The Quickie - James Patterson [46]
Right before the grand culmination, and it was grand, I opened my eyes and stared at Paul’s handsome face above me. I looked into the steely blue of his shining eyes and suddenly I knew.
It was official.
We’d won each other back.
Chapter 67
“MY GOD, LAUREN,” Paul said, pulsing like a lightning bug beside me afterward. “What got into you? And your boobs?”
“I know,” I said, punching him playfully on the chest. “Now tell me that joke again about you tripling your salary.”
“The real joke of it is that it’s not a joke,” Paul said as he stared up at the ceiling. “How about that? One day, you’re hopelessly stuck in the rat race. And then the next, pow! Your ship has come in. Make that a couple of ships.”
Paul rolled over and kissed my stomach.
“Hey, wait. We haven’t thought about a name. Any suggestions?” I said.
“Emmeline,” Paul said. “A little House of Windsor, I know, but if she looks half as regal as her mom, she’s going to need a name that fits. Besides, she has to get a leg up on the competition at Greenridge pre-K.”
“My, my,” I said. “Sounds like you’ve been thinking about this. But it could be a boy.”
“Hmm,” Paul said. “Let’s see. Melvin has a certain ring to it, don’t you think? I’ve always been partial to Cornelius. Call him ‘Corny’ for short.”
I tickled Paul under his arms until he sat up. “You’re the one who’s corny, buster.”
“Hey, I just thought of the coolest thing this windfall is going to do for us,” he said.
“We can up our anytime minutes? We’ll be able to simonize now at the car wash?” I said and grinned. This was the way Paul and I used to be — silly.
“Very funny, Lauren,” Paul said. “I’m serious. You can finally quit that screwed-up job of yours.”
I stared at him. Paul had always been supportive of my career. Was he serious?
“I know how important being a cop is to you, and I’ve never said this before,” he said. “But, c’mon. The hours. The smell of death. Do you have any idea how you look when you come home sometimes? God, I hate it. I’ve always hated it, actually. It takes too much out of you.”
I stared into space, remembering the recent confrontation I’d had with Mike Ortiz. Maybe Paul was right. I loved my job, but family was more important. I’d certainly proved that during the past week.
“Maybe you’re right,” I finally said. “This is what we’ve always dreamed about. You and me and our baby together. Now it’s here. It’s just . . . wow. It feels surreal. Don’t you think?”
“You’re my world,” Paul said, tears starting in his eyes. “You always have been, Lauren. This job offer — it’s just an offer. I’ll do whatever you want. Go. Stay. I’ll quit my job, if you want.”
“Oh, Paul,” I said, wiping his eyes. “Our ship really has come in, hasn’t it?”
Chapter 68
MIKE’S DESK WAS EMPTY when I came into the squad room the next morning. When I asked my boss where Mike was, he reminded me of the mandatory two-week leave for officers involved in a shooting.
As I sat down, I felt another stab of guilt about what I had said to Mike. How do you like that? Mike was traumatized, extremely psychologically and emotionally vulnerable, and I had gone and threatened him. Some partner I was. Some friend.
I rocked back in my chair, looking around at the sallow walls of the squad room. So I was actually going to leave. It almost seemed crazy, after all the work I’d done to get here. I remembered how intimidated I’d been when I finally received the assignment. Bronx Homicide was one of the busiest and most renowned squads in the world, and I was unsure about what I could contribute.
But I’d done it. It had taken a lot of hard work, guts, and straight A’s in college Spanish to make a place for myself here, and I’d managed to pull it off.
But everything I’d accomplished was pretty much gone now, I knew. As I sat there, I could feel it. Or couldn’t feel it, actually. What sustains you as a cop is the pure joy of being one of the good guys. That’s where the movies usually get it wrong. Most cops I knew were good people. The best.
But with everything that had happened, I’d squandered that feeling.