Chapter 5
The end of Regan’s shift in dispatch was always bittersweet for her. She was glad to have the stress of the day finished, but then again, she hated going home to an empty house every night. She’d never been afraid of anything before the divorce until she started seeing the same man driving the white Buick watching her at the grocery store, outside her house, and on her way to work.
She now kept her shades pulled and her doors locked and deadbolted. What she wanted was her husband to comfort her or to kick the guy’s ass. She’d take either. He always wore a T-shirt and jeans with the bulging pockets. He never bought anything at the grocery store and drove by her house or the station. Who stalked someone who worked at the police department, other than someone who had a beef with an officer?
She left dispatch when her shift was over, taking the stairs to the interior lobby. She didn’t want to admit it, but she wanted to see Colin before driving home. Just seeing Colin would give her confidence.
She rounded the last landing before the lobby and stopped cold as female laughter echoed off the cement walls. Then she heard Colin. “I said, not if I arrest you here and now.” There was more laughter.
Scowling, she glided slowly down the last flight. From what she could see, there was a bunch of women packed into the little space Kim and the officer shared while working. They were all crowded around Colin, who was laughing and smiling at them.
“Oh, Colin, you’re so funny,” said one woman.
“Tell us another story,” high pitched-voiced woman said.
“It’s my turn to sit on his lap.”
Regan recognized the voice as a female officer who’d attended the police academy with Colin and had been a good friend to her.
Regan saw red. How dare these vultures flock around Colin as soon as he was technically single? Technically, because she didn’t consider him unattached. A smile plastered on her face, she sauntered up behind the five or six women gathered around Colin. At least she hoped it was a smile and not an I’m-going-to-freak-out-on-all-of-you look.
She stood there for a few minutes before the woman sitting on Colin’s lap stood abruptly. At least that tramp had the sense to look regretful. One by one the women turned to look at her, then hurried off like criminals during a drug bust. Regan recognized some of the women as her coworkers from dispatch. Traitors.
Regan made eye contact with Colin, then raised her eyebrows. “Did I interrupt something?”
Colin jumped to his feet and moved toward her. She barely had time to blink before his warm body was in front of her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kim watching them intently.
“I was visiting,” he said.
Regan shook her head once. “That’s the best you’ve got?”
“Well, I . . . it’s so boring here. No offense, Kim.”
Kim poked her head up between where they stood almost toe to toe. “You guys aren’t together anymore, right? He’s fair game. I hadn’t realized that you were married at one time.” She used a tone of voice like she had dirt on a witness and couldn’t wait to rub it in her face.
Regan stared past Colin. “We haven’t been divorced so long that I would want my ex-husband hooking up with women so completely wrong for him. Take you for example. You’ve practically been throwing yourself at him since he started on the desk. See, Kim, I hear things too.”
Regan bared her teeth at Colin, then turned on her heel and stormed away. That ladies’ man. He was so in love with her that he couldn’t wait to get divorced so the women at the station could fall all over him? She wanted to give him a piece of her mind, tell him exactly what she thought of him and his harem, but she couldn’t. Home. She’d go home.
~ ~ ~
She’d never been a nervous person. She was confident and confronted trouble head on, except for the last few weeks. Knowing that Colin was being sued by a family of possible felons was a cause for worry. Was she being followed so they would learn her patterns and one day grab her? Then it could be her flying off the big bridge into the frigid water below. They probably wouldn’t find her body either.
Her limbs started to convulse with nerves as she drove down the tree-lined street toward her house. Once there, she tried to steady her hands enough to put her key in the doorknob.
When her keys hit the stoop, she looked around, panicked. Was anyone watching her? Regardless that she was in a relatively safe neighborhood, where neighbors observed suspicious people, she wasn’t taking chances. She retrieved the keys, shoved the key into the lock, and with her arm, she pushed the door so hard it whacked against the wall. Then she scurried inside and locked the door.
Her heart racing, she scanned the immediate rooms for things out of place or for a person hiding behind the curtains. She flipped on lights, deadbolted the door, and went into the kitchen to calm her rattled nerves with a cup of tea.
More than anything she wanted to call Colin, to hear his reassuring voice, to know he’d be coming through the door and would keep her safe. But no, that dream was over for the time being. She knew they would get back together once the lawsuit was over. However, for now, she was on her own.
Her cell phone rang, startling her. Pulling it out of her purse, she smiled at the number. Brian.
