The Littlest Boss

by Janet Lee Nye

  She tried to watch the movie, but she kept thinking she heard something. After checking on Lily a few times, she went into her room. Nothing in there. She peeked into her mother’s room. This didn’t feel right. She heard the sound again and fear flooded through her. Gathering her nerve, she crossed to the window and pulled back the curtain. It was a squirrel. Chewing on the window ledge. She rapped a knuckle on the glass and it took off. What in the hell? Why’s a squirrel out at night?

  Back in the living room, she turned the movie back on but couldn’t concentrate. What if it was a rabid squirrel? Trying to chew its way into the house? She shook her head. “You’ve lost your mind,” she muttered out loud. But that wasn’t it. She felt a little afraid being here alone without her mother. She’d grown up sharing a bedroom with both of her sisters. She’d spent her college years either in a dorm or sharing an apartment with up to three other students. She’d rarely been by herself. Much less alone and one hundred percent responsible for a child.

  She cut the TV off. You’ve lost your mind, Tee. You miss your mommy. Pathetic. She picked up the phone and scrolled through her contacts. Perfect.

  Hey. Are you awake?

  After a few minutes, she put the phone down. Obviously, Mickie was already in bed. So she’d just sit here acting like a fool in a haunted house. The phone lit up. She grabbed it up before the call went to voice mail.

  “Hey. Sorry. I didn’t mean for you to call me,” she said.

  “No problem. I’m up. Working on a research paper. I need the break. What’s up?”

  “Don’t laugh.”

  “I can’t promise that.”

  Scooching down on the cushions, Tiana put her legs up on the back of the couch.

  “My mother went home for a few days and I’m alone with Lily and I think a rabid squirrel is trying to get in to kill us.”

  “You’ve lost your mind. You must have because the Tiana I know would have kicked that squirrel to the next county.”

  “Do squirrels even come out at night?”

  “I don’t have a clue. What’s wrong? Are you scared?”

  “I think so.”

  “Call-the-police scared or this-is-all-so-real-now-I’m-on-my-own scared?”

  “Second. How’d you deal with it?”

  She felt like a whiny brat even asking. Mickie had fled from her abusive ex and had been living on the run under an assumed name trying to keep her son safe. She’d lived with a fear Tiana couldn’t wrap her brain around.

  “I didn’t. I was just scared all the time. But you learn to push it down. To do what you need to do.”

  “I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t compare...”

  “Don’t be silly. Being a single mom is scary. But I really don’t think the squirrel will kill you, even if it does get in. Maybe you should get a cat or something. That’ll take care of any rodentlike creatures.”

  Tiana swung her legs down and sat up. “She got to you, didn’t she?”

  “She who? The squirrel? Tee, have you been drinking or something?”

  “Lily. She’s been on me about a kitten. Driving me insane.”

  There was a brief pause before Mickie snorted out a laugh. “You okay, really? I have five hundred more words to write on protocols for an evidence-based practice research project. My brain is about to dissolve into a pile of goo.”

  “I’m okay. Go back to work. Love you, friend.”

  “Love you too.”

  Tiana tossed the phone down. The entire world was in on this kitten conspiracy. To heck with being an artist or a vet. Lily was going to grow up to be the head of the CIA or something. Climbing to her feet, she double-checked the locks, peeked in on Lily and went to her own bed. Maybe I should get a white noise machine. No. I’d want to hear an ax murderer breaking in. Covering her face with her hands, she groaned. You are a grown-ass woman. Stop acting like you’re ten. No, you are not letting your mother stay because you’re afraid of a squirrel.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “THAT ISN’T LASAGNA,” Tiana said as she lounged back on DeShawn’s couch as he warmed up lunch. She looked down. The buttons on her shirt were quite catawampus. She rebuttoned them quickly. That would stir up some gossip in the school pick-up line. But then, everything was slightly off this afternoon. She’d expected a nice lunch. Some plans on the field trips with the kids. Food. Sex. Instead, DeShawn had pulled her into his arms the instant the front door shut and with one kiss, started a fire that would not wait.

