by Lacey Wolfe
Cody glanced toward the other car, but couldn’t get a good look to know if he knew the woman. “What happened?”
“I did a roll stop assuming no one was coming, but when I saw her I hit the brakes and my tires slid on ice, causing me to hit her.”
“You know, stop signs are meant for you to stop.” Roll stop. Cody barely refrained from rolling his eyes. People acted like it was okay. It wasn’t.
The young guy nodded and rubbed his hands together, “Yes, sir. I know.”
From where he stood, the damage to either vehicle was minimal. Cody took the insurance card from the young man and surveyed the damage a little more for his report. It didn’t look like a tow truck or EMT would be needed, but he better check with the woman first.
Her back was to him as she bent forward comforting the crying child. He couldn’t help but check out her round ass. Where did he know that butt from?
He cleared his throat to alert her he was there. “Is he okay?”
“Yeah, just shook up,” she said, her head still inside the car.
“Maybe bring him out of the car and let him see,” he suggested.
She stepped back and he caught a glimmer of red hair. The little boy popped out of the car first, eyes wet. Then she turned and he recognized her instantly. He’d never forget a face as stunning as hers. “Lily, right?”
She nodded, and after a moment he could see she recognized him from the diner yesterday. “You’re a police officer?”
“I am.” He bent down to eye level with the little boy.
“I dropped my Legos and they broke,” her son said, more upset about the toy than the accident.
Cody always felt bad for the kids. They never understood why these things happened, or always exactly what happened. “It is scary. Do you need me to call someone out to look at you? Does anything hurt?”
The little guy shook his head.
“What’s your name?”
“Gunther.”
“Well, Gunther, if you need to see a doctor, just let your mommy know, okay?”
“Okay.” He stayed close to his mom.
Cody stood, hoping he could remain professional when he just wanted to wrap his arms around this woman and comfort her. “Are you all right?”
She nervously twirled a lock of her hair. “I am. It was just a little bump. I don’t really see any damage. I think it just scared him.”
Her eyes were slightly wet and she kept rubbing her arms. She was as shaken up as her son, but doing her best to stay strong.
“Let me get this written up and get you all on your way.” He walked around, checking out the areas that had collided. He drew a rough image on the report, and noted each of the insurances. Usually he’d give a ticket to the guy about the stop sign, but he was feeling generous today, so he let him go with a warning. Everyone made mistakes and had bad days.
The young guy left a few minutes later. Cody walked over to Lily and handed her a card with the case number on it. “The report should be ready in the next forty-eight hours.”
“Thanks.” She tucked it into her pocket then placed an arm around Gunther. “How was your birthday?”
He’d spent the evening at home alone, watching TV and drinking a beer. Perfect. “It was good.”
Lily chewed on her bottom lip and fidgeted on her feet.
“You’re good to go,” Cody said and pulled his jacket together in the front. It was colder out here then he thought.
She nodded, but still stood there. Did she have something to say? Was she worried she couldn’t drive?
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
His fingers were losing feeling. He really wished she just spit out whatever it was.
“This is forward.” She took a deep breath and was quiet again.
He didn’t understand. Maybe she bumped her head on the steering wheel. “What is?”
She removed her arm from her son. “Gunther, go wait in the car.”
“I don’t want to, Mom.”
Cody couldn’t blame the kid. Getting back in the car was probably the last thing he wanted. “If I wasn’t working, I’d take you two to have something to eat.” Not that Seth would care. He was pretty laid back.
Gunther stayed with him mom, even after she gave him a stern look. Sighing, she turned her attention back to Cody. “I’m new to town, and I was wondering if you’d like to get together. Maybe show me around town?”
Was she asking him out? “Yeah. Sure.”
“Unless you’re seeing one of those women you were with.”
He chuckled. “Those were my sisters. Alyssa owns The Reading Corner bookstore, and Diane is a stay at home mom.”
Lily looked relieved.
“We’ll do dinner soon.” He tore a piece of paper off the report. “Let me get your number.”
She scribbled it down and handed it back.
“I’m cold,” Gunther complained.
“I guess I should go.” She licked her lips and he stared at them a moment too long. His thoughts turned to touching them with his own. They’d be soft…
“Yup. I need to get back into the station. I’ll call you soon.”
Lily took her son’s hand and turned quickly, giving Cody a chance to check out her backside in the skinny jeans. Damn, she had an excellent ass to look at.
Tearing his eyes away, he headed back toward the station. He wasn’t sure what to think of Lily. Who was she? Why had she moved to Brookfield? These were things he could ask her when they went out.
As he opened the door to the station, his gut dropped. Would it be a date? Or friends? It had been a long time since he’d been out with a woman.
* * * *
The thought haunted Cody all day as he tried to figure out if it was a date or not. The day had been busy, yet Lily still was the main thing on his mind. What was it about her that had hooked him so quickly? He knew nothing about her. How old was she? How did she like her eggs in the morning?
Whoa, he should not be thinking about how she liked her eggs. Although… She was attractive, and he’d love to get tangled up in his sheets with her. It had been a long damn time since he’d been with a woman. Lily really was a great choice.
