Page 72 of Abandoned

Will downed the rest of his Gatorade, grateful that Logan seemed to be warming up to the idea of Zara living with AJ.

Will screwed the lid on the empty bottle. “Let’s do this.”

Zara took the guys’ empty bottles to toss in the recycling bin, and the guys picked up the dresser and hauled it up the stairs.

The ladies grabbed other smaller items from the truck bed.

Will and Logan set down the dresser at the top of the stairs. Will said, “What were you saying about it not being a ground floor?”

Logan laughed. “Yeah, definitely not great for moving, even if it’s better for safety.”

They picked the dresser back up and maneuvered it through the living room and into the bedroom that would be Zara’s. They set it down, and Will poked his head out of the room. “Zara. Where do you want this?”

She turned into the apartment, phone ringing. “I don’t know. Hold on.” She set down the box she carried and answered her phone. “Hello.”

Will leaned against the doorpost and watched the beautiful woman play with her ponytail as she paced to the kitchen, talking to whoever was on the other line.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll be there shortly. Bye.” She slid the phone back into the pocket of her cutoff shorts and came to Will.

“Who was that?”

“Doug. He wants me to come down to the station to take care of a few things regarding Ernie and Rainie’s arrests. And yes, they are both being held without bail.”

“Thank goodness. We can finish up unloading things without you. Are you okay going by yourself?”

“Yep.” She went up onto her toes and met her lips to his.

He wanted to linger but resisted pulling her close.

She stepped back and ran her hand down his arm. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. It’s just a signature or two probably.”

Will seized her hand. “And where do you want this dresser?” He turned back into the bedroom and tugged Zara with him.

Logan leaned against the dresser, arms crossed with a distant expression.

Shoot. Maybe he wasn’t going to be okay with this setup.

Zara said, “I think this wall is good. And my bed can go over there. The chair can go in the corner by the window since the two couches will be plenty in the living room.”

Logan seemed to snap out of his faraway place. “Got it.” He clapped his hands and turned to move the dresser.

Will gave Zara another quick kiss before she darted out the door.

Will wanted to ask Logan how he was, but experience told Will that wouldn’t work. Logan needed to bring things up on his own. He hated being asked what he was thinking more than anything.

They got the dresser in place and went back outside for the next items, Zara’s mattress and box spring. About halfway up the stairs, the box spring almost took a tumble over the railing. AJ laughed. “Guys, be careful.”

Will shook his head. “Easy for you to say.”

Logan chuckled. “We’re gonna need you to actually help with the mattress.”

“Oh come on, you guys are big, tough police officers. Oh wait, even police officers need heroes, right? That’s why God made firefighters.”

“Whatever.” Logan’s voice almost sang with laughter. Almost.

The mattress proved to be a bigger challenge than the three of them had anticipated. It was a memory-foam mattress that, despite being only a full, was heavier than an elephant on steroids.

At one point, AJ ended up pinned between the mattress and railing. But she was laughing so hard she couldn’t get herself unstuck until she settled down. Logan’s incessant teasing didn’t make it any easier for her to do so though.