  “Even better. Jalapeño pimiento macaroni and cheese.”

  “Lordy. I’m going to be in a sex and carb coma.”

  “Just the way I like you. All the sass blissed right out.”

  She got up and crossed to the kitchen to loop her arms around him from behind and pressed her lips to the back of his neck. “Are you for real?” she whispered.

  He turned in her arms and cupped her cheeks with his hands. “Real. Not perfect, but I’m real.”

  A dizzying sense of joy flooded through her. You are falling for him. The hot, crazy teenage emotion she’d felt for Lily’s father, what she thought was love, was a pale imitation of what she was feeling right now. Along the heels of the realization came a nip of fear. She had been so wrong once and it had broken Lily’s heart.

  DeShawn kissed her chastely on the lips. “Come eat this food.”

  Sitting at the tiny dining table, Tiana pulled out a notebook as she spooned up the amazing mac and cheese. “This is so good. Tell me. Do you cook like this to impress me or is this your normal?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t cook like this every day but I can handle myself in the kitchen.”

  She opened the notebook. “And other places.” She waited for him to stop laughing. “I got a list of all the days we can bring a group of kids to the practice lab. They are used to having school kids in and actually have a program where techs are on hand to show them how to use the equipment. I’ve forwarded all the information to Henry.”

  “Excellent. I’ve got two other engineers I work with interested in taking one of the kids around for the day. One is working on the environmental impact of building a restaurant dock on the Folly River. The other is supervising the dismantling and relocation of a historic building on the old navy base. And I’m doing the design planning for the new Cosgrove Avenue and I-26 interchange.”

  Tiana grinned up at him. This really was fun. She couldn’t wait to have the kids in the learning lab, that had actual robot dummies programmed to simulate all sorts of medical emergencies. She was rewarded with a smile that burned her down to her toes. “Hold that thought.” She looked at her watch. “I’m due in the school pickup line in an hour.”

  “My, how time flies when you’re having fun.”

  “What else have you got? I don’t know too many people here yet, so most of my contacts are hospital related.”

  “I’ve been in touch with a few of the former Crew members. One is in the Coast Guard and is willing to give a tour of the station downtown. I’ve got a K9 cop who’s interested in taking a kid to a training session with the police dogs.”

  “Good, excellent,” Tiana murmured as she added these to her list. She snapped her fingers. “My friend Kasey’s husband is a firefighter. Maybe he can do a station and fire truck tour.”

  They bounced ideas off each other, each one sparking more until Tiana had quite the list to present to Henry. DeShawn stood and began to clear the table. “I think that’s enough to get all this started. Send it off to Henry. He can match kids with career interests, then we can start setting dates.”

  “This is way more fun than I thought it was going to be,” Tiana said as she tucked the notebook back into her oversize purse.

  DeShawn came back and looped an arm around her waist. “Very true. I feel like...not a kid at Christmas, but like when
you find that absolute perfect gift for someone and it’s something they’d never guess in a million years and you are sitting there, waiting for them to open it.”

  “That’s a perfect analogy.”

  “And I need to get back to work,” he said,

  He frowned as his phone rang. Fishing in his pocket, his frown deepened when he saw the number. That sponsor. He felt the heat of anger twist in his gut.

  “DeShawn? You okay?” Tiana asked.

  He left swiped the call into oblivion and tried to smile at her. “Yeah. Sure. It’s nothing. Stupid telemarketers.”

  Her gaze lingered on him for a moment before she lifted her purse to her shoulder. “Okay. I should get to the school pickup line or I’ll be there for an hour.”

  He walked her to her car. “Hey,” he said, pulling her close. “I’m glad we got to spend some time together. Are you still in for pursuing this?”

  “I’m in.”

