Ally sipped her coffee and then put her mug down. “Isn’t it funny I came to this conclusion here with you guys? Normally I’d be a little secretly jealous, but no. I’m just happy for you and for me.”
Cali’s brows scrunched down in puzzlement. Ethan sipped his coffee and said nothing. He had to pick his moment. This wasn’t it.
Ally smiled to herself, shaking her head, and then pointed at him. “Isn’t it hilarious everyone used to think you were a sex addict when you’re so obviously not?” She gestured to Cali, who missed it because she was busy frowning and adjusting her strapless bra. He’d heard all about the evils of underwire on the drive over here.
“Yeah, hilarious,” he said deadpan. That had been a rumor started by his honorary dad, Joe, with good intentions to make sure Lauren shifted her focus away from Ethan and onto Alex. Lauren and Alex were now engaged. Ethan didn’t take it personally. All for a good cause and he’d lost nothing from Lauren and her friends avoiding him for a few weeks. Besides, it gave him a primo opportunity to play a prank back on Joe. He told him he wouldn’t know when it was coming, but it would. Vague threats worked best. Except Joe was a tough cop, Ethan’s role model, really, and merely got a good laugh over the threat.
Ally cocked her head at him. “You don’t laugh much, do you?”
“No, he doesn’t,” Cali answered for him, finally done adjusting her boobs. “Neither do I. Life isn’t a ha-ha-whee-e-e ride.” Her voice rose on the whee-e-e-e in a dry approximation of a good time.
He and Ally took one look at each other and cracked up. Cali remained stoic.
“You should smile more,” Ally told him. “It makes you look so much younger and approachable.”
Implied insult—smile more, old man. “How do I normally look?” he asked through his teeth.
“Like a tough guy.” She hid a smile by sipping her coffee.
“An old tough guy?” he pressed.
“Oops!” Ally said brightly. “Didn’t mean to offend. Not old, but what’s the word I’m looking for, Cali?”
“Competent,” Cali said.
“No-o-o, not that,” Ally said.
“Gee, thanks.” He lifted his mug, took a sip and nearly spewed coffee with Ally’s further explanation.
“What’s the word for been around the block a time or two?” Ally gestured wildly. “You know, the kind of tough guy with no patience for any BS.”
“A cop,” Cali supplied.
“No-o-o, not that,” Ally said.
“Moving on,” he grumbled.
Ally pointed at him. “Jaded! You don’t smile so much as smirk. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before today.”
“I would if something was ha-ha-whee-e-e-e funny.” He grinned.
Ally smiled back. “Keep it up, tough guy, I might think you have a real sense of humor.”
He slapped a hand to his chest and staggered a bit in his seat. “Ooh! She wounds me.”
Cali piped up. “His favorite joke is brain sucker and it’s starving.” She put her hand on his head and moved it up and down in imitation of a brain sucker.
“Ha-ha.” He fixed his hair. It was short with some spikes in front that looked stupid when they weren’t lined up just right.
“That’s a classic,” Ally said.
“What’s your favorite joke?” he asked.
Cali pulled out her phone and started checking it. She wasn’t much for joking around. Good. Now he had Ally all to himself.
“Knock, knock,” Ally said.
“No,” he said.
She smiled sunnily. “You have to answer the door.”
“Nobody’s home.”
“Stopwatch.”
He groaned.
“Come on, give it to me,” she said.
He smirked, his mind going to its usual dirty place. She gestured for him to hurry up and do his part. “Stopwatch who?” he drawled.
“Stopwatch you’re doing and let me in!” She waited, but he couldn’t even fake a laugh. Didn’t stop her. “What do you call cheese that’s not yours?”
He shook his head. “No idea.”
She flashed a smile. “That’s nach-o cheese. Get it? Not yo, nach-o.”
“Stop. Just stop.”
She grinned and took a sip of coffee. “I teach first grade, so I could go all night.”
He smirked. All night would be awesome.
“There’s that smirk again,” she said. “What is that about?”
