She kept on smirking. “You still have to pay the fine and the fee for the class.”
“When is the class and how long does it last?”
She begrudgingly pulled up the calendar on her screen. “Looks like next Wednesday at six in the evening. The class usually lasts three to four hours.”
I weighed out the pros and cons in my mind. I was sure the class would be lame. But did I really want my insurance rates to go up and the points on my license?
“What will it be?” she interrupted my thought process.
My pride kicked in. Well, not so much. Mason was adamant that I take it to court and fight it. “Please sign me up for the class.”
Her grin said she knew I didn’t want to admit guilt. “That will be four hundred eighty-two dollars.”
I tried not to choke when I slid my credit card in the drawer. That’s another thing people get wrong about lawyers. They think we are all rolling in money. Maybe someday, but not today.
I think big-haired Nadine got too much pleasure running my credit card through the machine. Almost like she got a percentage. She handed me my receipt and paperwork to take with me to the driving class. “Try not to hit any more of our own.” She gave me a fake smile. So, she did know what I had done. She let out a dreamy sigh. “But I do have to say, I wouldn’t mind running into Officer Monroe.”
I did my best to keep my emotions in check. I could feel the heat in my embarrassed cheeks, and maybe some jealousy. Nadine wasn’t bad looking, and she was around our age, late twenties, early thirties. I wondered if she had already “run” into my Harrison, I mean Harrison. “Thank you.” I snatched the documents before turning around. My red cheeks turned into a full-on red body.
Harrison had opened the door like he was in a rush. He kind of fell in, but straightened up and brushed off his uniform. Wow. Blue did suit him. “I caught you in time.”
“At least she can’t assault you with her vehicle,” Nadine said through her microphone from the other side of the bulletproof glass.
Harrison and I both looked her way. She was playing her hand and her heart. I felt bad for her. Well almost—she had just further humiliated me. But Harrison was the kind of guy that could make you say and do things you wouldn’t normally say or do to catch his attention.
Nadine stared coldly at me. I smiled at her before turning back toward Harrison. What else could I do? I had no claim on him.
Harrison grimaced at Nadine’s slight, but he also turned to her and gave her a grin. “I think I came out as the winner in yesterday’s run in.”
I tilted my head. Was he talking about the state of our cars or was it because of me?
Harrison flashed his award-winning smile at me. “Can I buy you some water?”
I walked toward him. I wanted to get away from Nadine after that invite. I was afraid she may test if that glass was really bulletproof. “I need to get back to the office, but thank you.” I walked past him toward the door.
He was quick and made it to the door to open it for me. “Why do I feel like you’re always trying to run away from me?”
I ran my fingers through my curled hair. “I’m sorry.” It was the best I could do. I walked through the door and kept on walking, though every part of me wanted to run—run right into him.
He kept up by my side. “I felt like I chased you all semester and when you finally said yes, I still felt like you did your best to keep me away while we dated, at least until the end. I thought, for a moment, you were going to let me in. But then you vanished.”
I stopped and met his cool baby blues. “What do you mean you chased me all semester? And I said yes the first time you asked me out.”
He pressed his lips together in a closed-lipped smile. “Is that how you saw it?”
“That’s how it was.”
“Kallie, I asked you out at least a dozen times before you agreed to go out with me.”
“That’s not true.”
“Let me refresh your memory, counselor. After every study group, I asked if you would like to get a drink or coffee, before I knew you didn’t like the stuff.”
“You asked the group, not me personally.”
“For someone so smart, you’re dense.”
My jaw fell open. “Are you insulting me?”
“Just laying out the facts in my case against you.”
I thought back to that semester. I could picture him asking, “do you want to get some coffee?” He was talking to the group . . . but he was looking at me. Did I read him all wrong? I bit my lip and watched his smile turn cocky as dawning crept over my face. “I need to go.” I marched toward the exit.
“So we’re going to play it like we did our senior year.” He followed after me.
“I didn’t realize you were chasing me. I thought we were flirty friends.”
“I enjoyed that part. I’ve missed you, Kallie.”
My heart and feet stopped. In my heels, I was almost as tall as him. We locked eyes. His eyes oozed sincerity. Mine probably screamed danger. “I really am sorry, for everything.”
“Quit telling me you’re sorry, just tell me why.”
I wanted to reach up and run my hand across his cheek, but I kept it firmly by my side. “It’s complicated, but it wasn’t you.”
“Then what?”
“I really need to go.”
“Have lunch with me.”
I hesitated, giving him an in.
“No strings attached. Just two old friends catching up.”
His eyes got to me, and maybe his body, as close as it was. Okay, everything about him. Before I knew it I was accepting his invitation. “I’m free tomorrow, but it will have to be quick and by my office.”
“I’ll take it. I’ll call you later to firm up details.”
Giving him my number was a dangerous proposition. “My number . . .”
“I already got it off the accident report.” He winked.
“I think that’s against the law.”
