30. Chapter 30
Chapter thirty
Nick
I came into work to find Jo sitting in my office.
She was in the chair across from my desk, her arms crossed, her feet tapping. She looked irritated at best.
"Hey," I said. "What's up?"
"I wanted to share how my night went," Jo said.
Cap walked in and stopped when he saw Jo. He sniffed the air, then picked up his penguin and went to his bed. As if to say, Me and my penguin are getting out of the line of fire.
“Last night?” I looked at her. "I didn't see a call come in. What happened?"
"No call." She got up and closed the door, then returned to her seat. "Unless you count my wife."
I set my coffee down. "What happened to Ruthie?"
"I have two words for you, angry lesbian.
" Jo settled back in the chair, tilted her head, and began tapping her left pointer finger on her crossed arm.
"Ruthie went to check on Brandy yesterday because she found out that Brandy called in to work sick.
So, my wife, being the kind soul that she is, took her soup.
That one visit resulted in five phone calls to me throughout the night and one early morning visit when she was on the way to the bakery. " She looked at me steadily.
“Geez, what’s she mad about? I was confused and worried about Brandy. Is Brandy sick?"
"Physically?" Jo said. "No." A pause. "Of you? Yes, very much."
"Of me? What did I do?"
"Permission, Chief, to speak frankly without repercussions?"
"Always. Now what is this about?"
Cap lifted his head from his bed as if to see if there was an escape route. Not seeing one, he put it back down.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jo said. "She overheard you telling Hank about you two having sex."
I stared at her. "Whoa. What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me." Jo's voice was level and direct.
"She was coming to your office to ask you about the decorating timeline.
She heard you and Hank in the hallway. You know, we all thought more of you than to go telling Hank about your conquest. So, honest time.
" She leaned forward with her hands on her knees. "Did you two do this?"
"Hold it." I put both hands up. "Back up. I never told Hank anything about Brandy and me. Hank is the absolute last person I would tell anything to." I looked at her. "What exactly did she hear?"
Jo repeated what Ruthie said.
She's good, like really good.
With that sass I wouldn't expect less. Was it worth it?
Did she take charge?
Hell yeah, it was great.
I closed my eyes. "Jo, we weren't talking about that," I said.
"We were talking about Brandy wanting to punish Scott and Thompson for what they did.
I told Hank she handled them and how she took charge of the whole thing.
" I opened my eyes and looked at Jo. "That's what we were talking about.
I promise. And the only reason I told Hank about it was because he was the one who told me about the rumor in the first place. "
Jo just stared at me.
"I said be honest."
“I am. We can call Hank and ask him.” I leaned forward. "Jo, do you honestly think I would tell Hank? Of all people? After everything that happened with the gossip?"
She was quiet for a long moment. The kind of quiet Jo used when she was reorganizing something in her head. Her eyes stayed on me the whole time. And I swore she was analyzing me from the inside out.
"No," she said finally. "No, I didn't think you would tell him. But you can see how it sounded."
"Completely." I stood up. “So, she’s not sick.”
“No, just hurt and disappointed. Apparently there were chicken bones and multiple ice cream containers. I’m still not sure about the bones part. She probably Googled a ritual or something to get back at you.”
My eyes opened wide. “Huh?”
“Ha! Your face was priceless.” Jo laughed.
I stood, picking up my phone. "I need to explain this to Brandy. Do you know where she is?"
"Ruthie said she was out visiting businesses this morning."
"So we have no idea where she is." I picked up my phone.
"She won't answer," Jo said. "Not your text, not your call."
“That explains why she didn’t answer yesterday’s text.” I looked at her. "What about yours?"
"She won't come here. She told Ruthie she'd be here Friday morning to decorate and set up, but not before then." Jo stood and crossed her arms. "She's really hurt, Nick."
"But she's got it wrong."
"She also told Ruthie she's tired of being apologized to."
"I'm not apologizing this time," I said. "This time she has it wrong, and I need to give her the right information. There's a difference."
"Then you better figure out how to fix this." She stood and picked up her jacket. "It's my last overnight. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Jo." She stopped at the door. "Thank you for telling me."
