Rookie Mistake (California Dreamers #4) (11 page)

The woman is greeted by two child protection officers as soon as she’s cleared by the police.

“Anyone else want to surrender?” The lead officer says into a megaphone.

There’s no response. 

I have a feeling this standoff is going to last a while.

“I heard that partner of yours was some kind of musical prodigy when he was a kid,” Officer Polo says.

“That’s news to me,” I admit.

“Background check. Apparently there was an article about him in the newspaper.”

It doesn’t surprise me. The guy seems to live for music.

When the guys in HAZMAT suits finally arrive the lead officer begins to make plans for entry into the home.

I’m sure if I’m asked to do anything at this point it will be backup, at least until it’s time to collect evidence. Then I’ll be busy bagging.

“We want to surrender,” a voice yells from inside the house.

“Come out slowly with your hands over your head,” the lead officer advises.

When the door swings open one of the brothers steps outside. He’s tall and thin with long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. His hands aren’t quite as far over his head as I would like them to be, but he is proceeding very slowly as he exits the home.

As soon as his eyes land on the K-9 Unit he completely freaks out. “Not the dog,” he shouts. “Anything but the dog.”

“The K-9 Unit will stand down,” the lead officer assures him.

The man starts to shake as his eyes remain plastered on the police dog.

Most of us are so focused on the shaking man we don’t notice until it’s too late that his brother has exited the home waving a gun in the air.

The man with the gun is shorter and stockier than his brother. His hair is short and he’s sporting a goatee.

When the shorter brother starts firing shots everything happens so fast it’s a blur.

One of the bullets the assailant manages to fire hits me right in the shoulder.

“Maya,” I hear Officer Polo scream right before I hit the ground.

Six

I drift in and out of consciousness. For a brief moment I see an EMT looking down at me. Then I’m in the Emergency Room and people are yelling about an officer with a gunshot wound.

I think about my dad. They said he died on impact. I’m not dead yet, but will I be? I was hit in the shoulder. At least I think I was. That shouldn’t be a mortal wound.

***

When I wake up again I’m in a hospital room. My mom is standing next to my bed. Her eyes are red and puffy like she’s been crying.

“Mom,” I mutter. I feel like I’m in a haze and my brain isn’t quite matching up with my mouth.

“Maya, you’re awake.” Her eyes light up

“Was I operated on?” Either that or I was run over by a steamroller.

She nods. “They took the bullet out of your shoulder. They don’t think there will be any lasting damage. You’ll just need some time to heal.”

“Is he dead?” I ask even though I’m pretty sure I know the answer. Anyone who exits a house like that brandishing a weapon is usually trying to commit suicide by cop.

“Both assailants were killed,” she reports.

I immediately think of the man who shot my father. He escaped with his life, but he’ll be spending it in prison. He got a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

My mom leans over and kisses my check. “I was worried about you. I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. Tears begin to stream down my cheek.

She places a hand on my arm. “You were doing your job.”

“A job you never wanted me to do,” I remind her.

“Your friend stopped by while you were asleep.”

“Zoe?”

She shakes her head.

“Zoe is my only friend.”

“Your friend from work. Cody Jackson.”

“Is he okay?”

“He looks like someone punched him in the face. I think he was more concerned about you.”

“I’m fine,” I insist.

My mom raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?”

“Not really.”

“Just don’t let them convince you that time heals all wounds. It’s a lie. You’ll always have scars. And I don’t just mean the physical kind.”

“This is the first time that I’ve actually considered doing something with my life other than being a police officer. The only problem is that I have no idea what else to do.”

She kisses my cheek. “You don’t need to make any decisions right now. You just need to worry about getting better and getting out of the hospital.”

When I glance towards to door, I notice Cody enter. My mom is right. He looks like someone who got into a bar fight. There’s a bandage over the bridge of his nose and he has dark bruises under his eyes. 

“I’m going to grab a cup of tea in the cafeteria.” My mom gives my leg a squeeze before she takes off.

