“Hi.” He held up the bags. “I hope you’re ready for some fun tonight.”
I looked at his patrol car and then back to him. “You’re going to give my neighbors something to talk about.”
He shrugged. “They’ll get used to seeing it.”
I arched my eyebrow. “Is that so?”
He stepped into my townhome. “Friends spend a lot of time together, but if it makes you feel better, you’re always welcome at my place.” He looked around my colonial style home with interest. “But it’s definitely not as nice as yours.”
I shut the front door. “I got this place for a steal. One of my grandfather’s friends was looking to make a quick sale, and I was the beneficiary.”
His happy eyes dimmed. “Quick sale or not, this would be out of my price range.”
I shrugged off the awkwardness of that comment. “Your job is important.” I reached for the bag of food. “Let me take that.”
His smile was back. He held onto the bags firmly. “Do you have a TV?”
I grinned. “Yes, but it doesn’t get a lot of use.”
“It will tonight. Lead the way.”
He followed me into my living room, down the hall, and off the eat-in kitchen.
I noticed how he looked around. It made me feel self-conscious. I knew how nice my place was, but honestly, I paid well below market value. “How was your day?”
He sighed. “Rough, but I try not to bring my work home with me.”
I remember my dad trying to be the same way. I knew he saw things that wouldn’t leave him. I respected Harrison’s tactful way of saying he didn’t want to talk about it.
My living room was cozy with hand-me-down furniture from my grandparents, which meant it looked like it belonged in a showroom. I caught Harrison eyeing the Pottery Barn oatmeal colored sectional, and fifty-inch TV surrounded by a handcrafted media console. Again, all used, but in pristine condition.
“Nice,” he commented.
I tucked some hair behind my ear. “Thanks. Have a seat. What would you like to drink? I have—”
“Come sit by me. I’ve thought of everything.”
“Okay.”
Harrison waited until I was seated in the middle of the sectional before he sat right next to me, making sure there wasn’t an inch between us.
I nudged him. “What did you bring? I’m starved.”
He laughed. “I knew you would be.” He grabbed the bag filled with food and began setting out containers of Chinese food and one of my favorite drinks, sparkling grapefruit juice.
“You remembered.”
He stopped what he was doing and turned back my way. “You’re hard to forget.” He turned right back to what he was doing, leaving me to process his comment.
I looked at his badge and reminded myself I couldn’t go down that road.
When he finished setting out the food, I got to see what was in the second mysterious bag. First was a bag of chocolate drizzled popcorn, another favorite of mine. Next was a DVD of Legally Blonde.
I laughed. “Is this how you see me?”
He looked at the movie cover. “You’re way better looking than Reese Witherspoon.”
“You’re such a liar.”
“Believe me, she has nothing on you.”
“Uh-huh. I’m not buying it, but thank you.”
The last items were more than surprising, five different nail polishes, all in some shade of pink.
“What are those for?”
He lined all the nail polishes up from the lightest shade to the darkest. “I’m going to give you a manicure. Isn’t that what you do with your girlfriends?”
I was doing my best not to giggle. “Maybe back in high school.”
He leaned back next to me. No shame on his face at all. He picked up my hand and studied it. “Looks like you’re overdue for one.”
“And you know this how?”
“My ex-girlfriend owned a nail salon.” He set my hand down back in my lap. It was the right thing to do, but it felt wrong.
“How long ago did you break up?”
He handed me some chopsticks. “A couple of months ago.”
“Was it serious?”
He handed me a carton of chicken lo mein. “I hope this is still your favorite.”
I breathed in the delicious aroma. “Right again. But you didn’t answer my question.”
He peered into my eyes and leaned in. “She wasn’t the woman for me. But my cuticles have never looked better.”
I held my breath. He was more delicious than the food. “I’m happy for you and your cuticles.” More so, I was happy she wasn’t the one, even though I had no right to feel like that.
“I’m going to pop the movie in.” Harrison launched himself off my couch.
I didn’t dig into my food, instead I watched his every move. I pictured what life could have been like with him had he gone to law school. I could see us snuggled up on the couch watching movies and eating take-out on Sunday evenings, or every evening unless he was cooking.
He swaggered back to me grinning mischievously.
I bit my lip and held my breath again. To say he had an effect on me was an understatement. I turned to my food before I lost my head and heart. Though I’m pretty sure my heart was ready to jump ship anytime my head got on board.
He sat even closer to me than before, if that was possible, with his Mongolian beef.
“This is fantastic.” I pointed to my carton with my chopsticks. “Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
We ate in silence while enjoying the movie for several minutes.
While Reese Witherspoon’s character in the movie was preparing to take the LSAT, I remembered something. “In New Orleans, several precincts got together and implemented the program, ‘Shop with a Hero.’ It was a great outreach program for lower income children during the holidays. If you wanted, I could talk to my grandfather about sponsors. He has some corporate connections. And I could get in touch with my colleagues back Louisiana. We have a little over six months until Christmas, so it wouldn’t be a large campaign this year, but we could expand it as time went on.”
