More Than Friends (26 page)

This afternoon, she was back with her regular crew. She’d donated this landscaping project to the recently rehabbed community center as part of her company’s commitment to local charity. Since the center resided in Evelyn’s patrol area, as the day wore on she caught herself searching the street for police cars more often than she wanted to admit.

Her anger with Evelyn had almost completely waned, and now she just wanted to see her and talk things out. She had to admit that she’d started the argument. After seeing the news reports and then waiting the seemingly endless hours for Evelyn to get home, she had been swamped with emotions and hadn’t handled the situation well.

Maybe generalizing that she didn’t want to date a cop wasn’t the best way to open a dialogue about her fears and their scheduling conflicts. But she hadn’t expected Evelyn to just leave. She’d thought they would argue, try to find a compromise, then, if she was being honest, have their first round of make-up sex.

The next morning when she’d tried to call, Evelyn hadn’t answered. She’d left a nervous meandering message, rambling about calling to check on her after her difficult day and if Evelyn wanted to talk she could call her back. She hung up feeling as if she’d sounded more like a concerned acquaintance than a—well, a girlfriend. And, she realized just then, that she very much wanted to be Evelyn’s girlfriend.

When she didn’t hear back, she sent an exploratory text asking Evelyn to call her. This time Evelyn did reply, saying only that she was spending a couple of days at her parents’ house while she was off work.

Melanie stood and brushed her hands against the legs of her jeans, not caring about the smears of dark soil left behind. She arched, stretching her back, then rolled her shoulders a couple of times.

Her heart lifted when she saw a patrol car round the corner. She stopped herself from running out into the street, but she knew she was visible where she stood and didn’t move. As the car pulled up to the curb, disappointment flooded her. The driver was not Evelyn. Still, it would be rude not to at least say hello, so she walked closer to the street.

Jennifer Prince rolled down the window. “Melanie?”

“Hi, Jennifer. How are you?”

“I’m good. You?”

“I’m okay.”

They both nodded in awkward silence while she debated whether she should bring up Evelyn. She didn’t know Jennifer very well and wasn’t totally comfortable talking about her. But since Evelyn hadn’t returned her call, she couldn’t pass up a chance for information. “Have you talked to Evelyn?”

Jennifer nodded. “I spoke with her yesterday.”

“How is she doing?”

“You broke her heart, you know.”

“I meant, how is she handling the aftermath of the shooting?”

“I know.” Jennifer seemed to be considering if she wanted to speak candidly. “She’s a pro. She did the mandatory counseling session. But I think hanging out with her dad has helped more than anything.”

She nodded, recalling that Evelyn hadn’t had the chance to tell her about her apparent breakthrough with her father. “Did she say something about us?”

“She didn’t have to. It was what she wouldn’t say. She’s never been super open emotionally, but she’s even more closed off than ever.”

“If you see her, will you tell her I’m thinking about her?”

“I’d rather not.”

“Jennifer—”

“If you want to be with her, you should tell her. If you don’t, leave her alone, Melanie. You’ve messed with her head enough.”

“I didn’t—”

“You did. She sacrificed her loyalty to Kendall to be with you. And you threw that back in her face. Now she doesn’t have either of you at a time when she probably needs you both the most.” Jennifer’s eyes flashed, and she understood that Jennifer had shifted into protective mode.

Once more, she was faced with the bond of that brotherhood. Only this time, instead of resenting it, she appreciated it. She hoped that Evelyn drew support from it—that her fellow officers were checking in on her. Sure, she wished she were the one to offer that solace, but Evelyn’s peace was the most important thing.

“For the record, I think you should be with her.”

“You do?” She hadn’t expected Jennifer to support their relationship.

Jennifer nodded. “I’ve never seen her happier than with you.”

“Thanks.”

As Jennifer pulled away from the curb, she wandered back to the front of the community center. She found Lucas installing landscaping timbers with one of the other guys and let him know she had to take off for the rest of the day. By the time she slid behind the wheel of her truck, she’d already sent her first difficult text of the afternoon. She started the engine, listening intently for her phone to chirp in response.

