Page 22 of Whatever You Need

I pulledmy car into Quinn’s driveway and grabbed the bottle of wine. Quinn and I met in the academy years ago and our friendship just clicked. Both of us worked our way up to the rank of Detective around the same time and we’ve been close ever since.

Other than the rare times we crossed paths at work, Quinn and I haven’t spent much time together lately. We used to go out after a shift and catch a ball game or a beer, but that stopped when Quinn got married and started his family. It seemed like all my friends were settling down lately, so I didn’t get invited to couples’ nights all that often, which was okay with me. I was comfortable being on my own most of the time. Staying single was my choice, so I wasn’t crying into my beer wondering if I was ever going to catch a garter belt. If I was being honest, hanging out with my friends wasn’t always a lot of fun. Eventually, the group conversation would turn to PTA fundraisers, inner family squabbles created by young friendships, and kid-themed birthday parties. So, there wasn’t much I had to contribute to the conversations. On the plus side, I didn’t have to worry about missing an anniversary or arguing over chores and finances.

The door opened before I even had a chance to ring the bell. Quinn stood there with Charlotte at his side, he had one arm wrapped around his wife and the other was holding his six-month-old son. Their daughter Emery came skidding to a stop in front of me, completing the perfect picture.

“Hi, Uncle Marco.” Emery smiled, reaching out and pulling me inside. “It’s cold out. Get in here, silly.”

I laughed at how grown-up she seemed. It was just shy of two years since I met the little thing for the first time. Gone were the missing teeth, soon she’d have a mouth full of braces. The girl was full of life, and I loved how her face brightened whenever she saw me. I had a niece and nephew of my own, but I loved Emery just the same. Quinn was like a brother to me, so his family was my family.

“I’m glad you came.” Charlotte stepped forward and threw her arms around my waist.

“I wouldn’t miss it.” I kissed the top of her head and flashed her that dimple that I knew she loved. I could feel Quinn glare at me, but to be honest, I didn’t give a shit. Charlotte and I bonded when I was the lead investigator on the case involving her ex-husband. He was a crooked district attorney and a wanted fugitive who killed a family of five while driving drunk and high on coke. I was just thankful that he was off the streets and out of Charlotte and Emery’s life.

After taking off my coat and boots, Emery ushered me into the house. Christmas music and boisterous laughter filled the downstairs level. When we reached the kitchen, Charlotte’s two closest friends, Erica and Mackenzie, were settled around the kitchen table enjoying what looked like a couple bottles of wine. I noticed Mackenzie brought her boyfriend, so I introduced myself and exchanged pleasantries while we all got comfortable.

“Something smells good,” I said, noticing the smell of fresh garlic and spices filling the room.

“Mom and I made lasagna,” Emery said, while helping her brother into his little bouncy seat. Tyler was kicking and punching his hands in the air, clearly not happy about where he was being placed.

“You did?” I rubbed my hands together while Quinn went to the cabinet to grab a stack of plates. “Well, I’ll have you know that I’ve been craving pasta all week. I hope you made extra because I’m really hungry.”

“We did.” Emery smiled proudly. “We made brownies too.”

I glanced at Quinn. “Looks like I’ll have to double my cardio tomorrow.”

“Please,” Erica said with her gaze slowly moving over my chest. “Looks to me like you can more than afford a cheat day here and there.” She winked and chewed the inside of her cheek as she continued to trail her eyes down the rest of my body.

Charlotte covered her face in embarrassment, while I managed a polite chuckle. It was then that I noticed that Erica and I were the only single ones at the table. I’ve been around Charlotte’s friends a few times, but this kind of felt like a setup. Her comment also reminded me of the night where I met Amelia. She had said something similar, which came off as cute. Erica’s straight-forward advances, however, were not having the same impact.

“So, Marco, how are things going?” Charlotte picked up the wine bottle and gestured toward me. “Are you still charming your way through the ladies of Philadelphia?”

I held up my glass and smirked. “Believe it or not, I’ve been so busy with work, that my social life hasn’t been very active lately.” I wiggled my eyebrows for fun because she loved it when I acted goofy.

“What a coincidence.” Erica arched a dark eyebrow. “Mine has been boring lately too. Maybe we should get together sometime.”

I blinked and put the pieces together pretty quickly. Erica was trouble with a capitalT. She was gorgeous with shoulder-length dark hair and dark eyes surrounded by thick lashes. Normally, I would flirt right back with her, especially in social situations like this, but instead, I found myself giving her comment a dismissive smile and shrugging it off.

Quinn watched me closely; everyone else pretended not to pay attention. I tugged on the collar of my shirt and sipped my wine, feeling like the center of attention.

“How’s the home improvement project coming along?” Quinn asked, swirling his wine around in his glass.

My shoulders relaxed and I was thankful for the subject change. “Very slowly. I may need to borrow you for a few hours.”

“I’m sure I can make that happen.”

“Just don’t let him touch any electrical wires.” Charlotte smirked and stood up to go mix the salad.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to give him the easy projects,” I teased, and he gave me the finger.

The girls hopped up out of their chairs to help Charlotte put the meal on the table. We spent the next hour talking, laughing, and eating way too much food. The evening was light and fun and just what I needed. I was feeling more relaxed than I have been in a long time.

Erica and Mackenzie told Charlotte to sit down and take a break while they cleaned up. Quinn and I went downstairs in the playroom while Mackenzie’s date went outside to take a phone call. We were in charge of watching Tyler while the girls sat upstairs drinking and gossiping.

Quinn set Tyler down in his bassinet and rested his hand on his back to make sure he was asleep. “So, want to tell me what’s going on with you?”

I rubbed my jaw and played dumb. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” First my brother and now my best friend.

“Erica is an attractive woman. She is obviously interested in you and you embarrassingly shot her down.”

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