He shook his head. “Same old, Kallie. Trying to save the world.”
“Is that bad?”
“I love it. I mean, I think it’s a terrific idea. Let me talk to my captain.”
“I’ll talk to Mason tomorrow.”
“Your brother and nephew are great, by the way.”
“Hank is the shining star of our family.”
“Ever thought of having one of your own?”
“All the time. I told Mason that when I make partner I’m going to need a nursery next to my office.”
“Who’s the lucky dad going to be?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Don’t know yet. I’ve thought about adopting, but my case load is too insane right now.”
“What about marriage?”
“It’s a fine institution.”
“Are you sidestepping the question, counselor?”
“No. But I’m sure, like me, you’ve seen enough to make you wary of taking the plunge. I mean, how do two people that were once insanely in love end up turning on each other and doing the most despicable things?”
Harrison set down his food on my coffee table. He turned toward me and studied my face. His blue eyes were warm. “I ask myself that all the time, but the horrors I’ve seen only make me want to be better. Be with someone we can make better little people with.”
I grinned. “I’m sure you’ll make excellent little people.”
“So will you, Kallie.” He leaned in and I didn’t stop him. In my defense, he took my breath away. His lips parted.
I was supposed to say stop, or maybe get up. Moving was good, but I couldn’t. Only my eyes were functioning. They closed, waiting for the magical moment when our lips met, but . . . that didn’t happen. He pressed his lips to my forehead. There he lingered. I could hear his deep steady breaths. He pulled away in a rush. �
��Time for manicures.”
Yeah. What was I doing?
Chapter Six
I’ll tell you what I wasn’t doing and that was sleeping. It was two in the morning and I was tossing and turning. And this time it wasn’t over a case. It was Harrison. Harrison, who gave me the perfect manicure and pedicure with antique pink polish. Harrison, who decided I should plan our next outing since that’s what friends did. Harrison, who was now coming with me to my grandmother’s charity event at my grandparents’ country club on Tuesday. It was a trivia night to benefit the local food bank. People don’t realize how low food pantries get during the summer. And if I forgot to mention, Harrison informed me he was on the SWAT team. When he suggested I plan our next get together, I asked if he was on days and he said, “For this rotation, unless I get called in for a situation. I’m on the SWAT team.”
He said it with pride. It killed me.
I sat up and turned on my bedside lamp. Sleep wasn’t happening. I rubbed my face in my hands. This man. Now I remembered the sleepless nights five years ago when I walked away from him. I was now realizing that I never fully got over him. I grabbed a pillow and held onto it for dear life. What was I going to do? Could I maintain a friendship with him all while wanting more? Did I really want to see him date and find the perfect woman for himself? The answer was a solid no, but I couldn’t be with a man in blue.
I fell asleep sitting up while clutching my pillow. My phone woke me up. It was a text from Harrison.
I had a great time last night. I’m looking forward to tomorrow night. I have Wednesday off and I already know what we should do. Do you think you can get off around sixteen hundred hours? I’ll take earlier if I can get it.
I leaned my head back and sighed, thankful on one hand I had an out, and depressed on the other that I would have to decline. Thanks for last night. My cuticles are happy this morning. And sorry I can’t meet you. I have driving school that night.
That’s what you get for hitting a police officer. I could picture him laughing on the other end.
If memory serves me correctly, you hit me, and I’m sure you were speeding.
Counselor, I’m going to plead not guilty and ask you for a rain check.
I’ll think about it. Have a good day. And brush up on your trivia. I want our team to win.
Remember my LSAT score? We have this in the bag.
I did. I wished he would have capitalized on it. I don’t think you will ever let me forget.
You got that right. Have a great day, beautiful. I mean that in the friendliest way possible.
I held the phone to my heart. Yeah, this was a problem.
I tried my best to stay focused at the office. I had people counting on me. People who needed my help. I was researching case law, statutes, and case dockets, but it wasn’t gelling in my mind. I kept looking at my pretty fingernails or thinking about the sweet things Harrison had said last night. Or the fact I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow night to see him.
My thoughts were interrupted by Grady popping in. He shook his head at my stack of books and two laptops I had going. I took my research seriously. “Are you gunning for a position on the supreme court?” He walked in smiling and took a seat on the very edge of my desk where there was some space.
“I would never put myself through the nomination process. Not like the President has come calling.”
He laughed. “Has Harrison come calling?”
I bit my lip. “In a friendly way.”
“I bet.” He smirked. “You know he’s into you, right?”
I looked down at the laptop closest to me. “Yes? But we agreed friends is the way to go.”
“You mean you decided and he’s following along, hoping you’ll change your mind.”
I looked up and met my brother’s peering eyes. “What should I do? I can’t just hit and run again.”
“What does that mean?”
“That’s what Harrison called what I did to him five years ago.”
“Why don’t you try telling him the truth?”
“Sorry, I can’t see you anymore because the job you adore doesn’t work for me.”
He leaned more toward me. “No. The real truth. Tell him about our parents.”
I shook my head no.
He narrowed his eyes. “Why, Kallie Rae?”
