop?”
“No. It’s plugged in and will go to sleep on its own.”
I grabbed her wrist, stopping her. Rubbing the back of my neck, I said, “I’d feel better if you turned it off.”
She blinked. “Why?”
“I’m working on a case now, and it appears someone was watching my vic through her webcam.”
Reagan gasped. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. In fact, to put me at ease, we’re going to cover up your built-in camera with black tape or something when we get back.”
I didn’t think anyone was watching Reagan but knowing someone could watch anyone through their webcam—and without them knowing—made my skin crawl.
Especially thinking about someone watching Reagan.
We pulled up to my old house, and I took a deep breath after turning off the engine of my F150. “Ready?” I questioned.
“Of course. I’m excited to meet the spawn of Ethan Valor.”
I chuckled, and we both got out of the truck. Unlike most weeks, my kids didn’t come running out of the house. I knew it was because Jess was being a bitch and keeping them inside to make me bring Reagan up to the door.
I grabbed my girlfriend’s hand and knocked. It felt weird knocking on a door I used to have a key to, for a house I used to own, but I wasn’t going to show Jessica that her little game got to me.
It didn’t.
The door swung open, and Tyson was there, smiling from ear to ear. Dropping Reagan’s hand, I knelt and engulfed my youngest in my arms. “Hey, buddy.”
“Mommy said you have a girlfriend.”
I chuckled and looked up at Reagan. She was looking down, smiling. “Yeah, this is Reagan, my girlfriend.”
She knelt, too. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Tyson. Your daddy told me you like to go fast on your scooter.”
He bobbed his head rapidly with a huge grin across his face.
Cohen stepped outside and gave me a quick hug. “Hey, champ. This is Reagan.”
Reagan pointed at Cohen. “And you love to play memory match games and Uno. Your daddy told me there’s no way I’d ever beat you at either game. Especially match game.”
He smiled slowly. “It’s true.”
We both stood. Jessica had appeared in the doorway. “Jess.” I nodded.
“Hi, I’m Reagan.” Reagan stuck out her hand, a huge smile across her face. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Right,” Jess clipped but stuck out her hand. They shook.
“All righ
t. Time to go to Grandma and Grandpa’s,” I stated and grabbed Tyson’s hand.
“Bye, Mom,” they both called over their shoulders.
After I got them buckled in, I slid into the driver’s seat and cranked the engine. “That went well.”
Reagan chuckled sarcastically. “If looks could kill.”
“Right.” Women were weird. I still didn’t understand them, and I was forty-two. Jessica left me. She didn’t want me, but I suppose she didn’t want me with anyone else either. Women and their games.
The boys were on their iPads the entire time I drove to my parents’ house. I was certain Regan’s reunion with my folks would go the same way. Easy.
“Who wants hot dogs?” I sang, looking in the rearview mirror at my sons.
“I do!” they both called back.
“We’re having hot dogs?” Reagan asked.
“What? You don’t like mystery meat?” I chuckled.
“I do. Chili dogs are a favorite.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“No problem. I was just wondering.”
“Hot dogs are for the boys. Dad’s grilling tri-tip, and Mom’s probably making enough sides to feed an army.” Dad’s butcher always gave him the California cut of beef known as tri-tip. My dad had it once on a trip to California and introduced us to it. It was fucking delicious and juicy, and I loved when he grilled it for us.
“They still live here?” Reagan asked as I pulled up to the house I grew up in.
“Yep.” I cut the engine.
We all got out, Cohen running ahead since he didn’t use a car seat he needed help getting out of. Tyson ran past us, and both of my boys entered the house without knocking. I was sure they were making a beeline to Rhys like they always did, wondering if he brought them something with the Blackhawks logo on it.
“Last chance to back out,” I teased.
Reagan snorted. “Seriously, what could go wrong?”
Famous last words, right?
We walked hand in hand up the walkway to the house I’d lost my virginity in.
The night it had happened, Carter was at a friend’s house, and Ethan’s parents were at a school play Ashtyn was performing in. It was dark out, and the only light source inside was the TV. Ethan and I had been making out on the couch. We went from kissing in the living room to going up to his room.
He flicked the light on as we’d walked in. “Are you sure about this?” he’d asked.
I’d nodded. “Yes. I want to share all my firsts with you.”
“But we can wait until you’re ready.”
“I am ready. I promise.”
We’d started kissing again. Ethan laid me down on the bed and turned off his light. When I’d opened my eyes, I saw the glow of plastic stars illuminating the ceiling.
“You have glow-in-the-dark stars?” I’d asked, even though I was staring at them.
He’d sighed, and I could briefly make out that he was staring up at the ceiling too. “Ashtyn gave them to me for my birthday a few years ago. She was eight, and I couldn’t tell her that a fourteen-year-old boy didn’t want stars on his ceiling. She made me put them up.”
“And you’ve kept them?” I’d grinned, looking back up at the neon green stars because he had kept them up. He was a good older brother.
“She would have whined if I took them down. She got stars for her and Carter too.”
“I’d always wanted my first time to be under the stars. This is … perfect.”
We didn’t speak much after that, but my first time was amazing, and when I thought about that night, I always remembered the stars that I’d looked at over his shoulder as he’d made love to me the first time. Over the years, when I would stare up at the black night sky with real stars flickering, I would think about Ethan and wonder what he was doing.
Walking into the familiar house, which smelled like home cooking, I felt as though I was walking into my family’s home and not the home of strangers. It seemed as though everyone was waiting in the living room when we crossed the threshold. Ethan’s mom was the first to stand, a huge smile across her face as she moved toward us.