He studied her expression. She looked curious and open, not the kind to judge, so he gave her the truth. “Usually it means I’m refraining from saying the dirty thing that comes to mind. I try to keep the locker room talk to the locker room.”
“Why? If it’s funny, share it.”
“You said you could go all night. Obvious innuendo.”
She inclined her head. “None intended, but I see where your mind’s at.” She looked to Cali, who was still messing with her phone. “Boy, you’re awfully busy over there.”
Cali didn’t bother to look up. “I’ve got vacation time coming up and need to confirm a few details.”
Ally seemed considerably more cheerful than when they first got here. “You feeling better about that loser now?” he asked.
She stopped smiling, her lips pressed into a flat line.
Shut up, genius. She was fine until you brought it up again. “Sorry,” he quickly said. “Forget it.”
Cali put her phone away. “Just ignore Ethan’s smirks. Guys have sex on the brain. It’s a flaw of their species.”
“Hey,” Ethan protested, “that’s not true. I’ve got some important stuff rattling around up there.”
“Like what?” Cali asked.
Ally giggled, looking back and forth between Cali and him.
“Like the score of the Sox game,” he returned.
Cali put her palm on his face and shoved before turning to Ally. “I wish you the best in your new single lifestyle. You’d be surprised how far you can go when you really focus on your own life.”
“Single me, happy me,” Ally said in a voice of forceful determination. “My new motto. A new way of life.” She fist-bumped Cali and then raised her fist to him.
He grabbed her fist and held it for a moment. She raised wide blue eyes to his and he released her. Pink crept up her cheeks.
He smiled.
Chapter Three
Ally’s first single me, happy me day was one of those glorious fall days in Connecticut—a sunny comfortable seventy degrees with a light breeze—made even more glorious by her first inspiring Pilates session under her friend Charlotte’s direction. Fresh from her workout, she drove straight to the sporting goods store for all the things Charlotte recommended and was now the proud owner of a giant inflatable ball, mat, dumbbell hand weights, and a fitness wristband that promised to report her daily number of steps. Goal—10,000 steps a day. She hit the accelerator, eager to get home for a shower and then get some steps in. It was late Sunday morning, so she had the whole day to activate her new fit lifestyle. Preferably outdoors. Fall was her favorite season and she mentally added “spend more time in nature” to her goal list.
Charlotte’s advice to take it “one step at a time” and to “celebrate each small victory” had made the whole process of transformation seem manageable. Of course, she’d meant that in terms of fitness, but Ally took it to heart. She’d be open to new experiences and celebrate positive improvement. Eventually she’d get to a truly happy single butterfly state and that would be a beautiful thing. True contentment—
A police siren went off. Dammit! She checked her rearview mirror, lights flashing right behind her. Not another ticket. She was still paying the points on her insurance for the last one. And the one before that. The police cruiser pulled in tight behind her car. She pulled over, annoyed at the inconvenience that was harshing her newfound mellow.
The officer made his arrogant swaggering way over to her. Didn’t he have anything better to do than pull over innocent ci
tizens going just a teensy bit over the speed limit?
The man peered through the window at her. Ethan! A friendly cop!
She powered down the window and beamed at him. He didn’t return her smile, his hard blue eyes drilling into her. He looked even tougher in uniform—all business, no BS. “Hi, Ethan! I just got back from the most amazing workout and shopping for fitness stuff. All part of the single me, happy me plan.” At his silence, she added, “How’re you?”
“You know why I pulled you over?” he asked with no trace of warmth. It was like he had no memory of last night at the diner when they’d all bared their souls. Well, he hadn’t bared his soul, but she and Cali had. It had been life-changing for her.
“Mmm, teensy bit over the limit?”
“You were going fifty in a thirty zone.”
“Really? Huh.” She worked on looking suitably surprised. “I’m very sorry about that. Won’t happen again.” She smiled, really hoping he’d let her off with a warning.
He remained cop-faced tough. “You put yourself and others in danger when you speed.”
