Chapter 3
Chapter Three
The glow of the bar lights shone down on Emily as she leaned against the pool table, cue stick in hand. Her friends, Cora Hightower and Natalie Ballister, laughed and chatted animatedly beside her. It was their girls’ night out, a rare occasion where they could let loose and enjoy themselves with no reservations.
“Your turn, Em,” Cora said, tossing her black hair over her shoulder. She was a fifth-grade teacher at the local elementary school, and her green eyes sparkled with energy as she handed Emily the chalk to prepare her shot.
“All right, all right,” Emily replied, brushing her brown hair away from her face and focusing on the task at hand.
“Don’t stress out, Em. You won’t miss,” Natalie teased, her other friend’s competitive nature coming out as she brushed her red hair behind her ears and smirked.
During the day, Emily was a dispatcher for the Sweet Bloom Sheriff’s Department, but tonight, she allowed herself to unwind and forget about her responsibilities for a few hours.
Emily sunk her shot effortlessly, much to the admiration of her friends. As she straightened up and turned to high-five them, she noticed a group of men hovering near their table, eyeing them curiously.
“Hey ladies, mind if we join in on this game?” one of them asked, grinning confidently.
Cora and Natalie exchanged a look, but before they could respond, Emily spoke up. “Actually, we’re completely full,” she said with a polite smile.
The men were relentless, fueled by shots of liquid courage as they attempted to flirt with and engage the group of women. But Emily was resolute, her back stiff and her words polite yet assertive as she turned down their advances.
“Sorry boys, tonight is just about us girls,” she said, remaining unwavering, her spine straight and her words polite but firm as she declined their advances. She was determined to protect their girls’ night out from any unwanted distractions or disruptions.
As the men finally gave up and walked away, Cora let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness for you, Em. Those guys were relentless.”
With the distraction gone, the trio continued their game of pool, laughing and joking with each other as they sipped on their drinks.
“Nice shot,” Natalie exclaimed as Emily sank the eight-ball into the corner pocket. The three women exchanged high-fives before gathering around the table to set up a new game.
Just as they were about to start, the door to the bar swung open and in walked Paul Evans. He had Laura, the office manager, on his arm, and they were both laughing as they entered. Emily couldn’t help but notice how attractive Paul looked, his brown hair slightly tousled and his eyes shining with amusement. And for the first time, Laura seemed relaxed and happy, so unlike the uptight woman who ran the administrative side of the sheriff’s department. Was this Paul’s doing? Did he have this kind of effect on all women?
“Hey, look who it is,” whispered Cora, nudging Emily gently. “Isn’t that the new guy you work with?”
Emily hesitated before speaking, her voice betraying a slight shake. “Yeah, that’s him,” she finally admitted. Her heart raced, pounding against her chest like a caged animal trying to break free. She couldn’t understand why seeing him with another woman would affect her so strongly. It was like her entire body was on alert, anticipating every move he would make, which made no sense because she barely knew him.
“Ooh, do you have a little crush?” teased Natalie, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
“Of course not,” Emily scoffed, turning her attention back to the pool table and hoping her friends couldn’t see the slight blush rising to her cheeks. “I don’t date guys with badges. Remember?”
“Sure, sure,” Cora said, smirking as they watched Paul and Laura take a seat at a secluded corner booth. They seemed to be heavily flirting, their heads bent close together as they whispered and giggled. The surrounding atmosphere buzzed with electricity as if they were the only two people in the room. Their heads were bent close together, their lips moving in hushed tones as they shared secrets and laughter. It was as if the world had faded away, and all that was left was the two of them, lost in their own intoxicating bubble of flirtation and infatuation.
Emily tried to ignore her unfounded jealousy and focus on her game, but her thoughts kept drifting to Paul and his easy smile. She shook her head, determined not to let him get under her skin. Tonight was about spending time with her friends and having fun. And that was exactly what she intended to do.
Her fingers tightened around her pool cue as she tried to concentrate on her shot. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and she silently berated herself for letting Paul’s presence affect her so much.
“Are you okay, Em?” Cora asked, noticing the tension in her friend’s body.
“Fine,” Emily said with a tight-lipped smile, forcing her gaze away from where Paul and Laura were flirting. “Just trying to focus on the game.”
“Your turn, Natalie,” Cora called out, trying to bring everyone’s attention back to the pool table.
As Emily watched Natalie line up her shot, she couldn’t help but sneak glances at Paul and Laura. The sight of them together gnawed at her, making her stomach twist with jealousy. She hated the way it made her feel, especially since she had no right to.
