Chapter Seven

The following morning, Ben drove Bryan over to the police holding lot so he could fill out the paperwork involved in getting his car released back to him.

“Sorry, I can’t hang around with you,” Ben said, looking at his watch. “I have to go home and change then head to the station, all in a half hour.”

“You’ll call me?” He glanced anxiously at Ben as if afraid he was going to leave and disappear forever.

“Yes, I’ll call you, and I will ask if anyone can switch with me tomorrow night, but don’t hold your breath. Remember, tonight and tomorrow night, I have double shifts.”

Bryan nodded glumly. “Yeah, I remember. It’s your fault I won’t see you, you workaholic, you.”

“It’s only two days, and I have Sunday off, if you’d like to do something.”

“Oh good. Yeah, let’s do something, like go to the beach…”

“Okay, but I have to go. Talk at you later.”

No chance for a hug and kiss, of course, Bryan thought, sadly. Not standing outside a police office. He had to make do with a little wave as Ben turned to go. He watched him stride over to his car, get in then drive away. He felt foolish, experiencing such a wrench at Ben’s leaving, but he couldn’t deny that in only a few days, the handsome police officer had become an important part of his life. He’d told Tyler he didn’t expect a great romance with Ben, but he was rapidly changing his mind about that. Just the memory of the two of them in the shower this morning was enough to make him wish that every day started out as wonderfully.

Ben’s strong, naked body pressed so tightly to his while the hot water sprayed over them, the rapturous kisses they shared along with the laughter as they tried to wash each other in between making out. Ben had even managed to peel the dressing from Bryan’s head for inspection and declared it looked not bad at all. He’d insisted on combing Bryan’s hair, so the teeth wouldn’t catch on the stitches.

‘What am I going to do without you next time I have to comb my hair?’ Bryan had asked, shivering from the kiss Ben had placed on his nape.

‘Use your fingers. The mussed look is good on you.’

“Sir, can I help you?”

The voice behind him startled him out of his daydream. “Oh, yeah, sorry, I’ve come to pick up my car.”

“Identification, please.”

An hour later, he was heading to have the car washed and detailed. It wasn’t in too bad condition. They hadn’t had it long enough to do anything gross in it, but he’d feel better after it had been cleaned inside and out. Sonia was happy to see him and the other agents all wanted to know the gory details of the attack. Some even wanted to see the stitches.

“My office, when you’re done with the war story,” Sonia said and Bryan nodded. A mug of strong coffee made him feel fit enough for the day. “Here’s the file on the Campbell place. We listed it at seven-point-five mill and she wants an open house this Sunday, if you’re up to it.”

Bryan’s heart sank. Ben was off this Sunday…damn.

“Something wrong?” Sonia asked with concern. “Did you come back too soon?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” he said quickly. “I can do the open house.”

Sonia sat back in her chair. “Tyler tells me you’ve been seeing the police officer who answered the nine-one-one call. How’s that going?”

“Good. He’s a really nice guy. I asked him to the Valentine’s party but he’s working.”

“Too bad. I’d like to have met him.”

“Check him out, you mean,” Bryan said, chuckling.

“That too. Tyler says he’s very good-looking. He saw him at that Maple Tree hostage thing. Only at a distance, but enough to tell he was hot, he said.”

“Tyler’s been busy feeding the gay-vine, I see.” Bryan smiled at his boss and friend. “But he’s right. Ben is very good-looking, and full of surprises.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’ll leave it to your imagination.” Bryan sighed. “I am bummed he won’t be at the party. I hoped he would make it a better Valentine’s than the previous ones.”

“There will be other Valentine’s Days, Bryan. You’re still young enough to enjoy many more to come. In the meantime, go to Jacob’s with Tyler and have a good time. How’s Cherise, by the way?”

Bryan laughed. “Funny how everyone links Valentine’s with Cherise. We talked yesterday. She’s good, family too. Well…” He rose from his chair. “I better get some work done now I’m here.” He picked up the Campbell file. “I’ll call the local rag and have them put an ad in about the open house.”