“Won’t happen again. Promise.” She widened her eyes and sent him an urgent telepathic message. Friends don’t give friends expensive tickets.
He didn’t get the message. “License and registration.”
She made a valiant attempt to change the subject while complying with the hard-ass. “Do you enjoy working out?” she asked while she fetched the license and registration from the glove compartment.
“I lift weights, run, hike, and swim.”
She handed him the requested items. “Wow! You’re like a quadrathon athlete.”
He stared at her driver’s license. It wasn’t the most flattering picture. She’d smiled and the guy had told her not to smile, so it had a weird half-frown, half-pursed-lip look. Also, her hair was frizzy from a terribly humid day.
“Never heard of a quadrathon,” he muttered. He lifted his head, stared at her, and then looked at her license again. Like he wasn’t sure if it was really the same person.
“I know it’s not the best picture, but it’s just me on a bad hair day. Anyway! Quadrathon athletes do four things. I made that up, but it seemed fitting. I bet you spend a lot of time at the gym.” She tried not to notice since he was with Cali, but the man was ripped in the sexy way that appealed to all women everywhere. Massive shoulders, broad chest, and bulging biceps were clearly outlined in his short-sleeve blue cop shirt. Flat stomach too. For sure, she could bounce a quarter off those abs. And his forearms were tanned and ropey with muscle. She took all this in with a thoroughly objective eye, not a lusty haze, which was perfectly respectful of his couple status. Her gaze wandered lower to his utility belt full of cop gear and then lower to more…gear. She jerked her gaze back to his face and ordered her body to stop overheating. His face was quite handsome too—dark blue eyes, sharp cheekbones, clean-shaven square jaw softened by his full lips. If you weren’t scared off by his hard expression, you might conclude he was a hottie of the highest degree.
His expression softened a bit. “I skip the gym since I’ve got weights at my place. I prefer outdoors for exercise.” He abruptly turned and went back to his cruiser.
She sighed. She was definitely getting a ticket.
He returned a few minutes later and gave her a stern look. “You already have four points on your license for speeding. Two more points and you’ll be required to go to a driver retraining program.”
“Oh, Ethan, please don’t give me a ticket. I was just excited to get my steps in.” She held up her wrist. “Look, I got my Fitness Mind today. Charlotte says I need ten thousand steps a day.”
He gave her a dead-eye cop stare for so long she knew he was thinking about letting her off. She blinked frantic telepathic messages at him: friends don’t give friends tickets, friends don’t give friends tickets.
He handed back her license and registration. “You get a warning for today—”
“Thank you!”
“On two conditions.”
“Anything.”
“You swear never to speed again.”
“I do, I swear!” She made a small cross over her heart. “Cross my heart and spit in my mother’s eye.”
He cracked a smile that catapulted him past hottie to spectacularly gorgeous. “That’s not…never mind. That’s fine. Other condition is, you get those steps in on a hike today with my hiking club.”
“That’s perfect! One of my new goals is to spend more time in nature. I’ve been so glued to the TV, my phone, and classroom work. In fact, I should get the kids out more too.”
“Hike’s one o’clock today at the reservation over in Fieldridge. I get off at noon. You want to go over together?”
She beamed. “Sure! Will Cali be there?”
He stared at her for a long moment. “I’ll check in with her if you want. I mean, if you’re not comfortable with just me.” He leaned closer. “She’s my partner.”
She nodded once. Message received. It was rather enlightened the way Ethan called his girlfriend his partner. Obviously he had a great deal of respect for Cali. “Either way is good,” she assured him. “Thanks again! You’re a great cop.”
He gave her a small almost shy smile. “I was recently promoted to sergeant. I could’ve taken the test earlier, but I wanted more experience before I supervised other cops. Course, I still do patrol work, but the pay’s better.”
It was the most he’d ever shared and she knew the promotion must’ve meant a lot to him. “Congratulations!”
He saluted. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“Please don’t call me ma’am.”
“Will do. I’ll pick you up at twelve thirty. Got the address from your license.”
