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ROBERT
Before my two weeks were up, and I had to make a decision or at least ask for more time, Cody's captain requested to see me in his office.
This could be interesting, I thought, but I wasn't unduly worried. I was used to dealing with captains, sometimes actively hostile ones. Frankly, it was pretty hard to intimidate or shock me about anything these days.
"Don't let him push you around," said Cody, adjusting my tie. He was nervous for me, even a bit jumpy.
"I won't," I promised. "You really don't have to worry about that."
He looked at me, and gnawed his lip. "If you need me there with you..."
"I don't." He got anxious talking to his boss, and I didn't. I kissed him. "It'll be fine. I'll text you right after, okay?"
"Or I could drive you there and wait for you in the car."
"Okay." If that was what he wanted, I was fine with it.
Cody didn't work every day, so it was extra work for him. But if he was going to worry anyway, and wanted to drive me, that was fine by me. I could set his mind at ease sooner that way—or brainstorm with him, in the unlikely event there was a setback of some sort to deal with.
He was talkative on the drive there, chatting almost the whole time. I could almost feel the nerves radiating off him, so I made an effort to be extra calm, to reach over sometimes and squeeze his arm or grip his thigh. It was not exactly a chore; he had a nice body, and I was by no means bored with touching him. I didn't think I ever would be.
But he was also clearly, visibly set at ease by touch. I could read him pretty well by now; I knew.
On the days when he had to go out on a hard job, I went along with him. It was easy to fall into a pattern that way, of showing up or coming along whenever he needed me. I didn't find it challenging, and for the most part, his coworkers seemed to make room for me easily. In fact, sometimes they seemed to prefer going through me when they needed to ask him for something. He might not like being sensitive, but the fact was the strain got to him, and his coworkers knew it. Nobody wanted to be the straw that broke the camel's back, I guess, so they talked to me to spare him when they could.
It wasn't hard to be his go-between, on the occasions that was helpful. I wasn't exactly inexperienced. If I had the thought sometimes that it was a bit like being his partner, I always pushed that thought away quickly. Who needed that kind of responsibility?
I'd had one partner, and I'd lost him. But this was different. This was just being here for my boyfriend. I could do that, and I did.
Very little was settled about our futures, professionally. We'd basically just figured out we wanted to be together, and were committed to making that happen, somehow, some way. It would be nice if the job situations were clear-cut and simple, but at this point, I thought I should probably just be grateful he wanted to make the effort. I certainly did, even if it wasn't easy.
So far, the only thing that was easy was our chemistry. Everything else had at least a bit of a challenge to it. Maybe that would make it all the sweeter, when we finally sorted out all the details and settled into a life, long-term.
I no longer had any doubts about him wanting me. If I still couldn't believe it sometimes, that was my own insecurity and past experiences talking. He was very obvious, even if he shied away from the terminology of mates.
I didn't really need that, or particularly care if he ever wanted to use it or not. But in my heart, I believed that's what I was to him, and I'd better not fuck this up or leave him when he still needed me in his life.
It was kind of comforting to feel needed. I hadn't thought I'd ever want that sort of responsibility, but his heart needing me, that was a good sort of need. I knew very well he didn't actually need me for his job, which helped me not to freak out too much about that. I still had tender spots and old pains about letting down Jack. It was just nice to be able to give him some support.
To be needed—actually needed for safety—on the job would be a bit beyond my capacity to bear. But I just made it easier for him; he could have done it without me. And the truth is, I didn't mind. I rather liked being in the midst of action again, or at least if not action, the hustle and bustle of daily police work, rather than systems and processes at new and often-hostile precincts.
For the most part, I felt accepted here. But I think it helped that I honestly didn't care if they accepted me or not; I was here for Cody. And I knew my way around the block; it wasn't hard to keep my head down and just be useful, rather than get in the way.
"Don't let him intimidate you," said Cody again, giving me a soulful, worried look after we arrived.
"I won't, " I promised.
He leaned in for a kiss before I got out of the car.
The captain looked stern. "I won't mince words," he said as soon as I sat down across from his desk. The door to his office was shut, so anything he said was between the two of us.
I just nodded. Mincing words was a waste of time; I would rather hear it straight up than find out later he'd watered something down. I understood men like the captain, and wouldn't be hurt by plain speaking. Cody, however, might be. It was good he wasn't here.
"Johnson is retiring next month. I'll have an opening for a detective. I'd like to give you a shot at the job opening. Even though you're probably overqualified, and won't earn extra because of it."
I blinked. Somehow, even though I'd come here with an open mind, it was the last thing I would've expected. I hadn't expected anything, and yet...this was still a surprise.
"Just an officer who works here? Not in any capacity as a Shifters and Partners employee?"
"Just a cop," he confirmed. He hesitated. "It would be understood you'd help out Millard when required, but it wouldn't be anything official."
I may have stared. "Don't get me wrong, Captain. That sounds...like an exciting job opportunity, and a good idea. But I'm wondering why you didn't suggest teaming me and Cody or something like that."
"Cody doesn't want a partner. Neither do you. If either of you did, you'd have one already. Maybe you've got hang-ups. I don't know. I have the money in the budget for a cop to replace Johnson. I don't have the money for more consultants or shifters." He frowned at me. "I have a no-frills budget and a no-frills job to offer you. You're a steady cop and you seem to be able to fit in here. It's yours if you want it."
"Thank you very much," I told him. It was an elegant solution. "I'll discuss it with Cody. I'll probably take you up on it." I stood up again and shook his hand. "I appreciate this."
As long as Cody wanted to stay here, I'd be happy enough working here and close enough to be of help to him if he needed it. To be honest, even if he chose to quit and get another job, I might be happy enough staying. And this way we could continue to live close to his friends and chosen home.
Cody liked this precinct, this city, and his friends. It wasn't enough of a reason to keep his job if he ended up needing to leave, but it was reason enough to consider putting down roots here myself, and settling in.
A job here was a step in the right direction. It might be just the solution I needed.
The professional option the captain had just put before me made the future seem to open up. It suited me just fine. "Thank you," I said again.
He nodded. "We'll be glad to have you. If it works out," he added. I thought by his doubtful expression that he didn't really expect me and Cody to last. Maybe from the outside, we looked like an unlikely match. Fair enough. I didn't need his input on that, though.
He gave me some papers with the details of the offer, the job, the salary, and a couple of things I'd need to fill out for health insurance and the like, if I went ahead with it. I think I said thank you yet again, and then headed back out to tell Cody.
I was smiling as I went, and my steps felt lighter than they had in ages.