“Not if I was calling to check to see if you were okay.”
I rolled my eyes. “Goodbye, Harrison.”
“See you tomorrow.” He walked off, grinning.
I was going to need a permanent injunction against him.
Chapter Three
What was I thinking agreeing to go to lunch with him? I was in full blown panic mode. He called last night to confirm the details. Noon at Café Lily. It was a cute little place with Mediterranean food. I was surprised Harrison picked it. He was more of an American meat and potatoes kind of guy. Café Lily was more my kind of place. I supposed that’s why he chose it. I was dealing with a thoughtful ex-boyfriend. He had been my boyfriend, right? We never said, but I didn’t date anyone else when we were seeing each other and I was sure he hadn’t either. And the last time we were together we had that moment where we were almost planning a future together. It was cut short by his announcement, but I had wanted to explore a life with him in it.
I feared for the direction our conversation might go during lunch. How did I explain my terrible behavior toward him? I couldn’t believe that after what I had done to him, he didn’t hate me. Or maybe he did, and this lunch was payback time. No. He wasn’t that guy.
I paced around my office thinking of a good argument to plead my case to him.
My brother Grady barged in. “Are you plotting to take over the world or just trying to wear a hole in the carpet?”
“You got me.”
He took a seat on my desk and watched me pace. Even though he was one of the best civil litigation lawyers around, to me he would always just be my big brother.
“I see Alison is picking out your suits again.”
He chuckled and looked down at his well-fitting, dark suit with a red power tie to match. “I don’t know why she didn’t like the bold pinstripes.” He was a handsome guy who had become more so with age. He was nearing thirty-nine, almost eleven years older than me. We shared the same blonde hair, but he had intense green eyes. I had always b
een envious of those. But his fashion sense was terrible.
“A fashionista you are not.”
“What has you riled up? Are you still upset you totaled your car?”
“No, but it does involve the accident.” I stopped and looked at him from across my office. “Do you remember that guy I dated back in college, Harrison?”
“The guy who wanted to become a police officer?”
“The very one. He’s the one I ran into.”
Grady doubled over laughing. “I bet that was quite the reunion.”
“It’s not funny. I’m meeting him for lunch.”
Grady sat up, businesslike. “You aren’t considering getting back with him?”
“It’s not like that. He wants to catch up, but he also wants to know why I left him.”
“What are you going to tell him?”
“A version of the truth.”
“We’re attorneys. That’s what we do.”
“I don’t want to lie to him.”
“Then don’t, because you’re terrible at it.”
I really was. I was the weird kid that told on myself growing up if I didn’t get caught. “I can’t tell him the real reason why.”
“Why not?”
“Because what if he tries to change my mind?”
“You think he still has feelings for you?”
“I don’t think so.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Do you still have feelings for him?”
“This meeting has been adjourned.”
He jumped off the desk and pulled me to a chair. He took one next to me. “Spill your guts, baby sister.” His eyes were alight with boyish mischief.
“I don’t know. He’s a great guy.”
“You’re right. I don’t know, because you keep everything so private. Why didn’t you ever introduce us to this guy?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I was scared. I was headed to law school and everyone warned me, including you, how grueling it was. I tried going in with no romantic attachments. Again, advice you and Mason gave me. And I knew if I opened up my heart to Harrison, even a little bit, he would have captured it. Inviting him into our world would have only opened that door. And then he threw a bombshell at me when he announced he was going to the police academy.”
“Maybe we were too tough on you back then.”
“It was good. You prepared me for those three rough years.”
“So, now they’re over. Maybe it’s time to start dating again.”
“I do date.”
“Who?”
I thought for a moment. It had been a while.
Grady laughed. “I rest my case.”
“Regardless, it can’t be Harrison.”
“I understand more than anyone why you would think that, but . . .”
“But what? What if he would have given it all up for me? Or what if he still has feelings for me and he convinced me to change my mind and then one day I get a knock on the door and his brothers in blue are standing there with tears in their eyes trying to explain that he’s never coming home again?” I wiped a tear from my eye.
Grady reached out and took my hands. “Hey, Kallie Rae, it’s just lunch.”
“I know, but once upon a time, I wanted it to be more. A lot more.”
Grady’s eyes widened. “For once, why don’t you see where things go. Don’t plan, speculate, or even calculate. Go have lunch with an old friend and try to enjoy yourself. You don’t have to save the world every day.”
“I’ll try.”
He kissed my cheek before he got up to leave. “Have fun. That’s an order.”
“Fun? What’s that?”
~*~
Harrison was waiting outside the café when I arrived, right on time. He looked nervous pacing back and forth in his jeans and button down gray shirt. I watched him check his phone and watch, all while handling the mixed bouquet of flowers he had in his hand. I thought he said friends, no strings attached. I never had a “friend” bring me flowers. But I was touched by the gesture. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had given me flowers. When he noticed me approach, he stood straighter and his eyes lit up.