“Hey, what’s got you so distracted?” Natalie asked, catching Emily off-guard.
“Nothing, just...thinking about work stuff,” Emily said, attempting to shrug it off nonchalantly.
Cora and Natalie exchanged knowing looks before turning their gazes toward the corner booth where Emily had been looking.
“What’s up with you? Why are you so bothered by him and what he’s doing?” Natalie asked, concern lacing her voice.
“He’s just annoying. He flirts with anything with a skirt, and it gets on my nerves,” Emily admitted reluctantly. “I mean, he was all over me when he first met me.”
“Ah, I see,” Cora said, nodding. “So, is that why you’re all tense and weird? Are you wishing you were on that date with him instead of the brunette?”
“No,” Emily said defensively, her cheeks growing hot. “I told you, I don’t date guys with badges. I just wish he would take his date someplace else where we don’t have to watch him carry on like that.”
“He does seem to not care about who’s watching,” Natalie agreed with a sigh.
“Enough about that overly flirtatious K-9 handler,” Cora said with a wave of her hand as if dismissing him from their thoughts. “Let’s focus on us.”
As they continued playing pool, Emily tried her best to do what her friend suggested and concentrate on the game. She was determined not to let him get under her skin—even if it was becoming increasingly difficult to do so.
Just as Emily took her next shot, Paul rose from his booth and made his way across the room. As he passed by them, he flashed Emily a grin that made her heart skip a beat.
“Hey, Emily. Fancy meeting you here,” he said, leaning casually against the side of the pool table.
“Hi, Paul,” she replied, trying to sound disinterested. “Shouldn’t you be getting back to your date?”
“Maybe eventually,” he answered, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “But I thought I’d come over and see how my favorite coworker is doing.”
Emily rolled her eyes at his blatant flirting but couldn’t help the warmth that spread through her chest at his words. She reminded herself that she had no reason to feel this way—after all, she didn’t date guys with badges, and Paul was obviously just looking for some fun tonight.
“Your ‘favorite coworker’ is just fine, thank you,” she retorted, forcing a smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re trying to enjoy our girls’ night out.”
“All right, all right,” Paul relented, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “I’ll leave you ladies to your evening. But just so you know, Emily,” he added, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper, “I’m always up for a game of pool if you ever need a partner.”
With a wink and a chuckle, Paul sauntered back to his booth, leaving Emily standing there with her pool cue in hand and an inexplicable mixture of irritation and longing swirling in the pit of her stomach.
“Ugh, I need some fresh air,” Emily declared, setting her pool cue down and slipping past her friends. She couldn’t shake the feeling of annoyance that Paul’s flirting had sparked in her, and she needed a moment to clear her head.
“Are you okay?” Cora called after her, concern etched on her face.
“Fine, I just need a break,” Emily assured her, hurrying out the door and into the cool night breeze.
Once outside, she took several deep breaths, trying to regain her composure, but the cold area didn’t do the job she wanted. She still couldn’t stop thinking about Paul. Why did he have this effect on her? She didn’t even know him that well, and yet his mere presence could send her emotions spiraling.
“Emily Ortiz, get a grip,” she whispered to herself. “You don’t date guys with badges, remember?” But the mantra of hers did little to calm her nerves.
Just as she was turning back toward the door, a soft voice caught her off guard.
“Taking a break from the madness inside?” Paul had followed her outside. The streetlight cast a gentle glow on his face, softening the lines of determination that usually set his features.
Emily crossed her arms defensively. “I thought you’d be back at your table, charming the socks off Laura.”
Paul shrugged, his hands buried deep in his pockets. “She’s nice and all, but I noticed you seemed a bit off tonight. Wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
Despite herself, Emily felt a twinge of gratitude—mixed inconveniently with annoyance. “I’m fine,” she stated firmly, although her voice lacked its usual conviction.
He studied her for a moment, then looked away, focusing on the quiet street.
Paul sighed, the sound heavy in the crisp evening air. “Emily, I don’t mean to step on any toes here, but it seems like something’s bothering you. Is it something I did?”
Her gaze flicked away from him, focusing on a distant streetlight before snapping back. “It’s not about what you did, Paul. It’s how you’re doing it,” she stated, her voice gaining an edge.
Paul frowned, confusion etching his brow. “How I’m doing what exactly?”
“This,” Emily gestured between them with a flustered motion. “The flirting, the constant attention. It’s too much for me. It makes things...complicated.”