Cody parked his car near The Reading Corner. Hopefully his down to earth sister could help, or at least give him some insight.
The door chimed as he entered the bookstore. Alyssa was seated behind the counter with a book in hand. She looked up and smiled at him, setting the book down as he walked toward her.
“What’s up, Bro?”
Cody leaned against the counter. “I need your advice.”
She touched her chest in mock shock. “Wow, I’m honored.” She giggled. “What can I help you with?”
Maybe this had been a mistake. He’d come this far, might as well get it over with. By morning, Diane would be calling with her two cents. “I ran into that waitress today.”
“The clumsy one from your birthday lunch?”
The adorable lady who spilled coffee on his crotch. “Yeah.”
“What do you need my help with? Thinking about asking her out.”
“Sorta.” He rubbed his palm across the smooth surface. “She asked me out, I think. She wants me to show her around town. I don’t know if it’s just because I’m a police officer, or if it’s because she likes me.”
“How did she ask?”
What the heck did Alyssa mean by how did she ask? She opened her mouth and said the words. “She just asked if I’d like to show her around town then proceeded to ask if you or Diane was my girlfriend.”
Alyssa’s face lit up. “Sounds like she’s interested.”
He liked the sound of that.
“When are you going out?” Alyssa asked, absently returning a pen to the jar by the register.
“I gotta call her.” Damn, he hated that thought. Calling someone for the first time was always hard. If she didn’t answer, he had to leave that awkward first message. If she did answer, he’d need a reason for
calling and hope it wasn’t a bad time for her.
“Call her now.” His sister grinned like a school girl.
“Heck no. I’m not having you watch me make a fool of myself.”
She shrugged. “I could have helped. Where are you going to take her?”
He hadn’t thought about that. His mind had been preoccupied with figuring out if she liked him or not.
The Reading Corner’s front door swung open, and Alyssa’s husband, Connor, walked in carrying a large box from the local doughnut shop. Alyssa squealed. Cody guessed she must’ve been craving the sugary treat.
“I’m gonna get out of here.” Cody pushed back from the counter.
Connor opened the box. “Want one?”
Cody could never resist a doughnut, further perpetuating the stereotype. “Thanks. You have a good evening. Be sure to eat some veggies after the box of doughnuts.”
Alyssa laughed. “It’s not like I’m going to eat the whole thing.”
“Sure.” Cody smiled as he pushed the door open and headed back for his vehicle. Should he call Lily today, or wait until tomorrow? Tomorrow. He didn’t want to appear desperate.
* * * *
Lily flung her shoes across the room as she entered her bedroom. Damn, her feet hurt. Standing and walking back and forth across the diner all day had taken a toll on her arches, toes, and heels. As soon as she had a free moment to herself, she was going to pay them an extra twenty just to let her have her feet soak for thirty minutes before they worked their massaging magic.
She quickly changed out of the food stained clothing and into some sweat pants and an over-sized T-Shirt. She still had to get dinner fixed for Gunther and her mom. Things never stopped. No wonder she dreamed of lounging on a beach somewhere with someone taking care of her whenever she got a quiet five minutes.
In the kitchen, she found Gunther playing on a tablet at the table.
“Hey, buddy.” She ruffled his hair. “Have a good day at school?”
“It was okay.”
“Making friends yet?” She was worried. He’d yet to talk about other kids.
He shrugged. “I miss Dad.”
She smiled weakly. “I know. You’ll see him soon.”
Lily hated they’d had to move a few states away from Gunther’s father, but one day her son would understand. Her ex, Heath, made a great ex. They were still friendly. In fact, being friends had been easy when she stopped to think about it. They’d been friends for several years before the marriage ended. Lily and Heath stopped being lovers shortly after Gunther’s arrival and the marriage moved into a new territory. The break up had been easy. Some found it odd, but she could still call Heath and lean on him when she needed someone to talk to.
“Have you seen your grandma?”
“The nurse is going over a photo album with her.”
Lily’s heart ached. She prayed the memories would hold on a little longer. The thought of her mom not remembering her was unbearable.
“How about an easy meal tonight? Grilled cheese and tomato soup?”
Gunther nodded, his gaze glued to whatever he was doing on that device. Kids, they had no idea what it was like to interact with people away from some device connected to the internet.
Lily busied herself with the task of supper. Her thoughts drifted to Cody. She couldn’t believe when she’d seen him yesterday, she’d asked him to show her around town. How corny. No wonder he hadn’t called. She probably appeared to be a desperate woman. Any normal man didn’t want a needy woman; they wanted someone strong and confident.
It wasn’t like she had time to date, anyway. There was just something about Cody that appealed to her. She knew nothing about this man, other than he was a hot-as-hell police officer, and yet, she wanted to know him in an intimate way.
She needed to get laid. She’d admit it. Life was so busy; she really didn’t even have time to pleasure herself. Something needed to change, or she’d be old and dried before she knew it.
“Mom, your phone’s ringing,” Gunther said.
“Huh, what?” She removed the sandwich from the pan, and heard the sound of her phone from her bedroom. “Will you go get it for me? I can’t leave the food.”
