Protector Daddy by Taryn Quinn

SEVEN

I clicked backto Honey after I talked to my mother on the other line. She’d asked if I still could make it to Sunday dinner and mentioned how my younger brother Travis was back from modeling in a cologne ad campaign in the city. I said I’d be there then we talked a little about his ten-year-old daughter Care Bear aka Carrington so by the time I finally got back to Honey, I was full of apologies.

“Sorry, my mom wanted to talk about Sunday dinner.”

A dial tone answered me.

I frowned and called back Honey. It hadn’t been that long, had it?

The call went to voicemail. Okay, that was weird.

Maybe she’d decided she wasn’t into the whole date thing. I’d picked something low-key so we could go as friends at the very least, but maybe even that was too much.

I clicked off and was about to pocket my phone when it went off again. I frowned at the readout. “What’s up, Chief? Is Gina okay?”

“She’s fine. Her doctor scheduled her for a C-section in a couple of days. What exactly happened with you and Honey?”

My shoulders tightened. “Uh…”

“I do not need details. I do not want details. Just I had a very strange conversation with Mav demanding to know when you’re on shift and then Honey yelled at him in the background about minding his business about her personal life and—well, let’s just say our conversation went in a direction I didn’t expect. So just tell me if I need to find another Dispatcher candidate since Bonnie was ready to come in to start training Honey.”

“I honestly can’t answer that question. She would be a wonderful Dispatcher.”

“Yeah, I gathered you felt that way from your glowing report. Which to be honest I’m questioning a little now, but that’s irrelevant since I trust your judgment. You’re one of my best officers, and we all do things out of character now and then.” Jared cleared his throat again. “Just making sure I won’t have a lawsuit on my hands after all this.”

I sat down on my couch and rested my head in my hands. “A few hours ago, I would’ve said we’re fine on that score. Now I don’t know. Everything was consensual,” I said hurriedly while Jared groaned softly.

“I gotta say, Christian, you’re the last person I’d ever expect this from.”

“Yeah, well, me too.”

“I’m going to talk to Honey and then we’ll talk again.”

I locked my jaw. “Should I come in for my shift?”

“I’ll get back to you. Hang tight.”

“Okay. Chief, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t put too fine a point on it. We live to expect the unexpected around here. I’ll get back to you soon.”

Boomer trotted into the room and nudged my hand as I let it dangle off the sofa. “Your dad may need to get a new job, Boom.” I rubbed his ears and pressed my face into his fur. “I don’t think so, but I forgot how unpredictable women can be. Why I’ve avoided them since the dawn of time.”

Some part of me felt like Honey was different. That I could trust her to be a straight shooter if nothing else. Why, I had no logical explanation. I didn’t know her. We’d barely had a couple of conversations before last night and none of them of any real substance. But she’d been so cool about everything last night and today.

That was before her cop brothers had gotten involved. And cop mother. And God only knew who else judging by what she’d said on the phone about the events at The Spinning Wheel.

But even as embarrassing as it had to have been for her, I didn’t think she’d sue. I mean, she was above age. Yes, it could be misconstrued that I was abusing my position since she’d come into the police station for a job interview, but everything had been consensual.

I thought.

“Good God, what have I done?” I said morosely, burying my face in my hands.

Boomer lapped at my cheek in silent male solidarity. Also, probably because he didn’t want to deal with a sudden loss of food.

“Me either, pal. I like my job. A lot.”

Problem was I liked Honey too. I still didn’t regret what I’d done. In fact, if I had a chance to do it over again, I’d probably do the exact same thing.

Last night had been the best night of my life. Full stop. So I had to trust Honey saw things the same way I did.

My gut couldn’t have led me astray twice. I just refused to believe it.

While I waited to hear from Jared, I’d feed my dog then take a shower and get ready for work.

Trusting Honey was my only choice.

I still hadn’t heard from the Chief by the time I was due to start my shift. I was tempted to call for a status check, but instead, I just went in like it was any other day.

And walked in to find Jared leaning against my desk with his arms crossed. “Sorry I didn’t call. I just finished up with Honey, and I figured you’d be on your way in even without my call.”

“Was that the right decision?”

“Yes, because you’re on the schedule to work.”

“I am. And I’m here to work.” I exhaled, trying not to peer around him to look for Honey.

“She’s already gone,” he said gently. “Let’s take a walk.”

“Okay.” That wasn’t ominous.

We went out through the front door so we didn’t have to pass Brady and Mav’s desks. Brady would be coming in later for his shift but Mav had a few days off to celebrate his impromptu wedding.

