Page 7 of Cuffed to my Roomies
I set my backpack by the door, perched on the rolled arm of one of the recliners.
“You could sit down. Tell me how your day was,” he said diffidently.
“I’m sure you have enough on your mind,” I said, “I’m fine. I’ll wait.”
“You can talk to me. I know Derek is—let’s say more popular with the ladies than I am. But I’d like to know how it went at the mechanic. Do they know what’s wrong?”
“The guy said it sounds like the alternator.”
“Can he find you a rebuilt part to replace it with?”
“I don’t know. He mentioned the cost for a new alternator and the installation. After that I may have blacked out in shock.”
“It might be a good idea to ask about a rebuilt option to save money. It’s not a new car. There’s no reason to waste money on a new part when a used one will work,” he said.
“Thank you. That sounds like something my dad would say,” I said, giving him a half smile.
“Then your dad is obviously a genius, like me,” Brett said, his dimple flashing in his cheek. My brain short circuited over his smile.
“He is. How was your day at work?”
“It was ok. About like most. I stopped in at the bar on Legion Street and nabbed a guy we had a warrant out for. He gets wasted and beats up his wife, skips bail. So on lunch break, I just stopped over at one of his favorite places and happened to see him. We went to the station and pretty soon the judge refused to rebond him thanks to his history. So tonight, his wife and kids can sleep easy.”
“You went on your lunch hour to look for some dirtbag who hits his wife?”
“Yeah.”
“Most people just go get a sandwich or something on break.”
“I got a sandwich afterward. I can do both,” he said with a shrug like it was nothing.
Had I found the only two old-fashioned gentleman left in the world? It was weird and amazing to talk to Derek and Brett, to notice their innate goodness, their determination to look out for people and stop the bad guys. They made me want to believe that most people were like them, when I knew otherwise.
“You two are like something out of an old movie. Like the Gary Cooper sheriffs, the good-looking lawmen who clean up a town and have excellent manners. I used to watch those westerns with my dad.”
“Thanks, I think. I mean, I think Gary Cooper’s dead, so I’m going to hope that was a compliment and not you saying that we both remind you of really old dudes.”
“Not at all,” I laughed, “I think it’s awesome.”
Derek entered with two enormous bags that smelled deliciously of garlic. My mouth watered, and I swallowed hard.
“Hi,” I said, “I was gonna take off, but Brett thought I should wait and say goodbye in person.” I wondered at once why I’d hung around there when it would be so much harder to tell them both goodbye together.
“No need to rush off. Have a seat, we’ve got plenty of Chinese for dinner,” Derek said, his easy smile making me want to stay even more.
I went to the kitchen and got napkins, asked if they wanted forks.
“I can use chopsticks. Brett here needs a shovel. Just grab the biggest spoon we’ve got,” Derek said.
I held up a soup ladle. Brett shook his head, “Fork’ll be fine for me. I need something better than a stick to eat with. If I was raised by wolves in the forest like this dude, I could probably manage it,” Brett teased back. I smiled, liking how at ease they were with each other, catching that same comforting feeling I’d had in the squad car—the easy rapport and playful spirit I felt with them.
I sat down and decided I might as well ask for what I really wanted, “Actually I was wondering—I know I’ve imposed enough already, but I wanted to ask you something. Would it be okay if I stayed here one more night? I report to my internship in the morning and then to a shift at my new waitress job. I’d spend my lunch break looking for an apartment, and if I didn’t find one, I’d stay at a motel until I do.”
“No,” Brett said. My face fell. I tried to nod, at like it was totally understandable, no big deal.
“We want you to stay,” Derek said.
“Not just one more night,” Brett put in, “We talked it over while we were on patrol this morning. Decided to offer you the extra room for as long as you need it.”
I couldn’t believe it. I jumped out of my seat in excitement. I hurried over to Brett, hesitated when I was about to hug him and just patted his shoulder awkwardly. I shifted my weight, grinning. Derek got to his feet, rounded the table and gave me a bear hug. I was dumbstruck by the fact that I could feel every ridge of his muscular torso through his t-shirt. I remembered to clap him on the back like a buddy and pulled back.
