Chapter 23
Macie
The past few weeks have been a whirlwind since Nicole got out of the hospital, and I officially moved in with her and Darren. We're building a new life together, and I'm loving it more than I realized I would.
Gerald's sitting in a cell awaiting trial, the restraining order violation stacked on top of the assault charges and enough evidence from my apartment to keep him there a good long while, according to the DA's office.
It's strange how quickly life settles once the threat's actually gone, how normal things start feeling again, grocery runs and laundry and Nicole's bedtime routine turning into something that just feels like it’s the life I should’ve been living my whole life.
"You wanna go surprise Daddy for lunch?" I ask Nicole, buckling her into her booster seat in the back of my car.
"Yes!" She claps her hands together, always thrilled by the idea of catching her father off guard, especially when it means getting to order whatever she wants off the kids menu at The Cafe.
Darren mentioned this morning over coffee that he and Van were planning to grab lunch there between patrols, some kind of standing routine they've fallen into over the last month, and the second he left for his shift I decided Nicole and I needed to make an appearance. Today’s my day off, so there's nothing stopping us from crashing his lunch break.
The Cafe's got its usual midday crowd when we walk in, a mix of regulars and a few tourists passing through, and I spot Darren and Van tucked into a booth near the back before Nicole does, both of them in uniform, deep in conversation over plates of food.
"There's Daddy!" Nicole takes off the second she sees him, weaving between tables faster than I can catch up, and Darren looks up just in time to catch her flying at his legs.
"Hey, munchkin." He scoops her up, surprise written all over his face as he glances toward me approaching behind her. "What are you two doing here?"
"We missed you." I lean down to kiss him quick before sliding into the booth beside Van. "Figured since I’m off today, we'd come bother you on your lunch break."
"Best kind of bother there is." Darren settles Nicole onto his lap, and she immediately starts eyeing his plate like she's got every intention of stealing his fries. "Van, you remember Macie."
"Course I do." Van grins, sliding over to make room. "Nice to see you again. And you too, little miss."
"Hi Van." Nicole waves, already reaching for one of Darren's fries without asking permission, and he just laughs, letting her have it.
"How's the rookie treating you these days?" I ask Darren, nodding toward Van.
"He's coming along good. Handled a domestic call solo last week. A married couple was hunting and got into an argument. It was the first time I let him take lead on something serious." Darren tips his chin at Van, pride evident in his voice. "Did great."
"Wouldn't have done half as good without watching you handle things first," Van says, a little sheepish, though I can tell the praise means something to him.
The waitress comes by, and Nicole insists on ordering her own food, proudly telling the woman she wants chicken tenders and apple juice, no ice, the same order she's had memorized for weeks now.
I order myself a sandwich, and we settle into an easy conversation, Van telling us about a call from earlier in the week where somebody's goat got loose and ended up wandering three blocks down Main Street before anyone managed to corral it.
"You should've seen Darren chasing that thing," Van says, laughing so hard he nearly chokes on his water. "Goat outran him for a solid two blocks before it finally gave up."
"I was not outrun by a goat." Darren shoots him a look, though there's no real irritation behind it. "I was strategically letting it tire itself out."
"Sure you were." I bite back a laugh, picturing my six-foot-something boyfriend chasing a goat down Main Street in full uniform. "This is a story I need more details on later."
"There's a video," Van offers helpfully. "Somebody posted it to the town Facebook group."
"Van." Darren's voice carries a warning, though it's clearly too late, because I'm already pulling my phone out, determined to find that video the second we get home.
Nicole giggles at the whole exchange, not fully understanding the goat story but clearly enjoying watching her dad get teased, kicking her feet happily while she works through her chicken tenders one at a time, always saving the biggest piece for last the way she does with everything.
"This is nice," Darren says quietly while Van gets pulled into a conversation with the waitress refilling drinks. "Having you two just show up like this."
"Yeah?" I reach across the table, lacing my fingers through his free hand.
"Yeah." His thumb brushes against my knuckles, something soft settling behind his eyes. "Feels like exactly what I didn't know I was missing all those years before you came around."
"Well, get used to it, because I plan on making a habit of crashing your lunch breaks." I squeeze his hand, warmth spreading through my chest at the easy domesticity of all of it, sitting here in a booth with his partner and our daughter like this is just what our life looks like now.