He was probably planning how he’d kick my ass in a sneak attack.

We had a new hire named Jimmy Greer who was coming in for his first shift in a couple hours and another new hire later in the month. New blood was desperately needed around here.

Especially if the Chief gets rid of you, pal.

I sucked in a breath and followed the Chief around the building to the side street. On the other side of the building was Kramer & Burns Custom, which was Dare, Gage, and Tish’s auto body and custom car restoration shop. The sound of revving engines and drills, clangs, and whirs were a constant.

Honey’s building was on the other side of the auto shop, with the florist next door to her, but she hadn’t told me which apartment she lived in. She also hadn’t called or texted since she’d hung up on me.

“Okay, look,” I began.

Jared held up a hand. “I don’t want to know. I really, truly don’t. Honey made it clear that the bulk of what happened between you two was off police premises, which is enough for me. Also, thank you.”

I nearly said “you’re welcome” before my brain made an entrance.

“You’re both adults,” the Chief continued. “She assured me she was not litigious, and, err, had no complaints about how things went down. So we will just close the book on all of that.”

“I still have a job?” I hated the vulnerability I heard in my own voice. I’d worked so hard to completely lock any weakness away.

To never show I gave a shit about anything or anyone other than my family.

“As long as I’m the Chief, you will have a job here, Masterson. You’re a good member of this department and a better man.”

When I made a sound, he stopped walking and cut me a sharp glance. “Something you want to say?”

“I made an error in judgment. Not being with her.” I fingered the coins in my pocket, something I carried habitually. Well, except when I replaced them with a flask, which thankfully had happened exactly once. “But not completing the interview. Muddying the waters at work. Not abiding by the rules.”

“You never do that.”

“Rarely,” I acknowledged. “But this time, I did.”

“Do you wonder why?”

I didn’t have an answer.

“You’re human, Christian, much as it pains you.” He flashed a small smile. “It’s given me some bad moments myself. About me being human, that is, not you.”

I remained silent.

“If you don’t give yourself some grace, the line you’re walking is going to eventually crumble under your feet. Trust me, I know. I never expected my girl to come along.”

“Gina?”

“In this case, I mean my daughter. I never expected her. But finding her on my doorstep changed my life, even if at the time I felt as if the life I knew was ending. It was, so I could have something so much better.”

“I can see that. For you,” I tacked on as Jared started walking again. “Having Samantha led to you marrying Gina and having a baby together. You’re both happy, right?”

“Insanely. Well, I think at this point, Gina will be happy once Caden is out. We picked a name for him,” he added softly.

“Just a couple more days. You nervous?” My voice was more constricted than normal but there was no helping that.

It matched the tightness in my chest.

“A little. Gina’s a warrior though, so I know she’ll rock this. He’s going to be just fine. They both are.” He hissed out a breath. “Okay, terrified. But you didn’t hear that from me.”

I let out a laugh and clapped him on the back. “I was too.” Shit. I hurried to fix my screw-up, as I’d been trying to for the better part of twenty years. “I mean—”

He narrowed his eyes. “You don’t have to explain anything to me.”

“Thanks.” I blew out air and sucked in more just as fast. “It’s just—I can’t.”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine. It has never been fine and will not be fine and the last thing I should’ve done was mess with Honey. She’s twenty-four. I feel like I’ve never been as young as she is.”

Was that what had drawn me so strongly to her? She was gorgeous, of course, and spirited and smart and a million other adjectives that attracted me to her. But her youth and vibrancy had seemed like a flame of life when I’d been locked in the dark for so very long. Cold and alone.

She was fiercely alive in a way that drew me like a moth to a wildfire.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. She saw something in you, just as you saw something in her. Maybe it’s no more and no less than that.”

“Maybe.”

“But if you don’t give it a chance, you won’t know, now will you?” It was his turn to clap me on the back. “Never knew you to be a coward. Don’t start now.”

Oh, if he only knew. “Thanks. I appreciate your leniency in this matter.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Not leniency so much as I know no one will ever come down on you harder than you. I also know you’re a damn good cop.” He waved to Dare across the street. “I’m going to stop in and ask Dare about that damn grinding noise my cruiser is making. I’ll see you back at the station.”

“Chief, what about Honey?”

“What about her?”

“Did you give her the job?”

“I offered it to her.”

“And?”

“She has to think about it. I’m giving her the time she needs. Seems like she’s doing a lot of thinking right now.”

