by AJ Sherwood
Ah. So she thought he was moving things along too fast. This made more sense. “I promise you I’m keeping pace with him, not getting dragged along.”
“I do feel better hearing it. Mack, whether or not you stay at my house, I want you to come over regularly for dinner. I want a chance to really know you.”
I’d never been so frankly invited over to a boyfriend’s parents’ house before. It thrilled me as much as alarmed me, because what if she decided I wasn’t good enough for her son? Southern mothers had definite opinions about who their children dated. I should know, since I had one. Were Tongan mothers the same? “I anticipate we’ll be in Nashville in about four days or so. Should we plan to have dinner with you when we come in?”
“That will be good. Let’s do that.”
It took a bit longer for Brandon to wrap up the call, and I retreated to the table to finish my lunch. I thought about what it would be like to stay with his family while he finished up training. It had the potential to be awkward, no doubt on that. But I still strangely looked forward to it. I’d never been welcomed into another’s family home before. I’d never even slept over at someone else’s place prior to coming to stay with Hannah and Beau. I was nervous about things not going well, but I still really wanted to give it the chance to go right.
We finished lunch, then Beau walked us through the paperwork. I was glad, as it wasn’t easy to navigate. What was it about government forms that made them so needlessly complicated? Still, I didn’t utter a single word of complaint. If this was what it took to keep Brandon with me, then it was all well worth it.
Not four hours later, my phone rang. I heard the Ghostbuster’s ringtone go off, muted through my coat pocket, and pulled it free as I walked through the hotel’s front doors. We were back here in anticipation of the last night of ghost hunting, although we still had about thirty minutes before the show started.
I looked at the screen and wasn’t sure how to feel about the caller’s timing. My supervisor was an…interesting woman. To say the least. I kept my other hand in Brandon’s, trusting him to guide me, and answered. “Hello, Sylvia.”
“Hello, my little protégé. You have a minute to talk?”
I took that as ‘make a minute to talk.’ “Sure. Let me find a quiet spot. I’m in a hotel lobby.”
Brandon cued in, indicating he was going up to his room, and I nodded and separated from him, heading to the quieter second floor lobby. I really did love this space. People hardly ever lingered here. It made for a good spot to have a conversation. “Alright, I’m set.”
“I saw your training certification go through yesterday, which I was pleased about. Congratulations.”
“Merci.”
“Now, what puzzles me is this request I have on my desk. Do you mean to tell me that within twelve hours, you found someone you like well enough to try partnering with?”
I heard the doubt. She had every reason to be skeptical, granted. “Yeah, it probably does look strange from your end. Allow me to lay things out in sequence.”
“I am all ears.”
Sylvia was a good listener. It was a nice trait in a supervisor, and I appreciated it now, as she listened to the streamline version of everything that had happened in the past three days. With me laying it out like this, though, I realized it really had been only three days. Damn, no wonder people looked at me sideways. I was acting like a Disney princess. Still, it wasn’t like I was swearing undying love and proposing marriage, here. Brandon and I were both being levelheaded about this.
“So, to summarize, it’s not that he’s anchored to you right now. It’s just that you two see good potential for that happening and want to work together and give a relationship a chance.”
“Right.”
“And since he’s still training with his brother and Jonathan Bane, you want to transfer over and help train him then officially partner up for a while after he’s certified.”
“Also correct.”
“Ah. I wish these damn forms had a space for explanations. It would save me from having mini ulcers. Alright, Mack, I’m on the same page. I still think you’re moving a touch fast, but I understand where you’re coming from, what your goal is. And if you think this guy will be a good anchor for you, I’m not dissuading you from trying. Frankly, out of all the mediums I have under me, I worry about you the most. Your situational awareness is shit.”
This was why I loved Sylvia. She had no problem with laying it all on the table. “Trust me, I know. I live with me.”
She snorted and chuckled, the sound like a big predator cat airing its amusement. That could be me projecting, though. Sylvia was one of the most dangerous women I’d ever seen. “I can’t wait to meet this guy. Before you started with Beau and Hannah, you were swearing up and down an anchor was a pipe dream. Three days with Brandon Havili, and you’re clinging like a koala bear. He must be something.”
“Oh trust me, he is.”
“Alright, I’ll approve this request. Keep me posted on how things are going. You need temporary housing budget too?”
“I shouldn’t. I’m staying with Brandon.”
“Oh are you? Wait, I’m curious now. What does this guy look like?” There was the clack of keys as she pulled up his info, and then Sylvia whistled low. “Hot damn. Yuuuum.”
“You now understand why I’m clinging, don’t you?” I asked dryly.
“Hell, I would too. He have any other brothers?”
