Page 85 of Hot Cops

Then she headed down to the pub.

“Hey, Pop Pop.”

Her grandfather brightened up when she claimed the stool next to him. “There’s my lass.”

“You’re here early,” she said.

“You know perfectly well why I’m here, sweet girl. This nosy old man wants the…” He paused, before coming up with the expression. “ The 411.”

Sunnie laughed loudly, drawing Padraig’s attention. He’d been shooting pensive looks in their direction ever since she sat down, but now, he was smiling as well, shaking his head, though she was certain he hadn’t heard what Pop Pop said.

“The 411, huh?” she teased.

“Darcy said you’ve got a virus.”

“Gone viral,” she corrected with a grin. Then she blew out a long, slow breath. “I guess it’s too much to hope you haven’t seen the video.”

“Ah, lass, according to your sister, everyone with the Internet has seen that video. I didn’t want to be left out.”

She knew exactly what part of the video her romantic grandfather was interested in hearing about. “It was a heat-of-the-moment thing, Pop Pop. I’m not sure either of us thought about it. The kiss just…happened, and now it’s over.”

Pop Pop nodded slowly, but there was no denying he wasn’t buying a word of what she was selling. “I see. Heat of the moment.”

She waited for him to contradict her, but her dad walked into the pub at that moment.

Dad approached them, frowning at her sitting in her scrubs.

She raised her hand before he could speak. “I called in sick. How’s Landon?”

Dad walked around the bar counter, grabbing a mug and pouring himself a cup of coffee. “He’s fine.”

“Is he in trouble?”

“Oh no, sweetheart. I mean…the captain wasn’t thrilled to have a Baltimore police officer touted as some heartthrob hot cop all over YouTube. In addition to the reporters lining the block outside the station, we now have about fifty women trying to meet him. But Captain Ramirez is crazy about you, and when he found out you were the ‘sexy nurse’ Hot Cop saved, he settled down quick enough.”

Sunnie pursed her lips, trying not to laugh as her dad referred to them with the video’s descriptors. Now that she knew Landon wasn’t in trouble, she could relax. “He’s never going to live this down, is he?”

Dad grinned. “Probably not. The recording was uploaded by the reporter doing the ride-along.”

“Yeah. I figured as much.”

“So at least the captain hadthatguy to rake over the coals. The reporter got his ass handed to him this morning.”

“Good. Is Landon still at work?”

Dad shook his head. “No. I sent him home, suggested he lay low for the rest of the day. These viral things have to run their course. Hopefully, it will have blown over by tomorrow. So far, no one seems to have figured out who you are…outside of here and the precinct, anyway. The captain has threatened to fire anyone who leaks your name to the press.”

Sunnie laughed. “I bet he did.”

She got a sense her dad was waiting for her to mention the video, to offer some insight into the kiss, but she didn’t know what to say.

Mom came out of the kitchen. “There’s my star,” she said, giving Sunnie a kiss on the cheek.

“Very funny, Mom.”

“Hey, I can think of worse things than being called a sexy nurse.”

Dad shook his head. “Riley. This isn’t exactly a great thing. You should have seen the crowd outside the station. If they find out Sunnie’s the nurse, God only knows what kind of mess you’ll have outside the pub.”

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