  He kissed her again. A kiss that made being last in the pickup line seem like no big deal. He stepped back. “You’re going to make me lose my job, Tee.”

  “Go measure something, Engineer Man,” she said with a laugh as she climbed in her car. Driving away, she kept glancing at him in the rearview. He was watching her. This is so much more than sex. The thought zoomed through her mind, leaving her shaky and unsure. She so wanted to pursue this. But Lily. But her mother. But her job. Shaking her head, she hit the turn signal and pulled out of the apartment complex. She’d tackled bigger problems. They could figure this out.

  * * *

  SATURDAY MORNING, AS Tiana left work, she stopped by the Starbucks in the cafeteria and bought the largest, strongest coffee available. The timing of this outing was horrible, but there was nothing to be done about it. Except try not to drive off the road into a ditch somewhere.

  In her car, she punched the address into the GPS and downed half the coffee. “You are so going to regret drinking this,” she said out loud. It might keep her eyes open for now, but the caffeine was still going to be jittering in her blood later when she tried to take a nap. She dropped the car in gear and made her way out of the parking garage.

  Luckily, the morning rush hour traffic was going in the opposite direction so it was a quick drive to the K9 training center in North Charleston. Glancing at the dashboard clock, she saw it was just a little after eight in the morning. The demonstration was starting at nine. Perfect. I’ll just rest my eyes for a bit. She finished off the now lukewarm coffee and pushed the seat back. So tired. There had been no full moon, but the shift had been extraordinarily psych patient heavy. And dealing with psych patients took a lot of work. It was mentally exhausting. And usually quite frustrating because you ended up spending hours on the phone trying to find placement. Then there were the ones who just walked out and you worried about them being okay. And...damn it, Tee. Shut it down. Stop going over everything.

  A sharp rap on the car window jolted her out of sleep. She wiped at her eyes, disoriented and woozy headed. The rap came again and she looked over to see a police officer standing by her car. She powered down the window.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Checking to make sure you’re okay, ma’am.”

  “Yes. Thank you. I’m part of the group of schoolchildren who are coming to see the training demonstration today.”

  He looked down at her uniform and badge. “Night shift nurse?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “My wife’s a nurse. I understand. Your group should be here in about ten minutes or so. Did you want to come inside? We’ve got coffee.”

  “That would be wonderful, thanks.”

  She shut down the engine and climbed out to follow the officer into the building. After getting coffee and a biscuit he insisted she have, she sat in the small lobby area to wait. She let her head fall back on the sofa cushion and closed her eyes.

  “Hey, sexy lady.”

  She raised her middle finger at the sound of DeShawn’s voice without opening her eyes. The cushion shifted as he sat beside her.

  “Don’t tell anyone, but those scrubs are kinda hot.”

  She opened her eyes to his grin. “Oog. That’s so weird.”

  “And you like it. Did you work last night?”

  “Yep. Seven p.m. to seven a.m.”

  He frowned. “Are you going to be okay? To drive home?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve had coffee. We’ll see.”

  He took her hand. “Seriously, Tee. You don’t have to be here for this. Henry and I can handle it. Go home. Get some sleep.”

  She stretched and let out a jaw-popping yawn. “No. I want to be here. It’s the first activity we’re doing. Plus, I really want to see the dogs.”

  He looked at her doubtfully but whatever argument he was about to launch into was interrupted by the sound of a bus pulling up outside. “That must be them. Lena rented the bus.”

  “Really? Is she super rich or something?”

  “I believe the correct answer is ‘filthy rich’ but Lena’s good people. She grew up just as poor as us. Made every penny on her own.”

  He got up and walked across the room to the door. “Yep. That’s them. You ready?”

  She tilted her head as she watched him. The black leather jacket fit him perfectly. As did those jeans. Yum. He turned and caught her staring. “I’m ready. Just pinch me if I start falling asleep standing up.”

