As he lay in bed, unable to still his mind, he came to terms with the fact that although it had been years since Jimmy’s death, he still hadn’t dealt with it. Emotionally.
He spent his days at work where according to just abouteveryone, he was an asshole no one wanted to work with. He filled his nights with booze, no-strings-attached sex, and pity parties. Other than Jenny, he had no one he considered a friend. He’d lost his sense of humor and his lust for life.
Reluctantly, he came to the conclusion that the LT and his mother might be right. He needed help. That was a hard fact for a man like him to accept. Admitting it was something, but he still had no idea what to do about it or how to fix it.
***
Despite, or maybe because of, his overnight epiphany, he woke up dreading the day. He wasn’t looking forward to starting over with a new partner. Every time it was the same, having to answer all the mundane questions people ask one another when they first meet. And Adam seemed like a guy who liked to talk.
He was especially not looking forward to the ribbing he would take when everyone found out about the appointment with Dr. Patrick. He’d already decided they could make him go, but they couldn’t make him talk. He’d sit there and say the least amount possible to get through the sessions. He would fix this on his own. No shrink was going to get inside his head.
The only thing he had to look forward to was seeing Jenny and the boys later that week. He’d agreed to man the grill for the first barbecue of the season. He knew that after his session with Dr. Patrick he wouldn’t feel like going, but he’d made a promise to himself that he would never let them down again. Even if it was just grilling some burgers, he said he’d be there, so he’d go. The boys would cheer him up, they always did. He just had to make it through a few more days.
As he entered the precinct, he spotted Adam across the room, chatting it up with one of the female officers. She was laughing at something he’d said and casually put her hand on his sleeve, obviously comfortable with him. That seemedweird since the earliest they could have met was yesterday. Adam glanced up and saw Mitch staring at him. He said goodbye to the woman and crossed the room with a slow, easy gait that said he was in no hurry.
“Mornin’, Mitch. How’s it going?” he asked, holding out his hand. “We weren’t properly introduced yesterday. I’m Adam.”
“Yeah, sorry about that,” he muttered, taking Adam’s hand for a brief but firm shake.
“No problem. Everyone has a bad day now and then. I understand yours was shitty from the get-go.”
“What? Did they tell you everything?” He couldn’t believe they’d blabbed his business all over already. He looked around, wondering if everyone was talking about him behind his back.
“Nobody knows anything,” Adam said, apparently reading his mind. “Let’s go get some coffee and get to know each other a little. What do you say? Where’s a good place for a cup of joe?” he asked, heading for the door.
“Good God,” Mitch whispered as he turned to follow. He’d been right. Adam was a talker. He was in for it now.
They walked to his favorite coffee spot down the street from the precinct. It was called Cup of Joe, and he liked it because the baristas were as hot as the coffee. Adam did most of the talking, which was fine with him.
He rambled on about how he’d grown up in Texas and gone to college wanting to be a doctor. After doing an internship in Boston, he’d fallen in love with the city and decided to stay and become a police officer. Mitch wasn’t paying much attention. He did wonder briefly how Adam had gone from pre-med to police officer but didn’t care enough to actually ask.
When Adam asked him about himself, he made his reply as brief as possible. “I was born and raised in the city, graduated from George Washington High School and Rutgers University with a business degree. I love long walkson the beach and dancing in the rain.” He drained his cup and stood. “We done here?”
Adam laughed. “Yeah, we’re done.” He followed Mitch out the door. “You know, Mitch, I love long walks on the beach, too.” Mitch glanced back, and Adam winked.
Mitchalmostlaughed. “Fuck you, man,” he grumbled, trying not tosmile.
CHAPTER THREE
“That’s so cool you’re a vet. I like puppies. You must make a lot of money,” said the box of rocks sitting across the table from her.
Maggie Tucker stared at the glob of sauce dripping from her date’s lips. She used her napkin to wipe her own mouth, hoping he would take the hint. He didn’t.
“Right now, most everything I make goes back into the store, so not really,” she said, vowing then and there to never accept another blind date offer from a customer.
“Why’d you buy a pet store if you’re a vet?” The glob inched toward his chin.
Doesn’t he feel that?She had to look away before answering. “I’m a vet, but I also have an MBA. I thought it would be cool to combine the two. I still see patients a few days a week.”
Maggie loved being a vet, but after moving back to the city, decided to try something different. She’d purchased a worn-down but roomy pet store near Central Park, did a full remodel, and put up a banner that advertised “Under New Management.”
“Damn. You must have gone to school for a long time.”
“Eight years at North Carolina State University.”
“Dude, I don’t think I could do it,” he said,finallywiping his face. “You must be really smart.”
She shrugged.I’m still sitting here, so maybe not so much. Time to end this.
