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“So, did you figure out why Tim was being so nice to his new rookie?”
Lucy peers across the coffee table at Jackson, eyeing him blearily as she sloshes her glass. Ostensibly, it’s a margarita. In reality, it’s mostly tequila and ice. This is her third one, and she’s definitely feeling it.
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
Jackson smiles over at her, taking a drink of his beer. He’s not drinking as much, but this is probably his fifth beer. “So? You gonna tell me, or will I have to speculate wildly?”
“She…she’s got other stuff going on. Big stuff. He said he was being nice because that’s what she needs.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“She needs to feel safe, and I needed to feel like the world was dangerous. Something like that,” she says, waving her hand.
He bristles, “Um, I think you know the world is a dangerous place. Caleb, anyone?”
Lucy makes a face, reaching across to pat his arm. “No, not anymore. At first. You know as well as I do that Tim hasn’t been harsh like that with me in forever,” she says. After a moment, she continues, “Did you know she was in the Army too? Katie, I mean?”
“No shit, really?”
“For real.”
Jackson looks over at her, where she’s staring into her drink, frowning at it a little. “What’s wrong?”
“I thought he liked her better than me.”
He finishes the rest of his beer, unwilling to touch that one with a 10-foot pole.
Lucy isn’t finished, though. “I asked him…I mean, not like that, but he said I’m kind and insightful and maybe one day Katie could be as good as me.”
Wow. That’s…unexpected, from Bradford.
“What if he doesn’t mean it, though? What if he’s just saying that to make me feel better?” she asks, voice wobbling.
“Okay, first of all, does that sound like something Tim would do? If he’s actually using words to compliment you, he means it. Also, he’s right, and you are both kind and insightful. And astoundingly good at your job.”
“But she’s just so pretty and smart and fit,” she says with a sigh.
Jackson isn’t really sure where to start with this one. “Uh…”
“She is, did you even see her?”
“I did, Lucy, along with everyone on the day shift in patrol. She’s not really my type. Hey, is this still a thing where you’re upset about Tim ‘moving on’ with a new rookie, or…?”
Lucy takes a long pull of her watery, iced tequila. “I just can’t stop thinking about how beautiful she is. And what if she’s Tim’s type?”
He stands up and rounds the table, joining her on the couch. “Can we stop for a minute and focus on how you’ve mentioned three times that you think she’s hot?”
“Well, she is!” Lucy looks comically surprised at her outburst, and he’s sure the expression is mirrored on his face.
“Okay, then. Is this a new development, or have you been hiding things from me, your best and also gayest friend?”
“Please, like you’re my gayest friend. One of my friends from college is an activist who writes about being gay. You’re my best friend, though.”
“I’ll take it, but yeah, I’m still waiting on an answer to my question,” he tells her, laughing.
She shakes her head, turning a deep red. “I mean, I kissed some girls in college, but who didn’t?”
“I can assure you that I did not.”
“You know what I mean!”
Jackson takes a sip of his beer, grinning over at her. “I’m just saying, the fact you said ‘girls,’ plural, might mean something.”
“So what if it does?” she asks mulishly.
“Then I would support you, but I’d still have more questions.”
“No, I’ve never had sex with a woman, but I’m not opposed to it.”
“That’s not what I was going to ask, but I will be circling back to that.”
Lucy snorts. “Okay, so…?”
“Listen, I-I kind of thought you liked Tim? Like, like —”
“Oh my god, Jackson!” Her face flames scarlet.
He wags a finger in front of her face emphatically. “Please, don’t act like that’s completely crazy.”
“He was my T.O.! I set him up with one of my best friends!”
“Mmmhmm,” he teases, “your very hot former T.O. who isn’t dating your friend anymore. Who you’ve been just a little possessive of the last couple of days.”
“I-I have not! I was just…I needed some reassurance, which is completely normal. Psychologically speaking.”
“Lucy,” Jackson says gently, “Angela is one of my closest friends. Harper and Nolan have each other’s backs. But none of us look at each other the way you and Tim do.”
Lucy rolls her eyes and sips her drink. “Well, you’re gay and Angela’s a woman. And Nolan and Harper…well, can you imagine what Harper would do if Nolan got a crush on her?”
That is a funny mental image, but he isn’t willing to be sidetracked. “Oh, so you’re admitting to a crush?”
She tosses a throw pillow at him, and he manages to catch it without spilling his beer. He sets it down to avoid any further potential spills.
Gathering his thoughts, he’s quiet. Lucy seems content to sip her drink, her head tipping back after the exhaustion of the day.
Suddenly, he can’t hold it in, and Jackson giggles.
Lucy sits up and quirks an eyebrow. “What?”
“I-I just…you have such a type,” he laughs.
She just looks at him in befuddled questioning.
“Look. Former military turned cop…that athletic build…beautiful down to the cut jawline…Lucy, they even have similar haircuts.”
Lucy stares at him for a long moment, then joins him in raucous laughter. “Oh my god, you’re right. This is horrible.”
“No, this is the best thing ever, and I can’t wait to tell Lopez,” he wheezes, still leaning back into the couch in tipsy amusement.
“Jackson,” she says, growing serious, “no. We will never speak of this again, and you will not tell Lopez.”
“Or what?”
“Or I will feed your Mandalorian figurine to Kojo.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“And you wouldn’t dare tell Lopez about this conversation,” she says with a victorious smirk.
“Fine, but don’t think I’m done teasing you about this. For, like, forever.”
“Fine,” Lucy says, rolling her eyes.
Jackson just smiles back at her.