U-Turn

by Maren Lee

  Wesson joined them. “Just because everyone knows you’re together now doesn’t mean you can talk porno at the gym, you guys.”

  “Fancy meeting you here at the dumbbells, Wesson,” Katie smirked.

  “I heard they call them smart-ass-bells when you use ‘em, Katie,” Wesson cracked a grin.

  She nodded in agreement. “That’s probably true.” Fuck, Wesson was funny. Katie loved giving him a hard time.

  “You’re looking soft, Blakesly. Looks like I’ll take back my title.” Wesson raised his tank top.

  Holy shit. Wesson’s abs were tiiiiiiight. What title is he talking about?

  Katie looked at them both in confusion. Ryan laughed. “Tightest abs in Bounty County. I had the title before I was shot,” Ryan retorted, placing a heavy emphasis on the word shot. “Don’t worry, Wess. I’m comin’ back for ya.”

  “You’re too far gone, old man.”

  Katie took offense to that on multiple levels. “Don’t talk shit about my man, Wesson.” She lifted the bottom hem of Ryan’s t-shirt, revealing his still thigh-clenchingly sexy stomach. Ridges. Happy trail. Yummy. Katie wanted to lick it. Especially when she saw some bitch she didn’t know checking out her man in the mirror. He’s mine, chickie. Ryan pulled his shirt down, shaking his head and blushing at Katie.

  “Okay, okay. I don’t see a beer gut, yet.” Wesson appeared to be in agreement with Katie. “But I have the title now.” He grinned.

  “Whatever. Maybe for now.” Katie challenged him.

  “Jesus, stop. What if I never want to do another crunch for as long as I live and just want to eat pizza and watch TV for the rest of my life? Huh, Katie? What then?” Ryan asked.

  Yeah, right.

  “I’ll still love you, honey.” She gave him a sweet smile. It was true. She would love him no matter what. Ryan leaned in and kissed her.

  “You don’t have to worry, though,” he whispered and got closer to her ear. “I love the way you run your fingernails over my abs while I’m fucking you. I wanna be able to fuck you like that for the rest of my life. I gotta keep up with my hot, younger woman.”

  “Mmmmmmm,” she responded. She turned her head and kissed his jawline.

  “You guys are gross,” Wesson opined.

  Katie couldn’t hold in her laugh as she turned back to him. “Sorry, Wesson. But, hey! At least no more secrets.”

  “Fuck. I know wayyyyyy too much about you guys,” he groaned.

  Ryan laughed. “You on tomorrow, Wess?”

  “Yep. You’re on transport with me. We’re transporting Lion-O to MSP.”

  Lion-O? What the fuck?

  “Sweet. Anything to get away from the desk. Can’t wait to be off light duty.”

  “When’re you gonna be cleared, man?”

  “Soon as they clear me.” Ryan shrugged. “But I do get to go back to the shooting range next week, so I am making progress.”

  “Keep on, keepin’ on, brother.” Wesson slugged him in his good shoulder and then walked toward one of the machines.

  “Lion-O?” Katie asked.

  “I’m afraid to ask you if you’ve ever heard of Thundercats. If you say no, I’ll feel really fuckin’ old.”

  Uhhhhh…

  “Oh god. I can see from your face you have no clue. Don’t say a word, Katie. Don’t. Say. A. Word.” Ryan placed his finger over her lips. Katie closed her eyes and started shaking with silent laughter.

  She had no fuckin’ clue what the Thundercats were.

  ➰

  Transport day was here. Lion-O had plead guilty. Plea deal was two years in prison. Judge Corcoran agreed with the deal.

  Ryan couldn’t imagine what this guy was going through. He didn’t know a lot about the undercover agent. He couldn’t imagine he had a family. Or if he did, he would have had to tell them he was going to be in deep cover for potentially two years. It was like a military deployment. Fucking shit.

  Cole and Smitty brought him out to Wesson’s vehicle. He was big. Tall. Muscular. Broad chest. Thick biceps. Dark hair. Dark eyes that were almost black. Thick brown brows. Longer, thick beard. Not scraggly, but more badass mountain man style. He looked like a fuckin’ monster.

  Ryan and Wesson were going to transport him to MSP, right outside of Billings, together. Wesson knew more details than Ryan did, but Ryan really wanted to pump this guy for information. He was curious.

  So as to complete this thing by the book – just in case, by some off chance, anyone was watching – everyone had to make this look like a legit transport from the Bounty County Jail. No talking to him. No patting him on the back and telling him good luck. He was placed into the car, still cuffed, with no incident. Wesson and Ryan folded into Wesson’s rig at the same time. They shut the doors behind them.

  Wesson backed out of the jail parking lot. “You good, man?” he asked the undercover officer. Ryan didn’t even know his name. He just knew him as “Lion-O.”

  “Yeah, man,” his gravelly voice replied.

