Page 232 of Nobody's Girl

“Hell, yeah, we can all drive down in my truck. It’ll be a blast,” Kyle says, then kisses Laura on the side of the head, just like he used to do to me.

I take in a deep breath to steady my increased heartbeats, then say, “If you want to, I could send our jet to bring you. The drive is very far.”

Cody gasps. “You have a jet?”

“We do,” I answer. “Get along with Eden and you can come visit us often.”

Cody laughs. “Hell, me and Eden will get along just fine. I like the guy already.”

“He really is very sweet,” Laura says, then looks up at Kyle. “I know you’ll like him if you give him a chance.”

He takes in a deep breath and sighs as he looks at her. “I’ll get along with him. I can swallow my pride for Ally’s sake.”

For my sake? How can I do this to him?

Suddenly I feel selfish. He just thought about how hard it will be to see us together and do nothing about it. Just how I’m feeling right now about how he has his arm around Laura’s neck, holding her to his chest.

I hate it!

Light fills the dark café for a second as a police officer strolls through the door. The mugs of beer sit in front of each one of us.

Cody panics and drinks his until it’s gone. I see the officer watching him. “Stay cool,” I whisper.

“Way to go, numb-nuts,” Kyle hisses at Cody. “Could you possibly draw any more attention to the fact?”

Cody hiccups once. “At least he can’t find any proof I’ve had any beer. My glass is empty.”

Laura rolls her eyes and Kyle kicks him under the table. The officer is one of the ones who hurt Kyle the night he came to my house.

Suddenly I’m furious. He’s walking over to us and I push at Cody. “Let me out. I have something to say to the prick.”

Cody stands up as Kyle says, “No, dude! Don’t let her out!”

It’s too late. I’m in the cop’s face before he can make it all the way to the table. “Nice to see you again, sir,” I say, although it’s not.

He looks surprised. “I know you, don’t I?”

“You should remember me. How is it you’re still wearing that uniform?” I ask.

The frown he forms makes his already saggy jowls drop even lower. “I got three days’ suspension because of you.”

Kyle is at my side without me realizing he’s gotten up, I’m glaring so hard at the officer.

“Ally, let it go,” he says, his hand around my waist. He tries to pull me back with him.

He still has a spot on his lip where the man busted it as he threw him up against my bedroom wall. I can see the whole scene in my head as it replays in Kyle’s mind.

“You threw him around like a rag doll, you jerk. How’d you like to be handled in such a manner?” I growl at him, furious at what I saw.

“Look here, girl,” the officer says.

I interrupt him as I step forward another step, despite Kyle’s efforts to move me backward.

“Don’t you ‘girl’ me, Officer Koenig. I’ll be keeping an eye on you. You seem to feel it’s just fine to toss innocent people about. I’ll make sure you know what it feels like. You need to learn how to treat people. That uniform is not meant to make you feel superior to others. The badge you wear is but a token to let others know you should be respected. Guess what, Koenig, you have to give respect to get it. You disrespected my friend. I want you to apologize to him now.”

I motion to Kyle, who I see has turned one shade paler than his usual tan color. “Ally, what the hell are you doing?”

The officer stands in front of us defiantly. I level my eyes on his, then he turns and walks away. Turning his head back, he says, “I don’t apologize.”