Quiet Nights

by Mary Calmes

  I’d missed really seeing him the first few times we’d met, but now the swagger, the golden red hair that always looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, and the ever-present stubble made me smile. He looked like a cowboy; the only things missing were the hat and spurs. All the rest, the jeans, the boots—wait.

  “Why don’t you have your uniform on?”

  “’It’s my day off. I’m taking my daughters fishing.”

  “Of course.”

  “You think I would stalk you while I’m working?”

  “No, of course not,” I said sarcastically. “So are you supposed to be driving around the Crown Vic, then?”

  “I can do whatever I want. I’m the chief of police.”

  I rolled my eyes as he gave me a wicked shit-eating grin before heading back to his car. I caught the wave, heard the horn he blew at me, and watched him drive away.

  Sitting there in the Jeep, both hands on the wheel, I wondered if anything he’d just said about Coz was true. Of course, I knew that during our time in the Army that I’d been my best friend’s touchstone, but still? Now? It was easy to understand why he was the grounding force in my life—before him, there was nothing and nobody. He was the rock I clung to; he was earth beneath my feet; he was the lifeline, the shelter in the storm. I thought of Coz and he was home. But not once, not ever, had I thought he’d believed the same of me beyond what we’d been when it was just us.

  As I drove toward Gaia’s Garden, the tree nursery and greenhouse on Euclid, I realized I was putting too much store in what the chief had said. I was important when we were in a foreign country fighting a war; it was not the same at home. He’d needed me there; he didn’t need me at home. He had his family now, and soon, because it would happen any day now, he’d spot the man for him. It was only a question of when.

  I WAS looking for bird of paradise for a client’s backyard, walking up and down the outdoor aisles, when I turned a corner and plowed into Mia. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Don’t yell at me,” she snapped even though I had certainly not raised my voice. It would crack my head in half.

  I couldn’t help my grin, which caused her to smile back.

  “I need a plant for a housewarming gift.”

  “Get an orchid,” I told her.

  “Yeah?”

  “Come on,” I said, taking hold of her hand.

  People turned to look at us, and I got why. There I was in my work boots, jeans, untucked T-shirt with the name of my company on it: Seaton Landscaping—terrifyingly original—and Coz’s worn White Sox ballcap. In contrast, Mia was clad in a tan Chanel suit and matching heels, a long strand of pearls hanging down the front, and carried a Dior handbag that she never let either Coz or I even move off a chair.

  We passed the orchid aisle and walked around the side of the building to the greenhouse. Tugging her after me, I went inside and was surprised to find Olivia Lassiter there with two older couples and… of course… finally… Britton.

  Reflexively, I tightened my grip on Mia.

  “Oh my goodness!” Olivia greeted me loudly, gushing. “There you are!”

  “Miranda?” Britton addressed her, moving quickly to reach her, passing his sister. “I thought we were meeting in an hour.”

  Mia’s eyes narrowed as I let go of her hand. “We are,” she said softly. “I came to pick you up a housewarming gift and ran into my… brother.”

  He turned to me then, blue eyes I remembered swallowing me as he looked and didn’t recall me. Even a little.

  I waited for something, a flicker of connection, of recognition, but none came. The man had no clue who I was.

  When his eyes flicked to Mia, she introduced us. “Britton Lassiter, this is my brother Kelly Seaton.”

  “Different last name?” he asked her as he smiled wide and offered me his hand.

  “He’s adopted,” she whispered, her head tilting to me almost robotically. “I—”

  “Pleasure,” I said, taking a step back, holding up my hands for him to see. “I’m filthy; I don’t wanna get you dirty.”

  “It’s fine,” he said gently, advancing on me.

  “It’s not.” I was adamant, stepping behind Mia, using her as a shield. Slipping past the rest of the people with him and his sister, I reached the door to another part of the greenhouse and went inside.

  And again I had counted myself more memorable than I apparently was. What to me had been life-changing, he didn’t even recollect.

  How pathetic was I?

