Page 7 of Hidden Hero

“I don’t know, Sis. I’m not sure my sparkling personality works for anything long-term.”

“You are so full of…” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Shit.”

He laughed, imagining her glancing around to ensure her kids weren’t listening, but she wasn’t finished. “Don’t tell me you’ve met someone immune to your charm?”

“Actually, I have,” he said as Cora’s face came to mind.

“You know what, Jeremy? As your younger sister, I had to sit back and watch as you charmed the pants off almost every girl in high school.”

“Whoa! You make it sound like I was a horndog!”

“No, I don’t mean it that way. It has nothing to do with sex. It has to do with you thinking that everybody would respond to a joke, a flirt, a wink from your blue eyes, and a big smile or smirk. That’s all you’d have to do, and I swear even the teachers would go gaga. If you’ve met someone who doesn’t fall for that charm, I’d be thrilled!”

“Well, then you can be thrilled,” he grumbled. “I don’t think she likes me at all.”

“Tell me about her.”

“She’s really smart… a doctor… our medical examiner. She’s the kind of person who works behind the scenes. She never tries to get anyone to notice her. She does her job and does it brilliantly. Everyone likes her, but she’s so serious all the time.”

“And that makes you nervous,” his sister said.

“Nervous?” he scoffed, then sat down on the kitchen barstool. As he cast his mind back, he realized his palms did sweat when he was around Cora. “It seems like every time I’m around this person, I screw things up.”

“I bet that’s because you don’t talk to her like a real person. I’ve seen you with friends and family, and you’re such a good listener. You take the time to play with the kids down on their level, listen to my crap when I’m just complaining, or fly here the instant you heard Dad was in the hospital last year. You didn’t leave his side until he was out of danger. And don’t get me started about your loyalty to your friends. You’d give the shirt off your back if needed.”

“Watch out, Sis. You’ll give me a big head,” he joked, then immediately winced. “Sorry… that was a quip, wasn’t it?”

She snorted. “There’s a time for a joke and a time to just shut up, ask the right questions, and show interest in someone.”

He thought back to last month when he and Pete had come across Cora after a drug dealing suspect had been killed. The young man was high with drugs in his system, and Cora had been called to the county attorney’s office to give her a statement. Jeremy was present and listened as she thoroughly and succinctly presented evidence supporting the deputies’ words.

But once again, her robotic mannerisms made him want to just bring a smile to her face. As she walked out of the room, he maneuvered around the chairs so he could walk out at the same time.

“I can’t imagine your job is a lot of fun,” he’d said, falling into step beside her. “If you ever want to grab drinks and let loose, let me know.”

Cora had looked up at him, blinking behind her gray-framed glasses. “I’m afraid going out to drink and let loose isn’t how I would define fun.”

“Then you haven’t been doing it right,” he’d quipped, flashing his signature grin. “Or with the right person.”

“And you think you’re the right person?” she’d asked, arching a brow.

“Dr. Wadsworth,” he’d replied smoothly, “you spend your days standing over the deceased. I think I’d be just the right person to show you a good time.”

She didn’t miss a beat. “I’m sorry, Detective Pickett, but I require more of the company I keep than just a pulse. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my job.”

And with that, she’d walked away, leaving Jeremy staring after her, wondering if he’d ever get her to crack a smile. Then her words hit him…I require more of the company I keep than just a pulse. A grin passed his lips as he realized she’d cracked a joke. A morbid joke, but a joke, nonetheless.

When his sister called her kids to dinner, he realized he still held the phone, and she’d been talking to him, but he’d tuned her out as his mind had once more drifted to Cora. “Okay… um, tell the kids and Chase I said hello.”

“Jeremy, before you go, just remember… you’re a wonderful guy. You’re funny, smart, and caring. But sometimes you just need to keep your mouth shut and listen. Really listen. You spend so much time getting people to pay attention to you that you forget to know the real person you’re talking to. And give them a chance to get to know the real you. That’s the way to a woman’s heart.”

She disconnected before he could say he wasn’t after the woman’s heart. Sighing heavily, he tossed his phone onto the counter. Looking down at Tommy Girl licking her paws, he muttered, “I don’t need her to fall in love with me. It would be nice if she didn’t hate me so much.”

Lying in bed that night, he decided that Cora Wadsworth could live in her little clinical world, and since the drug task force detectives didn’t often have to be with the medical examiner, it would be easy to relegate her to the background of his thoughts.

* * *

As he climbed into his vehicle to head to the sheriff’s station the following day, Pete called.

---