The Hat Trick

by Tara Wimble

  Janice carefully takes the dress off and hangs it back up. The walk to the counter takes her past the other rejected dresses and accessories that they’ve been through in the last hour. Janice is kind of glad that everything is put together now. The dress code had panicked her for a second before she remembered that Laurel is always trying to get her and Robin to dress up. She just Hope is as impressed as she wants her to be.

  It stings a little when she has to pay for it, seeing the number flash up but it will be worth it.

  Amy leads them to the food court and says she’ll take care of it. Janice doesn’t question the kindness until Laurel is holding her hand.

  “Laurel.”

  “So, tell me about her intentions.” The hand holding is less ‘friendly bonding’ and more stopping Janice from running away. So that’s how it’s going to be.

  “Her intentions?”

  “Her intentions with you.” Laurel might as well be asking how many times Hope has seduced her against her will or how she is in bed because that look on her face is unwavering and all knowing.

  “Laurel, we haven’t even talked about it beyond ‘I like you’, ‘I like you too’.” Janice laughs, feeling nervous at the interest. “But come on, we’re both adults here.”

  “So you’re going to talk about it eventually?”

  Janice kind of doesn’t want to. It sounds stupid but they’ve been just enjoying themselves. That’s what college is about right? Finding that feeling you like and hanging on to it. Not worrying about how long it’s going to last. Maybe she wants more, and maybe they’ll have that conversation soon, but for now she’s content. She’s happy. “Maybe after the first date.”

  “Could have talked about it before you slept with her.” Laurel points out. Janice pulls a face but she knows Laurel is, mostly, joking. “Not that I’m judging because good for you. Woo. And all that.”

  “Thanks.” Janice purses her lips. “Look, I know you’re looking out for me because of how she-”

  “How she ditched you completely before Christmas.” She wondered when that was going to come up.

  “Yes.” Janice scratches the back of her neck. “But she’s explained that and we’ve moved on from that. And I like where we’re going.”

  “Because you’re getting laid.”

  The beach house flashes before her eyes and the fading tan on her legs is evidence to the last time she shared a bed with Hope. Oh, how she wants though.

  Janice swats at Laurel’s hand, breaking out of her day dream with a blush. “I think I liked you better when you didn’t know how to play scrabble.”

  Laurel gives her a knowing look. “Oh, scrabble is a code now?”

  “Who’s playing scrabble?” Amy comes back holding a tray full of food and the optimistic confusion on her face is so adorable that Janice has to ruin it.

  “You and Laurel. If you’ve opened that birthday present I got her.” She raises her eyebrows a few times and waits for the red to set in on Laurel’s face. “Oh you haveeeee.”

  Laurel leans back to let Amy sit the tray between them all and Janice thinks they’re done with a final thought.

  “I’m happy for you but it doesn’t mean that I’m not gonna look out for you.”

  Amy coos over Laurel’s protectiveness and shares out milkshakes. Janice stuffs fries past her lip and smiles. “Thanks Santos.”

  They get back late afternoon, heavy with bags and sore feet. Laurel insists on keeping the dress in her room just in case Janice somehow ruins it in the days before the benefit, so Janice quickly ducks into her room knowing Robin and Lexie are still out to call Hope.

  She dials and waits, smoothing out her bed covers, until Hope’s voice breaks the ringing tone.

  “Sorenson speaking.”

  Janice starts grinning. “Do you even check your caller ID before you pick up?”

  “Janice?” There’s a rustling on the other end. Like someone sitting up. “Sorry, I was sleeping.”

  “It’s like 5.30.”

  “Just got off shift.” Janice imagines her rolling out the kinks in her back and popping her shoulder and yes, her mind wanders.

  “Oh, I can call back if you want?” She covers up the thought with a cough.

  “No, no. Talk to me.” Her voice is heavy and reassuring. “Tell me about your day. I’ve missed you.”

  Janice blushes and covers her face with her free hand despite no one being there to laugh at her. She picks at the material of her sweats, staring at her crossed legs. “I’m good. Went shopping. Got Mama Bear’d by Santos.”