I looked up toward the tray ceiling in my office. “You don’t know what it was like. You were long out of the house. Mom chose someone else over me. I had to go live with Grandma and Mason. Do you know how embarrassing that was? Not to mention the pity it invokes talking about it. It is just easier to leave Mom and Dad out.”
“Didn’t you ever tell him anything about our parents?”
I faced my concerned brother. “I think I told him Dad died in a traffic altercation and Mom pursued her goals outside of the state, so I went to live with our grandparents.”
“That’s quite the spin on it.”
“It’s the truth.”
“I’d hate to face you in the courtroom.”
I gave him a small smile. “I didn’t want him to feel sorry for me.”
“I think you’re afraid of letting him in. I wonder what your excuse would be if he wasn’t a cop.” He got up and walked out, leaving me speechless.
Well, that was . . . completely preposterous. Right?
~*~
I woke up tired again on Tuesday. The men surrounding me were wreaking havoc. I had Grady making absurd assumptions and Harrison was texting and calling me like we were more than friends. He had talked to his captain about Shop with a Hero and his captain thought it was a great idea. He asked Harrison to work with their public relations department. They now wanted to meet with me. I was tangling myself up with him. It wasn’t a bad place to be—not at all—but it was a hard place to be. I was torn. I wanted him. There, I said it. But I knew I couldn’t have him.
Harrison sent me trivia questions by text all day. Like, Who was the legendary monk that invented champagne? That was an easy one— Dom Perignon. He did send me hard ones like, What kind of weapon is a falchion? The answer was a sword, but I had to Google it. Then he texted me this gem: How many times a day do I think about you?
I sat at my desk for a good five minutes trying to think of a response. Trying to calm my beating heart. I knew I thought of him often.
Give up? Too many times to count. All friendly, of course. Okay, that’s a lie, I’ve had some pretty steamy visions of you and me. But you can’t blame me. You’re beautiful in more ways than one.
That didn’t help. And no, I couldn’t blame him, not when I’d had the same thoughts. I kept staring at my screen.
Kallie?
Yes?
Please don’t let that scare you. I’ll pick you up at eighteen hundred hours.
He could read me so well. His job demanded that skill.
By the way, what do I wear? I hope not a tux.
I smiled at his message. Business casual would be appropriate for tonight. I would have given you a heads up if this was a formal event.
Do you go to a lot of formal events?
On occasion with my grandparents.
See you tonight.
Huh. That was an abrupt ending. It was a good thing. I needed to focus on my work. Or try harder. Harrison was consuming my thoughts.
Chapter Seven
I found myself prettying up more and more these days. Not that I didn’t care about my appearance, but I found if I glammed up in the office, I wasn’t taken as seriously. But Harrison made me feel beautiful in a way I hadn’t in a long time. I put on a red sundress and pulled my hair up. I felt feminine and light, albeit scared out of my mind. I kept repeating in my head we were only friends. But there was a nagging voice in the back of my mind calling me a liar.
I sat on my porch, basking in the warm evening sun, waiting for Harrison to arrive. I didn’t get outdoors as much as I liked.
Harrison pulled up in his truck. The same truck he had five years ago, when I knew him. It w
as old then, but it had character. Now it had an antique quality to it. He took a moment to stare at me through his passenger side window before he got out of his truck.
I stood up to meet him.
He got out in a hurry and met me on my walkway. He looked at his watch. “I’m not late.”
“You’re right on time. I was just enjoying the weather.”
“It looks good on you.”
“Thanks. You look very handsome tonight.”
I liked seeing him in civilian clothes. For a minute, I could pretend all he wore to work was a button up shirt and khakis.
He smoothed out his shirt. “I do try.”
I laughed. I laughed a lot around him.
He held out his arm. “Shall we go?”
I strung my arm through his. “We shall.” I loved the feel of his muscular arm. I loved the way I felt around him, period—minus the guilt I felt for not being completely honest with him. I told him I needed friendship, but what were my actions saying? I forgot about all of that when he placed his hand over mine and held it like he wanted to forever. Now that I remembered, it felt that way five years ago, too. Was I really so blind? Or worse, like my brother insinuated, did I keep people away on purpose?
Harrison helped me into his old truck that had seen way better days, but the rugged vehicle fit him. It felt easy going, like him.
Harrison got in and turned toward me. “I hope you don’t mind showing up in this clunker.”
“Why would I?”
He studied me for a moment. “I get the feeling we live in very different worlds.”
“I’m just me.”
He tapped my nose. “And I like just you.”
“I like you, too.” More than I should.
He grinned before turning away and starting up his rumbly truck.
We weaved our way in and out of traffic making small talk as we trekked toward the Capital City Country Club.
“Is this club of yours the kind of place that has a dress code?”
“I only have a membership because of my grandparents, but the answer is yes.”
“Hmmm.”
“Does that bother you?”
“I’m surprised is all. When we dated in college, I had no idea this was your kind of life. You seemed so normal.” I caught his grin as he paid attention to the road.
Hit and Run Love Page 5
