Training the rookie, p.2
Training the Rookie, page 2
3
Blair
First things first — a shower.
After everything that’d happened that day — being assigned Officer Hot Hallway Guy as my partner, having that terrifying conversation with the Chief, and then being bribed by some rich redhead with a noisy Pomeranian, I just needed to relax and clear my head.
Mainly clear my head of how attracted I was to Jeremy.
Inside the shower, I lost myself in the sensations: the hibiscus scent of my shampoo, my scalp-massaging fingers, the lap of water down my back. Every time I closed my eyes, Jeremy’s face swam into view.
I snapped my eyes opened and got to work scrubbing myself down with a loofah a bit more roughly than necessary.
I was no less determined now then I had been at the start of the day that Jeremy would stay only my partner. Nothing was going to happen between us. It couldn’t.
I’d worked too hard to get the job. Busting my ass all through school and becoming basically a wallflower, working overtime and more while studying at the Academy, keeping my body in top physical condition and avoiding my family’s beloved Dairy Queen outings like the plague.
So, what if the first partner I’d been assigned to was crazy hot and actually pretty cool? Didn’t mean that I had to do anything about it..
The only thing to do was to have a scoop of strawberry gelato and go to bed.
--
The next day at work, the morning and afternoon were pretty much taken up with cheesy nineties training videos. When Jeremy at first told me that it was what the Chief had assigned me for the entirety of the day, I’d thought he was joking.
If only it were a joke. After only one thirty-minute video on how to avoid a shoot-out — complete with the rhyme, “When in doubt, avoid a shoot out!”, I was bored out of my mind, even with Jeremy popping in to hand me an orange from the breakroom.
And that was only the first one.
By the time my training video marathon was done – eight of the abysmal videos in a row, I was just about ready to doze off in the straight-backed metal chair. Although I had had a nice lunch break, that still didn’t help with just how bored I was. They had covered everything I had just watching in the Academy, so I wasn’t sure why I’d had to sit through it all again.
At least the marathon had provided a nice distraction from the whole Jeremy problem.
As I was leaving for the day, the Chief stopped me.
“Collins, an opportunity just came up. Although it would require working overtime.”
“Yes?” I said, eagerly.
I didn’t have plans that night, and anyway, it was a great chance to prove myself at work.
“Excellent.” The Chief gestured down the hallway. “Jeremy will explain the details.”
And with that, she was gone. It occurred to me that my “Yes” had been a question, but she’d taken it as an answer. No matter. I was pretty much up for any job. As much experience as I could get was worth it.
“So, our job tonight is pretty low-key,” Jeremy said. “We go to Wild Wings, get some wings…”
“That’s it?” I said dubiously.
“Not exactly,” he admitted. “It’s a stakeout. Our informant told the chief that the Hells Angels president is going to be there tonight and is actually willing to talk. There’s this recent murder we haven’t been able to solve, and this guy apparently has some serious intel.” His brows flared. “In exchange for us overlooking some of his most recent dubious activities.”
“I thought the Chief was too much of a hard ass to make those kinds of deals,” I said.
“That's the thing,” Jeremy said, “she is. But you can't get anywhere if you don’t have friends in this world. Friends on the other side, I mean. Sometimes you have to make a deal with the devil, so you can get shit done.”
“All right,” I said.
Truthfully, I’d expected as much, even with the Chief’s reputation. Jeremy was right. You couldn’t be an effective cop and have enemies on all sides.
--
A few minutes later, once we got there, Wild Wings wasn’t exactly packed. Not that I was complaining. It meant that Jeremy and I got our honey garlic wings in record time and could actually hear each other as we talked. He grabbed the ketchup bottle and squeezed some out on his plate.
“Want some?” he asked me.
I allowed him to pour me a square-ish glob on my plate. “Thanks. I have a ketchup addiction myself.”
“Good to know I can count on my partner if I’m ever jonesing for the red sauce,” Jeremy joked. Now we were both laughing. As Jeremy reached for the salt, and I reached for my water, our fingers brushed.
“Sorry,” Jeremy said, too quickly.
Maybe I wasn’t the only one who’d been feeling the tension. Maybe he’d also been trying to decide whether to move his foot when mine brushed against it, or how long to hold eye contact with me.
Luckily, a call broke the awkwardness.
“Yeah.” Jeremy’s smile was rapidly dissolving. “No kidding. All right, bye.”
He hung up, his glance going to me. “That was the Chief. Apparently, she got some shitty intel.”
He glanced to the door.
“Yeah?” I said.
“Yeah. The guy isn’t gonna be here tonight. So we can leave now,” he said. “If you want to.”
My fingers clutched at the napkin on the table in front of me. Had he been secretly bored stuck here with me and was now jumping at the chance to escape?
I snuck a look at him. The way his eyes were resting on me, almost hopefully, didn’t seem like it.
“I’m okay staying if you are,” I said.
“I’m definitely okay with staying”, he said.
As my heart leapt and he flagged down a waitress, it occurred to me that it was probably a bad idea.
I shrugged it off. It was just a drink.