“Boy am I glad to hear from you,” she said, flopping down in a kitchen chair. She dropped her head in her hands as her hair fell forward.
“What’s going on? Trouble?”
“No. Just stuff. I’m lonely without Colin around. This house is too big and empty.”
“Want me to come over?” he asked. “I have something to talk to you about anyway.”
She sat back in the wooden chair. “Tell me now.”
“I’d rather tell you in person. It’s important. I can be there in ten minutes.”
He sounded so eager, but hanging out with Brian was never just hanging out. She felt like she had to cater to him, make sure he was comfortable. “I’m really tired,” she protested.
“I won’t stay long. I need to see you.”
She gave in, like she usually did if he pushed long enough. With his pathetic childhood, having lost two sets of parents and being moved from place to place, she had always given in if he pushed hard enough. She only wished he didn’t want to come over after a long day at work.
Hearing a knock, she felt her heart react to the noise with a lurch. She checked the peephole and her stomach fell like a deflated balloon. True to his word, Brian was at her door in ten minutes. She knew he was coming, but somewhere in her subconscious she’d hoped it was a man with smoldering green eyes, who melted her barriers and made her want what she wasn’t supposed to have anymore. She unlocked the door and let Brian in. He pushed her back and smothered her in a bear hug.
“I’ve missed you,” he said into her hair.
“You saw me the other day,” she responded, pulling out of his embrace. “So what is this important information you have for me?”
He gestured to the couch, and they sat. “Things are going really well for me at work.” He touched her hand that she’d rested on the back of the couch. She encouraged him to continue talking. “I got a new case today. It’s the case against Colin. Our firm picked up the client from a feeler the partners put out. They assigned me to the case. Isn’t that great? My first real court case.”
Her jaw fell open, and she frowned. Was he kidding? This was not great news. In no one’s book was this a good idea. She didn’t even know how to react without setting him off.
She shook her head. Then she started to open her mouth and faltered. Again, she tried. Nothing.
“Brian? This is the case against my husband.”
“Ex-husband. See, there’s no conflict of interest because he’s your ex and we’re not blood related, anyway. Besides, I can’t say no to my bosses. It’s just not done.” He patted her hand. “It’ll be okay. You can come watch me.”
She gritted her teeth. Brian wasn’t getting it at all. Had he always been this dense? She considered reminding him that she and Colin were only divorced because of the trial, not because they weren’t in love, but thought better of it. If he was the plaintiff’s lawyer, she should keep her mouth closed. Anger with Brian and fear for Colin mixed in her chest. She rubbed it, worried that the pressure was going to be too much for her to deal with. Maybe she’d book a vacation out of town for the next month.
“I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to be there, but I’ll try.” She smiled and pretended to be excited for him. It was a total act, but he bought it. She was taken aback at how blind he was to her feelings.
“It will be great to have my own cheering section. Having you there will mean so much to me.”
She pulled her hand away from his and crossed her arms. “I think it’s time for you to go. I’ve had a busy day and another one is scheduled for tomorrow. Can you see yourself out?”
He froze. A look of hurt flitted across his face and then he was back in his composed-lawyer face. “I’ll see you soon. Call me if you need anything.” He leaned in for another hug, but she was faster and stood without making contact with him.
“Goodnight, Brian.”
As soon as the door shut, she picked up her phone and dialed the number she had memorized. When she heard Colin’s voice, she sighed.
“Hello, beautiful.”
She sighed again. “Where are you?”
“I just got into my car. I’m on the way home. You?”
“I’m at the house. Brian was just here.” There was silence on the other end of the phone. Regan knew Colin didn’t like her brother, but she always hoped they’d get along at least for her sake if nothing else. After all Brian was family. “He’s going to be the lawyer for the plaintiff’s in your case.”
“What?” Colin said in a low, dangerous voice.
She could imagine him gripping the steering wheel tight, his mouth set in a hard line and the muscle at his temple throbbing. “I couldn’t believe it when he told me. I told him everything about us. Can he use that against you?”
Another pause. The length concerned her.
“I suppose Brian could use it to hurt me, which I’m sure he would love, but it’s probably not legal.”
“He was so excited about his first trial, he didn’t even realize it would be awkward for me.”
“Do you want me to come over?” His voice was sultry, full of unspoken promises of whispered kisses and silky caresses.