“Oh, wait! I recently moved. I’m in the apartment complex in Clover Park now.” She rattled off the new address.
He returned to his hard-cop stare. “You need to file a change of address and update your license.”
“Yes, sir! Keep up the good work, Sergeant Case!”
He shook his head, smiling, and headed back to his cruiser.
She blew out a breath, momentarily dazzled by his male beauty and forgiving nature. She quickly pulled down the visor and checked her look in the small mirror. Her eyes were dilated, her cheeks flushed with the damning evidence—lust. Worse, her hair was up in a messy ponytail and she was wearing the least sexy outfit she owned, an old gray T-shirt and purple and white polka dot leggings. She slammed the visor back in place, mad at herself for caring so much what she looked like. She reminded herself how great she felt with her new single me, happy me lifestyle. She would not be wasting time lusting over a guy, obsessing over a guy, or twisting herself into heights of painfully beautiful perfection (which was never perfect anyway). No man would be responsible for her happiness. She needed to learn to find her own happiness.
Besides, she guiltily reminded herself, Ethan was with Cali. She pulled her shirt away from her overheated body and fanned herself a bit. So, okay, her lusty hormones had perked up after an excruciatingly long dry spell, but that wasn’t anything her vibrator couldn’t take care of, right?
She glanced in the rearview mirror. Ethan was waiting for her to drive away first. Probably clocking her speed too. She drove off at a very sedate thirty miles per hour. An old man on a scooter could pass her at this rate. Ethan made a U-turn and headed in the opposite direction. She eased the acceleration a teensy bit faster. Close call with that speeding ticket, but it all turned out okay. And now she had another new hobby—hiking. Talk about expanding her horizons! Fitness, nature, what else could she do? Maybe she’d learn to be a gourmet cook, or start her own business on the side, making something cool no one ever thought of before, or maybe she’d learn ballroom dance or…pole dancing! Ooh, gardening, though that would have to wait until spring. Suddenly her whole life seemed full of possibilities!
She arrived home to her apartment, stepping inside to the empty quiet that still unsettled her. Setting her bags down,
she took a deep breath. Now that she’d given up the fantasy of a romantic happy-ever-after, this could be her future, always coming home to emptiness. A life without love. She crossed her arms, hugging herself, and then with sheer determination, she pushed the dark despair down. No one ever said change was easy.
One step at a time.
She just had to believe she was worth it.
~ ~ ~
Ethan headed for Ally’s apartment, walking at a brisker pace than he normally would to pick up a woman. She was just so damned appealing. He liked her easy cheerfulness, her big smiles, and natural enthusiasm for life. Sometimes he felt like he’d been born hard and jaded. Being around her was like breathing lighter air. He shook his head at himself and his unusually silly thoughts. He headed briskly upstairs to her third-floor apartment. All the hallways and staircases were open to the outside under a covered roof. He liked that, more fresh air circulating.
He rang the bell and the door popped open a minute later. Then he merely stared, speechless.
“Hi!” Ally said cheerfully. “I looked up hiking recommendations online and put together this outfit. You think it’s good?”
This had to be a trick question. She looked utterly ridiculous in a large straw hat, white long-sleeved shirt tucked into khakis with white tube socks over the pants, pulled all the way up to her knees. Sneakers were fine.
He cocked his head. “Why’re the socks over the pants?”
“Protection against ticks, silly. I’m wearing light colors so I can spot them more easily. Lyme disease is no joke.” She looked at the ends of his jeans. “Here, let’s fix your socks too.”
“I’m good. I shower and check for ticks after the hike.”
She stepped outside and locked the door behind her. He took in her adorably geeky self and decided he respected the fact that she cared more about protecting herself than what people thought of how she looked. It showed a certain confidence and fuck-all-the-haters attitude that he’d long ago embraced.
She headed downstairs, a small pink backpack bouncing on her back. “The website recommended a shower as well. I’ll do that too.”
Mess With Me Page 3