Cody takes the seat next to my bed, but doesn’t say anything. When our eyes meet I notice his are moist.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“I think I’m supposed to be asking you that question. You’re the one who got shot.”

“I’m a little dizzy and my arm hurts like hell. I’m sure your nose is pretty painful.”

“My head has been throbbing since I got punched.”

“Aren’t we a pair of sad sacks?”

He takes my hand in his. “I need to talk to you.”

My stomach tightens. I’ve heard those words too many times. Guys generally say them right before they dump you.

Technically we’re not together, so he can’t actually dump me. But I have feelings for him, so it’s still possible for him to break my heart.

“This is really difficult for me to say.”

I try to pull my hand from his, but he’s holding me too tightly. Not that I have that much strength right now anyway. I can’t remember ever feeling so weak in my life.

“Just say it,” I snap.

He gnaws on his lip for several seconds and I feel like I’m going to die.

Who tells someone they don’t want to be with them right after they’ve been shot? I’ve definitely hit a new all-time low in my love life.

“I’ll let you off the hook,” I tell him. “I understand if you don’t want to be with me. This isn’t my first rodeo. I know when I’m being dumped.”

His face scrunches up. He gets this weird expression, like I just started speaking to him in another language that he doesn’t understand.

“That’s not what I was going to say at all. Do you really think I’d say something like that with you lying here in a hospital bed?”

“Not when you say it like that. I guess I just thought you were like all the other guys. No one ever stuck by my side when it counted.”

He gently pulls my hand towards his mouth and places a soft kiss on it. “First of all, I’m not like any of those other guys. You’re not going to get rid of me that easily. If you want me to stick by your side I’ll be there. I’ll stick to you like glue if you’ll let me.”

“I’m not sure about the whole glue thing, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

“What I was going to tell you is that I don’t think I’m cut out to be a police officer.”

It takes a moment for his words to sink in. “Are you quitting?”

He nods. “I think getting into policing was a reaction to Julia’s death more than anything else.”

“I’m not sure what to say.”

“That you’re happy for me. That I’m making the right decision.”

I narrow my gaze. “Does your decision to quit have anything to do with wanting to be with me?”

He gulps. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t. But it’s not the only reason. I was offered another job.”

My eyes grow wide. “Where?”

“The high school. The assistant band director isn’t coming back, so they offered me the position.”

“What about your certification?”

“The high school is making a special arrangement for me to student teach over the summer. I’ll be leading the summer band camp. Then if everything goes well I’ll be a certified teacher for the fall.”

My head is spinning as I process everything he’s said.

“I think this is the best decision for me, and the best decision for us.”

“There’s an
us
?” 

He grins. “I want there to be.”

I see so much emotion in his eyes: determination, commitment, hope—even love.

Then he leans over and kisses me. The fog I’ve been in actually lifts a bit. For the first time in a while I’m actually able to see things clearly.

There’s a man in the world who knows I’m a cop. He’s intimately aware of my job and the risks I take on a daily basis and he still wants to be with me.

And they say miracles no longer happen.

Whoever
they
are, they’re wrong again.

“No making out in the hospital rooms,” Zoe teases as she enters my room.

“Cody, you remember my friend, Zoe.”

“From the dive bar.” He gives her a polite wave.

She points to our hands which are still joined. “I thought this kind of behavior is off limits.”

“It would be if I was still a police officer,” Cody says.

Zoe furrows her brow, clearly confused.

“He’s taking a job at the high school. Assistant band director.”

“Whatever floats your boat,” Zoe tells me. “And wherever you want to float it.”

She glances around my tiny hospital room. “When are they letting you out of this god-awful place?”

When I try to shrug a pain shoots down the injured side of my body. I’m realizing very quickly that I don’t do well with an injury. “Probably not soon enough.”

“Is it too early to start planning the wedding? I know exactly what I want to wear for my Maid of Honor dress.”

When my eyes dart over to Cody he’s actually grinning.

“Technically we’re not even a couple,” I remind her. “We’re a long way from getting engaged. Why are you even bringing up the W word?”

