Deborah Mello - Reunited By The Badge

The Black brothers were slowly moving toward their table, both eyeing the other two men as they passed each other. Parker acknowledged them with a nod of his head but there was no response. As the two men exited the building, the uniformed cops followed behind them.

Detective Armstrong Black greeted them with a wide grin. “Well, well, well. Isn’t this a pleasant surprise!” he said. He extended his hand in greeting and the two men bumped shoulders. “How’s it going, Paul?”

“It’s good to see you, Armstrong.”

Armstrong winked an eye at his baby sister. “Simone.”

“Armstrong.”

Parker shook his head as he leaned to kiss Simone’s cheek. He and Paul shook hands. “Everyone okay?”

Simone nodded. “You two didn’t need to come. You could have just sent a patrol car.”

“We just wanted to make sure everything was good.”

“You two just wanted to be nosey.”

“That, too!” Parker said with a chuckle. His phone rang, pulling his attention as he stepped away to answer the call.

Armstrong took a seat at the table with them. “So, one of you want to tell me what’s going on? Why the concern?”

Simone turned toward Paul, folding her arms over her chest. Raising her brows, she gave him a questioning look.

He heaved a deep sigh, closing his eyes for a split second. “I made a mistake. I should never have called Simone. I just…well…” He paused. Then shrugged, as if unable to find the worlds to answer the question being posed.

Simone rolled her eyes skyward. “It’s nothing,” she said. “Those two just looked sketchy and I didn’t like how pushy they were being. I was worried that something might jump off and figured we were better safe than sorry.”

Armstrong looked from one to the other, perhaps sensing a half-truth and a blatant lie being told. Before he could question them further, Parker rejoined the conversation.

“My guys ran their license plate. It’s a rental car that came back to a man named Thomas Donald. That ring any bells?”

Paul and Simone both shook their heads.

Parker continued. “We didn’t get a hit on anyone named Thomas Donald and we don’t have any reason to hold either of them.”

“What about the gun I saw?”

“He had a valid FOID.”

“What’s that?” Paul questioned. “FOID?”

“Firearm Owners Identification card. It makes it legal for him to carry a concealed weapon,” Simone answered.

Parker nodded. “They’re gone now, so I wouldn’t be overly concerned. I think you may have just overreacted.”

“Simone? Overreact? Not my little sister!” Armstrong said facetiously as he pressed his palm to his broad chest. “My little sister never overreacts!”

“Don’t you two have someplace to be?” Simone said, annoyance painting her expression.

Armstrong shook his head. “Nope. We’re officially off duty!”

Paul chuckled, a moment of amusement washing over him. It passed quickly but Simone was the only one who noticed. She met his eyes and held the gaze a second longer than necessary before turning back to her brothers.

“You’re intruding on my date.”

“So, it is a date?” Parker asked, his grin widening.

“Mom will be very excited. I can’t wait to tell her,” Armstrong added.

Paul laughed out loud. “How is your mom?”

Simone tossed him another look. “Please don’t entertain them. If you talk to them, they won’t go away. And they need to go away!” She looked from one brother to the other.

“My feelings are hurt, Simone!” Armstrong said. He pushed his full lips out in a full pout.

“Mine, too, but the hint is taken,” Parker said. He rose from his seat, adjusting the jacket of his navy-blue suit.

“I need to get home anyway,” Armstrong added. “I have a wife waiting for me!” He grinned smugly as he waved his ring finger, like they needed to be reminded that he was a newlywed, having recently married another detective on the Chicago police team.

Parker laughed. “I have someone waiting for me, too, but she’s not a wife.”

“Not yours anyway,” Simone quipped.

Laughter rang around the table.

“It was good to see you guys again,” Paul said, the trio shaking hands one last time.

“Good luck,” Armstrong said, his voice dropping to a loud whisper. “She’s still mean as hell!”

“I heard that!” Simone exclaimed, her eyes rolling skyward.

The brothers grinned, both leaning to kiss their sister’s cheek one last time.

“Stay out of trouble, Simone,” Parker said.

“Please,” Armstrong echoed.

The couple watched as the two men strolled back toward the door, pausing briefly to chat with an elderly couple who sat near the front of the room.

“I see things haven’t changed much,” Paul said casually.

“You don’t get to do that,” Simone snapped. “You don’t get to pretend nothing’s wrong when clearly something’s not right. Now spill it! Why did you call me? Why are we not safe, and who were those two men?”

Contrition furrowed Paul’s brow. “I shouldn’t have called you, Simone.”

“But you did, so tell me why. What’s going on, Paul?”

Jacob interrupted the conversation, dropping two drinks onto the table. “Courtesy of Captain Black,” he said, smiling brightly.

Simone shook her head. “What is this?” The beverage was a beautiful shade of pink, topped with a fluff of cotton candy and skewered raspberries.

“We call it the Honeymoon Special.”

Paul laughed again, relieving the tension between them. “Your brothers have a keen sense of humor.”

“They really are not funny,” Simone responded, though she felt the slightest smile pulling at her mouth.

“Are you ready to order?” Jacob asked.

“I think we’re going to have to take it to go, Jacob,” Paul said. “I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Not at all, Dr. Reilly. Your usual?”

“Yes, sir. The Bad Burger with a side of fries, please.”

“I’ll take the mac and cheese,” Simone said. “Also to go.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll put that order in for you. And I’d like to throw in a dessert on the house. We have a spectacular carrot cake tonight. I’d also highly recommend the vanilla brownie.”

“The carrot cake sounds good,” Simone said. “Thank you, Jacob.”

“And for you, Dr. Reilly?”

“Whatever the lady is having sounds good to me,” Paul said.

“Two slices of carrot cake to go. I’ll be back shortly with your food,” Jacob said as he backed away from the table and headed toward the kitchen.

A pregnant pause bloomed full and thick between them. Simone stared, the look she was giving him so intense that Paul felt his stomach flip as the air was sucked from his lungs. She was even more stunning than he remembered, and he remembered everything about Simone.

Her hair had been freshly cut, her lush curls cropped short in a style that flattered her exquisite face. Chocolate-chip freckles danced across her nose and cheeks, complementing her warm copper complexion. Her dark eyes were large and bright and light shimmered in her stare. And she had the most perfect mouth, her full, luscious lips like plush pillows begging to be kissed. It took every ounce of fortitude he possessed not to lean over and capture her lips with his own. He took a deep breath and held it, hoping to stall the emotion that had swelled between them.

If anyone had asked, Paul would have had to admit to falling in love with Simone at first sight. She’d been the most beautiful woman he had ever seen as she had skipped across the university’s quad. He’d stepped into her path and had introduced himself, asking for directions he hadn’t needed. Simone had walked him to the destination, talking a mile a minute, which she later admitted had been to calm her nerves about a class that had her concerned. Their friendship had been like spun sugar: threads deeply entwined, intensely sweet and delicately fragile. Simone treaded cautiously, wherein he was always ready to take risks.