*

Kendall parked her patrol car in front of her new favorite coffee shop. After she changed sectors she’d had to find someplace to eat where she could trust the cooks and waitresses. She’d heard officers talk about witnessing food-service employees spitting in their food and worse. Of course, she tried not to get too obsessive about it, but since she ate dinner out at least four times a week, she liked to have a reliable restaurant.

She twisted to her laptop and checked herself out of service for her dinner break, though she didn’t know if she’d be here long enough for a meal. Stalling, she flipped down the vanity mirror and checked her hair, then her teeth. After a fortifying breath, she pushed open the door and climbed out.

Inside, she scanned the room and continued to a booth in the front, by the window overlooking the side of the lot she’d parked on. Great, her arrival had already been witnessed. She slid into the booth and met Melanie’s eyes.

“Hi,” Melanie said shyly. “Thanks for meeting me.”

She nodded, taking careful note of her involuntary reactions to talking to Melanie again. Considering the last time she’d seen her, she’d been making out with Evelyn, she felt surprisingly dispassionate. After two different rounds of anger and resentment, perhaps she’d exhausted her rage.

“You’re working on this side of town now?”

“Yes.”

“Do you like it?”

She shrugged. “It’s okay. It’ll take some time to really get to know the sector. But there are some good guys and girls on the shift.” None like Evelyn, but she didn’t say that.

“She needs you,” Melanie blurted.

She didn’t speak. The sadness in Melanie’s eyes went beyond what she expected, given the situation.

“You must have heard what happened.”

Of course she had. It didn’t matter what shift she worked. News of a police-involved shooting spread through the department quickly, not to mention garnering extensive media coverage for several days afterward.

“She has other friends in the department,” she said, trying not to think about what Evelyn must be going through right now. At one time or another, every officer thought about what would happen if they ever had to fire their gun. She had always assumed that if it happened to her, Evelyn would be there to help her through it. Now, she wished she could do the same for Evelyn.

“You’re her best friend.”

“Not anymore.” She threw up her hands but forced herself to keep her voice low. Perhaps that was why Melanie had asked to meet her in public, where she knew Kendall couldn’t yell. “A best friend doesn’t go after my woman behind my back.”

“That’s not what happened. And if you would stop being an ass and think about it, you’d realize that’s not the kind of person Evelyn is.”

“
I’m
being an ass?”

“Yes.” Melanie sighed. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Kendall.”

She scoffed.

“I am. But you know we weren’t happy. One of us had to make the decision eventually. So now I’m the bad guy.”

Kendall bit her bottom lip to keep from giving in. Melanie was right, of course. The demise of their relationship wasn’t one-sided. And truthfully, her bitterness had become more habit than genuine emotion over the past several months.

“And I know that my being with Evelyn hurts you even more. We didn’t do it to hurt you. In fact, we both tried to fight it.”

She didn’t like the thought of them together, talking about her—pitying her. She had always felt as if she were the common cog in their relationship. Realizing that they were actually closer without her bruised her pride. “So, what? You guys are soul mates now.”

“Kendall—”

“No. Tell me, Melanie. I need to hear you say the words. Are you in love with her?”

When Melanie didn’t answer, Kendall shook her head. “Wow. I guess that’s my answer.” She didn’t need to hear it after all. Melanie’s face had registered confusion and then a look of love so strong it stabbed her in the chest. “Have you told her?”

“No.”

“You should.” She’d never have guessed she would be telling Melanie to profess her love to someone else. But she struggled to recall when Melanie had looked at her the way she looked now while discussing Evelyn. She didn’t know if she’d be able to be friends with either of them again, but a part of her still loved them both and wanted them to be happy.

“Maybe you should, too,” Melanie said.

“Tell her I’m in love with her?”

“Not exactly. But you do love her and she loves you. Do you really want to throw away five years of friendship?”

She did miss Evelyn. She might have overreacted when she accused her of pursuing Melanie in a predatory manner. She would like to think it hadn’t happened that way. But she needed more time before she could forgive what still felt like a betrayal.