  “Mama Bear’d, huh?” Hope asks. “Should I be worried?”

  Oh wow. That voice was- She feels faint fingers tapping against her spine.

  “About Laurel? Nah.” Janice says. “You’re still scarier than her.”

  “Scarier?”

  “Intimidating. It’s hot.”

  “So you think I’m hot?” Hope laughs loudly. “Haven’t heard that since I was in college.”

  “Do you work with blind people?” Janice retorts.

  More shifting. The sound of a light switch being hit. “Nope. Just a lot of married cops and assholes.”

  “They’re all assholes if they can’t see what’s in front of them.”

  “Keep sweet talkin’ me McPherson.”

  “Is it paying off?” Janice slips into a warmer tone of voice, hearing Hope start to tease her.

  Hope tries to start a response but a yawn from the other end cuts her off. Janice instantly feels guilty. “You’re tired, I should let you sleep.”

  “Hm. Why don’t you come over instead?” Hope suggests. “You can model the dress for me.”

  Janice looks at the door.

  “Or you could model nothing and we can spend a few hours wearing each other out.”

  Janice disguises the noise she makes as she trips off the bed to find her shoes again. “Don’t fall asleep before I get there.”

  “You better hurry then.”

  ***

  THEY still have their underwear on, out of respect for Robin wanting to take this slow and Lexie’s wandering hands, but it’s not hiding anything. Lexie had left a deep purple bruise near Robin’s collar while Robin had unhooked her bra and guided Lexie’s hand.

  Lexie feels hopped up on this. She’s going slow but rolling Robin’s nipple between her finger and thumb definitely went faster than she thought it would.

  They don’t go a lot further than Lexie gasping and just taking the sight of each other in. There isn’t enough time in the world for that. Still, Lexie ignores the need between her legs as she holds herself over Robin, kissing her until she starts to lose feeling in her lips.

  She ends up tracing the lines of Robin’s palm, laughing when Robin wonders aloud who actually won the game, before focusing again on how warm it is to be wrapped up with her. There are little tan lines over her wrist as she moves the bands and the hair ties to see where the sun hasn’t caught.

  “Sweet.” Robin mutters. At some point Lexie realized that neither of them could form anything more than single words in response. Sweet doesn’t seem to sum it all up but the smile on Robin’s face, the happy and focused and in the moment smile, did.

  “You good?”

  “Duh.” Robin brushes her hair back.

  Lexie leans in to kiss her knowing that there was nothing that could break this moment between them.

  The door slams.

  Except, as she came to realize, Janice McPherson bursting into the room with pumping her fist in their air singing something suggestive about ‘riding’ until she saw them curled together in the bed. Mostly naked.

  A yelp starts the scramble between her and Robin to cover themselves as Janice recoils backward and slips-

  “Shit!”

  “Janice!”

  “MAN DOWN!”

  “Jesus-!”

  Lexie feels helpless, and very naked, as Janice McPherson lies on the floor of her bedroom nursing what looked like a very mild concussion.


  “Janice, are you okay?” Robin asks. Lexie makes the mistake of looking at her holding the pillow against her chest and burns up all over again. God, one half naked make-out session and she’s acting like...well, Janice.

  A muffled voice rises from the ground. “I am going to close my eyes and pretend that I’m back in Hope’s apartment and not here. Please get dressed in that time.”

  Lexie feels Robin touch the bottom of her back, holding back the wave of laughter over this whole situation, so she kisses her cheek lightly.

  “I heard that!” Janice shouts. She looks kind of pathetic, curled over on her side, on the floor. “You’re interrupting my flashback.”

  “You’re fantasizing about TDI Sorenson while we’re naked.” Lexie deadpans. “You’re interrupting-”

  “I’m interrupting?” Janice’s smug grin takes over her entire face.

  “You know damn well what you’re interrupting.” Lexie mutters as she steps into sweatpants that are decidedly Robin’s and passes a shirt over to her girlfriend.

