Letters of Love (Green Division Series Book #3) (12 page)

*****

Aubrey slid her hand from Ben’s grip.  She didn’t know what to think of what was going on between Tiffy trying to hook them up and Ben holding her hand.  But, it had complicated written all over it.  Was she attracted to Ben?  He was a handsome man, but no, she wasn’t attracted to him.  She preferred men taller than him and older than him.  He was three years her junior.  He was a baby.  She needed a mature man who didn’t cost her $500 when she first met him.  She didn’t like him like that.  No...no, she didn’t.  Not at all.  No. Nope.  NO.
“How far away is this?”
“A little ways down here.”  They continued to follow the winding trail until they reached a small clearing.
“This is adorable.”  The playhouse looked like a real house in miniature form. Little flower boxes were attached below the windows with fake daisies planted inside.  Real flowers were planted around the little walkway.  It was sided in cedar shakes and had what looked like slate as a roof.  “Did Jack build this?”
“I did for her fifth birthday.”  Ben opened the door and they walked inside.  
“Wow.”  Aubrey admired his handiwork.  In one corner was a little kitchen set, low counters and cupboards.  On the other side was a living room area that contained a mini futon and child size recliner.  The floor was some kind of easy cleaned tile.
“Here it is.”  Ben found the iPad.
“You must be the best uncle in the history of uncles.  Not that I didn’t have great ones as well, but wow.  You do so much for her.”
“She’s my only niece.  She gets spoiled a little.”  Ben looked at his handiwork.  “I used to work with a contractor before I got into law enforcement.”
“My contractor?”  Aubrey said surprised.
“Yeah.  He’s a good guy.”
Aubrey wondered if that was why he had been the lowest to bid on the job.  
“We should head back.”  Ben suggested.  “Though she’ll probably send us on another mission.”
They walked back to the party, this time Ben didn’t attempt to take her hand.  Tiffy didn’t try to send them on another mission when they returned, she was taken up with the pinata.  Aubrey left Ben’s side and socialized with Jack and Joanne for a while.  Then mingled around the party, speaking to a few people she knew from town.
“Time for cake!”  Joanne yelled.  It was going on five and Aubrey had to leave.  She convinced one of her co-workers to cover an hour for her, but she also needed to change and get ready.
“I have to go, but happy birthday.”  She hugged her.
“I wish you coulda stayed longer.”  
“I’ll see you soon.”
“Maybe I can come over this weekend and ride with you?  If you’re not busy.”
“Talk to your parents and then we’ll figure it out.  I gotta go sweetie, bye.”
“Bye Aubrey,” Tiffy said
Aubrey walked away from the crowd and waved to Jack and Joanne as she went.
“Leaving already?”  Ben came out of the house.
“Duty calls.  You know the feeling.”
“All too well.”  
Miley pushed the door open and took off toward the road.  
“Miley!”  Ben took off after her.  “Come here!”
Aubrey positioned herself and scooped up the furball before she could dash into traffic.
“Thanks,” Ben said relieved.  “She’s a runner.”
“I see that.”  Aubrey passed her to him.  “I see you later.”  
Aubrey continued on her way to the truck.
 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“It’s going to be one of the northwestern slots.  You’ll have to move.”
“Where do you think?”
“Up toward Ridgewood.”
“So an hour and a half away.”  Ben didn’t like the sound of that.  Scott’s slot was local, he wouldn’t have to move if he was able to slide into that slot.
“Is someone transferring to Scott’s slot?”
“Yeah, one of the southern wardens.”
“Shit,” Ben said let down.  “Now isn’t the best of times for me to move.”
“You know how our schedule goes.  You could stay at the headquarters until you work out living arrangements on the days you work and keep your house down here.”
“Live down here three days a week?  Live at the HQ the other four?”
“There will be other slots open.  You can always wait.”
“Nah, I can’t.  Who knows when the next slot will open.  You guys just hired a dozen people last year.  When the next warden slated to retire?”
“Not anytime soon.”  Kerr sat down behind his desk.  “Why don’t you put the application in and make the decision when it comes down to it.  If you don’t get the job you won’t have to worry about moving.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence Mike.”
“The fact is though Ben,” he leaned forward, “you’ll be in my division.  You have my vote.  You have two of the other two sergeants’ recommendations from my headquarters, and the Colonel already knows you well.  I think you’re a shoe in.”
“I guess we’ll see when I put in my application.”
“Good plan.”
“Green, 604.”
“604 go ahead.”
“Domestic dispute at 44 White Road in T5 R8, no weapons, no assault, parties separated.”
“Time to go to work Trooper,” Mike said to him.
“10-4, show me en route.”

