Stevie just sat there in a stunned silence. "Why didn't Jamie let me explain?" CC suddenly asked, anger now overriding her sadness. "If she'd just waited and listened to me . . ."
"Hold on, Caitlin," Stevie said, cutting her off. "Give James a break on this one. She just caught you playing tonsil hockey with another woman."
"But I wasn't!" CC protested.
"I know that and you know that, but James only knows what she saw," Stevie explained in a soft comforting voice. "Come on, you're a cop. If you saw Jamie in the same situation, what would you think was going on?"
CC grumbled, knowing that her sister was right. She had to fix this and she had to fix it now. "What did Jamie say?" Stevie inquired carefully.
"Not much," CC said, the image of Jamie's face playing over in her mind. "She said she couldn't talk to me right now."
"That's good," Stevie said brightly.
"How is that good?" CC snapped.
"She didn't tell you to take a hike," Stevie offered as she placed a comforting hand on her older sibling's shoulder. "She's hurt but she still left the door open. She just can't handle talking to you right now."
"I need to talk to her," CC reasoned.
"She's at work; wait until she gets home," Stevie said in an effort to placate her sister.
"If she comes home," CC mumbled, realizing that in the past Jamie often sought comfort in the arms of another woman. CC felt the anger rise once again, only this time she wasn't certain whom she should be angry with. There was Marissa for acting like a total jackass. There was Jamie for not listening to her and jumping to conclusions. And there was, of course, herself for going out with Marissa in the first place.
"I need to see her," she said firmly as old demons fueled her fears. 'If Jamie hops into bed with another woman I don't think I can forgive or forget this time,' her heart and her mind screamed. "Not this time," she hissed as her jaw locked firmly.
"What?" Stevie questioned.
"I have to see her," CC said in a strained voice. "I know her. I finally understand her and I can't let her think that I betrayed her. Because if she does, then she'll do something stupid."
"Such as?" Stevie asked in a fearful tone.
"Sleeping with someone who doesn't mean anything to her," CC explained dryly. "I won't go through that again."
"Good for you," Stevie responded with bravado. "But I don't think that's going to happen this time. Jamie is a bright woman and I think with everything that's happened in the past she'll listen to you once she calms down. But if she doesn't then you need to walk away."
"I know," CC admitted in a defeated tone. "No matter how much I love the girl, I can't start a relationship with someone who's going to run every time we have a problem."
"You kissed someone else!" Stevie blurted out.
CC glared at her sister who held up her hands in defense. "That's what she saw," Stevie explained quickly. "If it was me, I'd be pretty ticked off."
"So what am I supposed to do?" CC tried to think of just how she was going to get Jamie to listen to her.
"Give it a couple of hours so both of you can calm down," Stevie explained softly. "Then go see her. She's at work. It's not like she'll be trolling the Emergency Room looking for a date."
"Fine," CC sighed in agreement. "Lend me your car. I'm not picking up my new one until Monday."
"No problem," Stevie said with relief. "Oh, and get her some flowers or something."
"Flowers?" CC said in bewilderment. "Where am I suppose to get flowers at this hour of the night?"
"Bring her something as a peace offering," Stevie said firmly.
"Somehow I don't think that Hallmark makes a card for this one." CC smiled slightly. " 'Sorry you saw me sucking face with another woman, but it isn't what you think.' "
"I don't know; they might," Stevie responded with a light chuckle.
CC glanced at her watch while her mind tried to make sense of the last half hour of her life. Stevie was right. She needed to find something to break the ice with Jamie. She only hoped that whatever she came up with wouldn't be tossed back in her face.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
JAMIE WAS IN a foul mood by the time she reached the hospital. She went straight to her locker and changed for her shift. Then she went to the ladies' room and checked her appearance. Just as she'd suspected, she looked like hell. Her eyes were puffy and red. "No wonder everyone stopped me to ask if I was all right," she grumbled as she washed her face. Once she looked slightly more human, she made her way to her director's office. She had asked him to stay late so she could talk to him. As she approached his office, she tried to get her mind to focus on her duties and not the sight of CC wrapped up in another woman's arms.
She just didn't understand it. Why would CC do something like that? "She wouldn't," she muttered to herself. Still the image was burned into her brain. "But she did," Jamie said heavily before knocking on Dr. Templeton's door. She took a calming breath as she heard his voice telling her to enter. "Jack," she greeted him, forcing her voice to take on a friendly tone.
"Are you all right?" the older man asked in concern as she took a seat in front of his desk.
"Fine," she lied. "Long day."