  Pulling it together, I walked deep into the dark, wet corner and retrieved the orchid I was after. Most people didn’t venture into the Rain Room where Callie Anderson kept her spiders—garden spiders, nothing poisonous—and unique flowers.

  Taking a breath of the warm, humid air, I walked out to find Mia right there, waiting by the door. Everyone else was as well.

  “What is—oh,” she gasped, seeing the orchid in my hand. “Kel, what is this?”

  “It’s a ghost orchid,” I told her, holding it out. “And they’re rare and make a really good gift.”

  She nodded, mesmerized, before her gaze met Britton’s. “How about you pick whatever you want from here, put it on the company tab, and I’ll take this.”

  He chuckled. “It’s a deal.”

  I moved by as Mia said her good-bye to everyone, and in moments we were at the exit. A younger girl in a Gaia’s Garden T-shirt stood there with a walkie-talkie and I told her I was taking Casper with me.

  “Bill it, Kel?”

  “Yep,” I called over, taking hold of Mia’s elbow and steering her out. “So that was anticlimactic, huh?”

  She rounded on me. “What the hell?”

  “It’s a ghost orchid,” I explained. “That’s why Callie has them listed as Casper, so if you get—shit!”

  She’d pinched me hard. “I don’t care about the goddamn plant; I want to know what the hell that was back there!”

  I reached for the pot. “Give it back, then.”

  “No! I love this, it’s gorgeous.”

  “I thought you—”

  “Kelly!”

  I groaned and tried to turn away from her, but she moved remarkably fast in heels and was in front of me again, barring my path.

  “Explain to me what that was back there.”

  “I dunno! I guess maybe when I fucked him, he was either really drunk or really stoned or hopped up on God knows what and—why’re you making that face?”

  “I—”

  I crossed my arms, staring at her, waiting.

  “You—” She coughed. “—topped?”

  I scowled.

  “What? He’s taller than you and—I mean, you’re more muscular, and yours are from lifting things and digging up crap and his are from the gym, but still… I just thought that the taller guy tops. How am I supposed to know?”

  “You’re assuming because you have no idea.”

  “I just said that—kind of.”

  “You need to watch more gay porn.”

  “I agree,” she said excitedly. “Tell me when you’re ready for a marathon and I’m there.”

  I snorted out a laugh. “So, yeah, whatever, I always top. I can’t see that ever changing.”

  “I would too,” she teased, patting my cheek before her smile fell away. “I’m sorry he forgot you, honey. You want me to rescind my offer to him? We haven’t signed any contracts yet. We’re supposed to do that later today.”

  I put my hand over hers. “No. This actually works out better, right?”

  “How does it?” she asked as I turned my head, kissed her palm, and then moved away, heading back toward my Jeep. I could return to the nursery later, when I was certain it was closed to the public so I wouldn’t run into ex-lovers who didn’t remember being in bed with me.

  “Now there won’t be any weirdness. He has no idea who the fuck I am,” I called back over my shoulder.

  She nodded. “You’re sure you’re not upset with me? I don’t
want you to feel like I didn’t take your side or that I wasn’t loyal. You mean more to me than he does—more than most people, and I never—”

  “I swear, I’m good. I told you last night and I meant it,” I said firmly. “And I love you back.”

  Her smile, much like her brother’s, was blinding. “I’ll see you at dinner. Oh, remember—we’re going to Wrecked.”

  “Why?” I whined.

  “Stop that! Mom wants us there to meet his son, Landon.”

  My lashes fluttered like I was having a seizure.

  “I am not going alone and Coz already bailed because he has a date.”

  Suddenly I had no air even though I was outside.

  “He finally got up the nerve to ask Hutch Crowley out.”

  I had the incredible urge to go back to Blue Days and yell at Dwyer and Takeo. Neither one knew what they were talking about. Coz and Hutch were going out, so the whole Hutch-and-Britton thing was clearly off the table.

  “Are you listening to me?”

  “Yes,” I said after a moment. “And yes, I’ll be there. What time?”

  “Seven thirty.”

