Page 8 of Phoenix

We say our goodbyes and agree to grab a beer soon, and I head off to turn in my paperwork up front.

“Hiya, Case.”

“Hey, Faith.”

Faith works the front desk here at the station. She’s a ball of energy that is definitely needed around here. She keeps us in line, even if she is a petite, twenty-three-year-old, five foot nothing blonde. She’s scary.

“You heading out for the night?” she asks, adjusting her black-framed glasses when she looks down and sees Arya is with me. They are the best of friends. “Hi, Arya!” She kneels down and gives her a head scratch, which Arya gladly accepts.

“I am. How’s it been around here today? Easy? Eventful?” I ask, leaning against the desk.

“Mostly. You know how it is. Some days it’s as entertaining as Jerry Springer, and others it’s as boring as a documentary about the mating habits of toads.” She giggles.

“Hey, I think I’d like that documentary.” I laugh when she rolls her eyes at me.

“You’re such a dude. That goes to show, no matter the uniform or badge, dudes are dudes.”

“And you love us for it...especially me.”

Faith and I have always had a special relationship, ever since she started working here, like brother and sister. It’s a bond I’ll never take for granted.

“Yeah, yeah. Get out of here before you make me gag.” She giggles, waving me off.

“I see Amelia let you off of your leash,” I say with a smirk, toasting my beer to Grayson, my best friend. I came to shoot the shit after dropping Arya off at home.

“Oh, fuck you,” he fires back, before taking a swig of his own beer. “Just because I always want to be with her doesn’t mean I’m on a damn leash.”

“When she says jump, you ask how high, and you know it.”

“Have you seen her? Of course, I do. She’s perfect and I’d like to keep her.”

He’s not wrong. “Pussy-whipped.”

“And proud.” He laughs. “Nah, but really, Cadence adores her. I fucking love her. It’s been, well, perfect.”

“Pussy. Whipped.” I am teasing him, but I’m genuinely happy for him. Being with Amelia has made him just...better.

“I can’t wait for the day some woman comes along and fucks up this manwhore, new woman every night thing you’ve got going on. It’ll happen.”

“You know that’s not for me. Variety is the spice of life and I’m loving every second of it. Why would I want to fuck that up and be tied to one broad forever?” I ask. I don’t correct him, even though he’s wrong. I’m not quite the manwhore I’m made out to be. Well, I mean, I am, but not in a gross way. I just enjoy sex, so I have it with consenting adult partners who understand I don’t want anything serious. I don’t fuck anyone who breathes, as Grayson likes to assume.

“Just you wait. It’s going to happen and I’m going to laugh my ass off when it does. I nearly thought you had met your match last year when Nora was here but...” He doesn’t finish his sentence. He doesn’t have to.

Nora.

I’ve thought about her more than I care to admit since the day I met her last year. She was so...unique. She was like me, except without the suave good looks and dick between her legs.

“How is she? Has Amelia talked to her?” I ask.

“They are best friends, man. They talk every day.”

“I just—I gave her my number and she never called. I wanted to make sure she was okay.” I finish my beer after my final word.

“You want to know why a woman, you haven’t spoken to in months, hasn’t called you?”

“Well...yes.”

“She didn’t fall for your shit and you can’t stand it. How didn’t I see it before?” He laughs. The fucker.

---