  “I just want to hear you say it.” Janice laughs.

  Robin laughs loudly. “Pervert.”

  Janice still has her eyes scrunched up making her smile beam even more. “You wouldn’t believe.”

  Lexie groans as it all washes over her. This is her life, this is going to be her life next year as well. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  “I know.” Robin throws a pillow at Janice, signaling that she can open her eyes again. “I thought we’d avoid this ‘til we were living together.

  Janice tosses the pillow away from her. The one Robin had been covering herself with. “Me either. I thought you guys would never have sex.”

  Lexie lobs a book at her.

  “Hey!” Janice swats it away. “I always knew you’d get to second base though.”

  “You’re an ass.” Robin points out.

  “Why aren’t you still at TDI’s?” Lexie questions. “In fact, weren’t you out shopping with Santos?”

  “I got in hours ago and then I went out again.” Janice explains. That stupid grin hasn’t disappeared from her face. “If you’d called I would have happily stayed out even longer.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “Woah, a little hostile there-” Janice jokes. “And if you must know, unlike some people-” She fixes a pointed stare at Robin. “I can understand that people need their sleep to function and get up for their jobs well enough to get a cab home.”

  “And she let you?”

  “Trust me.” Janice crosses her legs. “The argument was short lived.”

  “Why-” Lexie scrunches her nose. “Oh, ew.”

  “Excuse me?” Janice gestures widely to the room. “What did I just walk into?”

  Robin leans up off the pillow. “Public Speaking 101?”

  Lexie turns to her. “You still have to finish that.”

  “Mood killer.” Janice winces in Robin’s direction. “Are you staying tonight?”

  Lexie ties her hair back. “I don’t know?”

  Janice raises her hands. “I just want to know whether or not I need to go to bed with headphones in.”

  Robin jumps up and grabs Janice, hauling her over her shoulder just enough to slam her back onto her bed. They dissolve into laughter while Lexie watches. “Hey! Don’t take your sexual frustration out on me! Have you even showered since- Robin!”

  Somehow Lexie knows that this; Janice laughing and Robin defending her honor in the most pathetic of tickle fights, will only worsen once they all move in together. Oh well. Sacrifices must be made.

  “Hold her arms down!” Lexie jumps into the fray.

  ***

  HER car is taken by the waiting valet outside the building. Blue banners stream down the front. They only seem bigger as Hope helps Janice climb the steps to the entrance in her heels. She presents the invitation to the waiting doormen. They take a second to scout Janice as her plus one, but soon enough they’re ushered into the bustle of the benefit.

  All of the pomp comes from the organizers outside of the LAPD. The idea behind this was to celebrate the achievements of the force and of the individuals wearing the badge. The money raised by those who pay for tickets is funneled into developing better after school programs. Hope can spot on sight those that bought their way in.

  “Wow.” Janice murmurs.

  She says nothing and let’s herself agree. They put on a good show for those that are invited. The party that follows the award ceremony is usually a good chance to let your hair down. Last year she hadn’t been invited. Missing out on promotion and then the chance to applaud Scully for taking her job were sore points of the last few months.

  Hope figures, showing up wearing a tight black above the knee dress with Janice looking as stunning as she does, is making up for it.

  “Breathe.” Hope jokes to her as they pass several men in uniform blues. “You look gorgeous.”

  Janice had been delayed coming to the car as her roommate, Laurel and her girlfriend Amy, had insisted that they introduce her like Hope was her prom date or something. When Janice had emerged outside, Hope could see why.

  The dress was perfect. Janice wore it shyly until Hope’s eyes had lit up and then her step gained a confidence that had Laurel whistling in the background. Hope had managed to keep her thoughts strictly respectful, until Janice had turned around, exposing her back.

  Suddenly she had been waking up listening to the ocean and tracing lines between freckles on sun-kissed skin.

  It was a look, a lustful look, that hadn’t gone unnoticed by their company. Hope promised to return her safely to them, though she omitted a time or day, and offered the passenger seat to Janice.