  “Okay, see you then.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” she shouted because of the distance. “You look weird.”

  “I always look weird,” I yelled back before I got into my Jeep. It was too bad I’d done so much drinking the night before, because damn, I was ready to do some more.

  Chapter Four

  I WAS pissed. My best friend was keeping secrets from me, the guy I thought I’d been in love with ten years ago didn’t even fucking remember me, and Arad Hadjian, the other policeman in town, was parked in my driveway when I got home after the rest of my hellacious day.

  “Move your goddamn car!” I yelled as I stalked up my lawn, furious that he was sitting on my next door neighbor’s porch sipping what looked like homemade lemonade.

  “I’m not in your driveway; I’m in Mrs. Sorrel’s!” he roared back after stilling the rocking chair and leaning forward to glare at me.

  “This is mine,” I bellowed, making the hatchet gesture with both hands so he’d know what I was talking about before turning to do the same thing to the next driveway over—on the other side of her white-fenced lawn. “That’s hers. Get your car outta my way!”

  “Why don’t you come have some lemonade,” he coaxed in an obvious attempt to soothe me.

  I flipped him off, waved to Mrs. Sorrel, and then charged around the side of my small wood shingle-and-stone craftsman home to my back fence.

  Before I could get it open, Arad was there, grabbing my arm and wrenching me around to face him.

  “Dude, what the fuck?”

  “Just move your car! Is that too much to ask?”

  “No,” he said, letting me go slowly.

  “It’s my house, not yours. I’d like to put my own car in my own driveway.”

  “Oh,” he said, drawing the word out. “This is about Renaldi’s date.”

  I growled, pivoted, opened and closed the fence, and jogged to the back door.

  “You should talk to him instead of just being a dick to everyone!”

  The idea that everyone thought I was in love with my best friend was horrifying, and I saw only one way to change that perception. I needed to get laid.

  BEFORE LEAVING that evening, I smoked a bowl with my neighbors on the other side of my house, Greg and Candi Morrison. They were the nicest people who always offered to share their weed since I kept an eye on their backyard and made sure it looked good. They rented the house from her parents, and that was a stipulation of their continued residency. The inside was immaculate, and they only smoked the bong pipe outside on their back deck.

  Normally I didn’t take them up on their proposal, but my stomach was still iffy and I needed to take the edge off without hitting the tequila in my cupboard. So I crossed the lawn, reminded them that the officer might still be on Mrs. Sorrel’s front porch, and climbed the stairs.

  “The wind’s goin’ the other way,” Greg explained as he passed me the bong shaped like an elephant. “We’re good.”

  Candi then told me where they had picked up the pipe we were currently using. They had an extensive pipe collection from all over the world—they were both freelance journalists. She was the photo kind and he was a writer. It was nice that they loved each other and worked together, which I told them often.

  Greg interrupted her story. “You want a glass of wine?”

  I shook my head. “I’m supposed to be hydrating.”

  He brought me an orange Gatorade instead. It was good of him. Electrolytes and pot—I was sure to be in good shape after that.

  Walking toward Wrecked, where I was meeting Mia, I was aware I was moving slower than usual—courtesy of the weed. As I passed by the patio of Delarosa, the Cuban restaurant that made the Champola de guanábana I liked, I saw Coz and Hutch Crowley waiting in line outside. I was going to cross the street so they wouldn’t see me, but that seemed childish, and since I was stoned, and pretty darn calm, I stayed my course.

  “Hey,” Hutch greeted me warmly, and I was annoyed, baked or not, that he checked me out, up and down, since he was with the greatest guy on the planet. He shouldn’t have been checking anyone out when he had a six-foot-two carved specimen of manhood standing beside him.

  Coz was mouthwatering. The long-sleeved navy shirt set off his dark hair and eyes, the black dress pants clung to his muscular thighs, and he’d worn the new monk strap ankle boots we’d bought the last time we were in Miami. He had his suit jacket draped over his arm and had pinned the shirtsleeve up, and even though I knew he thought his missing left arm was the first thing people noticed, it wasn’t true. Any connoisseur of beauty noticed Coz’s gorgeous black eyes first, then his broad, strong shoulders, long legs, and perfect ass. My throat closed up just looking at him.

