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“Hold that thought,” Tim interrupted Ashley as he aimed his phone at Kojo and hit record. “Hey buddy, do it again for Lucy.” Kojo rolled onto his back again, performing his new trick, playing a DB. “Atta boy!” Tim sent the video to Chen before returning his focus to Ashley. “Sorry, what were you saying?”
“I think there’s something else I need to talk to you about instead.” She took a breath before continuing, “I like you, Tim. I like you a lot, and this feels like it could be the real deal,” she paused, regrouping her thoughts. “I don’t think you’ve acted on it, but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something more than platonic between you and Officer Chen. Last night, you spent half of dinner talking about her breakup with Chris, for reasons you know but said you couldn’t share with me. Just now, you interrupted me to take and send her a video -”
“There’s nothing to act on. I’m sorry, Ash, I just wasn’t thinking.”
“Tim, those are just two of the most recent examples from the last twelve hours. You were thinking; you were just thinking about Lucy more than me. I don’t want to be the person who gives an ultimatum, so please don’t think of it like that.” With both resignation and determination in her voice, she continued, “Think of this as a Hail Mary. I don’t want to be second to another woman. I won’t be. I want to see where our relationship goes, but I can’t do it unless you step back from your friendship and partnership with her.”
Tim was silent, looking away and running his hand through his hair. After a moment of thinking, he turned back to her, “Ashley… Lucy’s family. I can’t do that. I’m sorry.”
“I know,” she said with sadness. “Bye, Tim.” Ashley kissed his cheek and walked away.
Ashley was right. Having the evidence laid out before him, he wasn’t sure why it took him so long to realize it. He wouldn’t have let any other rookie get away with all the pranks Lucy pulled on him, but he enjoyed being pranked by her. He wouldn’t usually choose to spend the night in a hospital chair, but after they’d almost lost her, it wasn’t a choice. He didn’t cry often, but with Lucy, he felt safe to shed tears. He had feelings for his former rookie, which meant Ashley was also right about him needing to find a new aide.
“What the hell, Tim?!?” Lucy was angry and hurt, so she didn’t think twice about storming up to her sergeant in the middle of the parking garage. “Are we back in middle school? You sent Webb with a message that he’s replacing me? Did I do something?”
“Officer Chen,” he said a little too sharply as he steeled himself for the emotionless answer he had to give, “I’ve taught you everything I can. Officer Webb has potential, but he still has things to learn. That’s all there is to it.”
“With all due respect, Sergeant Bradford,” she could be snippy right back, but her anger dulled slightly by his monotone words, “you’re not very good at lying to me.”
Tim straightened, knowing he had to stand his ground, “I am your sergeant, in and out of uniform. Stand down, Officer Chen.”
“I thought you were also my friend. Why are you acting like this?” Her anger had been wholly replaced by confusion. She waited, searching his eyes for an answer. What she saw was a puzzling hint of fear. Lucy took a few slow steps back, hoping he would change his mind about whatever he was trying to hide from her before she finally turned and began to walk away.
He'd had no response; all he could muster was standing there and trying to rebuild the wall she had unknowingly torn down. He had seen her brown eyes begin to pool with tears. When she started to walk away, he knew that he had hurt her in his attempt to protect her. He sighed with painful exasperation before the words tumbled quietly off his tongue, “Because I love you, Luce.”
Her feet froze, and realization dawned on her face. But, when she turned back to him, he was the one walking away.
After a conflicting drive home, Lucy knocked on Tamara’s door.
“Come in!” Tamara hollered from her reclined position in bed.
“Hey, do you have a few minutes to talk?” Lucy asked as she sat next to Tamara on the bed.
“Yeah, what’s up?”
Lucy spoke quickly before she could change her mind, “Something happened at work, and I need to talk about it, but I can’t talk about it with anyone at work.”
“Not even Sergeant Zaddy?” Tamara asked with a smirk.
“No,” Lucy ran her hand through her hair, “because it’s about Tim.”
Tamara sat upright, “Finally!”
“Finally?”
“Yeah, finally. I’ve been shipping Chenford since I heard the two of you talking about me being your puppy.”
“Wait.” Lucy filled with trepidation. “Chenford? What are you talking about?”
“It’s your ship name… Chen… Bradford… Chenford?”
“I get that! Why do we have a ship name?”
“Don’t look at me!” Tamara defended herself before she took a breath and said gently, “Jackson came up with it.”
“Jackson?” Lucy felt her heart drop to her stomach. “Jackson gave Tim and me a ship name? Like an actual romantic ship name?”
Tamara sighed with guilt, “Yeah, an actual romantic ship name. I got ahead of myself, didn’t I? Assuming you hooked up or something.”
“Yes! Well… kind of? I… I don’t know. Tim told me he loves me. And now you’re telling me that you and Jackson….” her words drifted away. “Thanks for the talk; I… I need to go process this.”
Jackson had seen something she hadn’t, but he was good at reading her. He’d known about her and Nolan and never said a word. He knew something had happened with her mom and how to support her. On the day he died, he was the one who told her to wear the green dress. Until now, she had forgotten the knowing smile on his face when he said it would be a real head-turner. It made sense that Jackson had seen it.
It.
She had spent hours recording audiobooks when she should have been sleeping. She had been jealous of a new rookie when she should have known he was adapting his teaching style for the student. She had heard his voice and seen his face and arms… when she knew Tim would find her even though she was dying.
Lucy held her Saint Michael medal and whispered, “I see it now, Jackson. I feel it.”
Lucy was leaning back against her car, waiting. Tim had successfully kept his distance that day, and she knew he wouldn’t leave the station until he thought she was gone. When he entered the parking garage and started walking toward his truck, she called out, “Tim!”
Tim heard her boots hitting the concrete before he’d had a chance to turn around. He dropped his bag just before she flew into his arms with her legs wrapping effortlessly around his waist. His hands naturally came up under her thighs while hers settled on the back of his neck.
“I love you, too,” Lucy said before lowering her lips to his.
Needing a breath of air, Tim chuckled and asked, “What if I hadn’t turned around? Were you planning to tackle me?”
“Tackling you was Plan A,” she responded with sass, “but I guess this worked out.”
Through their smiles, their lips met again.