“Yeah.” I jingled my coins and resisted yanking out my phone to check on her. The longer she was silent, the more I worried. “I’m glad you didn’t punish her for my lapse in judgment.”

“You don’t have lapses in judgment, Masterson.” He tipped his head at me and crossed the street to Kramer & Burns Custom.

I was about to head back to the police station to lick my wounds in semi-private before I headed out on patrol when I heard giggling behind me. I turned, unsurprised to see the most egregious of town busybodies behind me—Mrs. Busbee and Mrs. Gunderson.

“Ladies,” I said in as easy a tone as I could muster. “How are you today?”

“Not as good as you are, apparently.” They shared a look and more giggling ensued.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, just that if I’d known what bonuses come with job interviews at the Crescent Cove PD, I’d have come out of retirement to throw my high heels in the ring. Though I’m not sure my Phil would approve.” Mrs. Busbee snorted while Mrs. Gunderson covered her mouth with her well-manicured hand.

I didn’t flush. Somehow. So word had gotten around. Shocker, considering the melee at The Spinning Wheel. It was a miracle anyone managed to have sex in this town without a line forming outside.

Before I could come up with a response, a loud series of quacks sounded beside us. The duck someone had named Arlo—easily recognizable due to the small scar on his cheek—was quacking up a storm, probably because his food goddess hadn’t stopped by this morning.

That was my fault too, for throwing off Honey’s usual schedule. I was creating chaos all over this town.

Rather than saying anything, I moved to the right bench and opened the little food canister built into the side. This particular bench had a more appropriate blend for the ducks than the usual cracker and crusts combos in the other benches.

In this one, I’d stocked oats and rice after the first day I’d watched Honey feed them. I’d gotten lucky that she’d left a pile of it on the ground, and that day I’d gone to get some from the store. I still needed to refresh the other benches. I had no doubt she’d researched the proper thing to feed the ducks, so I would follow her lead.

“Aww, a lawman who enjoys waterfowl. How sweet,” Mrs. Gunderson cooed from behind me.

Ignoring her, I tossed a handful to Arlo, immediately drawing a crowd—and not only ducks.

“Oh, Officer Masterson, that’s so kind of you, with how busy you are.” A blond college student smiled up at me as she fingered her long braid. “Can I help you feed the birds?”

What the hell? Folks in town were friendly, but not like this. She batted her big blue eyes up at me, and dear God, had I imagined that she’d stroked my biceps?

“I didn’t know you knew Honey,” she added when I said nothing.

There we go. Though seriously, what exactly were people saying about me and Honey? Why was it such big news? Sure, we’d kissed in the police station, but it wasn’t as if we’d had sex there or something.

I probably should find out what was being said. Heaven help me.

“How do you know Honey?” I blurted.

“We took some college classes together. And she signed up for the new amigurumi class at Every Line A Story next month though where she finds the time with all her jobs, I’ll never know.” She thrust her hand out at me. “I’m Stacey.”

“Hi, Stacey.” I didn’t shake her hand. I didn’t date much—or at all—but I wasn’t totally clueless. “Can you do me a favor?” I asked in a low voice while Mrs. Busbee and Mrs. Gunderson watched us openly.

“Oh, sure. Of course!”

“What have you heard about me in the gossip mill?”

Stacey fanned her face. “Me? Nothing. Why, was there something I should have heard?” More eyelash batting.

“We all heard you railed Honey like a commuter train,” Shirley chimed in none too softly, drawing laughter from the few pedestrians walking past. “And that she’s clearly going to be the next Cove baby mama.”

There was no doubt I was as red as the fire truck currently cruising past at slow speed. No doubt to lookie-loo at the small crowd on the corner surrounding me.

“Absolutely not,” I snapped, flinging the rest of the bird food in the direction of Arlo and his friends.

Before Stacey or anyone else could make any other comments, I turned to head back to the police station. Clearly, I did not need the details of what had been said at The Spinning Wheel.

No wonder Honey wasn’t returning my calls. Maybe she’d found our…dalliance as more fitting gossip fodder than anything worth pursuing.

That didn’t make sense to me considering how things had gone down between us, but I couldn’t understand what had happened otherwise. Why had she spilled the beans to that extent? It just didn’t make sense. Telling a friend was one thing. Telling half the town when she knew I had a very public job?

Hey, she warned you people would talk. Guess she should know, right?

A couple of people called out to me but I didn’t stop. I’d had enough of dealing with the community for one afternoon—unless I was arresting someone.

In the mood I was in, that sounded just fine.