*****

Aubrey had another stellar day at work.  Another night spent crying on her way home from work.  She’d nearly quit at the end of the day, her emotions exploded.  If not for her co-worker Nancy, she would have.  Nancy sent her home early.  Aubrey already had 50 hours in for the week so she was covered.  She’d been called in anyhow.
“This is starting to become predictable.”  She wiped the tears from her face as she saw a car pull a u-turn behind her.  She knew what the vehicle was, it was now a question of who it was.  She pulled over before the officer had a chance to turn on his lights, she didn’t want to deal with this added drama.
Aubrey rolled down her window and held her license, registration, and insurance card at the ready.  She dropped her head onto the steering wheel and sighed.  G
et it together
.  Hopefully it wouldn’t be Ben.  She’d take a ticket over having him see her cry again.  That’s all he’d seen was her balling.  Cry, cry, cry.  She was told by another nurse earlier she needed to not be so sensitive.  She wished that she could be a cold hard bitch, it would be so much easier to deal with her job.
“Old habits die hard,” he said lightly.  “I had to give you a hard time.”
Aubrey was relieved at the sound of the voice, but also embarrassed.  
“What’s wrong?”  Ben leaned into the window.  “What happened?”
“I’m okay.”
“Clearly you’re not.  What’s going on?”  Ben asked concerned.
“You must think I’m a little girl, seeing me cry all the time.”
“I don’t think that at all.”
Aubrey wiped her eyes and leaned her head back against the rest.  “God, I can’t do it anymore.  I’m done.”
Ben opened her door, reached across her, and unbuckled her seatbelt.  “Come and talk to me.”
“Do we have to do this here?”
“Yes.”  Ben took her hand and walked to the front of her truck.
“What’s going on?”
Aubrey looked down and bit her lip.
“Leave it alone.”  It was a desolate stretch of road, but traffic had been steady since he’d pulled her over.
“I can’t, not when you’re this upset.”
Aubrey wiped her eyes and tried to compose herself.  Telling Ben why she was upset would only upset him.
“I’ll be fine.”
Ben crossed his arms, leaned back against her truck, and waited for an explanation.
“I’m going home.”  She tried to walk past him, but Ben stood in front of her blocking the way.

“Not this upset you’re not.  I thought I’d gotten you speeding pretty good before, but those times don’t hold a candle to tonight.”  This time she was pretty close to driving like a Nascar driver.  “Is it your work?”
“Ben...stop...”  She pleaded.  “Let me go home.  I’ll talk to you later.”
“Green, 604.”
“Shit.”  Ben picked up the mic and held it to his mouth.  “604, go ahead.”
“Car deer 10-55 in West Ansen, no injuries, deer needs to be dispatched.”
“10-4.  I’m en route.”  Ben put the mic back on his shoulder.  “Promise me you’ll drive careful.  I don’t want to be responding to an accident where it’s you.”
“I promise.”
“Text me when you get home so I know your lead foot made it okay.”
“I will.”
Ben tipped his hat and walked back to his cruiser.
Aubrey got into the truck, took a few deep relaxing breaths, and continued her commute.