Surprise darkened Paul’s eyes; he took a step closer, his expression earnest. “Complicated? Emily, I didn’t realize?—”
“That’s just it, you didn’t realize,” Emily cut him off sharply. Her arms were still crossed tightly across her chest as if to physically shield herself from the situation. “You don’t know because you never asked. You just assumed I was like every other woman you went after and would swoon at your feet. But what you clearly don’t get about me is that I’m not that gullible.”
The muscles in Paul’s jaw clenched briefly as he processed her words, and then his stance softened. He let out a breath and nodded slowly. “Look, I think you’ve got?—”
Before he could say more, the sound of the door swinging open interrupted them. Natalie’s voice called out, “Em? You vanished into thin air. What’s happening?”
Natalie stepped outside, followed closely by Cora. Both women stopped short when they saw who Emily was with. Natalie’s eyebrows rose significantly while Cora gave a small wave.
“Ooh la la, what do we have here?” Natalie whispered loudly enough for both Emily and Paul to hear.
“Nothing much,” Emily assured her friends quickly. “Just getting some fresh air.”
Paul nodded in agreement. “Yeah, exactly,” he chimed in helpfully.
“Fresh air, huh?” Natalie teased as she approached. “Looked more like we arrived just in time to stop a fight.”
Cora laughed softly and moved toward Emily, looping her arm around her friend’s shoulders in a conspiratorial manner. “Come on. We were just about to start another round of pool.”
The support from her friends was exactly what she needed. As the group of friends started heading back inside together, Emily cast a quick glance over her shoulder at Paul. He looked frustrated, his easy-going smile replaced by a deep frown.
Just as they arrived back inside, a sudden loud crash shattered the relative peace of the evening. Shouts and curses followed, the sound of chairs scraping against the floor raising the alarm.
“That doesn’t sound good,” Paul yelled as he rushed past the women and right over to where a fight was brewing.
Emily nodded, her dispatcher instincts kicking in. “I should probably help out.”
The bar had transformed into a scene of chaos. Two men were at the center, throwing punches while others either tried to pull them apart or cheered them on.
Paul moved swiftly, his training evident as he approached the fighters. “Hey,” he shouted, his voice authoritative enough to draw some attention away from the fight.
Emily slipped through the crowd, reaching for her phone to call for backup, even though they were technically off duty. As she glanced over at Paul, she saw him trying to separate the men, his expression focused and calm under pressure.
Suddenly, one man broke free and swung wildly, his fist connecting with someone who had been trying too late to intervene. The situation escalated as friends jumped into the fray.
Emily shoved her phone in her pocket and rushed to help Paul. Together, they pulled one of the brawlers back. “Enough,” Emily shouted over the noise, surprising herself with her own firmness.
Paul looked over at her briefly, nodding in thanks before turning back to handle another man trying to dive back into the fight.
The arrival of more deputies finally quelled the upheaval as Sheriff Hart pushed through. His presence brought a new level of authority to the scene, and slowly but surely, order was restored.
As things settled down, Paul and Emily stood side by side, panting from their exertions.
“Nice teamwork,” Paul commented as he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.
“Yeah,” Emily agreed, managing a weary smile despite herself. “Seems like we make a good team.”
Sheriff Hart approached them then, clapping both on their shoulders appreciatively. “Good job handling this mess,” he praised them.
As they all worked together to finalize reports and ensure statements were taken correctly, Emily couldn’t help but feel an unexpected sense of camaraderie with Paul. Still internally conflicted but undeniably shaken by recent events—and their unexpected collaboration—Emily found herself admiring Paul for his work ethic.
“Look, I should probably get back to my date. Laura’s been patiently waiting over at our booth,” Paul told Emily. “You gonna be all right?”
She nodded. “Have a good night, Paul.”
As she watched him head back to the other woman, she tried to convince herself that it didn’t matter. But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she wished it was her cozying up to him in the booth.
Back at her apartment, Emily kicked off her shoes and tossed her purse onto the couch. As she poured herself a glass of water, her mind couldn’t help but drift back to the bar and the sight of Paul with Laura, laughing and flirting so easily.
“Stop it,” she muttered, taking a sip of water. “He’s not worth your time or energy.”
She glanced around her living room at the photos of her family and friends on the walls and the small reminders of her faith scattered throughout. Emily had built a good life for herself here in Sweet Bloom, and she wasn’t about to let one man—badge-wearing or not—throw her off balance.
“From now on,” she vowed, setting her glass down with determination, “Paul Evans will not get under my skin. I won’t let it happen again.”
With a sigh, she changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed, hoping that sleep would bring some much-needed peace and clarity. Tomorrow was a new day, and she would face it and whatever challenges it brought, with strength and grace.