  They follow the crowd into the ballroom. Hope’s eyes search upwards to the high ceiling before wandering down to see more blue banners and masses of people scattering and mingling as they do.

  But then she finds a face sitting at the bar.

  Hope let’s her coat be taken and accepts the ticket for it as a distraction for who falls into her line of sight. He probably spotted her before she spotted him. Following her since they walked in. Hope offers her arm to Janice and steers them towards where Vianne and Sara said they would be.

  Ian Rollins is sat by the open bar with several of his colleagues. He nurses a drink and pretends to everyone that he’s not shooting the same disgusted look in her direction every few minutes. He keeps an eye on her, much like the men he’s brought with him do as well. Hope pretends that those looks aren’t about the appeal going through but something else. Something that doesn’t remind her of the power they once tried to hold over her.

  “This is really fancy.” Janice whispers, trying to look at everything all at once. “You definitely didn’t mention it’d be this fancy.”

  There’s an ice sculpture near the back of the vast room that attests to this fact. Hope continues to lead her, searching for Vianne and Sara, while politely nodding to her colleagues.

  Janice’s already commented on the fact that Hope is leading her, introducing her to people like this is some sort of debutante ball, which led to a sarcastic question about whether or not Janice was a pageant girl when she was younger. The look of utter judgment she received in return was worth it.

  “Janice.” Hope touches the small of her back. The dress is backless, and a shade of green that Hope devours with each glance, so her hand touches skin.

  “What?”

  Hope leans closer to her cheek, rather than her ear and teases her. “It’s going to be fancy. Just thought I’d warn you.”

  “Where are we going?” Janice bites the inside of her lip to disguise that she thought that comment was funny. It’s endearing.

  Hope finally finds them hovering by one of the round tables by the raised stage. Sara raises her arm in what’s meant to be a wave but ends up looking more like a blasé fist pump. Brilliant. She can’t wait to be on that stage looking down at Sara flipping her off to keep her ego in check.
r />   “We’re meeting my partner and her girlfriend.”

  “Like people you work with?”

  “You’ve met Vianne before.” Hope reminds her. “And trust me, she remembers you.”

  “How does she-” Janice’s face burns quickly as they reach Vianne and Sara. “Oh she didn’t see-”

  “Janice.” Hope puts them right in front of the couple before she can continue to freak out. “This is my partner, Vianne Lee and her girlfriend, Sara Winter.”

  A young dark haired woman turns to face Hope with a gleam in her eyes that matches the necklace around her neck. She’s literally on the arm of a sun-kissed blond that finishes whispering in her ear when Hope calls out their names.

  “You must be Janice.” Vianne beams at her and for the first time she feels like she’s meant to be there. “Hope said she was going to ask you.” She throws a look at Hope.

  Sara, who is one of the few not in uniform not wearing a dress, shakes her hand too. The fuzzy looking cardigan looks a lot more comfortable than the heels Janice wears and she’s instantly jealous. “This is beginning to feel like an Army Wives meeting.” She jokes.

  “Nice artwork.” Janice is entranced by Sara’s arm, forgetting her previous embarrassment. “How long did that take?”

  “More than it’s worth.” Vianne rolls her eyes.

  Sara lets her turn her arm over to look at it closer. “She thinks it’s hot. Should have been there the day after.”

  Both Vianne and Hope snap in time. “Sara.”

  “I’m kidding.” Sara says. Her wink after it eases the nerves in her stomach. “You’re as hot as she said by the way.”

  “Jesus.” Hope mutters under her breath.

  Janice takes her hand back and turns her a smug smile to Hope. She leans closer to her. “You said that?”

  “How about we sit down and Sara and I will get some drinks.” Hope pulls out the chair for Janice, waiting until her date has sat down before she strong arms Sara towards the bar. Vianne shoots a concerned look when she spots Ian sitting there but Sara stays between the two of them the whole way there.

  “So,” Janice places her small purse on the table. “How long have you two been together?”

  Vianne crosses her leg and flicks her long hair over her shoulder, settling Janice with a warm gaze. “Which one?”