She looked back at me with an expression that was somewhere between fond and ferocious. "First, congratulations on you and Brandy, we’ve been hoping it would happen. Second, and more importantly, you hurt her and I will stand aside and let Ruthie have you."
I stared at Jo. "That's a terrifying thought."
"Believe me, it is." She opened the door. "Lesbian rage is a powerful thing. So, don’t hurt Brandy."
"I'm not trying to."
Jo nodded once and left.
Cap got up from his bed and brought me his stuffed penguin. Laying it and his head on my lap, I put my hand on his head.
"I know, buddy," I said. “I’ll fix it.”
With one hand on Cap, I picked up my phone with the other.
Hank answered on the second ring. "This better be good, I just sat down with a donut."
"Put it back, you need to fit in your Santa suit. I need your help," I said. "Brandy overheard us talking yesterday and she thinks we were talking about—" I stopped. "She thinks we were talking about her."
Dead silence.
Then, "Yikes."
"Yeah."
Hank laughed. “Man, you get yourself into the damnedest stuff.”
“Hank. I need help.”
"Yes, you do." Hank laughed again. “She probably thinks we were talking about you two having sex.”
I didn’t say anything.
After a moment. “Hell, did you two?” A breath. "Oh shit, Nick. You have to fix this.”
"I know."
"Okay." I heard his chair. "What do you need from me?”
"I need you to back me up about what we were talking about.”
“Done, I got your back. Should we go to her office?”
“She's out visiting businesses, but I don't know which ones or in what order. Can you see if any of your patrol cars have seen her?”
"Sure, I've got four units on patrol," Hank said. "Why don’t I pick you up and we’ll go out too."
“Great.”
Ten minutes later, I was in the passenger seat of Hank's SUV. He called and had the patrols keeping an eye out for her vehicle. We drove Main Street first, then looped around to the industrial business district.
"You know," Hank said, turning onto Elm, "I’m impressed you had sex."
"Shut up."
Hank laughed. “Alright, alright, but I have to say, you must really care about her if we’re out here doing a woman hunt.”
I watched the storefronts going past. The hardware store. The flower shop. Rise & Shine with its little bell above the door.
"It's been a long time," I said.
"I know it has."
"She's the first one I've had feelings for." I said it to the window. "She’s the first one since my divorce who—" I stopped.
"Who what?" Hank said.
"Who made me want to try," I said.
Hank didn't say anything for a moment. Just drove.
"Then we better fix this," he said finally.
His radio crackled. One of his units. A silver car matching the description parked outside the garden center on Ridgeview.
Hank looked at me.
"Hold on," he said.
“Yes, that’s her car,” I said, pointing.
Hank pulled in directly behind Brandy, blocking her in. We sat in the SUV waiting for her to appear. A few minutes later Brandy came out of the garden center with a look on her face somewhere just south of going nuclear. She closed her eyes and pinched her nose.
Hank and I both got out of his SUV.
She gestured toward her car. “What the hell, Hank?”
“We had to make sure you didn’t leave.”
“What’s this about?” She addressed me. "I don't really have anything to say to you right now."
"I know." I stopped a few feet from her. "But I have something to say and you’re going to listen."
“Really? Am I?” She set her clipboard on the hood of her car. “You and what army are going to make me?”
“I have handcuffs,” Hank said. “I can cuff you if you want.”
“You do that and I swear I’ll kick you in the shin.” Brandy glared at him.
“Like it rough, huh?”
“HANK!” Brandy and I both scolded him.
“Now stop it, you two.” I put my hands up. “This isn’t helping. Brandy, please, just listen to what I have to say, then if you don’t want to see me anymore I’ll walk away. I promise.”
The scrutiny with which Brandy was looking at me made me add, “Hank’s here to verify what I say.”
“Fine.” Brandy raised her eyebrows and put her hand on her cocked hip. “Say what you’ve got to say.”
"Yesterday, you overheard Hank and me talking.
" She started to say something and I cut her off and kept going. "We weren’t talking about us or you. I’d just told Hank that Jo found out the rumors were started by Scott and Thompson.