I did my best not to think about how maybe this wasn’t a good idea—like I promised my brother—but I wasn’t a go-with-the-flow kind of person. I had to analyze and conjecture, it was in my nature. For instance, was I opening a door that I shouldn’t be?
“Kallie.” He had the sexiest smile. I had always thought so.
“Hi. Thanks for meeting me near my office.”
“I’m just glad you agreed to meet. And my apartment is only thirty minutes away.”
“Do you live downtown?”
He nodded and then it was like he had suddenly remembered he was holding flowers. He held them out. “These are for you.”
I took them and breathed in their delicious scent. “Thank you. You didn’t need to do that. I probably should have gotten you some since I caused the accident.”
“My patrol car fared a lot better than yours.”
“True. But really, you didn’t need to.”
“I wanted to. It’s been a long time.”
I tucked some hair behind my ear. “Yeah, it has.”
He stared at me for a second longer before clapping his hands together. “Are you hungry?”
“Always.”
He chuckled. “I’m glad that hasn’t changed.”
I breathed in the pink roses and carnations one more time before heading to the entrance. I couldn’t believe he remembered pink was my favorite color.
He opened the door for me.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
He followed me in and did a quick scan of the place. I remembered my dad doing the same thing. He always looked for each exit and scoped out the lay of the land, just in case. I guess it was something police officers were trained to do.
“Are you off duty today?”
He focused back on me. “Yes.” He grinned. “I’m at your disposal.”
I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “Some of us have to work.”
“Didn’t you say you worked for your grandfather’s firm?”
“I did. He’s a tough boss.”
“No nepotism?”
“Not a drop.”
“Too bad. I guess we better sit down and order then.”
Was he wishing to steal me away for an afternoon? That sounded heavenly. But it was a bad idea. I followed him to the hostess. He had made reservations, so we were seated right away. That was thoughtful. But it didn’t surprise me.
I laid the beautiful flowers across the table and admired them before I looked up and saw that I, too, was being admired.
He smiled. “Thanks for having lunch with me.”
“Thanks for the invitation.”
“So, what’s good here?”
“What makes you so sure I’ve been here?”
He looked around. “This place has you written all over it.”
It was a quaint little place with some pizazz. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“That’s how I meant it. So, tell me what’s good.”
I didn’t even need to look at the menu. “They have a Greek steak sandwich I think you would like.” I blushed that I remembered the kinds of things he liked. I don’t know why. That shouldn’t embarrass me, but being with him had this warm familiarity to it.
“Sounds up my alley. And what can I order for you?”
I always liked that he ordered for me whenever we used to go out, which wasn’t often. I don’t know why, but it kind of turned me on. “I’ll take the Mediterranean grilled cheese. Thank you. But please, let me pick up the tab. It’s the least I can do.”
He leaned in closer from across the table. “That’s a negative, counselor.”
“Dutch?”
He shook his head no.
“I thought this was a friend’s lunch.”
“I plan on being very friendly.”
&nbs
p; How did I ever resist this guy? I felt some serious stirrings that had been dormant for far too long. I took a second to breathe before I responded. I needed someone to turn on the ceiling fan above us. “Friends are good.” That sounded so dumb, but I needed to set the expectation. All we could ever be is friends, even if I did want to reach across the table, grab his shirt, and pull him toward me for a rapturous kiss. I knew he had it in him, too.
He sat back, undeterred. “I can work with that.”
Please, someone bring me some ice water. “Tell me what you’ve been up to the last five years.” That came out breathy and high-pitched.
“Married twice, divorced once.” He wickedly grinned.
“Is that so?”
He laughed. “You didn’t even flinch.”
“You forget, I’m a lawyer. It takes a lot to shock me anymore. And I know you’re lying.”
“How do you know?”
“Besides that smile of yours, you’re not the kind of man that would buy a woman flowers if you were still married.”
His amused smile turned thoughtful. “You’re right. So, never married unless you count to my job. A few girlfriends here and there. I have a goldfish named Toby and I just applied for a promotion to be an investigator. That about sums it up.”
I didn’t get a chance to respond right away. Our waiter came and took our order from Harrison.
His eyes focused right back on me as soon as our server left. “What about you, Kallie?”
“About the same, except I don’t have a fish.”
He laughed. “I could get you one.”
“That’s okay. I would probably forget to feed the poor thing.”
“But seriously. What have you been up to? Where have you been?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I graduated from Tulane a couple of years ago, but stayed in New Orleans to give legal aid to domestic violence victims.”
“I’m not surprised. You were always heading up some crusade on campus. They still hold the annual toy drive you started.”
I blushed. “I know.”
“How long have you been back in the Atlanta area?”
“A couple of months.”
“And you’re practicing family law?”
I nodded. I kept waiting for him to grill me about why I left him without a word. I decided I better steer the conversation. “When will you hear about your promotion?”
Hit and Run Love Page 3