“No offense taken.” Who am I kidding? I’m offended all over the place.
Curran’s already hard expression solidifies to an icy tundra. “We done here?”
My attention cuts to the closed courtroom door. The judge’s booming voice pummels against it like a barrage of thrown stones. “Yes. We’re done.”
I take a step forward, yet the sheriff’s officer’s voice holds me in place. “He was just a kid,” he says.
I turn around. “The police officer?”
“Yeah,” he says, nodding. “New to the force, just getting his feet wet.”
“I’m sorry.” I was going to ask Curran if he knew the police officer who was hurt, but given his tightening stance, it’s obvious he does. My hand reaches out to touch his arm before I realize what I’m doing. I quickly drop it to my side, but not before he notices.
He frowns, but I look away from him and address the sheriff’s officer. “Thank you for your time,” I tell him. He nods, but focuses directly on Curran.
Okay. I’m not sure what’s happening, but I all but run past the courtroom, knowing I need to put some space between us and whatever’s going on in that hearing. The attorneys and those in the audience are now screaming at one another and the judge is threatening to hold the defendant in contempt.
We snake through three more halls before either of us speaks again. “What’s our situation going to be like?” I ask him. “This situation here. With us. At night.” I throw my hands in the air when he smirks and practically laughs at me. No, this gorgeous hunk of man has no effect on me. No, not at all.
“You know what I mean,” I add. The strain caused by our trip to court lifts a little. For that I’m thankful; I only wish it hadn’t come at my expense.
“Tess, relax. I’m only here to make sure you stay safe.”
I sigh. “It’s not that.”
“Then what’s bugging you?”
I glance around, worried who might hear me. “It makes me uncomfortable knowing someone is watching me all the time.”
“You’re shy. I get it, but—”
“I’m not shy.” He looks at me. “I’m not,” I insist.
“Then how come you barely spoke to me, back in you-know-where?”
He chuckles when my face heats. But he doesn’t understand that what he asks isn’t easy for me to explain. I don’t want to admit how much he intimidated me, or how hard it was watching him flirt with everyone but me—or that I pretended not to notice him and acted like I wasn’t attracted to him, because in truth, it hurt knowing I was the one girl he wasn’t drawn to.
I don’t remind him that those few times I did try to speak with him when we first met, his attention quickly drifted to those pretty girls who had more to say, who weren’t so awkward, and whose figures captivated his interest more than mine did.
So yes, I might have avoided eye contact, stayed quiet, and kept my distance, but that didn’t mean I was shy. It meant he had hurt my feelings…even though he probably didn’t mean to.
“I mostly keep to myself,” I manage, hoping it’s enough.
Curran’s attention stays ahead. “All right,” he says, although I’m not sure he believes me.
I pretend to search for something in my purse, only because it’s hard to keep my expression casual when I think about how hard things were for me then. “So, how will things work exactly? Will you be with me every day?”
“No. We’ll work in shifts. Me and three other badges. It’s my understanding the other two cops will always be different, but me and Lu will be your regular eyes.”
“Lou? Who’s he?”
“Lu’s a she. Her name’s Lucy McCarthy and she’s been part of the Philly PD for close to thirty years. Most of us boys in blue—and the women, too—we go by our last names. Lu’s always gone by Lu. She’s worked the streets forever and has taught in every academy from here to Harrisburg. Everyone with a badge knows her, and either loves or hates her. But one thing: we all respect her.”