*****

“604, Green, I’ll be clear, 10-8.”  Ben headed for home, but worried about Aubrey.  She hadn’t texted him to tell him she’d made it home.  She should have made it home more than forty minutes prior.  He texted her to double check.
Did you make it home okay? - Ben
He waited for an answer, but didn’t get one.  Aubrey’s house was on the way to his, so he would make a short detour.
Aubrey’s driveway was too long to see if her truck was in the yard without pulling into it, but every light in her house was on.  Strange that she didn’t return his text.  Ben decided to check on her.  His conscience wouldn’t let him sleep if he didn’t.
He knocked on the door.  She opened the door and looked a mess.  Her nose was bright red, her eyes puffy.  She’d been crying...a lot.
“Don’t even try to tell me everything is okay.”  Ben didn’t wait for her to invite him in.
“I forgot to text you.”
“I know, you have me doing a welfare check on you.”
“I didn’t mean for you to come all the way out here to check on me.  You didn’t have to do that.”  She wiped her nose with a tissue.
“Since you won’t tell me what’s going on, I’ll have to use my investigative skills.”
“This should be good.”  Aubrey laughed.  She sat down on the couch and curled her legs under herself.  Ben sat down on the opposite end and leaned forward.
“You’re a pediatric nurse and work with kids some of whom have terminal illnesses.   One of your patients passed away tonight and you didn’t want to talk me about it because you thought it would upset me, with Tiffy and all.”
“Okay, I guess you’re investigative skills are pretty sharp.”  She sniffed.
“You must have been pretty close to him, or her.”
“Do you remember the little girl you saw when you came over here after the bakery burned?  Monica?”
“Yeah.”
“I gave her lessons for two years.  She was such a sweet girl.”
“I’m sorry.”  Ben couldn’t imagine doing her job.  Working with children with terminal illnesses, getting close to them knowing how the situation would turn out.
“Met too.”  She looked over at Ben and attempted a smile.  “You don’t have to stay.  It’s late and you must be tired.”
“I’m not in a hurry.  You seem like you could use some company.”
“I’m used to this.”  She reached across and patted his leg.  “Go home.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.  I’m going to go to bed and pass out.”
You can sleep on me again.  
“You’re sure?”  Ben didn’t want to leave.
“Go home, I’ll see you and Tiffy this weekend.”  
Ben stood up and Aubrey followed him to the door.  
“I’ll call you in the morning.  You have me worried about you.”
When Ben turned before opening the door, she leaned into him, taking him by surprise.  Ben wrapped his arms around her back and held her in a secure embrace.  Her crying was more pronounced.
“Nope, not leaving you.  You almost made it.  If you’d held off the crying until I made it out the door you would have been in the clear.  But you didn’t, now you’re stuck with me.”
Aubrey laughed and cried at the same time.  “Almost made it.”
Ben walked her back to the couch.  
“I remember someone telling me how much they like cuddling with me.  Would that help the situation?”
“Plutonic cuddling?”
“I’m not the type who would take advantage of a situation like this, but thanks for thinking I would be.”
“You are a man.  All men would do that.”  Aubrey leaned against him.  Ben instantly tensed at her body pressed against his.  He wasn’t going to take advantage of the situation, but that didn’t mean not so innocent thoughts wouldn’t float through his mind.
“Thanks for lumping me in with all men.”
“You’re belt hurts my side...”  Aubrey hinted.
Ben took the cue that meant he could get comfortable.  He stripped his gear from his waist and shed his bulletproof vest.  By the time he was done, all his gear filled up her recliner and he was left with a pair of polyester pants and a white undershirt.  He sat back down.  
“That’s better,” she said and laid against him like she had when she’d been slightly impaired.
“Do you want to watch that Channing Tatum guy again?  I know you said he was H-A-W-T.  That’ll make you feel better.”
“You weren’t supposed to bring up the things I said that night!”  She winced.  “But yes, Channing always makes me feel better.
I guess that means I don’t.
“You’re doing a good job too though.  Thank you for being such a good friend to me.”
Friend.
 Ben sighed.             
“Funny how things have changed between us.”
Changed to friends and nothing more.