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I glanced over at him and was pleased with myself for turning the tables. I normally stayed clear of whatever he and Kenna had going on or didn’t have going on, but if he wanted to dish it out, then he should be ready to take it. He did think of Kenna like that; he just didn’t want to admit it because they’d been friends for so long. But it was obvious to everyone that Sam had feelings for his best friend.
Just like it was probably obvious to everyone that I had feelings for Ruby. The difference was that Kenna and Sam could easily be together if both would just put their pride aside. Other than neither of them wanting to be the first to admit their feelings, from what I could see, there was nothing standing in their way.
That wasn’t the situation with me and Ruby. She was too young for me. We wanted very different things in life. And she was only going to be in town for a few more weeks.
We both sat in silence, neither of us admitting our true feelings but both of us knowing that we were talking shit.
My phone buzzed, and I saw that it was Taylor calling. She hadn’t been able to call tonight when I was putting Harper to bed, and she knew I was on duty tonight, so I figured she was just checking in.
“Hey Tay, you’re on speaker. I’m with Sam; we’re on duty.”
“Hey Sam,” Taylor greeted my partner.
“Hello, beautiful!”
I rolled my eyes. From the first time Sam met Taylor, he’d flirted with her. In fairness, Sam flirted with anything that had a pulse, but I knew he specifically flirted with Taylor to see if it would get a rise out of me. The thing was, unlike him and Kenna, Tay and I really were just friends.
Sure, we’d shared a drunken night together, but that was not because we’d been harboring secret feelings for one another. It was just because we got drunk and it happened.
“I’m gonna go for a snack run; you want anything?” Sam asked.
“Nah, I’m good.”
“Bye, beautiful!” Sam said as he got out of the car to head down the street to where he’d stashed his motorcycle. After a few nights of being ‘stuck’ on surveillance, he’d decided to bring his own transportation so he could dip out to get food and use the bathroom.
“Bye Sam,” Tay responded. When the door shut, she asked, “How’s it going?”
“Good. Boring,” I admitted as I kept my eyes out for movement on the property.
We didn’t want to tip our hand and go in without confirmation that the product and players were there. But that meant hours, days, of nothing happening.
“How’s the peanut?”
“She’s good. She’s sad that it’s her last week of summer camp, but she’s excited to start kindergarten and for you to be home.”
“So am I.”
I knew that these past few years had been really hard for Tay. When she got back, she would be working long hours in the hospital in Parrish Creek, but at least she wouldn’t be gone for months at a time.
“Did Ruby tell you about the mermaids for Peanut’s birthday?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“I think Harp is going to love that.”
“Yeah, she is.” Thinking about Harp’s birthday was bittersweet. It was bittersweet not only because my little girl was going to be a year older, but also because by then Ruby would be gone. Every day that passed was one day closer to her leaving Wishing Well.
“You okay?” Tay asked.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine.”
“Our baby is growing up.”
“Yeah. And Ruby’s leaving.”
“Harp knows that. I think she’ll be sad, but kindergarten is starting, and then you’ll be home.”
