Page 39 of Falling For You

"That's fucked up," she said without flinching.

"It is." I let it sit for a second. I didn't realize how much I needed to talk about it with someone who understood, who could hear all of that and just call it what it was. "What about you?"

Andy sighed. She looked at the ground and kept her eyes there. "I'm working toward detective. I've finished most of the requirements. Just got approved for my ride-along with patrol investigations."

"That's a big deal."

"Yeah. I'm really looking forward to it." She paused. "But the other day, a colleague took credit for my read on a scene. He dismissed it to my face then turned around and said the exact same thing to the detective like it was his own."

She was quiet for a second.

"It's not even the credit. I helped that guy get where he is. Gave him reads, fed him observations. Made him look good to the detectives. And it just hit me that he's never once gone out of his way to help me get where I'm trying to go."

I already knew who it was. There was only one sergeant at that precinct who treated everyone like furniture.

"Let me guess. Sergeant Handler."

Andy looked at me. "How did you know?"

"We hate him."

"You do?"

"He's an asshole to the crew." I shrugged. "The guys can't stand him. We call him Hollywood."

"Hollywood?"

"Because of the sunglasses."

She laughed, long and loud.

"Hollywood." She said it again under her breath. "He is the worst."

The line between her eyebrows smoothed out, and for a second she looked almost lighter. She shook her head.

"But also… Detective Walsh?" I leaned back on my palms. "Sounds very good to me."

She smiled.

"Unless you prefer Detective… Christina?"

She shoved my arm. "Shut up."

"Come on. What's the C?"

"I'm never gonna tell you."

"Fine." I looked at her. "Andy's already a pretty name anyway."

"Are you always this annoying?"

"I just like seeing you smile."

Her eyes narrowed and her mouth flattened into a line.

"See? You forgot all about that asshole for a while."

She laughed again. Her eyes creased at the corners and the sound came from somewhere deep in her chest. I watched her face change. I wanted to kiss her right there on that porch. She smelled like vanilla and I wanted to know if she tasted like it.