Page 10 of A Mistletoe Mix Up
She grins broadly. “You know what they say. All’s fair in love and hot chocolate.”
“Wipe that smirk off your face, Bookworm.” I wag a finger at her, and I can feel the corners of my mouth tugging up into a smile. Try as I might, I can’t keep a straight face. “Cheating shouldn’t be rewarded.”
She playfully rolls her eyes.
“But,” I pause, “for a girl who doesn’t like running, you did a lot of it.”
Her face glows, clearly pleased with herself. “I run when it’s worth it. And hot chocolate is definitely a worthy reason.”
As I step into the bullpen, Andrew greets me from his desk.
“Hey, man.” I give him a fist bump.
With my one-year review this week, I’ve been a bit nostalgic thinking about how much this year has changed me. Last year during the summer, I came to visit my Gramps. I try to come every year, especially since my grandma passed, but being in the police academy and on probation, it was hard to get away every year.
But last year, it was just us for a week. We went hiking, fishing, and golfing with his buddies. One of those buddies was Gerald, the Oakridge Hollow PD Captain. They’d been looking for young officers to fill in spots as seasoned officers retired. And the timing was perfect, actually. I was looking for a change. I loved being an officer and in the city where I grew up, but I wanted more experiences to grow as well. And that’s how I ended up here. Small town opportunity.
“How was the hike yesterday?” he asks, causing me to furrow my brows in question. “Tandy mentioned it to Jane. Jane mentioned it to me.”
I nod in understanding. “It was good. Got a bit cold for Tandy, but nothing a little hot chocolate and pasta couldn’t fix.”
Randy, Andrew’s partner, walks by with a smirk on his face. “Mhm.”
“Something on your mind, Randy?” Andrew calls out.
Randy grins. “Is that coffee brewing? Or is it…love?”
Andrew looks at me, holding in a laugh. I shake my head. “We’re just friends.”
“Riiight.” He drags out the word. “Friends. Platonic and nothing more.”
“Exactly, Randy.”
“You know, Melissa and I started asjustfriends,” he says.
“Nothing more than friends,” I echo, arching my eyebrow at Randy.
It’s not the first time they’ve brought this up, and it won’t be the last. It was nice while they were gone in the city, two fewer people to hassle me about her.
Randy keeps talking as if I said nothing. “Friends until I made the first move that led us to where we are now. Happily married and a kid.”
“Nothing romantic about us, seriously.” I shake my head and look at Andrew for support.
He throws his hand up. “Can’t help you here, Sanders. Jane and I think you’d be great together.”
“You’ve talked about this with Jane?”
“Well, Jane brought it up. But yeah, we think you two work well together. And I’ve seen the way you look at her, man.”
Before I can respond, Gramps walks in. “Afternoon, boys,” he greets. “What are you chatting about now? Who’s lookin’ at whom?”
Randy and Andrew chuckle.
“Apparently, Randy, Andrew, AND Jane think Tandy and I should be more than friends.”
“Add me to that list.”
“Grandpa,” I groan. These people are going to drive me up a wall.
