Page 67 of Falling For You

The crew was at their usual table. Knox at the bar, Travis mid-argument with Greene about something that was probably nobody's fault, Wyatt in the corner with a beer. Gus was behind the counter. Selena had her arms crossed, watching Travis with the patience of a woman who'd seen everything.

"Walsh brought a friend!" Travis called out when he saw Jeremy behind me.

"Everyone, this is Jeremy Murray. My new partner."

The ribbing started before Jeremy sat down. A rookie cop in a firefighter bar. Travis asked him if he knew how to play darts. Jeremy took it well. Laughed at the right things, gave it back when he could, and by the time Gus set a beer in front of him without being asked, the crew had made room.

"Terrence, this is Officer Jeremy Murray." Terrence set a beer down in front of me and shook Jeremy's hand across the bar.

"Nice to meet you, Officer Murray."

"You can just call me Jeremy."

"How are the interviews going?" I asked Terrence.

"I've got one next week." He grabbed a glass and started pouring. "Internship at a downtown firm."

"That's a big deal, Terrence. You're ready for this."

Gus appeared behind him. "You're doing the interview in my office. The computer in there is better, the door locks, and none of these animals can interrupt you." He squeezed the back of Terrence's neck. "Go show them what you've got."

Terrence smiled. "Thanks, Gus."

The noise settled after a while. Greene left early. Travis dragged Jeremy to the pool table. Knox stayed at his end of the bar.

Wyatt slid onto the stool beside me.

"Good day?"

"We caught the serial burglar."

"I heard. Jeremy told Travis, who told everyone." He took a sip of his beer. "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you."

His hand slid behind my neck and he pulled me toward him. I tasted the beer on his lips.

"I want to take you on a date. A real one. Just you and me."

I looked at him.

Elliot took me out once or twice, but always somewhere nobody would see us. Then everything moved behind closed doors. I didn't know how long I'd been waiting to be loved out loud until Wyatt asked me, right there, in a room full of people.

"Yeah," I said. "I'd like that."

I stood in front of my closet for a long time that night.

Wyatt told me he wanted to take me somewhere nice, and I wanted to look like I belonged there. I started pulling through the hangers. Work clothes, gym clothes, the shirts and jeans that made up every version of me the world was allowed to see. Nothing that said dinner. Nothing that said date.

Then I saw it.

The black dress. Fitted, simple. I bought it on the way to cook dinner for a man who didn't deserve it, in a life I'd already outgrown. It sat in the back of my closet through the move, unworn.

I pulled it off the hanger and held it against my body.

Maybe it was time to find out if it still fit.

CHAPTER 27