Custom Love by Chantal Fernando

Chapter Eleven

“So who was the muscly guy with the man bun?” Decker asks me the next morning. “You into those man buns? I heard women dig them.”

I can confirm that fact is true.

“Are you here for a reason or just to gossip?” I ask, arching my brow in amusement as I take a sip of my coffee. “Do you do any work? I feel like you don’t.”

“My favorite coffee shop happens to be near your office and I don’t officially clock in for another ten minutes,” he explains, shrugging. “Plus, I like coming to annoy you. And yes, I want to know the tea. There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re my friend, and I want to make sure that you don’t get involved with a douchebag. I’ve known you for how many years now?”

“Three?” Decker and I met when he was assigned to be partners with Felix. I walked into the police station asking for Felix and he looked at me, confused, and asked who the hell I was.

I grinned and replied, “Felix’s favorite PI, and I think I’m about to be yours as well.”

We’ve kind of been friends ever since. Well, friends may be a stretch, but he’s been in my life since.

“And you’ve always just been single. It was your thing,” he says.

What a thing to be known for. “I highly doubt that was my thing, and for the record I’m still single,” I point out in a dry tone.

“Yeah, but now you’re interested in someone, and I want to make sure he’s good enough,” Decker states. It’s a bit odd that he cares, but a nice sentiment all the same.

“I see. And I told you, he’s my best friend’s boss,” I say, wincing. It sounds stupid even to my own ears. “Okay, you want the truth?”

“That’s why I’m here.”

“He was Ariel’s partner.” I swallow hard.

Decker blinks slowly a few times. “The woman whose murder you were investigating? That Ariel?”

I nod. “Yeah, that would be the one.”

His jaw drops. “You are more twisted than I ever thought.”

“It’s not like that,” I correct him, groaning. “I was doing it as a favor to a family friend. And me and Trade? We are just friends, and I knew him long before this case. And nothing is going on between us. My best friend, Bronte, works at Fast & Fury Custom Motorcycles and Trade runs it. So I see him now and again at events. And that is the end of this conversation. Why don’t we talk about your love life instead?”

“I don’t have one. I just have a lot of sex,” he replies with a cheeky grin. “It’s much easier and much more pleasurable that way. Orgasms without any of the nagging that comes with women. And I have much more sex than a married man. Do you know how much it declines when people get married? I’m not about that life.”

“Who told you that?”

“My married friends, although Felix is the exception. I doubt him and his wife have any issues there, but they don’t count. But any other kind of statistics you look at...” He nods sadly. “I feel sorry for my married friends. It’s an unfortunate situation that they’re in, but too late because if they divorce now they lose their kids and half of their shit. I’m never getting married.”

“You are way too young to be that cynical,” I tell him. “Let me guess, your parents are divorced?”

“Aren’t most these days?” he fires back with a raised brow.

“I wouldn’t know. My parents both died. My mom when I was younger, and my dad a few years back,” I say with a shrug.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

I wave the comment away. “It’s okay, it was a long time ago now.”

I’m about to change the subject when he does it for me.

“So I have a question...do you make a lot being a private investigator?”

I look at him in surprise. That’s the last thing I expected him to ask. “Why, you looking for a job change? Did you realize being a cop was as boring as I knew it was going to be?” I tease.

“No, I’m just curious. You told me you went to the police academy and, well, you’re not a cop. Wanted to see if it was for the money.”

Ah, this question. People always ask me this. “No. I mean, I’m doing okay now, but for a while I was on the verge of closing shop. My work on a few of my high-profile cases helped get my name out there. So I’m getting jobs. But I’m only one person.”

“Why don’t you hire someone to help?”

“I don’t have the time to train someone. Bronte used to work for me, but now that she’s a mom, she can’t be doing overnight stakeouts anymore.” I shrug.

“Hmm, gotcha.” He looks at his watch. “Okay, I better get to work. I’m going to speak with more of Taylor’s friends and family today to see if I can find anything else out. You have a good day. Try not to get into any trouble.”

“I’ll try,” I call out as he leaves. Nosy-ass cop.

I spend the morning looking for any information I can find on Mila’s biological father. It looks like the man moves around a lot, and doesn’t seem to have a permanent address. I call a few of the contact numbers, but they are all disconnected. I make a note to look into his acquaintances later on. When lunchtime hits I head over to Fast & Fury to pick up Bronte for our lunch date.

“Hey,” Trade says when he spots me, putting down the folder in his hands. “Nice to see your face back around here.”

“Nice to be able to walk back through the entrance without wondering if the manager is going to have security escort me back to my car,” I admit, lip twitching. “Where is Bronte?”

“She’s out back with Cam,” he says, sitting back on Bronte’s desk. “So do you have any plans tonight?” he asks, just as Bronte walks out of the staff room, smiling when she sees me.

“I’m ready to eat,” she announces.

I grin and bring my eyes back to Trade. “Nothing, why?” I’ll probably just bring my paperwork home with me, go over it all night and order some Chinese food.

“Maybe we could have dinner? I can cook, or maybe I’ll just order us something in.” He pauses, and adds, “If you don’t mind having dinner with me plus four kids.”

My eyes widen, surprised by his bold offer. “Oh. Um...”

“If you don’t want to, that’s fine,” he says quickly.

“No, I’d love to,” I say, my lips moving before thinking.

“How’s seven?”

“Perfect. I’ll see you then,” I reply, just as Bronte swings past and grabs me by the arm, leading me outside.

“Where are we going to eat?” she asks, and then as soon as we are out of earshot, “And what the hell was all that? What have I missed? I know he was in your office yesterday morning alongside the hot cop, but what else has happened?”

“We sorted it out,” I explain. “And now he wants to hang out tonight. I know you don’t love the idea—”

“You are both adults. You know I just worry about you both, but do what makes you happy, Nadia. That’s all I want for you, to be happy.”

“And careful.”

She laughs. “And careful. I’m glad it’s not awkward now and you can come see me at work again.”

“Yeah, and now he’s asked me to come to his house tonight for dinner with him and the kids... What does this all even mean?” I blurt out. “What am I doing, Bronte? Is this even a good idea?”

“I don’t know,” she admits. It’s what she’s been trying to tell me the whole time.

I couldn’t have chosen a more complicated situation to put myself in, and I can see it not ending well, see it playing out badly, yet I’m still going along with it.

I like to think that I’m a rational, logical person, but when it comes to Trade, I don’t care about anything else; it all just gets pushed to the side. My common sense goes AWOL. How stupid is that? If I get hurt along the way, I only have myself to blame.

This is all on me.

“I don’t want to get hurt. And there are so many variables that could end up that way. And it’s not just him. He comes with a family already. What if the kids don’t want us to date or they end up not liking me?”

“You can’t think of it like that. Yes, he’s a single parent, but so are lots of people. Yes, he comes with a premade family, and yes, there might be some obstacles with that, and I think you need to be okay with that. It’s not going to be easy. You are not choosing the easiest path right now, and you need to be aware of what you are walking into.”

“I know.” I sigh. “I’m trying not to overthink it. I just enjoy spending time with him. I don’t want to worry about possible future problems, but at the same time it’s probably smart if I do.”

“Yes, it’s a little complicated, but if it’s meant to be, then it will work out. And if it doesn’t...”

“If it doesn’t, it’s going to hurt like a bitch and I’m going to learn a hard lesson.”

“Something like that.”

I guess I’m a hidden romantic, because I’m going in and just hoping for the best. With Trade, turning away doesn’t seem to be an option. Maybe I’m just a sucker for punishment, or maybe I’m a fool, but I want to see where this leads us.

I just hope I don’t regret it.