I sigh. “I’m serious. I don’t want to hide this. You’re mine and I want everyone to know that.”
“I want that too, but…” He touches my arm. “Have you thought about the fact the chief will split us up as partners if he knows we’re a couple?”
I hadn’t thought of that and my stomach churns. “Shit.”
“Yep.” He crosses his arms. “There’s no way Chief will let us ride in the same car anymore. He’s not going to risk one of us breaking protocol trying to save the other. No department would allow that.”
He’s absolutely right. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. “I don’t like the idea of you out on patrol with someone else. How do I know they’ll have your back like I will?”
He gives me a self-satisfied look. “And that right there is why Chief will split us up.”
“Well, hell,” I grumble.
“I know, but we need to decide. We’re almost to the station.” He adjusts the visor, looking uneasy. “I say we keep our relationship to ourselves until Saturday, when we go to the Christmas bonfire. You should probably tell Caleb first anyway.”
I sigh. “True. I can call him.”
Jude gives me an encouraging smile. “I don’t want to hide forever. I want people to know you’re mine. But, like I said, I need time to tell Ben about us, and people need to get used to the idea of you and Kara not being a thing.” He sighs. “And frankly, I need to get used to the idea of not being your partner at work. I don’t want that to happen today. I’m not ready for it. I really like working with you, Liam.”
“I love it too.” I reach over and grab his hand and he squeezes my fingers. “I’m going to miss this. How am I supposed to get through an entire shift without seeing you?”
“We can maybe have lunch together sometimes.”
“Maybe. But now everything is at the beck and call of our schedules.” I rub my thumb over his skin. “This sucks.”
He smiles. “Yeah, but at least you’re mine. That’s what matters.”
I lift his hand to my lips and kiss his warm skin. “Yes, that is what matters. That matters more than anything.”
I drive into the station parking lot and Jude pulls his hand from mine. “What’s the story about why we drove to work together?” he asks, unclipping his seatbelt.
“I don’t know,” I say glumly.
“How about my battery was dead or something?” When I don’t answer, he says, “Liam, we need to have the same story.”
“Fine, your battery was dead.” I shut off the engine, and get out of the car, slamming my door. I feel unsettled now. How am I going to trust anyone else to have Jude’s back the way I would? We have a dangerous job. I feel uneasy at the thought of Jude going out on patrol with anyone but me.
As we approach the station doors, Jude says under his breath, “Liam, knock it off. We’re still partners. You can’t go into the station looking like your cat died. People will ask questions.”
“That’s fine. I broke up with Kara, remember?” I hold the door for him. “I’m supposed to look sad.”
He grimaces. “Oh, yeah, I guess that’s true.”
The door closes behind us and we greet Diane at the front desk. As we’re about to enter the main area of the station, I grab Jude’s arm. “Let’s go to The Fox and The Kettle after our shift. I’ll start letting people know Kara and I aren’t a thing anymore.”
“Okay.” Jude nods. “I’ll text Ben and ask him to meet me there.”
My jaw clenches at the thought of Ben. But I shove down my jealousy because Jude is mine now. I don’t have to worry about the other shifter taking my place. Jude loves me.
Sally is at her desk and when she sees me approaching, something about her expression tells me she already knows about me and Kara. Of course she does, Sally always knows all the gossip of Golden Peak.
I take my seat while Jude goes to text Ben.
Sally comes over and she perches on the edge of my desk. When I glance up, her mouth is turned down. “How are you doing, Liam?”
“I’m okay.”
She grimaces. “I don’t mean to butt into your personal life, but as you know, Kara and I are pretty close. She called me last night and told me you two split up.”