She wavered. If he came over, they would end up in bed. When she thought about the women climbing all over him at the station today, it gave her the heebie-jeebies. She wanted to mark her territory, claim him as hers, but it wasn’t part of the divorce plan. They were supposed to be divorced. End of relationship.
Besides, whoever was following her might see him, take a pot shot, or try to hurt him. She refused to put Colin in danger. “No. You should go back to Jack’s house,” she told him with remorse.
“As long as you’re okay.”
“I want to see you, Colin, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“It’s time for you to come clean. I know you’ve been keeping something from me. What’s going on? And, don’t tell me nothing.”
“It’s nothing important, like going to trial.”
“What is it?” he demanded.
“I’ve seen this guy following me around town ever since the divorce.” She told him about the grocery store and the other times she’d seen her stalker and what he looked like.
“Really?” He drew the word out. She heard a loud thud, like Colin was hitting the table or a wall. “Did you get his plate number?”
“No. I forgot to look.”
“Is he still following you?”
She paused. “No. I haven’t seen him recently,” she lied. She’d seen him when she left the police department just today. “I’m fine. I’m going to bed now anyway.”
“Why didn’t you call me as soon as you thought you were being followed? That wouldn’t have been out of the realm of what former lovers would do.”
“You were dealing with the trial and Jack. You didn’t need me telling you ghost stories.”
“You will call me when you see this creep again, right?”
She nodded, even though he couldn’t see her.
“I can be there in ten minutes if you need me.”
“I can’t keep bothering you,” she said, the words catching in her throat.
“Bother me, Regan. I love you,” he said, softly.
“Me, too.” She hung up the phone and sank back into the couch. “Oh, Colin,” she said on a sigh to the empty room.
The next morning, Regan woke early and was at the station well before her shift. Altering her usual routine was first on her list of the single-Regan plan. She hadn’t seen her stalker today, thankfully. Maybe she’d thrown him by getting to work early.
She was still nervous and shifted from foot to foot as she stood in the corner of the dispatch office. Standing in the back of the dark room afforded her the opportunity to listen in on her co-workers without them knowing she was there. She wasn’t a gossip exactly, but she didn’t mind finding out what people were thinking and talking about around the station.
“Did you see Regan and Colin yesterday? He looked mad.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t throw him out of bed.”
“Me either. I don’t know what happened, but I’m sure it was her fault.”
“No way. Regan’s too much of a goody-goody. He’s the bad boy. That lawsuit tells it all. They say he tossed a criminal off the bridge.”
“Still, I wouldn’t throw him out of my bed.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
Regan tried to blend further into the wall. This was not the time for her to jump out and say, “I’m here, you selfish bitches. He’s mine.” She knew breaking up with Colin would be difficult, she hadn’t realized how much the water cooler talk would affect her. Her heart broke a little more every day as word got out. She sucked in a ragged breath and fought the tears welling in her eyes and the tightness that formed around her chest like a metal vise.
After a few minutes, she slipped out the door and into the hallway, right into a hard chest.
Ooof.
“Easy there,” a deep, male voice said. Strong hands gripped her waist to steady her.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going,” Regan stammered, looking up into the handsome face. “Jack,” she said. “I’m sorry. How are you?”
He didn’t let her go immediately. He gave her an easy smile. “I’m good. Sorry about the stuff with you and Colin. He’s been a pain since moving in.” He gave a little chuckle. “Not that I have to tell you that. You’ve lived with the guy.”
“That I have.” She gave him a genuine smile, probably her first real smile in a week.
“What are you doing later? Want to get some lunch? Or dinner?”
“Me?” she asked.
“Sure, why not?” He released her and she fell back a step.
“I don’t know, Jack. You’re Colin’s friend. It seems weird for us to socialize.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“Did Colin tell you why we broke up?” she asked, shifting her weight from foot to foot.
“Yeah. He said you couldn’t handle the trial he was going through.”
“That makes me sound terrible,” she said, slapping his arm. There was no thrill in touching him, not like when she touched Colin.
“You know that’s not what I mean. Come on. Dinner tonight after your shift. No pressure.”
“Okay,” she said, looking forward to getting out and having a police officer as an escort, just in case.
After Jack’s invitation, work flew by. It was good to have something to think about other than a man following her, a trial, and an empty house to go home to. She wondered why Colin didn’t tell Jack the truth about their divorce. Did he not trust Jack? She’d keep the secret until she had time to talk to Colin about it.