Sonia smiled. “Good to have you back, Bryan.”

“Good to be back, Boss.”

 

* * * *

 

Tyler called him mid-afternoon. “Wanna go for a beer on your way home, or are you otherwise engaged with you-know-who?”

“No, unfortunately, I am not otherwise engaged. He’s working two shifts tonight and tomorrow.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

Bryan chuckled. “Nothing, believe me. But he volunteered for these shifts a while back so he can’t really get out of them. He said he’d try for the party, but it doesn’t look likely.”

“Bummer. Oh well, you still have me, your best friend, to keep you company.”

“I believe it was me keeping you company, if you recall. Anyway, what time will you be at Harry’s Place?”

“Five-thirty? You done by then?”

“Yeah, sounds good. See you later.”

Bryan spent the rest of the afternoon organizing for the open house on Sunday. Even though his heart wasn’t truly in it, he knew he’d have to give it his best shot as Sonia was trusting him with this expensive listing. He contacted several real estate offices and gave them a heads-up for the two to five o’clock time period the house would be open and he arranged for flyers to be printed with the listing information. Three hours, plus the time it would take to set up and close down, were fewer hours he could spend with Ben. It couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t disappoint Sonia so early on in the process and he was fairly sure Ben would understand.

Perhaps they could spend Saturday night and Sunday morning together then meet again for dinner. He would put that idea to him once he’d called to let him know about the open house.

He picked up his desk phone and punched in the number he already knew by heart.

“Hey, Bryan, what’s up?”

The sound of his deep voice made Bryan’s toes curl. “Uh, hi. Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“No, just patrolling the dangerous streets of Santa Barbara with my partner who insists on driving. So I’m free to talk.”

“Hi, Bryan,” Christine called out.

“Oh, hi…” Shit, I really can’t talk about this with Christine in the car, even if she knows we’re seeing each other.

“Ben’s been asking everyone if they’d take his shift Friday night so he can go to the party with you,” Christine told him. “So far, no good. I’d do it, but I have a husband and kids who would skin me alive if I did. Sorry.”

Bryan heard Ben mumble something to her. He could only guess he was not happy with her spilling the beans like that.

“That’s…that’s okay. Uh, Ben said it might be difficult. No worries, I understand. It’s just a party, after all, and work comes first…unfortunately. I have an open house on Sunday afternoon.”

Bryan thought he had dropped that into the conversation pretty smoothly. There was no comment from Ben, so he guessed he didn’t want to discuss their ‘maybe’ plans.

“Well, okay. Just checking in, really. You guys stay safe. Bye.”

He heard Christine say “Bye,” back at him. Nothing from Ben. Oh boy, that was awkward. Why the hell did I call anyway? I should’ve waited till he called me. Dumbass.

 

* * * *

 

Tyler was already at the bar, talking to Charlie, when Bryan got there. “Hey…” Charlie beamed at him. “How’s the head? Sorry I couldn’t get to see you in the hospital.”

“No worries.” He reached across the bar to give Charlie a half-hug. “I wasn’t in there long enough for visitors.”

“Well, good to see you on your feet again. The usual?”

“Please.”

“I hear there’s a new man in your life,” Charlie said while pouring Bryan’s beer.

“Oh?” Bryan quirked an eyebrow at Tyler, who grinned back at him. “Who told you that? I can’t imagine who that could be.”

Charlie chuckled. “You only get one guess.”

“Of course.” Bryan shook his head at Tyler. “And you told Sonia, and you called my sister.”

“Guilty as charged,” he said cockily, his cute face all smiles. “Only because I’m excited and happy for you. Wait till you meet him, Charlie. Much better looking than Josh, I’m sure you’ll agree.”

Charlie slid Bryan’s glass toward him. “I understand he’s a cop.”

Bryan nodded then sipped at his beer. “Officer Ben Collins. He’s not entirely out so I don’t know if I’ll be able to bring him in here. Maybe after we see a bit more of each other.”