“Only a sister, sorry.”
“Now that figures.” She sighed in mock regret. “Okay, Mack, you’re set. Let me know when you’re in Nashville. We might have you work some jobs since you’re in the area. Small ones, I promise. I know you’re still training Havili.”
“Sure, that’ll be fine. He’s already helped me do a few things here, and he’s taking to it like a duck to water. I think he’d leap at the chance to do some field work.”
“Good. I’ll keep my ear to the ground for some good cases, then. And Mack?”
“Yeah?”
“Good luck.”
“Merci, Sylvia.” I hung up and stared down at the screen. It was such a strange feeling, this sudden realization that my life really had changed this much in just three days. It gave me some emotional vertigo—in a good way, though. The future was so much more than what I’d thought it would be. Safer, for one. More fun. More hopeful.
“You ready to go, Mack?”
I looked up to the man standing near the staircase, so patiently waiting for me. I wasn’t ready to swear undying love, or demand he be my anchor, or anything like that. But I saw the possibility of it stretching out into the future, and I wanted it more than I wanted my next breath. I’d do whatever I could to make it happen.
With that resolution in mind, I stood and crossed to him. “Yeah, I’m ready. That was my supervisor. She’s approved the transfer requests. We’re clear to go to Nashville.”
“That’s great,” he responded, a bright smile breaking over his face.
“She said, too, there might be some small jobs to do while we’re in Nashville. Something we can both handle, help you learn the ropes.”
His smile went impossibly brighter. “Really? What kind of cases are we talking about?”
“Well, if they’re anything like the first cases I worked, it’ll be things like we’ve done here at the hotel.” I elaborated on past experience as we walked up to the fourth floor, holding hands as we went. This would be common in the future. Us talking about work, holding hands, walking together. The thought made me grin, a safety release for happiness overflow.
I could definitely look forward to that.
Glossary
Tongan phrases:
‘Alu ā ē – Goodbye (to the person going)
‘Io – Yes
‘Io, Mālō e tau mo eni – Response to “thanks for coming”
‘Oku ikai te u ilo – I don’t know
Fakamolemole! – Forgive me!
Fanongo lelei – Listen carefully
Fanongo pē – Just listen!
Fēfē hake? – How are you?
Hū mai – Come in.
Kamata – Begin
Kātaki – Please, excuse me
Ke – You
Ko au – Response when someone calls for you
Ko e ha ē – What is that?
Ko ia! – That’s it!
Ku – I
Mahino – Understand
Mālō ‘aupito – Thanks very much.
Mālō e lava mai – Thanks for coming.
Mālō e lelei! – Hello (common greeting)
Mou nofo ā ē – Goodbye (to several people staying)
Mou ō ā ē – Goodbye (to several people going)
Na’a ke ha’u? – Did you come?
Na’a ke kai? – Did you eat?
Nofo ā ē – Goodbye (to the person staying)
Sai pē – Just fine!
Tali mai! – Answer me!
Toe ‘ai – Repeat that.
Tokotaha faikehe – You’re weird/strange.
Creole Phrases:
Allons – Let’s go.
Ça va – It’s fine/ things are going well.
Cher – honey, darling, basically an endearment
I had an envie – craving for something, usually food
Just storytelling – it’s not lying, but you’re editing the truth
Lagniappe – ‘the little extra in life.’ Generally speaking, this kicks in and covers the distance when you’re coming up short. Usually in a physical way. Or, in this case, its Brandon.
Merci – thanks
Sounds a way to pass a good time – more a Southern phrase but it means it’s a good way to party
Books by AJ Sherwood
Legends of Lobe Den Herren
The Warden and the General
Fourth Point of Contact
Jon’s Mysteries
Jon’s Downright Ridiculous Shooting Case
Jon’s Crazy Head-Boppin’ Mystery
Jon’s Spooky Corpse Conundrum
Mack’s Marvelous Manifestations
Brandon’s Very Merry Haunted Christmas
Unholy Trifecta
How to Shield an Assassin
How to Catch a Thief*
How to Hack a Hacker*
Short Stories
Marriage Contract
*Coming soon
Author
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AJ’s mind is the sort that refuses to let her write one project at a time. Or even just one book a year. She normally writes fantasy under a different pen name, but her aforementioned mind couldn’t help but want to write for the LGBTQ+ genre. Fortunately, her editor is completely on board with this plan.
In her spare time, AJ loves to devour books, eat way too much chocolate, and take regular trips. She's only been outside of the United States once, to Japan, and loved the experience so much that she firmly intends to see more of the world as soon as possible. Until then, she'll just research via Google Earth and write about the worlds in her own head.
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