  “Fuck, dude. How’d you get roped into this?” Ryan asked.

  “My idea,” he bit off quickly. Shortly. Wow.

  “Wow, man. Two years. Pretty fuckin’ intense.”

  “Yep.” He didn’t elaborate.

  “What if you need longer than that?”

  “Guess I didn’t do the job to my standards.”

  Cocky son-of-a-bitch.

  “Don’t you have family?”

  “Nobody I’ll be missing.”

  Short. Not sweet.

  “Man, Ryan. Leave the poor guy alone. He’s got a lot to think about in sixty-five miles. He doesn’t need your forty-seven questions.” Wesson looked at him as they exited Immience.

  “Fine. Sorry. Just curious.”

  “It’s cool, man. I figure I have a lot of alone time coming up. A lot of pretending to be someone I’m not. It’s cool.”

  Ryan nodded his head and gave him a grim smile in the rearview mirror.

  “Hope you figure this out, man.”

  “Me too, brother. Me too.”

  ➰

  The transport ended like every other, with the sally port clanging behind them and Ryan being able to walk free out into the parking lot, while the person they’d dropped off was incarcerated for a definite period of time. Ryan always felt weird at the prison. The air was heavy, the corridors concrete and claustrophobic. It felt hopeless. There was nothing at MSP that comforted Ryan. He didn’t believe for a second that any actual rehabilitation was happening before these men were released back into society. Nope. They were housing criminals and breeding a new kind with new skills. Then releasing them back into the wild. There has to be a better way.

  He sighed heavily.

  “Don’t be a girl, Blakesly.”

  “Girls are cool, asshole. What’s your problem?” Ryan answered.

  “Me? I’m good. What’s your problem?”

  There was no need to talk prison-industrial complex with Wesson. So Ryan went with the other thing weighing heavily on his mind. “I wanna ask Katie to marry me.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, seriously. Why?”

  “Already?”

  “Yeah, already. I will remind you that it’s almost been two years since I met her. So while we may be ‘new’ as a couple that everyone knows about now, it’s not like we barely know each other.”

  “Okay, so then why are you sighing like a whiny little baby?”

  “I don’t know how to do it. My last marriage the proposal just kinda happened. We were walking around the mall and walked into a jewelry store and bought a ring. So I have zero experience in this proposal shit. You did it recently. Got any pointers?”

  “Ugh. I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. Fine! Okay, so you have to be like, all romantical. Like, do it at some place you both like or light candles in your bedroom or something. You have to get on one knee and tell her all the things you love about her and t
hen you have to say something like, ‘Will you do me the favor of being my wife?’”

  “Favor?”

  “Well, I mean, anyone marrying your old ass is doing you a favor.”

  Ryan laughed. “Fuck off, Wesson.”

  Wesson grinned. “I’m kidding! I mean, just ask the question. She’ll love it no matter how you do it. She’s Katie.”

  Ryan nodded his head. Wesson was right. It’s Katie. There’s nothing to be nervous about.

  “Do not,” Wesson continued, “do not under any circumstances propose while you’re having sex.”

  What?

  “Is that…uh…is that a thing?”

  “I’ve heard it can happen in the heat of the moment.”

  Ryan looked at him out of the side of his eye. “I’ve never heard of anyone doing that, and I’m like ninety years old.”

  Wesson grinned. “I knew you’d tell me your real age one of these days.”

  “Okay. So, good talk, Wess. Be romantical. Don’t propose during sex. I’ll do my best.”

  “I mean, if she loves your old ass, she’ll probably say yes no matter how you do it.”

  “Thanks for the words of wisdom.”

  “Wess-dom.”

  “Yeah…no one calls it that, Wess.”

  Wesson shrugged and continued driving. “I am happy for you, man. No one deserves this more than you. And I’m fucking ecstatic the secrets are over.”

  Ryan chuckled. “Thanks, man.” He smacked Wesson on his shoulder. “Sorry to have put that pressure on you. I know you hate secrets. But I appreciate your friendship.”

  “Okay, let’s stop before I feel the need to hug you.”

  “Say no more.”

  Ryan smiled. Maybe if Helena never called, it wouldn’t be so bad to stay in Imminence.

  Chapter 26

  “Katie!” she heard Brian’s voice call from behind her in the hallway. Um, that’s “Nurse Hamilton” to you, jackass.

  She turned to face him.

  “What?” she asked, defiantly.

  “I heard you’re living in Imminence now.”

  “It’s none of your fucking business where I’m living, Brian.”

  “So you were cheating on me.”

  “Not that it fucking matters at all anymore, but no, Brian. I was not cheating on you.”

  “But you’re living with him. The man you were texting.”

  “Again, Brian. None of your fucking business. You’re lucky I didn’t press charges, though, I’ll tell you that. So you better stop fucking accusing me of cheating at our place of work around my co-workers. You almost ruined your livelihood by punching a mirror, Brian. Not from punching Ryan. Stop lying.”