  “Wow, Kel, look at you,” Hutch said smoothly, reaching out to touch the collar of my pale blue dress shirt. “You clean up nice.”

  I could, upon occasion, and would have added a tie if I was eating with Coz at Delarosa. It was in no way a casual restaurant, and I was wondering how Hutch was going to get a pass with his denim. Coz was dressed up so I had to wonder why Hutch was slumming.

  “Did you tell him where you were eating?” I asked Coz.

  He grunted the no.

  “That was shitty,” I admonished my friend.

  “Are you eating with us?” Hutch asked. “I mean, you’re certainly dressed for it.”

  I was in my three-piece white suit—it was summer, after all—and the only thing missing on me was the tie. I even had a pocket square. I’d worn it to make a good impression on Emmett’s son and to get noticed and hopefully laid later.

  “You’re on a date, aren’t you?” I said snidely.

  “Well, yes, but—”

  “What kind of stupid question is that, then? Am I joining you,” I retorted, trying not to snarl. “What the fuck?”

  Hutch bristled; I could tell from the narrowed eyes and how quickly he crossed his arms. “What’s wrong with you?” he snapped.

  Coz interrupted our rapidly disintegrating conversation. “I think I know. Look at me.”

  Tilting my head back just a little to meet Coz’s gaze—with me at five eleven, he had those four inches on me—I couldn’t help grinning.

  He squinted. “Are you stoned?”

  “Just a little,” I confirmed, unable to stop a sigh from escaping.

  “Since when do you—oh, your charming neighbors.”

  I shrugged, shifting closer, unobtrusively inhaling his clean, masculine scent—soap and a trace of the cologne he wore, citrusy and smoky at the same time. “It’s fine.”

  “It’s really not.”

  “Why? I’m not driving or operating heavy machinery. I’m no threat to anyone.”

  “Except yourself.”

  The psh sound I made did not go over well.

  “You should go home.”

  “Fu
ck that,” I said dismissively. “After I charm the socks off of Emmett’s kid, I’m hittin’ Laredo.”

  “To dance?” Hutch asked brightly.

  “To pick somebody up,” Coz informed him.

  My smile widened as I stared up at Coz, enjoying the proximity, the heat I could feel rolling off him, watching the muscles in his jaw clench and seeing the scowl darken. The man was truly just edible. Licking him all over crossed my mind.

  “Mia called me, told me about what’s his name,” Coz continued.

  “Mmmmm.”

  “You don’t care?”

  Trance broken, I shook my head and leaned back out of his personal space. “No, man, I don’t care. I already knew I’m forgettable.”

  I turned to go, but he grabbed my upper arm, spun me around, and dragged me back to his side.

  “You’re not forgettable,” he said, staring down into my eyes, his voice all quiet thunder. “That guy’s a fuckin’ idiot.”

  I licked my lips, I couldn’t help it; the urge to taste him was almost overwhelming. The whimper from the back of my throat was unmistakable.

  We stood there, frozen, and after a moment, when I could breathe again, I noticed his entire focus was on my mouth.

  “Did you have a family thing tonight, Coz?”

  It took him a second, but he turned from me, even though he didn’t let me go, and gave Hutch his attention. “I do, and I’d be remiss not to show up. You should come with me since we’re honestly not going to get into Delarosa, no matter who I work for.”

  “Yeah, I’m so sorry,” Hutch said softly, tipping his head to one side. “When you invited me out, I never actually thought we’d be going to a place like this.”

  Coz let me go to face Hutch. “Why not?”

  “Because I don’t usually date, Coz. I meet people places and fuck.”

  “Yeah, me too,” I chimed in.

  Coz looked from Hutch, to me, and back to him. “Well, that’s not me. I pick you up, take you to dinner, maybe even spring for dessert… we walk, we talk, and then I take you home. God only knows how many times we do that before we get around to the screwing.”