Chapter 7 #2
“Too dressy,” Landon says from my phone screen in a half-bored, half-amused tone. “Why do you care, man? These are the people who have barely ever bothered to invite you to anything for all these years. Go as yourself. Wear what’s comfortable and clean.”
“It’s not them.”
Understanding dawns in Landon’s eyes and spreads like syrup over a pancake across his face. “Ahhhh. This is about your new partner in crime. Or not-crime. Partner in not crime.”
He’s right. It’s not about impressing the people I’ve known my whole life. This is about not coming across as the boring small-town cop to Alex.
“I just want to look good. Okay?”
“Yeah you do.” Landon chuckles.
“What am I doing?” I plop onto the edge of my bed, running my hands through my hair.
Landon’s quiet for a beat. Then he says, “You’re getting ready for a party. That’s all. It’s not more than that. You like this woman. That’s not a bad thing. One day, a woman you like will see you for who you are. And she’ll actually want you to pursue her.”
Alex sees me. I don’t share that with Landon. “What if she doesn’t?”
“Want you?”
I nod. I can’t even speak.
“No harm. No foul,” Landon says, as if it’s as simple as that. “This isn’t a date. It’s a party. You show up. Hang out. If it gets uncomfortable, you say you’re tired and you leave.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“Because it is. Now show me your other outfit choice.”
I try on another pair of jeans—a dark wash. And I pair those with my boots and a burgundy button-up collared shirt. Then I put on my leather coat.
“That’s the winner,” Landon says. “You look nice. Now take a deep breath and go have some fun for a change.”
“Okay,” I tell him. “Thanks.”
When did having fun turn into a chore? It’s not like I don’t go out. I do. But the older I’ve gotten, the more friends have settled down. It’s not easy being thirty-one and single.
The drive to Aiden’s farm rolls along County Line Road.
Ranches and farms blur by, illuminated by porch lights and the moon overhead.
The gravel of the MacIntyre driveway crunches under my tires as I pull in behind Lexi and Trevor’s minivan along the side of the driveway next to the low fence.
The bleating of goats fills the air when I step out of my car.
“Hey, Jesse!” Duke shouts, raising his hand in greeting. He’s warm by nature. Always makes everyone feel welcome and included.
“Hey, Duke!” I shout back. He stops in his tracks, saying something to Shannon and then waiting for me to catch up.
“Good to see you,” Duke says when I’m almost next to him. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Aiden asked me this week. I think it’s because of Alex.” I don’t know why I said that.
“Okay, then. I haven’t gotten to know her yet. What’s she like?”
There’s the million dollar question. “She’s nice.”
Duke sizes me up and grins. “Ahhhh yeah. I see that. Nice, huh?”
“Yep.” I open the door and step inside. Duke follows me, immediately distracted by people shouting his name.
He surprises me by not simply abandoning me to go say hello to other people. “Come find me later. I’d love to catch up.”
“Uh. Okay. Sure.”
Man. I’m so rusty at all of this. Get me on the job and I feel capable. Secure. Strip me of my badge and I feel like I’ve been thrust back into high school—all gangly limbs and awkward social skills.
Duke doesn’t seem to notice. He just smiles broadly, claps me on the shoulder and heads over to the spot where his friends are clustered like players in a huddle.
I scan the room and my eyes land on Alex.
She’s near the fireplace, laughing with Lexi and Trevor.
The ease in her posture hits me harder than I expect—she fits here better than I ever have.
I grew up in this town, but somehow she belongs.
I don’t fault her. If anything, her warmth pulls me closer, makes me want to experience my hometown vicariously through her.
Aiden sees me standing here, eyes on Alex, feet glued to the foyer floor. A few kids dash through laughing and chasing one another.
Aiden walks over, smiling and ruffling one of the children’s hair as they dash by. “Didn’t think we’d see you out here off-duty, Heinz.”
“Thanks for inviting me.”
“We should ask you more often, honestly. I’m glad Lexi suggested it.”
I don’t know what to say, so I just nod and look over at Alex again. Aiden follows my gaze and smiles. “She seems pretty nice.”
“She is. She’s a natural on the job. Easy to be around, but she takes the job seriously.” And she takes me seriously.
Alex looks over and a warm smile fills her face. She says something to Lexi and Trevor, putting her hand on Lexi’s forearm and giving it a light squeeze, and then she’s making her way to the entryway where Aiden and I are standing together.
“Hey, Jesse,” she says, scanning from my feet to my face. “You clean up nicely.”
Aiden smiles. “I’m going to check on the refreshments. I’ll catch you two in a bit.” He walks away, leaving me alone with Alex. Everything in me relaxes a few degrees in her presence, but I’m also more keyed up at the same time.
“I’m glad you came,” Alex says easily. “Did you want to grab something to drink?”
“No. I’m good.” I look her over. She’s wearing a red dress and tall brown boots. Her hair is down around her shoulders. She’s wearing more makeup than she does when we’re at work.
“You look beautiful.” I question the compliment as soon as I say it.
But then Alex sashays a little and says, “You think? Thanks, Jesse.”
The way she says my name—soft and familiar, like she’s been saying it all her life—curls low in my chest. She’s breathtaking. My pulse stumbles, searching for its pace; my thoughts stall—jumbled and uncertain. She has no idea the impact she’s having on me—and maybe that’s for the best.
“Come on,” she says. “Let’s mingle.”
I’d rather not, but when she steps away from me, looking over her shoulder to make sure I’m following, my body makes the decision for me, following her into the living room to join Lexi and Trevor near the fireplace.
The tree glows with white twinkle lights. Instrumental carols play softly throughout the house. The murmur of conversation with occasional bursts of laughter fills the air. People move from group to group, carrying plastic glasses of drinks and dessert plates of appetizers or holiday treats.