A few minutes later, our drinks had just arrived when Jeremy got a call. This one was a lot different than the last.
“What?” he intoned to the receiver. “So I’m supposed to report to you where I am at all hours?”
Crap, I realized. He has a girlfriend. Of course. How could I have actually thought that a guy like that would’ve been single?
But then he said, “Yes, of course,” and hung up.
“That was my brother,” he explained to me. “Stick-up-the-ass Peter. Apparently, I was supposed to meet him at Shanty’s and forgot. Anyway, he and our other brother Noah are coming here. As long as it’s okay with you.”
“That’s fine,” I said.
It was more than fine, actually. It was probably a good thing Jeremy’s brothers would be there to distract me from the thoughts that were bubbling in my head now that I had drunk half my beer. Like just how good Jeremy filled out his uniform. And how his stubble climbed over his cheeks and made him look rugged and appealing.
By the time the others arrived, I’d drunk the rest of my beer and Jeremy had ordered another plate of wings.
As I took the other two men in, my stomach bubbled like the foam in my beer.
Because these weren't just some guys who kind of looked like Jeremy. They had his same dark hair, although the tallest one had it close cropped and the other wore it a little longer. They also shared his blue green eyes that seemed intent to study whatever they looked at. Just like Jeremy, they were hot as hell and looking at me like maybe I wasn’t the only one with way too much attraction here.
“I may have to leave in like thirty minutes or so,” I told Jeremy. “I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep last night.”
Which was true, mainly because I hadn’t been able to get him out of my head.
But, looking back at the brothers who now sat down, I realized that leaving was going to be a whole lot harder.
4
Peter
So, this was the new girl.
I scratched at the back of my head, pretending not to eye her. When Jeremy had come back to the house the night before with news of his new partner, he hadn't mentioned how her eyes were too big, or how the heart of her face shape set off her lips. He hadn't mentioned a body so curvy, her constraining uniform still couldn’t conceal it.
And Jeremy sure hadn't mentioned how he was looking at her now. No wonder he hadn't invited us. Clearly, he wanted the new girl to himself.
Another glance at her, and I swallowed. Could I blame him? Coming here, I realized, was a poor choice.
But it was too late; Jeremy was making his introductions, and Blair's smile was lighting up her face even more.
“So,” Jeremy said when finished, looking my way pointedly. “Bad day?”
“You know it,” I said, more sullenly than necessary. “Bob’s as much of an incompetent ass as ever.”
“Bob is Peter’s partner,” Jeremy explained to Blair. “He also happens to be the Chief’s boss’s son, so she can't even fire him, as much as she wants to.”
“No,” I said, “instead, she sticks him with me. So I’m the one who gets to enjoy his bad jokes, nonexistent work ethic, and propensity to take us to McDonald’s when we’re supposed to be following a suspect.”
I suddenly realized I was coming off like a complete asshole. “Guess it could be worse.”
Noah shrugged. “My partner’s good at his job, just perpetually grumpy.”
“Like Peter,” Jeremy said sweetly.
“Forgive me for expecting to find you where you said you’d be,” I said. “Anyway, I thought you wanted to talk about a dog.”
“I do,” Jeremy said. “I just forgot.”
I left it at that. Anyway, now I’d found a nice mutt at the Humane Society without Jeremy’s help. It was now waiting at the house, and I could tell him that later.
“You’re getting a dog?” Blair asked.
“Yeah,” Jeremy said. “I wanted a boxer and Noah wanted a collie, but Peter insisted on saving one of the sad saps in the Humane Society, so we’re getting one from there.”
“They're perfectly good dogs most of the time,” I argued. “The whole purebred thing is just because people want to use their dogs as another excuse to show off, and they want to know exactly what to expect since each breed has certain temperaments.”
“Is that so bad, though?” Blair said. “Knowing what to expect?”
“No,” I admitted. “Only, I think you get a good sense of a dog, for the most part, if you meet it once or twice. If it doesn’t like people, or is violent, typically it'll show it right away. Anyway, even with purebreds you never know exactly what kind of dog you’re going to get.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jeremy said, patting my shoulder. “Don’t try playing it down. Real reason is you like fighting for the little guy.”
I shrugged. “I’m certainly not a cop so I can be close to my brothers 24/7.”
They all laughed at that one.
I nibbled on the wing plate Jeremy shoved at me, still hungry as soon as I put the last wing bone down.
When the waitress approached, I ordered three more plates of wings and Noah ordered some fried zucchini. Thanks to the almost abandoned restaurant around us, the waitress was back within minutes with my wings ready as well as a bowl brimming full of zucchini.
Just before she reached our table, however, she slipped.
On what, it was impossible to say, except that the wing plate somehow managed to land on the ground right side up, while the zucchini bowl flew through the air, flinging its contents into Blair’s lap.
For a second, we all froze. Then, Blair lifted a soggy piece of zucchini, wiggled it and laughed.
The rest of us joined in as the waitress scrambled to pick everything up. “I’m sorry. I’m so so so sorry, I don’t even know what happened.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Blair told her. “Are you ok?”
