“Jeff.”
“Hi, Mags.” The nickname fell from his lips as if he’d last seen her only yesterday.
He fought the urge but lost the battle as his eyes dropped for a quick scan of the woman next to him. The color and short haircut was different, and the body a bit fuller and rounder...curvier. The voice had grown a tad throatier, but the green eyes with their amber flecks remained untouched by time...as gorgeous as ever.
And those full lips. How well he remembered...
The image faded as Maggie thrust her hand forward in a gesture much too formal considering the shared intimacies that had created the fine young man standing between them. “Um...” The green eyes flashed with some kind of emotion as a deep pink flush imbued her fair complexion. “It’s good to see you, Jeff.”
“You, too.”
He ignored the extended hand and felt her stiffen as he pulled her into a hug. He’d been planning this moment for some time and had long ago decided to get past the cumbersome hellos and move into the we’ve-done-a-helluva-job phase as quickly as possible.
She didn’t give any ground. Keeping her feet firmly planted, she bent at the waist and leaned into him—a hug befitting the awkwardness of the moment. They straightened, and he saw his own wariness reflected in her eyes. But then their smiles collided, genuine and relieved they’d shared and lived through the moment.
Russ grabbed Jeff’s one piece of luggage. “I’ll get this, Dad.” He pointed toward the front seat he’d vacated. “You sit up front with Mom.”
Maggie’s eyebrow and one side of her mouth rose simultaneously. “That’ll give his backseat driving more authenticity.”
“Want me to drive?” Russ leaned to the side to flash her an impish grin as he slid the duffel into the back compartment.
“Emphatically no.” Mags hurried around to claim control of the driver’s seat before Russ could get there.
Jeff was already seated and buckled by the time his ex-wife climbed in, so he had a chance at another good look at her without gawking as she got situated. The years had been kinder than he’d expected, especially considering what she went through with Zeke two—no, make that three—years ago.
Fact was, she looked good.
Damn good.
“We’re meeting with Coach Brimley at four, Dad, at the Water Tower Campus. That’s downtown, close to your hotel. Tomorrow and the day after, we’ll be at the other campus—Loyola Lake Shore.” Russ’s chatter filled the car, as it did any space when the boy was around. “He said today’s session wouldn’t be very long. He just wants to meet the parents of the new guys before the official stuff starts tomorrow.”
Jeff checked his watch—12:52 p.m. “Plenty of time. Have you checked in yet?”
Maggie shook her head but kept her eyes glued to the windshield. “We came straight to the airport as soon as we got into town.”
“Mom’s afraid of the traffic. She puts her blinker on and thinks the lane next to her will just magically open up and invite her in.”
Mags peeled her eyes away from the road in front of them long enough to flash Russ a look in the rearview mirror. “I got us here right on time, didn’t I?”
Russ snorted in return. “We could’ve checked in and had lunch by now if you’d been driving, Dad.”
“You haven’t had lunch?” Jeff nudged the conversation away from the direction it was taking.
Maggie and Russ both shook their heads.
“I have some snacks in my bag.” Jeff pointed to the backpack he’d tossed into the backseat, and it took Russ no time to find the mother lode of trail mix, snack bars, peanut butter and crackers and mixed nuts he’d stashed.
“Cool!” Russ tore into a package and held it across the seat. “Want some, Mom?”
“No, thanks.”
Jeff couldn’t help but notice the white-knuckle grip Maggie had on the wheel. She was creeping along, obviously uncomfortable with city driving and they weren’t even out of the airport yet. At this pace, they wouldn’t get checked in until tomorrow.
“I’d be happy to drive,” he offered, and saw her jaw tighten in response.
“Thanks, but I’ve got it.” Her cool tone said she was already pissed, and they’d barely been together fifteen minutes.
Just like old times.
It was going to be three long days.
Three very long days.
Copyright © 2015 by Pamela Hearon Hodges
ISBN-13: 9781460379868
To Love a Cop
Copyright © 2015 by Janice Kay Johnson
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