Marcy was his longtime girlfriend. Very longtime.
“Not this time, my friend,” she answered, very well aware Cullen was listening to every word. “If I write one I’ll send you a copy, though,” she teased, knowing how badly he hated getting those reports.
“I’ll expect it in a few hours.” He wasn’t teasing. “You’re killing
me with this resignation thing. I spend more time here than I do in the office now, and the officers here don’t like me near as much as they like you.”
Ranger hated getting intel for Cullen out of the detectives.
“Grow boobs,” she snickered. “That’s all they require. Their brains stop and their mouths start. They’re really kind of cute when it happens.” And those officers made a running joke of it.
Ranger grimaced good-naturedly. “I told Cullen he made a mistake letting you go. I was hoping this thing you two are doing meant you’d come back.”
This thing they were doing?
“I wouldn’t bet on it. And I better be going, Ranger.” She laughed, determined to leave before he managed to piss her totally off with his comments about her and Cullen’s “thing.”
“You heading down, then?” He gestured to the end of the hall.
“Yeah, I have a few more things I need to get done today,” she told him. “You?”
“I’m still waiting for Marcy.” He frowned thoughtfully. “Can we talk for a minute?”
That probably wasn’t a good idea, but she had no idea how to get out of it without offending him.
“Sure.” She shrugged, pasting a smile on her face. “Is everything okay?”
For a second indecision flushed across his handsome face before it cleared, his features settling into determined lines.
“I know you’re staying with Cullen,” he finally said, his tone heavy with concern.
Uh-oh, this so was not a good idea.
“Ranger—” She tried to protest.
“Listen to me for a minute, Chelsea.” He reached out as though to stop her before pulling his hand back. “Look, there’s things you don’t know, honey, and I don’t want you getting your heart broken over him.” Oh God, she didn’t want to do this. This was Cullen’s friend. He was probably Cullen’s only true friend.
“You’re making a mistake, Ranger. Let’s not discuss this right now, okay?” She tried to warn him. “Your concerns are noted and I promise I’ll be just fine.”
“You’re so damned stubborn.” He grimaced. “But you’re my friend and I don’t want to see you hurt. Okay?”
“I won’t get hurt . . .”
“I know you think you love him.” He sighed, talking over her as he stared down at her imploringly. “And I know you think he can love you, but it won’t happen, honey. Losing Lauren broke something inside Cullen. You’ll always be second best and you deserve more than that. You know you do.”
Now, this was bad. Cullen was not going to appreciate this advice coming from his friend. He was going to be pissed. Hell, he was probably already pissed.
“Stop, Ranger. We’re not doing this.” She turned to rush to the elevators, determined to stop the train wreck.
“Wait, Chelsea, please.” He stepped in front of her, blocking her way, his face creasing in regret. “He’s a hard man . . .”
“And he’s your friend, he wouldn’t appreciate this and I don’t want to hear it.” Tightening her grip on the strap of her pack, she fought to hold on to her temper. “And it won’t make a difference. I do what I want to do. Period. Now good-bye.”
“Come on, Chelsea, you really believe that? You’re Lauren’s cousin, and he loved her. That’s why he brought you into the office, that reminder of her. You’re a stand-in for her, nothing more.” The shocking statement had her pausing.
“I look nothing like her.” She pushed out the words between gritted teeth. “I am nothing like her. That has to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard come out of your mouth. It’s right up there with accusing me of wanting your job when Cullen first hired me. It’s idiotic.”
Working with Ranger had never been easy, but he’d never gone this far before either.