We finish our lunch with more stories from Van, and by the time Darren's radio crackles with a call needing their attention, Nicole's practically asleep against his shoulder from the food coma settling in.
"Duty calls." He presses a kiss to Nicole's head, then leans over to kiss me properly before sliding out of the booth. "I'll see you both tonight."
"We'll be there." I take Nicole from him, hoisting her onto my hip as she blinks sleepily against my shoulder. "Be safe out there, eight pack."
"Always am." He winks before heading out with Van close behind, both of them tossing a few bills onto the table for their half of the check, and I watch through the window as they climb into the cruiser and pull away, already missing him even though I'll see him again in a matter of hours.
The rest of my afternoon passes in a blur of errands and Nicole's nap, and by the time I finish cleaning the house that evening, exhaustion's settled deep into every muscle.
I get home a little before Darren does, leaving Nicole in with Kelsea, who offered to keep her overnight so Darren and I could have some time to ourselves, and by the time I make it back to the house and into the living room, I'm too tired to do much besides collapse onto the couch, fully intending to wait up for him.
I must drift off somewhere in the middle of a rerun playing on the TV, because the next thing I register is the front door easing open, followed by soft footsteps crossing the living room floor.
"Hey." Darren's voice comes out low, gentle, and I blink my eyes open to find him crouched down beside the couch, still in uniform, badge catching the light from the lamp I left on. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."
"S'okay." I stretch, working the stiffness out of my neck from sleeping at an awkward angle. "What time is it?"
"Little after eleven." He brushes a strand of hair back from my face, something soft and warm behind his eyes as he looks at me. "Nic's good at Mom's?"
"Yeah, she was super excited to spend the night." I sit up a little, making room for him on the couch, and he sinks down beside me, pulling my legs across his lap. "Long shift?"
"Long enough." He runs a hand along my calf, thumb tracing idle patterns against my skin. "Been thinking about something the whole drive home."
"Yeah? What's that?"
"You should know we're gonna get married one day.
" He says it plainly, no hesitation behind it, like he's just stating a fact he's already decided in his own mind.
"Not asking right now, don't worry, I haven't even picked out a ring yet.
But I need you to know it's coming, Mace.
This isn't casual for me. Never has been. "
My breath catches, warmth spreading fast through my chest at the certainty in his voice, at the way he says it like there's no version of our future where that isn't true. "You planning on giving me a heads up on everything big before it happens?"
"Only the important stuff." He leans down, brushing his lips against mine, soft at first. "Wanted you to know exactly what you're signed up for, so it doesn't catch you off guard whenever I actually get around to asking properly."
"Consider me warned." I loop my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, kissing him deeper this time, and he groans low against my mouth, one hand sliding up under my shirt to rest warm against my ribs.
"God, I love you." He kisses along my jaw, down to the sensitive spot beneath my ear that makes me shiver every single time. "Been a long day thinking about getting home to you."
"Show me." I tug at the collar of his uniform shirt, already working the buttons loose while he kisses down the column of my throat, one hand tangling in my hair.
He makes quick work of the rest of his shirt, tossing it somewhere off the couch, and I run my hands over his chest, still catching my breath every time I get to touch him like this, still amazed some days that this is actually my life now.
He pulls me into his lap, straddling him on the couch, and I feel exactly how much he missed me pressed hard against me, groaning into his mouth as he grips my hips, grinding me down against him.
"Bedroom," I manage between kisses, though neither of us seems particularly interested in moving anywhere just yet, too caught up in each other right here on the couch, his hands sliding up under my shirt while mine work at his belt.
"In a minute," he murmurs, kissing me again, slower this time, deeper, like he's got nowhere else in the world he needs to be besides right here with me.
When we finally come together, after he’s worried my nipples with his lips and teeth, I gasp as his cock presses into my core. “God, D, it feels good every single time. Are we every going to get sick of this?”
“Fuck, I hope not,” he groans as he sets a blistering pace, his hips moving back and forth.
I hope not too, I hope it’s always like this. Reaching between us, he presses his finger to my clit as he continues thrusting, and I come apart against him.
Breathless and tangled together, we finally collapse against the sheets. As we cuddle, I'm more certain than ever that whatever future he's already planning for us, I want every single piece of it.