I shook my head and ended the call.
I’d made it to the center of town during the phone call. Just a couple of blocks left. But they were brutal ones. Wildfire Pizza, where I’d taken Wren on our first date. Cones, where she and Grae always begged me to stop on the way home from school.
But the damned dock was the worst. I swore I could still taste the hint of mint from the lip balm Wren always wore. Feel the hesitant press of her mouth to mine. See how she looked up at me with so much trust.
And I’d destroyed it all.
2
WREN
“Little Williams,” Nash called as he maneuvered the bullpen, headed toward dispatch city. He held up a hand for a high five.
I shook my head but smacked his palm. “There’s no Big Williams.” But no matter how many times I made that point, he kept calling me that. For so long, it had been like an ice pick to the chest every time he leveled the nickname at me, conjuring memories of all the outings I’d had with Holt and the Hartley clan. But over time, it had lessened to a dull ache.
Lawson came up behind his brother, clapping him on the back. “You know you’ll never get Nash to call you by your actual name.”
Nash patted Lawson’s chest. “Damn straight, boss man.”
The eldest Hartley scowled. “Stop calling me that.”
Nash’s lips twitched. “Chief better? Big man? Head honcho?”
“I’m gonna start making you call me sir.”
I choked on a laugh and gave Lawson a mock salute. “I think it works.”
“Sir. Yes, sir,” Nash snapped out.
Lawson gave his younger brother a shove. “Get back to work before I have to fire your ass.”
Nash started jogging backward, his green eyes twinkling. “Never. Who would catch all the bad guys?”
I couldn’t help the roll of my eyes. “Single-handedly taking down drug cartels and terrorist outfits every single week.”
“And don’t you forget it.” He waggled his eyebrows. “The rest of the ladies certainly don’t.”
“Nash…” Lawson warned.
“Don’t worry, boss. I’m on the case.”
Lawson pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t even want to know what case that is.”
I leaned back in my chair. “Probably the case of some cougar’s missing bra.”
Lawson’s face screwed up. “I really don’t need that mental image in my head.”
I pressed my mouth into a hard line to keep from laughing.
“Yeah, yeah, yuck it up.”
I held up both hands. “I didn’t say a word.”
“Your eyes did,” he griped.
The smile wouldn’t stay off my face, no matter how hard I tried. “Nash is like the station mascot. Keeps things light.”
“I guess that’s worth the chaos he leaves in his wake.”