*

Melanie left the coffee shop even more off balance than she’d been for the past two days. She’d been taken aback when Kendall had guessed how deeply her feelings ran, even before she herself was aware of it. But she shouldn’t be that surprised. For the past seven years, Kendall had known her better than anyone and was apparently still proficient at reading her.

She’d talked about how Evelyn needed Kendall, well aware of the irony given their recent argument. She hadn’t been there when Evelyn needed her, either. She’d been too wrapped up in her own feelings and had lost sight of what Evelyn had just been through. And she didn’t like what that said about her as a person. So as she steered her car from the parking lot into the street, she knew exactly where she wanted to go. She turned right, heading away from home.

Ten minutes later, she navigated the old neighborhoods of Belle Meade. She’d always liked driving these streets. The new subdivisions in the suburbs featured rows of cookie-cutter homes set on a quarter of an acre. But when she visited these older neighborhoods with homes on spacious lots, she saw tons of potential. She loved when she got an account on properties like these.

She pulled into the circular drive of the Fisher home, happy to see Evelyn’s car parked in front of the three-stall garage. She slid out of the truck and hurried to the door, growing more eager to see her.

After she rang the bell, the door opened and she was a little let down to see Margaret instead of Evelyn.

“Hello, dear,” Margaret said, smiling.

“Hi. Is Evelyn here?” She felt like a little kid asking if her friend could come out to play. Judging from Margaret’s welcoming expression, Evelyn hadn’t filled her in on their fight. Actually, Melanie wasn’t certain she was even aware of their shift beyond simple friendship.

“She is. Come on in.” Margaret turned and went back inside, leaving her to close the door behind her. As they passed the stairs, Margaret yelled up them, “Evelyn, you have a visitor.” Then she led her into the kitchen. “Would you like something to drink? I’ve made a nice pitcher of sweet tea.”

“No, thank you.”

“I was just making a pie for dinner tonight. Sit and keep me company until Evelyn comes down.” She circled the island and picked up a rolling pin. A flat oval of dough littered with flour was pressed to the counter.

Before she could pull out the chair, Evelyn entered the room. “No need, Mom. I’m here.” Evelyn met her eyes and her heart broke at the thought that she’d caused the wrenching sadness in her gaze.

She glanced at Margaret and then back at Evelyn. She was about to ask if they could go somewhere and talk, but Evelyn beat her to it.

“Let’s take a walk.”

She nodded, trying for an apologetic smile. She followed Evelyn out the back door onto the patio. As they circled the swimming pool, she fell into step beside Evelyn. She glanced down at Evelyn’s arm swinging next to her and wished she were confident enough to take her hand.

“You never told me how things went with your father that night.”

“Really well. Actually, we had the first totally honest conversation I can remember in a long time. He finally accepts that I’m going to be a police officer until
I
choose not to be. And I guess I accept that he’s going to continue to worry and try to find another career path for me.”

“That’s great.”

“Yeah, he took yesterday off and we played golf.”

“I didn’t know you golfed.”

Evelyn laughed. “I don’t. I’m horrible at it. But it was still a nice day.” When they reached a chaise lounge on the far side of the pool, Evelyn sat down, leaving room next to her.

“I’m sorry we argued.” She said what she should have said two days ago. “And I’m sorry I didn’t track you down and make you talk to me until today.”

Evelyn nodded slowly. “I should have returned your call.”

“Yeah, you should have. I’m okay with us disagreeing, but I don’t want to let things go so long without talking about them. I don’t believe that’s healthy for a relationship.”

Evelyn looked up. “You didn’t come here to break up with me?”

“Of course not. But I do want to let you know that in the future, if we argue, it’s not okay for you to just walk out on me.”

“I thought you—you said you didn’t want to date a cop.”

“Yes, I said that. And it wasn’t fair for me to make such a generalization, nor should I carry my baggage with Kendall into a relationship with you. But you didn’t stick around long enough for me to realize that. In fact, what you really should have done was stayed and convinced me of it.”