Page 25 of Cop Blocked

“Not when you get paired up with her. Remember who did her training?” Smitty adds.

“You’re still in a bad mood?” I ask. If anything, I should be the one in a bad mood, considering Rachel’s suddenly giving me the cold shoulder. I even offered to bring her lunch at work, and she turned me down. Figures, I really like someone, and all of a sudden, she’s damn near ghosting me.

Smitty looks down at the stack of papers and groans. “Shut up so I can finish this shit and get out on the road. If I’m stuck in here the whole shift with you three, I might go insane.”

* * *

Fucking hell. I feel like I barely survived yesterday’s shift. Who knew that OSHA would be so draining? That plus the late call for a fight down on the college campus that took half the damn department to get under control, which meant none of us went home on time. Damn drunk college kids.

Then, of course, Ryker decides to call at the crack of dawn to let me know he’s coming down for a visit soon. Why he couldn’t wait until a more reasonable hour is beyond me.

Maybe I should have tried going back to bed before I attempted to go shopping. I may not have wanted to get up, though, and would have been fashionably late for Gabby’s birthday party. If Zoey hadn’t already text me five times this morning, making me promise I’d be there, I probably really would chicken out.

I know I said I’d show up, but now I’m second guessing that decision.

I’m standing in the middle of the toy department, and I’m sure I’m about to pass out.

How complicated can it be to pick a gift for a three-year-old?

Seriously.

I think I’m already getting hives from looking at the kids' toys, and I know today’s only going to get worse. Later I’ll be surrounded by tiny humans. Between Smitty and Rhys, they have damn near a whole football team of them not to mention; however, many other friends of the little spawns they invited.

Pulling out my phone, I send off a text to the one person I trust for this mission.

Me: Are you sure I can’t just stick cash in a card? They could put it toward the kid’s college fund. At the rate they're going, Smitty’s going to need all the help he can get funding college for those kids.

I quickly attach a picture of the “toddler” toys and send it to Sunny. She’s a girl. She can help me with this. She always helps us figure shit out. Not that we’d ever tell her that.

Sunny: No. Stop being a turd. Pick out something that says for ages three and up. There are helpful labels on the boxes.

Letting out a huff, I type out a hasty reply.

Me: I’m already itching all over, and the party isn’t until later today.

Sunny: Wait. What? You waited until the last minute? Why am I not surprised?

Me: Can you Amazon Prime a gift to my house for me? Please!

Sunny: Goof. You said the party is later today. No. I can’t help you. Get it together and pick something.

Me: Sunny, you are no help. None. I thought we were friends?

Sunny: I’m ignoring you now. Don’t screw this up.

“Don’t screw this up, she says,” I grumble to myself. If I had messaged the whole crew? Gunner and Shortstack would have never let me live it down, even though Gunner could have given me some kind of idea.

Turning down another aisle of kids’ toys, I finally make a decision. One that Smitty and Zoey will no doubt love me for. Taking a pick up slip from the display, I head to the front of the store.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I swear I see a woman that looks like Rachel heading for the exit but, by the time I pay for my gifts and rush to the parking lot, there’s no sight of her.

Wishful thinking, I tell myself as I pull my truck up to the door and wait for an employee to bring my purchase out.

FOURTEEN

Rachel

Piper runs up to the front door of Zoey’s house, excited to see all her friends again and help Gabby celebrate her birthday. I’m surprised when she stops and knocks before barreling in like she likes to do, pretty much anywhere we go.

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