Chapter Eleven: Rose
My shift was busy and I was eager to get home to Parker. It was dark and around nine when I was getting on the subway to go home when my phone rang. It was Nate.
“Hello?” I answered. I stopped trying to use a pretty voice when I answered the phone, so I sounded just as tired as I was.
“Hey doll, it’s me. Listen I have to get another officer to watch you tonight. Max is on duty and I have to take care of something.”
He sounded pent up and worried about something. A bit frustrated, too.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen, are you okay?” I rambled. I stepped to the side of the pay box so the crowd wouldn’t run me over.
“Uh, don’t worry yourself. I can fill the officer in on what is going on with you.”
“I don’t care about that, Nate, I just care that you’re okay. Are you?” I pried. Maybe I was trying to convince him I was interested in more than just some fantasy with him, or undressing in front of the window.
I couldn’t deny the feeling I got when I even thought he had been hurt. I couldn’t ignore it either, or write it off as something as simple as physical attraction.
“Rose, I’m fine. It was Alex, he’s in the hospital. He got jumped.”
I gasped in shock. “Oh no. Is it bad? Which hospital?” I asked. I had literally just left; I wondered what my luck could possibly be at that point.
“I’m not sure yet, we’re on the way. But it will probably be the same one you work at; the precinct has some weird policies with it. But he’ll be fine.”
“Well I want to meet you there.”
“You don’t have to.”
But I had already turned around and planned to head back to the hospital.
“I want to, I can have the best doctor look at him.” I made some friends in the hospital, but only because I was nice and not manipulative.
“Rose…”
“Nate, I’m going to meet you here. It’s best that I’m with at least one of you.”
I heard him sigh in defeat. “Okay. I guess that’s best anyway, since I have to get back to work. I’m on duty since I was the one who…it’s complicated. I guess I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay. See you.”
I hung up and frantically got a ticket back to the hospital. It was crowded as always, and I walked the short two blocks to go back to work. A few people gave me weird looks when I got to the ER, because they knew I already left and wondered why I was back. I went to the nurse’s station and asked Kelly if she knew anything. Dina was already gone too.
“Hey, did an officer come in here? I mean a detective. And another cop should be with him too.” I tugged my sweater closed and crossed my arms. I fidget randomly when I was nervous.
“Uh, no. Didn’t you leave already?”
I was about to answer her before the door busted open and I saw Nate walking in with Alex practically dragging by his side.
“Nate!” I ran to the double doors to meet them. I started shouting my usual commands and led them to an open bed, but I knew I couldn’t do anything since I was off the clock. Kelly came over and I was glad it was her taking care of him.
“Hey.” Nate hugged me briefly and we stepped aside as Alex started being checked out.
I told a passing nurse to get a doctor down asap.
“What happened?” I turned to Nate. He combed through his hair and sighed.
“I don’t know yet. He was doing a checkup and next thing I know I’m getting a call.”
“Oh no. Someone wanted to hurt him.” My throat was getting so closed I thought I was going to cry. Nate gave me an odd look and rubbed my shoulder.
“We’re cops, Rose. Someone is always going to want to hurt us. For any reason. It just comes with the job.”
I nodded slowly as his words sunk in. I realized that feeling would come with being involved with them, too.
“We can uh, wait in the waiting room. Do you want some coffee? I can get you the good kind for the nurses,” I told Nate.
“Yeah, please.” He offered a small smile. He glanced back at Alex before he walked off with me. I knew he was worried about his friend. It was sweet, but it sucked that the situation was so bad.
What if it had been worse? Alex could have been gravely injured, or even shot. I didn’t see much, but it just looked like a busted nose and bruised cheek.
I told Nate to wait outside the lounge and I got him a fresh hot cup and cream. I nearly cringed when I saw him drink it black. We sat on the over-worn couches by the ER.
“How was your day before all this?” He slung his arm behind me casually.
I never got used to how hot he looked in uniform. And the way he leaned back and knocked his legs open like he wanted me to come kneel between them…how could my mind be in the gutter at a time like that?
“It was okay. Nothing too crazy. What about yours?” I turned to him. I inhaled deeply to disguise my breathing in his scent. So masculine and intoxicating.
“The same as always.”
I stared into his deep eyes for a moment. I turned and rested my head on his shoulders. It was so easy to be around him. Around all of them. Way too easy.
“Why don’t you guys tell me about the case? I can handle it.”
He sighed, and I felt him grin. It was weird, Nate not cracking a joke.
“I don’t know. We just agreed not to.” He tsked his jaw.
I groaned as I realized it.
“I get it. I admire you guys’ friendship. But when you decide to trust me, I can handle it.”
He kissed the crown of my head.
“We know.”