  Following him outside, she saw that the bus was really one of those passenger vans. Henry was standing by the door, ticking names off a list as the children got out. There were ten of them. This was good. In today’s world, these kids needed positive interactions with the police.

  “Hi, guys,” DeShawn said as he approached the group. “Ready to have some fun?”

  They all yelled, “Yes!”

  The officer who’d tapped on her window came to stand beside her. “Good morning, everyone. I’m Sergeant Harris. If everyone is here, we can get started. Follow me.”

  They followed him around the building to the back. There was a large area of grass. But there were also small buildings and a car. Three police officers and their dogs, two German shepherds and one bloodhound were already on the field. The kids all squealed at the sight of them.

  “You’ll have a chance to meet the dogs later,” Sergeant Harris said. “These are working dogs, not pets.” He led them over to a small set of bleachers where they could sit down. They put the kids on the bottom row. Tiana climbed up to sit behind them, thankful she wouldn’t have to stand the entire time. DeShawn sat beside her.

  Once they were settled, the officers with the dogs came forward. “Now,” Sgt. Harris said, “when most people think about police dogs, they think about them chasing down and biting the bad guys. And while they can do that, we prefer they don’t. Most of the time, they find things for us.”

  One boy raised his hand. “Because they can smell so good, right?”

  “That’s exactly right. They are taught to find drugs or bombs or people. First up, we’re going to show you some of the obedience training. The dogs and their handlers train almost constantly.”

  For the next fifteen minutes, Tiana watched, spellbound, as the officers put the dogs through a variety of commands. From the basics of sit and stay to jumping through the glassless windows of the buildings. A simple one word command had the dogs either barking, growling, or being completely silent.

  “Question?” Sgt. Harris asked, pointing to the bleachers.

  “Why are the commands in another language?” DeShawn asked. “It sounds like German, but it isn’t.”

  “Good catch. These dogs were trained in Europe. They learned their commands in Dutch so it’s easier to teach the police officers Dutch phrases than to reteach the dogs English.”

  Next up was the find demonstration. The officer with
the bloodhound stepped forward. “Last night, I hid a doll somewhere on the property. Groot’s going to find it for us.”

  Several of the kids giggled. “Why is his name Groot?” one of them asked.

  The officer looked down at the dog and spoke a phrase. The dog lifted his nose and let out something between a bark and bay. Gurooroooroo. Tiana collapsed against DeShawn as she laughed at the sound. He was laughing just as hard.

  “I should get one of those,” he said. “What a goofball.”

  “Your neighbors would love that.”

  “Ready?” The officer took a small cloth from his pocket and held it out to Groot, who eagerly sniffed at it, his tail swishing in the air. “Vind! Find.”

  Groot trotted to the center of the field and lifted his nose in the air. He turned in a circle, then bounded off toward the old car. He circled the car once, then sat down at the passenger seat door and let out one short bark. The officer trotted to the car and opened the door. Groot jumped in the car and emerged with the doll.

  As the demonstration went on, Tiana found herself leaning more and more on DeShawn. Fighting to keep her eyes open, smothering yawns. All the coffee in the world wasn’t going to help at this point.

  “Do you need a pinch?” DeShawn whispered in her ear.

  “Mmm. Is this almost over yet?”

  “I think so.”

  Thankfully, it was. The kids were called over to pet the dogs and ask questions. Getting up and moving helped. As long as she was moving, she was okay.

  “All right, kids,” Henry said. “Tell the officers thank you for taking the time to show you how police dogs work.”

  “Thank you!” they all chanted.

  “And Ms. Nelson and Mr. Adams for arranging the visit.”

  Another round of “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome!” Tiana said as they walked back to the van. “This was an exciting start and I’m glad so many of you were able to come out today.”

  After making sure everyone was accounted for and in the van, Tiana walked back to her car. “Hold up there, Nurse Ratched. I’m not comfortable letting you drive home.”