“Now come on so I can feed you and you can reassure the people who care about you that you’re okay.” He doesn’t give me a chance to respond before he touches his mouth to mine and leads me from the bedroom, out to his family and mine, to the people who I know really care about me.
Chapter 13
Cobi
“SO HOW’S EVERYTHING GOING with Hadley?” my partner Frank asks, studying me.
We stopped at Banks, the bar next to the station, after we both got off duty. Me, because I needed to kill time before going home, since Hadley is at her doctor’s appointment. Frank, because his wife and three daughters are home—in his words—driving him up the wall about putting in a pool while the costs are down this winter. Having met his wife, Stacey, and his girls, ranging from ages twelve to seventeen, I can see this. Though, I know Frank and know he’s gonna give in to them; he just needs to do it in his own time.
I take a drag from my beer while I pull my elbows from the table and lean back against the chair. “She’s healing. The bruising is just about gone. But she’s still worried about Shelp.”
“He’s in jail. She knows he can’t hurt her again, right?” he asks, concern filling his voice.
“It’s not about that. She’s never liked the part of her job that involves splitting up families, and she knows with what he did he’s going away for a while. She doesn’t like that she’s the catalyst for that.”
“It’s his own damn fault for not pulling his head out of his ass,” Frank grumbles.
“You’re not telling me anything I don’t know. It’s just her; she’s soft, thinks that most people, given the time and chance, will do the right thing.” How she’s not jaded after the way she grew up is anyone’s guess, but she’s not. She really believes everyone is good or has good in them.
“It’s good with her job she thinks like that, but sometimes people just don’t give a fuck about anyone but themselves.”
“You’re not wrong.” I glance at my cell when the screen lights up with a text from her, letting me know she’s out of her appointment and heading to her car. After I read it, I look at Frank.
“Go on. I’m gonna drink another before I head home to chaos and more talk about the pool.” He lifts his beer.
“Just give in and the conversation will end.” I grin at him.
“Kid, you think it works like that, you’re in for a rude awakening in about five years. If it’s not one thing, it’s another, and sometimes you gotta put your foot down to prove a point.”
“Well, old-timer, you’ve been married to Stacey for what, twenty-three years? I say stick to what’s working for you.” He grins, and with that I stand, tossing some cash on the table. “See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, tell Hadley I said hi.”
“Will do.” I give him a chin lift and head for my truck.
I stop on the way home and pick up a pizza with everything from Marco’s then drive to my place. I don’t see Hadley’s car until I hit the remote for the garage, which means I’m smiling as I pull into one of the lot spaces. I told her for three days I wanted her car inside my single-car garage. For three days, she ignored me and parked in the lot, telling me it didn’t make sense, since she normally left before me in the morning.
After I shut down the engine, I get out, taking the pizza with me through the garage. I hit the button to close the door then head up the stairs. Maxim doesn’t greet me at the door, and I know why when I see Hadley at the island, head tipped down with a glass of wine in front of her. Seeing her posture, I know she parked in the garage not thinking about what she was doing; her mind was on other shit.
Fuck.
I should have met her at her appointment, done a quick pulse check, and then decided if she was good to drive, especially after what just went down and what talking about it could bring up for her.
“Baby.” Her head comes up and her blank eyes meet mine, freaking me right the fuck out. “What’s going on?”
“My mom’s in the hospital.” At her statement, I pause and she lifts her glass of wine to her lips.
“Say that again?” I walk to the counter and set down the pizza.
“My dad had been calling me. I was fed up, didn’t want to deal with him, so I blocked his number from my phone. He tracked me down tonight when I got out of my appointment. He caught me at my car after I sent you the text to let you know I was heading home.”