She stares at me blankly. “If you’re not married by the end of the year I’ll eat a hot dog, and not one of the soy variety either.”

I’ve known Zoe for over a decade and I’ve never seen her touch meat. She must be serious.

“Maybe we should talk about something other than when we’re getting married,” I offer.

“You’re getting married?” Hadley shouts as she squeezes herself into the small space between Zoe and Cody. “Am I going to be the Maid of Honor?”

“Already called it,” Zoe tells her.

Hadley frowns. “That’s not fair. I wasn’t even here to call dibs on it.”

“There’s no wedding,” I say a little too loudly. “Cody and I aren’t even officially a couple yet.”

Hadley looks undeterred. “At this point I think those are merely semantics.”

“Have you been studying vocabulary words for the SATs?”

She lets out an exasperated sigh. “How many times do I have to tell you I’m not going to college?”

Cody turns to her. “Why not? You’re a brilliant violinist. You could study music.”

“I thought we were talking about your wedding, not me going to college.”

“No wedding,” I remind her.

“No college,” she fires back.

“I have an idea,” Cody says. “If Maya allows you to be her Maid of Honor and help plan the wedding, would you at least consider applying to college?”

Hadley rubs her chin as she considers his proposal. “I would.”

Zoe playfully slaps Cody’s arm. “Thanks for selling me out.”

“A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.”

When my mom returns there’s barely enough space for her to squeeze into the room.

“Maybe we should all let Maya get some rest.” She eyes Hadley.

“What are you looking at me for?” Hadley moans.

“I’m not singling you out.”

“We were just planning Maya’s wedding,” Hadley tells her.

“There’s no wedding,” I correct.

“Yet,” Hadley fires back.

I realize there’s no use arguing. Everyone else seems to think Cody and I are getting married. Even Cody hasn’t disputed the idea.

Maybe for once in my life I just need to go with the flow.

Seven

I do my best not to bump my arm against anyone as I make my way down the crowded auditorium aisle. I’m wearing a sling on my injured arm, but it’s still very sore to the touch.

The auditorium is already packed. It takes several moments for me to find my mom and stepdad in the mass of parents and siblings attending the spring recital.

I’m sure the string quartet will perform well, but I’m still nervous for Hadley and Cody.

Apparently Sergeant Wilmore took the news of Cody’s departure a lot better than either of us anticipated. He told Cody that he wasn’t going to stop him from pursuing his dream if he truly wanted to be a teacher.

I make my way to the third row where my mom and stepdad are seated. Fortunately they’ve saved me a spot right next to them.

“You made it,” my mom says when I take the seat next to her.

“My first day without pain killers. I’m making progress.”

“I want to thank you,” Ed whispers to me.

“For what,” I whisper back.

“Hadley applied to two colleges just before the final deadline for fall admission. Whatever you said to her worked. She said the two of you made some kind of deal.”

I chuckle. “Sort of. It was Cody’s idea. He promised that if she applied to college she could be my Maid of Honor.”

He frowns. “Are you getting married? How did I miss that?”

“No. He hasn’t asked me to marry him yet. We’ve just started dating.”

He holds up a hand. “This may be beyond my level of comprehension of girl stuff.”

“Sometimes you just know when it’s right with someone,” my mom tells him. “Obviously Cody and Maya know that it’s right. Getting married is inevitable.”

I can tell by the twinkle in her eyes that my mom is thinking about my dad. It’s the same sparkle she gets whenever she talks about him.

“Is that how you felt about me?” Ed asks.

My mom gives him a peck on the cheek. “Of course.”

When the lights dim I hold my breath in anticipation. The string quartet will be the first to perform.

Hadley and the other three students are dressed up in formal attire that makes them look much older than teenagers.

When Cody walks across the stage in his black tuxedo it takes my breath away. If I wasn’t absolutely sure about my feelings for him I’m positive now.

I’m head over heels in love with an assistant band director.

And I’m pretty sure he’s head over heels in love with me too.