She made a big deal after prom about us being meant to be together, and I tried to let her down gently, but afterwards I heard she told people we’d gone all the way. It wasn’t true, and I sure didn’t start the rumor and even went out of my way to squash it when someone brought it up to me. After I left town, Luca told me that she was telling everyone we were engaged, and she was waiting for me to come back home. I wrote her a letter while I was in basic and told her in no uncertain terms that we were not together, and she shouldn’t wait on me. Soon after, she moved away from Pink Springs.
I’ve been back a while now and haven't given her a second thought since basic training. Last week I heard her mom took a spill and broke her leg. I went by and checked on her and made sure she had plenty of help. Next thing I know, Paula is showing up at the station saying I’ve been asking about her and how she’s back in town for good.
This is exactly what I don’t need right now, along with the headache that’s forming behind my eyes.
“See you tomorrow, Cooper.” She waves as she walks towards her car. I don’t miss the exaggerated swing of her hips as she does it, and I have to force myself to not roll my eyes as I go to my patrol car.
She tried that more than once back in high school, and it did just as much for me then as it does for me now. Which is exactly zero. For a long time after I graduated I wondered if that part of me just wasn’t working. I knew guys in my class that couldn’t wait to get their hands on a girl and were constantly pushing for details about Paula. I didn’t have this pressing urge to have sex or be with anyone, and I wondered if I was broken. I picture Juno with pink hair sitting on my kitchen counter, and it answers that question.
No, I wasn’t broken. My body was in hibernation until the right woman came along. Little Juno with her skinny legs, stubborn chin, and an attitude the size of Georgia. She was the one to wake me up, and now she’s under my goddamn skin.
Once Paula turns at the edge of downtown, I get out of my cruiser and make my way across the street. I see the light on at the old real estate place, and I plan on checking it out. It’s my job, after all.
I check the front door and it’s locked with the shades pulled down. When I go around back, I see the door is ajar and Juno’s car is parked nearby. I knew she bought the place, because the bank came to the sheriff’s station to get the paperwork notarized. I asked around, but nobody knew why. Her grandmother's place is not too far from downtown, and from what I remember it’s plenty big for Juno and her. Why the hell would she move out and to a business downtown? Did she really need to be closer to work?
Lux told me about her parents a long time ago, so I always kept an eye on her Grams. I send one of the boy scouts in town to cut her grass in the spring and summer, and I have the local builder clean her gutters out twice a year. We got some pretty bad ice a couple of times this winter, and I made sure to salt her steps before she woke up to go get the paper. They didn’t have anyone else looking out for them, and I wanted to help in some way. If I’m honest with myself—which I don’t like doing—I know I’m pretending when I say I’d do it for anyone else in town.
I push the door a little and look at the stairs that lead up to the apartment. I’ve only been up here one other time, but that was before it was sold. One last look over my shoulder and then I decide I should check on Juno just to make sure she’s safe. I know I said I’d keep my distance, but I’m also the sheriff.
The stairs are narrow, but I take them in no time and see the apartment door is wide open. “Jesus, it's like a neon sign for crime.”
Without thinking, I walk in and I’m struck silent by the image that greets me. Juno is standing there in short shorts, a hot pink bra, and a glass of wine. She looks up at me and freezes for only a second before she puts a hand on her hip and raises that damn stubborn chin of hers.