I told Hank about you handling them. That you were going to punish them, and that you took charge of the whole operation.
" I held her gaze. "That's what we were talking about. I promise you."
“He’s telling the truth. I didn’t find out about you two having sex until this morning.” Hank nodded. “Honestly.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Brandy stood very still on the sidewalk.
"Sam saw us at dinner," I said. "And mentioned it to Hank. That's the only context Hank had. There was no competition, never was." I took a breath. "I would never do that to you."
“Yeah, because if it was a competition, he knows I’d kick his ass.”
“Damn, you’re a lot.” Brandy told Hank, who just smiled like she’d paid him a giant compliment.
Then she looked at me for a long moment.
"You weren’t talking about us?" she said.
“No,” Hank and I said together.
“Listen,” Hank stepped forward, “I’ve been waiting for someone to give it to Scott, that cocky little shit.
Nick knows that. So, when I came to give him some gruff about you two being out, he bragged that you were punishing the guys.
That’s it. Had I known there was sex involved, believe me I would have rather heard about that. ”
Brandy looked from Hank to me.
“How did you find me?”
“I had patrols looking for you,” Hank told her.
“Great,” she rolled her eyes. “That’ll set the gossip train off.”
“Probably,” Hank laughed. “I’m guessing we’ll be in a polyamorous relationship by about three this afternoon.”
“Ugh,” she groaned.
“I couldn’t let you keep thinking it was about you,” I told her. “Hank seemed to be the easiest—”
“Hey,” Hank interrupted. “I resemble that remark.”
“We know,” I said, “the whole town knows.”
“Brandy,” I stepped in front of her. “I just wanted to explain what happened. I’ll leave if you don’t believe me.”
We held each other’s gaze.
"I owe you an apology," she said quietly. "I should have asked you. Instead of assuming."
"We're even," I said. "And from now on, can we agree to just talk to each other? Before we assume the worst?"
She looked at me for a moment. "That sounds like a relationship guideline."
"Good," I said.
She blinked. "Are you saying we have a relationship?"
"Girl," I said. "Didn't you know we're dating?"
“You better watch it,” Brandy raised her eyebrow. “Hank’s a witness to you saying that.”
“Good.” I kissed her right there on the sidewalk outside the garden center with Hank McAllister right there watching.
Behind us Hank cleared his throat. "As much as I am loving this, I have work to do."
Brandy walked over to him and hugged him. Kissing his cheek, she said, "Thank you, Hank."
"Ha, that kiss should solidify the polyamory rumor." He got back in the SUV. "Carson. Don't screw it up again." He pulled away.
"I'll give you a ride back to the station," Brandy said. “How about dinner tonight?”
"I can’t, I have the overnight tonight," I said, as she grabbed her stuff from the hood and unlocked the door.
Opening her door, she said, "So I won't see you until Friday?"
"We could have breakfast," I said.
"Sold."
We drove back to the fire station in silence. I wanted to say something, but I could tell she was processing what had just happened. Once at the station, we stood by her car.
“You’re okay with dating?” she asked.
“Would you prefer boyfriend, girlfriend?”
“No,” she enthusiastically shook her head, “no, not at all.”
I chuckled. “Me either, at our age, it just sounds wrong.”
“How did you find out that I heard you and Hank?”
“Jo was in my office this morning when I arrived. You could say we had a chat.”
She leaned back against her car. “I really adore those ladies.”
I stepped up to her until our bodies were touching and kissed her again. Slower this time. The kind that meant something.
When we pulled apart she said, “Nick, someone’s going to see us.”
“Let ’em.” I kissed her again. “I’m kissing my dating partner.”
“Oy,” Brandy scoffed, then laughed. “That sounds awful too.”
"We’ll figure it out.”
The fire station siren blared to life.
"You better go.”
“I’m not on duty,” I said, looking at the station.
“And that’s going to stop you?”
I looked at her, then to the station. “You’re right.” I kissed her. “I’ll text you after the call.”
“Be careful.” She called after me as I jogged to the door.