Tyler giggled. “I bet you’ve already seen quite a lot of each other.”

“There’s a lot to see.” Bryan took another, longer sip of his beer. “And that, my friends, is all you’re getting.” He grinned at Tyler, who was obviously thinking over what Bryan had just said.

A couple more customers entered the bar and Charlie went off to serve them.

“So this is serious?” Tyler asked.

“As serious as it can be in five days.” Bryan shrugged. “I’m not going to build my expectations too high, yet. He’s a great guy and perfect boyfriend material, but he’s a cop, and with that comes some baggage. Mostly from the workplace. He’s not out, except to his partner, who’s really nice, and probably his supervisor…but we’d have to be careful.”

“So the party wouldn’t be a good idea anyway,” Tyler said. “Too many people and some who might know him.”

“Right.” Bryan sighed. “So, it’s you and me against the world, as usual.”

“That’s what best friends are for.” Tyler hugged him. “And as Doris Day once told us, what will be will be.”

On the way home, Bryan still worried that his call to Ben while he was working had been a mistake. Ben had never actually told Bryan he shouldn’t call him during his shift, but the awkwardness of the conversation bothered him. At a red light, he sent Ben a quick text.

 

Call me on your break?

 

The answer, Will do, break’s in a half hour came back almost immediately. Bryan sighed with relief. So he hadn’t completely blown it. And that realization filled him with an almost overwhelming rush of happiness.

 

* * * *

 

Ben grimaced when he looked at the roster and saw he only had one hour for his break. He’d thought about driving over to Bryan’s apartment if he was home, but an hour wouldn’t do it. He wanted to tell him in person he was sorry for the dumb way he’d handled that phone call earlier. He loved Christine, but she was way too pushy at times. Making it sound like he’d been running around asking everyone to trade shifts with him on Valentine’s. He supposed she’d meant to be amusing, but it had bugged him…and not for any good reason he could think of, really. He just didn’t want Bryan to get his hopes up that he’d be able to go with him to the party, especially as there was no way it would happen.

When he was being honest with himself, and he had been over the last few days since he’d met Bryan, he’d realized he wanted more than what he’d had in his life so far. He’d tried his hand at boyfriends before, but he had to admit that none of them—well, the three he’d dated for more than a week—had made the same kind of impression as Bryan. He’d more or less resigned himself, at thirty-one, to a life dedicated to his job, where he found the occasional pickup, but nothing strong and true. He had a feeling that Bryan was more than a pickup. There was something about him that touched him, made him feel good…made him hope.

He found a corner of the break room that wasn’t too occupied and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. Bryan answered on the first ring.

“Hi.” He sounded happy.

“Hi, yourself. What’re you up to?”

“Moping around here, missing you.”

An inexplicable warmth spread through Ben’s body at Bryan’s words. “Miss you too,” he murmured, his lips close to the mouthpiece. “Sorry about the call earlier. Christine is too much sometimes.”

“I thought I had pissed you off by calling while you’re on duty.”

“No, that’s okay. So, you’re working Sunday?”

“Just for a few hours in the afternoon.”

Ben sensed a hesitation in Bryan. “What’re you thinking?”

“Well, how about if you spent Saturday night here? We could do breakfast in the morning then meet up again after I’m done with the open house.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“It does?” Bryan sounded so excited that Ben couldn’t help laughing.

“Yeah, a good plan. I’m just sorry I can’t make the party, Bryan. I really am.”

“Hey, Saturday and Sunday are going to more than make up for it. Shit, I wish Valentine’s Day was over already!”

“Me too. I haven’t been able to get thoughts of what we did all last night out of my head. I have a feeling you might prove to be very addictive, Bryan.”

“Really? That’s good to hear. I… You have the same effect on me.”

Ben looked across the room with irritation when he spotted two guys headed his way. “Well, damn. Anything else I have to say, I gotta put on hold. I’m gonna have company in about two seconds. I’ll call you tomorrow, Bryan, okay?”

“Okay. Bye for now.”

“Bye.”

.