She flipped the last sandwich over just as Gunther set the phone on the counter next to her. After she put the soup in the bowls and the sandwiches on the plate, she turned to Gunther. “Go get your grandma, okay?”
Lily placed the food onto the table. A moment later, Gunther returned with his grandma and her day caregiver. Lily smiled at her mom, who returned the gesture. “Hi, Lily.”
Lily’s heart flipped with joy.
Margaret, the caretaker, walked over and leaned close to Lily. “It was a good day.”
“Thanks. Have a wonderful evening.” She set out the spoons.
“I’ll try.” Margaret slung her purse over her shoulder and saw her self out.
Lily sat down at the table and stared at the two most important people in her life as they chatted and enjoyed their meal. Seeing the shared smiles and dialogue that flowed well warmed her. Dinner ended much too quickly. She tucked her mom into her spot in the living room to watch her evening shows. Gunther had to do his nightly reading, and Lily stared at the dishes she needed to do. But she just didn’t feel like it. They weren’t going anywhere. She’d deal with them in the morning.
She then remembered her phone had rung and it was still where Gunther had set it down. Unlocking the screen, she noticed it was from a number she didn’t know, but whoever it was left a voicemail.
Hey Lily, this is Cody, the uh, the officer that helped with your accident. I was just calling about the dinner and if you still wanted to do that. If not, I understand. Just give me a call back when you can and let me know. Thanks.
She smiled. He sounded so cute flustered. She skirted across the house to her bedroom and dialed him back. With each ring, a lump formed in her throat.
“Hello,” he answered in a deep, husky voice.
“Hey, it’s Lily.”
“Oh, hey. How are you?”
Better now that she was talking to him. “I’m tired, but I’m so glad you called.”
“I wanted to see when you wanted to do the dinner you mentioned. I mean…I want…to take you to dinner.”
God, this man was so freaking cute. Now that she thought about it, her schedule didn’t really leave much room for a night out. “Actually, I don’t work tomorrow if you’re free during the day. When I mentioned dinner, I didn’t stop to think about a sitter for Gunther.” And my mom.
“You’re in luck. I’m off tomorrow as well.”
This was working out better than she expected. “Perfect. Want me to meet you in town somewhere?”
“We can eat at Luigi’s first, if you’d like, before we explore the small town of Brookfield.”
She could feel her grin spread across her entire face. She felt like a school girl, going out with a boy for the first time. The last time she’d been on a first date had been with Heath… “Perfect. Noon?”
“Works for me.”
“I’ll see you then. Have a great evening.”
“You, too. Bye.”
“Bye.” She tossed the phone on her bed.
Lily couldn’t wait until tomorrow. Nothing could ruin her mood. Nothing. She already knew the outfit she was going to wear. She’d bought a new dress when she first arrived to town and had yet to wear it. Tomorrow would be the day.
“Frank,” her mom called from the living room.
Lily’s happiness washed away as her mother called out for her deceased husband.
“Frank, honey. Your favorite evening show is on.”
Lily took a deep breath and went out to the living room to sit and watch TV with her mother.
Chapter Three
Lily straightened her favorite navy blue dress as she took several deep breaths. All she had to do was open the door and go inside Luigi’s, but opening it was the hard part. God, she was being silly. Just go inside and m
eet that incredibly sexy man.
She tugged the door open a little too forcefully and tumbled back.
“You okay, ma’am?” A gentleman was by her side, his hand on her elbow.
“Yes, just thought it was going to be heavier than it was.”
The guy took the door from her grasp. She smiled and stepped inside. Gunther had been asking to eat here, but eating out wasn’t in their budget. Only special occasions like birthdays. Glancing around, she spotted Cody and found him staring at her. She turned her smile up brighter and strutted toward him, hoping she made his breath catch in his throat the way he did to her.
“Hey.” She slid into the booth.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thanks. You look handsome.” He wore a button-down white shirt with a pair of dark khakis. Out of uniform, she’d never guess he was an officer. His appearance spoke bad boy, with his hair slightly long, and don’t even get her started on those muscles. “I can’t wait to try a dish.”
“Is this your first time?” Why had that sounded so dirty?
“Yes.” She opened the menu. “Do you have a dish you recommend?”
Cody leaned back and twisted his lips into a pucker. It was the oddest thing. Was that his thinking face?
“The lasagna is good. I always start with that dish when I go somewhere new. If I like it, then it’s a winner.”
“Sure. I’ll go with that.” She closed the menu. “I trust you. You are a man of the law.”
After working in restaurants most of her adult life, she tried to be the easier patron for her waiter—who she was surprised hadn’t shown up yet for their drink order.
“How long have you been here?” she asked as she glanced around the restaurant. It was how she pictured it would be, booths and tables with red and white checkered tablecloths. Each table had a small candle in the middle, plus the usual condiments.
“Ten minutes.”
An early bird. She’d have to remember that. “Did you order yet?”
He nervously ran his hand along the edge of the table. “No, I waited for you.”
She looked around and finally saw a young girl heading their way. She pulled a pad of paper and pen from her apron. “Sorry for the wait. I’m Kaleigh. Can I get you started with some drinks?”