  “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just snapped.”

  “If I hear you do this to any other woman, I will make sure you never work in this town again.”

  “I’m out of here as soon as my residency is over, anyway. Never planned on staying in his shithole.”

  Katie couldn’t believe it. It would have been nice to have had that conversation before they got engaged. Dodged that bullet.

  “What?!” Katie heard a gasp behind Brian and peeked over his shoulder. Shayna was standing there looking completely flummoxed.

  Brian turned and his shoulders slumped. “I’m not staying in Billings, Shayna. You had to know that.”

  Katie chuckled. Yeah…totally dodged that lying, cheating bullet.

  “Do I get to go with you?” Shayna asked. Katie was suddenly part of a conversation she did not want to witness. But her feet were stuck to the floor.

  “I mean. Um…I’m not…I don’t…,” Brian stammered.

  Ouch.

  “You asshole! I broke up with my boyfriend for you while you were cheating on her because I thought we had something! I thought you loved me!”

  Oh, sweet, sweet confirmation.

  “It was during sex! Everyone knows you can’t believe things that are said during sex.”

  Katie had to laugh at that. He looked back at her and glared.

  “Your pickle got you into quite a pickle, didn’t it, Brian?”

  “Fuck you, Brian!” Shayna stormed off.

  Brian took his stethoscope off and threw it on the ground in a huff. Jesus. Rage much?

  “Okay, so I’m going to go. Nice talk. Cheating on your part confirmed. Never fucking key my car again or I’ll slash your tires. And we’re done talking until one of us leaves Billings. Also, you should probably take an anger management course, Brian. You’re gonna lose a job or get the cops called on you again if you don’t get your shit under control.”

  Katie didn’t stay to hear his response. She just walked away. Down the corridor. Out the doors. It felt like delicious closure. Validation.

  Fuck you, Dr. Brian Carson.

  ➰

  On his way home from work, Ryan had stopped by the local jewelry store. Delta’s wasn’t a typical jewelry store, though. It was more kitschy than classy. It sold scarves and knick knacks and souvenirs and kids clothing. But it was all they had in Imminence. He was planning on getting her a real ring, but for now, a $200 Montana sapphire in a sterling silver setting would have to be good enough.

  He got home before Katie. She’d texted and said she got held up at work, so Ryan decided to make dinner. As he was sautéing onions and garlic and making his apartment smell like heaven, his phone rang.

  “Blakesly,” he answered without checking to see who it was.

  “Ryan. It’s Chief McNulty of the Helena Police Department.”

  Oh shit.

  “Hello, Chief. What can I do for you?”

  “I’ve had your application on file for a while. Just haven’t had any openings; we don’t have much turnover here in Helena. But one of our guys is retiring soon and I need to replace him. Figured I could take the top resume in my file and see if he’d be interested, rather than doing a whole formal search. You’ll still have to interview, but I’ll file a recruitment waiver so that I don’t have to waste time on anyone else. That is, if you’re interested.”

  Fuck. Yes, he was interested! Ryan had been waiting on this phone call since Erica moved away with the kids. But he hadn’t even talked to Katie about it yet. Shit. Would she go with him?

  “I’m interested, Chief.”

  “Excellent. I realize it’s evening. Let’s chat details later this week?”

  “Excellent. You have my number, Sir.”

  “Looking forward to it, Blakesly.”

  They hung up. Ryan wanted to feel relief. Wanted to feel ecstatic. It was exactly what he’d been looking for. Before Katie.

  Now? Fuck. Ryan wanted to live near his kids. He needed to live near his kids. But he also needed Katie. He’d just gotten her back. Dear God, if you exist and are listening and give a shit about my life, please don’t let me lose Katie again.

  He turned back to dinner and put the chicken breasts in the pan. He heard the front door open, a jangle of keys, the thud of her purse being dropped on the floor, the shuffle of shoes being kicked off, then footsteps. He smiled.

  “Hey, honey. Smells good!” she said as she came around the corner.

  “Just chicken and onions and garlic.”

  She came behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I don’t care what it is. It’s appreciated.”

  Ryan gave the chicken a flip and turned to face Katie. “Missed you today, baby,” he said as he gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose.

  Dammit. She’d move to Helena, wouldn’t she?

  “I missed you too. Saw Brian on my way out. Got confirmation that he was, in fact, cheating on me.” She shrugged. “I don’t care, but I knew I wasn’t the one to blame here.”

  Fucking asshole.

  “I hate that you even had to see him again.”

  “We’re done talking to each other, I can assure you that.”

  “Maybe…you don’t have to keep working there?”

>   Katie’s body stiffened in his arms. “Ryan, I want to work.”

  “I know, but maybe you could… I don’t know…work somewhere else?” he asked hopefully.