When Jack arrived at the house, she watched him stroll up the walkway, dressed in jeans and a sport coat. She glanced down at her jeans and T-shirt and decided to change quickly. She heard him on the porch. She had her shirt off, when the bell rang. She shimmed out of her jeans. Pulling a casual dress out of the closet, she slipped it on over her head as she bolted for the stairs.
“Coming,” she called, running down the stairs. She could see him in the door window. She slid across the floor, grabbing hold of the door. Pulling it open, she grinned widely. “Hey, Jack. Come on in.” She fastened an earring into one ear and then the other.
“You look amazing,” he said.
Nerves caused her hands to tremble. She hadn’t been complimented by another other than Colin in a long time. It was awkward and she wasn’t sure she liked the feeling. Having Jack there for her and not for her husband was unnerving. She was going on a date. A date with her husband’s best bud. She had a moment of hesitation at the somewhat double standard she was creating.
This wasn’t a date. It was having dinner with Colin’s best friend. If Colin or the women at work found out, it wouldn’t be a big deal, she tried to convince herself. She didn’t want Colin to take up dating any number of the women throwing themselves at him since the divorce became official.
However, maybe if the man watching her every move got the idea she was dating and done with Colin, he’d stop following her. This date gave credibility to the divorce story. She smiled. That was the excuse she was sticking with. Credibility to their story. Admitting that she was happy to be going out was a little more difficult for her.
Jack went into the living room. His presence in her house made her antsy.
What the heck was he doing?
Instead, she asked, “Where are we going?” hoping it wasn’t one of the places she and Colin loved to go to together. She’d always loved it when Colin took her out on the town. Dancing, dinner, drinks, it didn’t matter as long as they were together and were in public.
“It’s a surprise,” Jack said, approaching her warily.
Regan gave him a ‘cut the bullshit’ look before grabbing her sweater that was hanging by the door.
Jack took the sweater from her and helped her slip it on. Her breath faltered.
“This feels so wrong, Jack.”
“It’s not. I’ve wanted the chance to ask you out since before you and Colin got together. This was my chance, and I didn’t want to miss out.”
Leading him on was the last thing she wanted to do. She was still committed to Colin, regardless of what it said on paper or in the court system. Jack knew this. He knew how much in love she and Colin were. Maybe he was trying to brighten her spirits by saying nice things.
Going for the avoidance technique, she said, “Let’s hit the town.” She led him back out to his car, his warm hand burning through her clothes where he touched her on her lower back.
They drove through town, talking and laughing. It felt good to her to finally let loose a little. She’d been so tense since the day Colin told her about the trial that she had closed off the fun side of Regan and strictly worked the business side of Regan.
He took her to a little Chinese restaurant just outside of Port City. Over egg noodles and sweet and sour chicken, they got to know one another as friends, as individuals, not just Colin’s best friend and Colin’s wife, which was how they’d interacted when they’d lived under the same roof after Jack’s divorce. They were just about to leave the restaurant, when the owner, a small Chinese man, came running toward them.
“Fortune cookie,” he said in broken English. “Fortune cookie.” In his hand he held out two cookies wrapped in cellophane.
Regan took one, and Jack picked up the other. They smiled and thanked the man before leaving and settling into the warmth of the car.
“Glad we didn’t forget these,” Jack said, ripping into his bag. He broke his cookie, pulled out the paper, and read, “Love the one you’re with . . . in bed.”
She opened her eyes wide. “That’s not what that says,” she protested.
“Don’t you know you’re supposed to add ‘in bed’ to every fortune? Did Colin teach you nothing?”
“Obviously not.”
“Open yours,” he said, watching her fiddle with the bag.
“Maybe I should wait.”
“Chicken,” he goaded.
“I . . . fine.” She popped the bag, cracked the cookie, and the paper fell into her lap. Gingerly, she picked it up. “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. In bed,” she read. “Eww. Lemonade in bed. That’s messy, but I certainly have enough lemons.”
“I hope that doesn’t include me,” Jack said, leaning in to her.
He was going to kiss her. She knew it as well as she knew her own name. Kissing her husband’s best friend . . . He was moving closer. His eyes drifted shut and she was transfixed on his lips as they approached hers.
She stepped to the side, took his hand, and pulled him out of the restaurant.