“Sure. I’ll mention it to my captain. I’m sure she’ll approve someone giving a class to your staff. If not me, someone who does it regularly.”
“Dinner’s on us tonight too, of course.”
“Thanks, sir.”
“No, thank you.” The manager slapped him on the back and then with enthusiastic hand gestures, he shepherded the spectators back to their seats.
Luca glanced around, searching for Dawn. He found her standing behind a cluster of people chatting about the events of the night.
He reached for her hand and pulled her up beside him. “Thanks for calling 911.”
“You saved that man’s life.”
“I just did what I’m trained to do.”
She stared at him wide-eyed, as though she’d just seen a miracle.
“I’m not a hero. This is what cops are trained to do. We don’t just give people speeding tickets.” He chuckled, feeling a little embarrassed at all the attention.
“You are a hero,” she whispered, giving him a peck on the lips.
“Do you want to get a coffee somewhere quiet?”
She nodded.
“Let’s go.”
* * *
Dawn glanced up at Luca. She was feeling kind of shy. Watching him in action had left her speechless. She’d never seen anything like it. In her neighborhood, she’d only seen people try to hurt or evade each other, and she’d never seen a cop act with kindness, let alone heroically.
They were sitting at a Starbucks in the corner, sipping lattes.
“I think what you did was wonderful.”
“Shoot, you’re making me blush.” He grinned.
“No, it’s true. You’re a natural. Yes, you’re a cop, but you have an instinct to save people. Most people freeze for a few seconds. Or wonder if they should get involved, even if they know what to do. You didn’t lose a second. You just went into action and did what needed to be done.” She smiled. “You’re amazing.”
“If I’d known I’d get this kind of reaction from you, I would have saved someone a lot sooner.”
She shook her head at his joke. “Don’t underestimate what you did.”
“Hey, the manager gave me free pizza. And he asked me to come in and teach his staff.”
“That’s great!”
“Of course, I’ll need some help eating all that pizza.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, a month’s worth.”
“Well, if you insist.”
“I do.”
“Any time you want a pizza date, I’m your girl.”