Throughout the night, Alex keeps an eye on me, even when we’re separated and she’s across the room.
Our eyes catch and she sends me a soft smile.
I don’t know what it means. Maybe she’s just being thoughtful.
Whatever her motivation, her attentive care calms me.
I end up in conversations with people I’ve known my whole life.
We talk about the gingerbread bandit, as people have been calling the thief, and about other things—plans for the holidays, the Christmas parade, and shared memories.
I’m grabbing a few mini quiches from a table when Alex stops next to me. “Are you having fun?”
“Surprisingly, yes,” I answer her honestly.
Instead of questioning me, she simply says, “I’m glad.” And then she smiles up at me. I stare into her eyes, wondering what she’s thinking—wishing I could ask her.
“Have people asked you about the gingerbread?” she asks.
“Yes. Of course. Nothing like this ever happens around here. And it’s not surprising that everyone has already heard.”
“They’re asking me too,” Alex says.
I nod. “Well, you are the detective on the case.”
“I am. Aren’t I?” Alex smiles brightly and shimmies her shoulders.
Our eyes lock again, and we just stare at one another, soft smiles on our lips. Then Laura comes bounding over. “I have to steal you for a minute, Alex. You need to settle something for us.” Laura looks at me. “Sorry, Jesse. Excuse us for a moment.”
Alex shrugs and allows Laura to drag her into the other room.
As time passes, I relax. I’m enjoying conversations, or just standing in groups listening to other people talk.
Occasionally, Alex and I are in the same group of people.
When she’s talking to someone else, or I am, our eyes seem to find one another.
I’m not sure what to chalk that up to. Is it because we’ve spent so much time together on the job? Or is it something more?
I’m still watching her when Chris’ eyebrows lift, a knowing grin spreading across his face. He passes by me a few moments later. His quiet assessment lands like a bomb. “You’ve got it bad, man.”
“What?” I ask, ducking for cover, even though we both know what he means.
He chuckles, claps me on the shoulder, and moves on as if he didn’t just blow my denial to smithereens.
Lexi and Trevor walk through the kitchen. I’m leaning back on one of the counters while Duke entertains a group of us with a story. Trevor’s son is in his arms, draped lazily across his shoulder in that telltale posture of exhaustion. Lexi’s holding their daughter’s hand.
“We’re heading out,” Trevor says to Aiden and Em. “Thanks for hosting.”
Lexi turns to Alex. “Are you ready to go?”
“Sure,” she says. “Let me just grab my purse.”
Alex gives me the briefest glance and I can’t say what makes me blurt the next thing that comes out of my mouth.
“I can give you a ride home.”
“What?” Trevor, Lexi and Alex all say in unison, and now the entire kitchen full of people are staring at me.
I clear my throat and stare at Alex, focusing on her alone. “I can drive you home. That way Lexi and Trevor can get the kids home and to bed more quickly.”
“That’s so thoughtful, Jesse,” Lexi says. “Are you sure it’s no trouble?”
“No trouble at all,” I assure her.
“Is that okay with you?” Lexi asks Alex.
“Of course,” Alex says. “Jesse’s my chauffeur all day long every day.”
“Is that what I am?” I ask her, chuckling.
She gives me a sassy look. It’s like a private joke—between just the two of us.
We say our goodbyes and walk to my car. I purposely walk around and open Alex’s door for her. She takes the bait and teases me.
“Opening my door, Heinz?”
“No. It’s Jesse.” I smile at her as she slides past me into the seat. “When we’re on the clock, I’m Officer Heinz and you’re on your own with your door. When we’re off duty, I’m Jesse.”
“And Jesse opens my door?”
I simply smile, shutting her into the passenger seat and walking around to climb into the driver’s seat.
Christmas music comes on when I turn the key, and our conversation quickly moves from comfortable silence to light teasing about the party.
“Did you have fun, though?” She asks like my answer matters to her.
“I actually did.” I smile over at her. “Did you?”
“Yes. I never knew I’d like a ranch property, but Aiden and Em’s place is straight out of a dream.”
“You seemed to fit right in.”
“Everyone made me feel welcome.”
“I’m glad.”
We pull up in front of Alex’s house and exchange a look. She shakes her head as if I’m ridiculous, but she doesn’t open her door before I come around to do it for her.
“I don’t hate it when you do that,” she admits when she steps out past me. “Only when we’re at work.”
We walk to her porch, side-by-side. It feels too natural—too easy. Just like everything has felt with her from the beginning—well, everything after the night I tried to arrest her.
The air smells faintly like chimney smoke and crisp snow. We stand on Alex’s porch, staring at one another. She doesn’t make a move to grab her keys. Her weight shifts from foot to foot.
This is not a date. But it feels close enough to make my heart forget the difference for a moment.
“Well, goodnight, Jesse.” Alex looks up into my eyes, still not fishing in her purse. “Thanks for the ride home.”
“Anytime.”
There’s a lot more I want to say—to ask.
“Have a nice night, Alex.”
She nods and then she shocks me by stepping forward and giving me a hug. I wrap my arms around her, loving the feel of her tucked in next to me. I give her a short squeeze and then release her. I don’t say a word. I’m absolutely sure anything I say will ruin the moment—whatever the moment is.
It takes everything in me to let go, but I force myself to step back so she can fish for her keys. There’s a fine line between returning her hug and making her uncomfortable, and I’m determined to stay on the right side of it.
Alex slips the house key into her lock and turns toward me.
“Goodnight, Jesse.” She smiles softly.
“Goodnight, Alex.”
She steps inside and I remain on her porch until the door clicks shut.
Then I walk down her walkway with a smile that feels bone deep—one that feels a lot like belonging somewhere at last.