“Reagan!” She wrapped me in her arms. “It’s so good to see you again.”
I smiled. “Hi, Mrs. Valor. It’s good to see you again too.”
She pulled back, keeping her hands on my arms. “We’re both adults now. You can call me Shannon.”
“Okay.” I grinned wider. She gave me another hug before moving to the side. Ethan’s father, Glen, was next, and I hugged him hello as well. Then Carter and his wife, Rachel, took turns shaking my hand.
“It’s good to see you again,” Carter greeted.
“You too.”
Ashtyn stepped forward next, a sleeping baby on her shoulder. Ethan had mentioned to me that Ashtyn had given birth to her daughter a month or so before and was still on maternity leave. “I was too young to really remember you, but I do sort of. It’s nice to meet you again.”
I smiled, and we hugged gently to not disturb the baby. “I remember you, and yes, it’s nice to meet you again. Who’s this?” I ran my finger along the back of the soft baby hand.
“This is our daughter. And this is my husband, Rhys.”
Rhys stood, and I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” he replied.
“Your daughter is beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Ashtyn replied.
“What’s her name?”
“Jeremy,” Rhys advised.
I smiled, looking around the room briefly because I wasn’t sure if I’d heard the name correctly. Jeremy for a girl? I turned my attention back to Ashtyn and Rhys. “Jeremy?”
“Named her after my idol,” Rhys answered. “And we know it’s unusual for a girl to be named Jeremy, but we don’t care. We named our son after Glen’s father—Ashtyn’s choice—and it was my turn to pick for our daughter.”
“I think it’s cute,” I stated. I knew there were girls named Spencer, Ryan, Avery, Billie, Blake, and more.
“We think so too.” Ashtyn kissed the top of Jeremy’s fuzzy head. My heart smiled. I missed having a newborn baby in my life. It had been several years, of course, given that Maddison would be nineteen in a few months, but the woman in me melted at the tender moment.
The kids had run off down a set of stairs to what I assumed was the basement playroom. It was a playroom the last time I’d seen it. You could hear the laughter and giggles coming up the stairs, and my heart warmed further. The Valors seemed to have a close, happy family, and I loved that. My parents only saw Maddie on holidays and a few weeks out of the summer months when she was growing up. They were in Chicago while we lived in Denver, and now they lived in Florida, which was still far away from Michigan and Illinois.
“Now that we’ve gotten the pleasantries out of the way, is dinner almost ready?” Ethan asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
“Just waiting on the meat,” Shannon replied as she looked over at Glen.
Glen looked at his watch. “Fifteen minutes until we can pull it off. Then let it rest for ten minutes more.”
“Great. Enough time for a beer or two,” Ethan stated. “You want one?”
“Sure,” I replied and followed him.
After everyone had drinks, all the guys went into the backyard, leaving me with the ladies and a sleeping Jeremy in a playpen. I was fine staying in the warm house while the guys did whatever they did in the chilly backyard. Plus, it gave me time to get to know Ethan’s mother and sister again.
“So,” Ashtyn spoke up as she helped Shannon grab ingredients from the fridge to make some of the side dishes. “Did you meet Jess?”
“I did.” I watched Ashtyn share a look with Rachel. “What?” I asked.
“She was always stuck-up,” Rachel replied. Clearly, she didn’t care that she was talking crap about a previous family member. “I can only imagine how she treated the other woman.”
I looked at Shannon quickly, trying to ga
uge if she felt the same way. She shrugged, not saying anything as she tossed a salad. I took a sip of my beer. “She said one word to me and shook my hand.”
“Was it a curse word?” Ashtyn asked.
I chuckled. “Like bitch?”
“That’s the one,” she replied.
“No. I introduced myself, said it was nice to meet her, and she replied ‘right.’”
“That’s all she said?” Rachel asked.
I snorted. “That’s all she said with her words.” I didn’t want to talk ill about Ethan’s ex-wife—the mother of his children—but she was obviously bitter that Ethan was dating again. From the moment Tyson opened the door, Jessica had glared at me, assessing me the entire time.
“She’s totally cursing you,” Ashtyn replied.
“She’s probably making a voodoo doll of you as we speak,” Rachel joked.
“Yeah, but I had him first and will have him last.” I didn’t know if the latter was the truth. We hadn’t uttered the L-word to each other since being back together, but I didn’t want to have a life again without him in it. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if he had still been married when we reconnected, but I knew I would fight tooth and nail for him.
Before anything else was said, the guys came in with the tri-tip. The kids were set up at a special table, and the rest of us sat at the dining room table. We ate, we drank a little, and we laughed.
“You two want to go to karaoke?” Rhys asked, motioning to Ethan and me with his fork.
“Yes! It will be so much fun. Come.” Ashtyn beamed.
“Some of us have work in the morning,” Ethan replied.
“And school,” I went on.
“Pa-lease,” Rhys tsked and rolled his eyes. “When was the last time you got that stick out of your ass, Eth?”
I swallowed my laugh. Ethan was the oldest out of all of us except his parents, and he was a cop. I could sense he was always aware of his surroundings, and because of his protectiveness that meant he did have a little stick up his ass, so to speak. But I knew him differently. When we were alone, locked in one of our condos, fun Ethan appeared. The real Ethan Valor.
“Would you want a hungover cop investigating your murder?” Ethan retorted.
“We said karaoke, not bar hopping,” Ashtyn stated. “It’s our first night out since we had Jeremy. A night out will be fun.”
Watch Me Page 6
