Noli’s eyes double in size.
Okay. Might have come on a little strong there.
Officer Prowler stands upright and chuckles. “Noted. Good for you, man. Kasper here deserves a good one. Just know if you don’t treat her right, you’ll have the entirety of the Pensacola Metro Police Force coming for you.”
It hits me hard—the comradery Noli left behind when she moved to Wisconsin. When she talked about her time working in Pensacola, sharing the way things are done down here, I always assumed she was holding herself above us. But maybe I jumped to conclusions. Maybe she really loved her coworkers and the systems she was used to. I should have probably cut her some slack instead of assuming she was being arrogant.
“Collin’s a cop, too, actually,” Noli says, drawing my attention. “That’s how we met.”
“Dadgummit. I thought you didn’t date your officers. You went and changed the rules on me, huh?”
Noli shrugs, a pretty blush on her cheeks.
“I’m mostly irresistible,” I put in. “Right, dumplin’?”
Noli tries to ignore me, but I see her lips quirk ever so slightly at the corners. “Actually, he pursued me. I went out on a date with him because I felt sorry for him.”
Officer Prowler laughs, and I’msogoing to get her back for that.
“Well, that’s great. I’m admittedly jealous.” Prowler wags his brows at Noli, and she shakes her head, laughing. “What? You think I’m lying?” he says. “I would have dated you in a heartbeat before I met Cara. But you were always with what’s his name.”
“He who shall not be named,” Noli says easily. Her smile is still in place, but it just hardened along the edges.
“What ever happened to—”
“Officer, did you need something? Or can we go?” I ask, before he can mention Nelson. “I don’t mean to cut this reunion short, but we’re going to be late to our event.”
Noli steps closer to the car and rests her arm along the top of it. “Please tell me Collin needs a ticket. I will never let him live this down.”
I’m relieved to see some of the tension has left her face. I don’t like the thought of Noli still feeling out of sorts when the topic of her ex comes up, and I’ll do whatever I can to protect her from feeling hurt all over again. If that means we don’t talk about him, then so be it.
Fortunately, Officer Prowler seems to have regained his train of thought. “Actually, you weren’t doing anything wrong. I wanted to let you know you have a burnt out taillight. Driver’s side.”
I shoot a triumphant glance at Noli.
She rolls her eyes.
“Since I’m guessing this isn’t your car, just let the rental car facility know when you return it.”
“Will do.”
He takes my license back to his cruiser to process the traffic stop. When he returns, Noli hugs him again. I look away from them and focus on the steering wheel. My grip at ten and two is currently so firm the skin across my knuckles is translucent. I make an active effort to chill.
Apparently, another man with his hands on Noli now turns me into the Incredible Hulk.
“Take care of our girl,” Officer Prowler says to me as Noli skirts the back of the vehicle.
I glance up at him, but he’s staring over at her as she opens the passenger door and slides back into her seat.
I clear my throat. “I plan to.”
He taps the window well twice. “I want an invite to the wedding.”
As he strides back to his squad car, Noli bursts out laughing. I glance over at her, and she’s shaking her head. “Now you’ve done it. Prowler is the biggest gossip on the Pensacola force. Rumors are going to start swirling that we’re getting hitched.”
For some bizarre reason, the thought of marriage doesn’t immediately make me break out in a cold sweat. Weird. Probably not worth dissecting right now.
I pull back into traffic and wait a couple minutes before speaking again. “You guys seem close.”