After the waitress had left, brimming with apologies and soggy zucchinis, Blair explained to us. “I was a waitress, and one time I spilled a beer on some guy’s head.”
As she went on to chatting with Noah, I watched her. It was strange, but for some reason I hadn’t expected her to be so nice about those dumped zucchinis. I know I wouldn’t have been. Truth be told, with her understanding eyes, Blair didn’t look tough enough to be a cop, but what did I know?
When she went off to the bathroom and the waitress returned, Jeremy was already buying her a beer.
“To make up for the whole zucchini debacle,” he explained to us.
“I think we need some more time to decide,” I cut in, sending the waitress away.
“What the hell was that?” Jeremy asked me, scowling.
I indicated the drink Blair already had. “Sure another drink’s a good idea?”
“Yeah,” Jeremy said shortly.
I stared at him. “Then you haven’t thought it through.”
Noah was shifting uneasily in his seat, probably sensing the fight to come.
“Chill,” Jeremy was saying. “We're keeping things professional.”
“Right now you are,” I said pointedly.
Just then, a mechanical noise cut in.
“Guys, look,” Noah said, then, “Whoa.”
“Whoa” was right, although even “whoa” fell way, way short of the mark.
Blair was riding the bucking mechanical bull I hadn’t even noticed was there. The way her thighs were pressed down, head thrown back in triumphant laughter, she was a vision.
A look at my brothers confirmed that I wasn’t the only one who thought so either.
I ran my hand along the back of my hair. Keeping things professional, eh? I took another look at her… Good fucking luck with that.
5
Blair
I was still on the bull, riding wild, fast, resolute. Gripping with all my might, laughing. Hardly seeing their looks, but feeling them like a visceral stroke.
My eyes snapped open.
I was in my room hours later, in bed, staring at the ceiling. I thought back to the evening at the bar. I don’t know what had possessed me to ride that bull, but I had come out of the bathroom and had just had to climb on. After I’d down two more beers and goaded Jeremy and his brothers into riding it as well, they’d driven me home.
There was a warm feeling between my legs that I ignored. No way was I going down that road. Not with Jeremy and not with any of his brothers.
And with that resolution, I fell fast asleep.
--
The next day at work, it was back to more speeding tickets with Jeremy. By now, talking to him was a lot easier. He was outgoing and fairly chatty, so we never lacked for conversation. That day he wanted my take on everything from the cop car to what I thought about the Academy.
A text momentarily distracted Jeremy’s attention, then he was smiling again.
“Yeah,” he said casually. “So you were a hit last night.”
“I was?” I said, being careful to keep the excitement off my voice.
Jeremy jabbed his thumb at his phone screen, although it was dark by then. “It was Noah. He’s down for it again tonight if we are.”
“I’d love to,” I told him. “But I can’t. Tonight is my sister’s recital.”
I explained to him about how Ella, at age seventeen was basically the type of piano virtuoso that people paid big money to see.
He nodded, then asked, “What about tomorrow night?”
I didn’t let the fear and uncertainty start to take root. I only nodded. “Tomorrow night.”
As excitement tremored through me, I tried hard to ignore it. If I changed my mind, I could always refuse the next day.
--
The rest of the afternoon went well enough. By the time I got home, I barely had enough time to change before I was speeding over to Ella’s recital. It was on the other side of town, which meant that I had to battle traffic, as well as blossoming fears about being late, in order to get there. As it turned out, I arrived with five minutes to spare.
“You came,” Ella said.
She looked like an ethereal angel with the wispy floral dress she had on, and her smile beaming off her face.
I enclosed her in a hug. Dipping my head to hers, I said, “Of course I came. I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”
Ella grinned at me again, then admitted, “I’m crazy nervous.”
“Stop. You'll be great,” I told her. “You’ve been playing piano since before you could talk.” It was true. My parents had found the unlikely way to distract their colicky baby was to put a keyboard in front of her. She’d fiddled around, then took to it almost immediately, and had been playing Mozart since she was four.
“We're so glad you came,” my mom said, tucking honey strands of hair behind her ear. “And that work is going great too.”
I grinned at Ella. I’d given her the scoop, but I hadn't found the time to talk to my parents yet. “You told them?”
“They practically bit my head off to find out,” Ella admitted with a smile. “You know mom and dad, worrywarts to the last.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I do.”
I didn’t add that this time they may have had a point. I was starting to worry too. About the way Jeremy’s and my eyes met when there was no reason for them to. About the pauses in our conversation that seemed to say much more than mere words. I knew I couldn’t give into our attraction. Although it was just getting increasingly harder to, and I’d only known him for a few days. What would months with him be like? Years?
I forced the question from my mind as I took my seat by my parents. A few minutes later Ella was curtsying in front of the crowd, walking up to the grand piano.
The room was so quiet you could hear every clack of her heels on the marble floor. Although, once my sister’s hands laid upon the piano, beautiful, breathtaking music filled the room.
Chords and melodies so sublime, it almost seemed impossible to just be coming from an instrument, echoed up into the vaulted roof. I let my head lay back and my eyes close, as the melody overtook me, vibrating in my chest.
