After he left, I tidied up my desk when what I really wanted to do was call Jenny and ask her to come over when she got off. A lot had happened today, and I wanted to share it with her.
Letting out a sigh, I went to let Daisy out of jail. She not only hated Moody, but she was so afraid of him that sometimes she shook whenever he was around, and other times I feared she would attack him. My dog was obviously a good judge of character. I’d put her, along with her bed and a rawhide, in an empty cell while I dealt with terminating Moody.
“You’re safe now. The bad man’s gone.” After moving her bed and rawhide back to my office, I headed for the front, Daisy trailing along behind me. With the exception of Moody, she loved all the other officers. She trotted around the room, stopping for a few seconds to greet each of her friends. I pretended not to notice a few of them slip her a dog treat.
“Listen up,” I said when everyone was present. “Mr. Moody is no longer a member of this department.” Applause broke out before I could continue. I hadn’t expected anyone to have a problem with that, but I was happy to have it confirmed.
“If he contacts any of you for any reason, I want you to let me know immediately. Capisce?” All my officers nodded. I’d decided not to mention the restraining orders. It was enough that Moody knew about them.
“That’s it. Those coming off shift, go home. Those heading out, be careful out there.
“Come on, Daisy, my girl. Let’s go home.” When I passed Vincennes, I gave serious consideration to taking Daisy home and then coming back for a beer and pizza. It wasn’t like Jenny and I weren’t still friends, but seeing her? I’d only be torturing myself with what I couldn’t have.
Later that night I lay in my bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to my owl hunt for his dinner and feeling lonelier than ever. I passed the hours until sunrise debating my decision to let Jenny go without telling her how I felt, but I’d known from the beginning that she was leaving after Autumn’s wedding. She’d set a deadline on our time together, and I would honor it.
39
~ Jenny ~
If I didn’t haveto stay for Autumn’s wedding, I’d get on a plane today. “I thought maybe he’d call me.”
Autumn glanced over her shoulder. “You’re the one who left a stupid note. You call him.”
“He probably hates me.” We were at Autumn’s future home, where I was having a one-person pity party because my best friend wasn’t being very sympathetic. She adjusted the silver-framed photo of her and Brian, taken last year on their vacation to St. Thomas.
“I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He’d want to hear from you, so stop your whining and pick up the phone.”
“How does he look at me?” I was pathetic, reaching for any little crumb that might prove Dylan had feelings for me.
“He can’t take his eyes off you. It’s true,” she said when I shook my head.
It wasn’t like I was in love with him.
“I don’t know, are you?”
“Didn’t mean to say that out loud,” I grumbled. I just really missed him.
“Well, you did.” She frowned when I refilled my wineglass for the third time. “Are you sure you want to drink that? You’ve gone through half the bottle already.”
“What? You’re the wine police now?” Yes, I wanted to drink it. All of it. Until I couldn’t remember Dylan’s name.
“Don’t get snotty with me, Jenn.” She pulled out the dining room chair next to me. “I’m sorry you’re hurting, but drinking yourself sick isn’t going to solve anything. And you do get sick if you drink too much.”
That was true. I pushed the glass away. I pressed my palms against my eyes, hating all the crying I’d been doing lately. Somehow my tears were mixed up between Natalie and Dylan, each one calling to me, asking for my love, my allegiance. How was I supposed to choose between the sister I loved more than anyone in the world and a man I could love like no other, but offered only an uncertain future?
“You thought you’d kept your heart safe.” Autumn wrapped her arms around me as I bawled like a baby. I hadn’t realized Dylan had stolen my heart until it was too late.
“So what are you going to do about it?” She let go of me and went to the kitchen, returning with a paper towel. “Sorry, I don’t have any tissues here.”
I wiped my face. “Leave.” I hiccupped. Soon I’d be on my way. I just wished it were today. Right now.
“Maybe you should talk to Dylan, tell him how you feel.”
“It’s been four days. If I meant anything to him, he would have called by now.”
“Have you considered that he hasn’t called because he’s respecting your wishes?”
“Well, he shouldn’t.”
