She’d always had such a high opinion of police officers. Jimmy was tough with actual bad guys, but she couldn’t imagine him citing someone for something as silly as this. It figured that of all the cops in the city, she’d run into the biggest jerk of them all.
She picked up the poop and limped back to the shop totend to her scraped-up hands and knees. Stephanie was anxiously awaiting her return. “So, what happened?”
“Oh my God. The biggest jerk in the world gave me a freaking ticket!”
“Because Tanner pooped on the sidewalk?”
“And because his leash was out of my hand for like five seconds.” She recounted the whole story. “The worst part is, I’m pretty sure he saw me fall. Trying to get up in this tight skirt was not one of my most graceful moments. How embarrassing.”
“Maybe he has a short man complex,” Stephanie offered, trying to be helpful.
“No, he was really tall.”
“Ugly man syndrome?”
“Nope. As much as I hate to admit it, he was gorgeous. Nice butt, too.”
“Hm, I give up. Maybe he is just having a bad day like his partner said.”
Maggie didn’t care what the reason was. Officer Big Jerk was going to get a complaint first thing Monday morning.
She manned the cash register while Stephanie took a quick break and then got her things together, anxious to be on her way. “Thanks again for staying, Steph. See you next week.”
Limping out to the curb, she hailed a cab, and after giving the driver Jenny’s address, leaned her head back and tried to get a grip. Her encounter with the police had left her frazzled. She was usually an easygoing person. It took a lot to get her riled up, but her brief encounter with Officer Big Jerk had done it easily.
When she first looked up and saw him, his beauty had taken her breath away. Besides the perfect nose, he had a strong jaw and straight white teeth. His hat hid most of his hair, but she could tell it was a brownish-blond and cut short. He had to be over six feet tall and was built like a swimmer—long and lean. Even as he scratched out her ticket and herfrustration was building, she couldn’t help but notice the muscles flexing in his forearm as he wrote. She only got a glimpse of his eyes, but they were a Caribbean Sea green, framed by long lashes any woman would kill for. They were mesmerizing but haunting. She sensed unhappiness and pain.
Then again, it was entirely possible she was reading into something that wasn’t there. Maybe she’d lost her dang mind. Perhaps he was just a big jerk and had no feelings. She was still thinking about him when the driver leaned back to announce their arrival. She paid the cabbie and made her way up the front steps.
Jenny’s house was exactly what Maggie pictured for herself one day. Though not huge or new, it was perfect. The neighborhood was mostly older homes, but they were meticulously kept up, and a lot of them recently renovated. Jenny’s was a soothing yellow with bright red trim on the windows and door. Brilliant flowers of every color imaginable spilled from pots lining the front steps and window boxes under each window, planted recently as a fragrant welcome to spring. Two new fuchsia baskets hung on either side of the front door, and four more were spaced evenly over the spacious front porch. A small white wicker table separated two wooden rocking chairs. An American flag hung from the post on the porch, and the entryway doormat advised guests to “wipe their paws” upon entering.
She knocked as she entered and called out to the boys, “Aunt Maggie’s here, and I have brownies!” She heard them before she saw them. Nine-year-old Toby came running, followed by his seven-year-old brother, Jack. Toby was going through a growth spurt and appeared to have gotten taller since the last time she’d seen him.
“How tall are you now, Toby?”
“Almost as tall as you,” he said, laughing. “Take off those high shoes, and I might have already passed you.”
“I will gladly take off these shoes,” she said as she didjust that. She hugged them both and handed Toby the pan of brownies. “Think you can get these to the kitchen without stopping for one?” she teased.
They headed toward the kitchen, the kids jabbering away. Their friend Freddy was getting a new dog. They had both signed up to play baseball and had practices starting soon. And, apparently, Uncle Mitch was bringing a friend to dinner.
“Aunt Maggie hurt her knees,” Toby announced to his mother as they entered the kitchen. “I have to practice first aid stuff for my Scout merit badge. Can I fix her up?”
“You’ll have to ask her,” Jenny replied, giving her a hug. “I’m so glad you could make it. Why are you so dressed up?”
“Can I, Aunt Maggie? Can I? I’m the best at bandaging.”
“Sure, I’ll let you practice on me. Do you have supplies?”
“Of course, I’m a Cub Scout!” With that, both boys ran off to collect the life-saving supplies they needed to tend to their aunt.
“And to answeryourquestion,” she turned to Jenny, “I will tell you the most embarrassing, maddening story ever. But first, I must borrow some clothes. How about you open that wine while I do that? Trust me. You’ll need it.”
She changed into some shorts and a pair of Jenny’s flip-flops and then proceeded to tell Jenny the story of her day. The boys came in just long enough to “treat” her before flying back outside. She now sported a huge, white bandage on each knee, held in place by several strips of medical tape and oozing first aid ointment. It was overkill, but she couldn’t hurt the boys’ feelings and left it all just as they had applied it.
Maggie was leaning against the counter frosting brownies while Jenny stirred mayonnaise into potato salad, both working on their second glass of wine.
“I’m sorry about your horrible day,” Jenny said. “Maybe Mitch can figure out who the jerk was and punch him for you.”
