“It’s not a competition, Rory! Jeez,” Troy snapped as they approached the first set of traffic lights. “Man, these brakes are soft. Didn’t they check them?” They stopped and Troy looked at her. “Okay...continue.”
Rory stared at the drops of rain running down the windshield. She might as well tell him, she thought, he knew everything else about her. “You know how Shay loves to tease me about stealing her boyfriends?”
“Yeah, and you get all huffy and defensive and embarrassed.”
“She was dating Mac when she walked in on us...we were about to kiss,” Rory quietly stated. “How would she feel if I started dating him, started a relationship with him?”
“I bet she’d be fine with it.” Tory rolled his eyes, and without taking his eyes off the road instructed his cell phone to call Shay.
“What are you doing?” Rory demanded.
“Calling Shay,” Troy replied, as if she were the biggest idiot in the world. Which she was, because she was talking to him about Mac.
“Troyks!” Shay’s bubbly voice filled the car.
“Hey, oh gorgeous one. I’m in the car with Rory and we have a question for you.”
“Shoot,” Shay replied.
“It’s not important—” Rory stated, leaning sideways to talk into the phone.
“Back off, sister.” Troy growled. “Rory’s using you as an excuse not to date Mac McCaskill. So how would you feel about them getting it on? You know, even though you’re married to the hunkiest homicide detective in the city,” Troy added, his tone wry.
“My Mac?” Shay asked.
Her Mac, Rory scowled. And didn’t that just answer her question right away?
Shay was quiet for a minute. “Well, judging from the way they were eyeing each other way back when, I’d say it’s about ten years overdue. A part of me is still slightly jealous that he never looked at me like that.”
Like what? “Nothing happened!” Rory protested.
“Maybe, but you both wanted it to,” Shay responded. “I think he’d be really good for you.”
“He almost cheated on you, with me!” Rory half yelled. Okay, the straws she was grabbing were elusive but she was giving it her best shot.
“He was twenty-four, we were having problems and whenever the two of you were in the same room you created an electrical storm. Besides, as you said, nothing happened. It’s not that big a deal.”
Shay must’ve forgotten that being kissed by Mac was a very big deal.
“Go for it, Rorks.”
Okay, who was this woman and what had she done with Rory’s insecure, neurotic sister? “Are you high?” Rory demanded. “He’s a commitment-phobic man-slut! He changes women like he changes socks!”
“I don’t think that’s true. Not so much and not anymore.” Shay laughed. “I liked Mac. I still like Mac. He was a good egg and he put up with an enormous amount of drama from me. You should date him, Rorks, give this relationship thing a spin. Who knows, you might end up being... I don’t know...happy?”
Troy looked triumphant and Rory placed her hands over her face. “You are high. It’s the only explanation...”
“Or that my hot detective husband came home for lunch and, well, let’s just say food wasn’t a priority,” Shay smugly stated.
Troy groaned and Rory let out a strangled ewww. Shay disconnected the call on a happy laugh. Rory stared out the window for a long time before turning to Troy. “Do you agree?” she quietly asked him. “Do you think I should take a chance, see where this goes?”
“Do you really love him?”
Rory thought about his question, not wanting to give a glib answer. “I’m worried that it’s temporary craziness, that when the fire dies down, I’ll run...or he’ll run...and someone will get hurt. I’m scared to get hurt.”
“Aren’t we all?” Troy reached across the seats to grip her fingers in his. “Yeah, it might fail. It might burn out. You might get hurt.”
“So encouraging,” Rory murmured.
Troy sent her a sweet, sweet smile. “But, honey, what if it doesn’t? What if this is the amazing love story you’ve been waiting for? What if he is the big it? What if it works?”
Rory looked at him and slumped in her seat. “Humpf.”
Troy laughed, pulled his hand back and then his face turned serious. “Don’t run, honey, not this time. Stand still and see what happens. Will you?”
Rory smiled at him and, liking the connection, reached across the seat to link her fingers back into his. “Yeah. I think I will. If—”