Page 3 of Before They Were Lovers

Day

Day called it fucking fate that he and Godfrey were assigned to the same precinct after their four-month field training.

It was the first day of orientation, and Day had been strolling through his Starbucks newsletter, getting excited at the new winter blends—Oh damn, chestnut praline latte sounds good as fuck. I’ll grab one during lunch, and then after lunch, and then again before—when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

“God, how in the hell did you get assigned to Zone Three,” a guy hollered, yanking Day from his fantasy. “I thought they’d assign your overachieving ass to patrol the Georgia Supreme Court.”

Day tried not to be obvious as he watched Godfrey—God—fist-bump a short, buff Latino officer with kind eyes and a killer smile.

“Real funny, Joker. What the fuck are you doing here?” God rumbled. “I thought I was done with you after training.”

“Well, my boys and I came to scope out any prospects for my department. Your class wasn’t half-bad.”

The handsome man’s badge read APD SWAT.

“I got a spot open for you, God, if you’re—”

“Notinterested, Joker.”

“Why not?” The officer actually looked offended.

“One, because you play too fuckin’ much, and two, because I don’t wanna be on SWAT.”

“All right, buddy.” He clamped God hard on his shoulder. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

God gave the SWAT sergeant another fist bump, then sat on the other side of the room, farthest from everyone else.

Day smiled. Not only were there three new latte options out today, but Godfrey had been assigned to the same station as him. He must’ve done something great to receive this kind of karma from the universe.

God, huh.Seems a fitting nickname.

Day couldn’t tear his eyes away. God exuded power. The way his dark blue polyester uniform stretched over his form made him look as if he was carved from stone.

The captain stood in front of the room and ran through the orientation schedule and the administrative requirements they’d be fulfilling today, but Day wasn’t listening. He was sure he could figure out how to get his logins and where the cafeteria was.

Instead, Day watched Godfrey survey the room, his gaze lingering over everyone with uninterested assessment.

And then it happened.

God’s eyes caught his, and he froze.

Day’s heart sped up as time seemed to slow down. God’s attention on him was intense enough to make the rest of the room fade away. It was so overwhelming that Day had to break eye contact.

Day wondered if God had recognized him. If he’d been subtly watching him like Day had done him at the academy.

“When you’re finished today, I want you all to go home, fuck your wives, and kiss your kids because from tomorrow forward, I don’t give a fuck about office hours. You’re here until I say you can leave. I own your rookie asses until you prove otherwise. Got it? Any questions?” The captain’s voice boomed in the small room.

God was still staring at him, and like any other time Day was uncomfortable or felt put on the spot, he resorted to comedy.

He raised two fingers.

“What is it, Officer Day?” The captain glared at him as if he already knew he wouldn’t like what he had to say.

Day tried to keep from smirking.

“What if you don’t have a wife to fuck, sir?”

The captain stared so long that Day thought he might’ve crossed the line.

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