"Okay," he said as he sat behind his desk. Jamie knew by the older man's kindly tone that he didn't believe her. "So what's wrong?"
"Huh?" she stammered, not expecting the question.
"Something must be wrong for you to set up this meeting," he explained in a friendly tone. "Unless it's just my charming personality or boyish good looks."
Jamie laughed at the older man who was almost bald except for the white hair cropped closely to his ears. "Could be," she teased. "Actually I'm having a problem with one of my kids."
"Not doing their work load?" he inquired.
"No, it's more personal," Jamie began slowly, hoping that she was doing the right thing. "Simon Fisher has . . . well, at first I thought it was just a crush . . . but now it's become a problem."
Her boss shifted uncomfortably in his chair and furrowed his brow. "Tell me everything," he said in a commanding tone as he took out a pad of paper and a pen. Jamie was suddenly uncomfortable and her chest tightened. "Jamie?" Jack offered in a comforting tone.
"It started a few weeks ago," Jamie said slowly. "He asked me to join him for a drink. I declined, explaining that it was unprofessional. He persisted but there was nothing about his persistence that bothered me at the time. I explained that I'm seeing someone when I realized that his interest went beyond friendship. As time went on, he continued to invite me out for social meetings. I declined each time. I tried handling the situation in a friendly manner; I tried handling it in a direct manner; nothing seemed to work. I thought I could handle it myself; it didn't seem very serious. That is, until he showed up at my home late one evening."
"He what?" Jack blurted out. "Sorry," he said, quickly regaining his composure. "Did you give him the address or invite him over?"
"No," Jamie stated, trying to maintain her calm professional manner. She knew that Jack had to ask but the question infuriated her just the same. "I told him to go away and he wasn't to invade my privacy ever again. The other night he called me on my cell phone and, no, I never gave him the number. It was the last thing I would have expected of him. My companion arrived when he was at my door and they got into an argument."
"That must have surprised him." Jack chuckled.
"Unfortunately, she's a cop," Jamie explained carefully as Jack winced.
"Let me guess. The police are looking into this now." Jack sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry, Jack." Jamie apologized, knowing that the police looking into the activities of one of their residents was not going to look good.
"Don't apologize, Jamie," Jack said in a fatherly tone. "You've explained that you are not interested in a social relationship and he's met your partner. That alone should have given him a clue that he isn't your type."
"There's more," Jamie added shyly. "Last night someone b
roke my living room window while I was out. The police don't know who it was, but given Simon's past actions it doesn't look good."
Jack rubbed his brow in a weary motion. "I should suspend the bugger, but I'm afraid it will set him off," Jack said in a tired voice. "As of this moment he's reassigned to Warner and I'll have him moved to the dayshift. It's not fair to those who have earned that spot but I don't want him near you. Is he on the schedule for tonight?"
"Yes," Jamie responded.
"The moment he walks in the door send him to me. I'll wait and have a chat with him," Jack explained. "I'm afraid you'll be a little shorthanded tonight."
"Maybe he'll finally get the message," Jamie muttered with some sense of relief. "Thank you, Jack," she said as she stood.
Later she saw the pesky Dr. Fisher storm out of Jack's office. By the way he blew past her in a huff, she knew he wasn't happy about his reassignment. "Most people would be thrilled with being moved to days," she muttered nervously. Jamie went about her duties and tried to ignore the uneasy feeling she had regarding Dr. Fisher. She was also trying to block out the nagging questions that were haunting her about what she had seen in the parking lot at home.
"Okay, Mrs. Henderson, let me see if I can explain this one more time," Jamie began wearily as she tried to get across to the seemingly intelligent patient that suppositories weren't suppose to be taken orally. The woman was very upset when the prescribed medication failed to work. Jamie almost fell over when she realized that the woman was placing them in the wrong orifice.
"Dr. Jameson?" Stella said cautiously as she stuck her head in the exam room. "You have a visitor."
Jamie's stomach clenched slightly at Stella's news. She feared that it was Dr. Fisher coming back to bother her. "I'll be right out," Jamie responded in a tense voice. Then a sudden thought brightened her dreary mind. "Would you mind helping Mrs. Henderson?" she asked as she blinked brightly at the nurse who was now giving her a murderous gaze. 'Please,' she mouthed in desperation.
"I'd be happy to," Stella responded sarcastically.
Jamie raced quickly towards Stella, shoving Mrs. Henderson's chart into her hands. She was tempted to do a happy dance as she fled the room, leaving Stella alone to deal with the confused woman. "Sweet freedom." She sighed happily. Then she braced herself for whoever her mysterious visitor might be. Slowly she walked towards the nurse's station.
Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted the familiar leggy brunette chatting with the staff. She smiled before she remembered that she was very angry with this woman. Jamie's green eyes narrowed as she approached CC. "Caitlin," she greeted her coldly.
"Can we go somewhere and talk?" CC inquired nervously.
Jamie curled her lips and pondered her options for a moment. "Fine," she finally agreed, knowing there must be some reasonable explanation for her actions if CC traveled all the way down there in the middle of the night. She was praying that she wasn't simply fooling herself.
She motioned for CC to follow her as she stepped outside into the cool night air. She turned back to find CC shuffling nervously in place, a small white paper bag held tightly against her chest. Jamie eyed her suspiciously. Suddenly the sight of the tall policewoman standing there, afraid to speak, struck her as humorous.
"Here," CC finally blurted out as she shoved the paper bag into Jamie's hands.
Jamie accepted the ice-cold package in confusion. Carefully she peeked inside. She smiled as she extracted a cold pint of ice cream. "Ben and Jerry's Vanilla Carmel Fudge," she said excitedly. "Is this a bribe?" she added quickly as she found a pair of brilliant blue eyes pleading with her.
"Yes," CC stammered. "Well, not a bribe really. More like a peace offering in hopes that you'll listen to what I have to tell you."
"This better be good," Jamie warned her. "Because catching you in a lip lock with another woman is going to take a lot more than my favorite flavor of ice cream to forgive."
"True," CC conceded. "But before you go ballistic, let me explain. First off, I wasn't kissing her."
"Excuse me?" Jamie responded in a deep threatening tone.
"She was kissing me," CC explained quickly. "I was just about to tell her off when I saw you."
Jamie searched CC's eyes for any hint of deceit. She relaxed when she found nothing but sincerity staring back at her. "Go on," Jamie encouraged her.
"Marissa is an old flame," CC continued in a more confident tone. "But that was a long time ago and it was very brief. I've been completely honest with her about not wanting to continue things. I told her tonight at dinner that I'm seeing someone. Unfortunately, Marissa seems to be living in her own little world."
"Okay," Jamie responded slowly.
"Okay?"
"Okay," Jamie repeated with a shy smile.
"That's it?" CC grumbled.
"What were you expecting? The Spanish Inquisition?" Jamie chuckled as she enjoyed CC's discomfort.
"No but . . ." CC protested.
"Look, you can't help it if you're a hottie," Jamie said, cutting her off.
"I am not," CC groaned in amusement.
"I swear you never look in the mirror," Jamie said softly as she leaned over and brushed her lips against the taller woman's.
"There's something else I need to tell you," CC said softly as she wrapped her arms around Jamie's body. The blonde instantly leaned into her lover's touch. "What I started to say before you drove off was that I never stopped . . ." CC's words were cut off as Jamie's beeper blared loudly.
"Damn," Jamie spat out as she ripped the offending object off her waistband. She checked it quickly, her lips curling into a snarl. "I have to go."
"That's all right. This really isn't the setting I wanted to tell you what I have to say," CC said with a coy smile.
"I'll see you tonight," Jamie promised. She kissed CC quickly before rushing back into the hospital. Jamie's heart couldn't stop pounding as she contemplated if CC was about to tell her what she was hoping to hear.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CC HEARD THE tentative knocking and sprang to her feet. She’d fallen asleep on the sofa after returning from the hospital. Her blue eyes tried to focus on her surroundings. She turned around to see a smirking Jamie standing out on the deck. CC stretched out her long frame and listened to the sounds of her back popping into place. "Damn, I hate falling asleep on the couch," she grumbled as she stumbled towards the back door.
CC unlocked the glass door and slid it open. "Good morning, Dr. Jameson." S he yawned, quickly covering her mouth so she wouldn’t overpower Jamie with her morning breath.
"What happened to you?" Jamie asked in amusement as she stepped into the townhouse.
"Fell asleep on the coach," CC responded with a scowl. "Now I feel like a mutant pretzel."
"Poor baby," Jamie cooed as she placed her bag on the floor and rubbed CC’s stomach.
"Hmm," CC murmured as she relaxed into Jamie’s touch. "It’s my own fault. I was trying to wait up for you."
"Goober," Jamie grunted as she swatted CC’s stomach playfully.
"Ouch!" CC exclaimed as she pouted.
"Big baby," Jamie teased her.
"Why are you coming in the back?" CC questioned her suddenly, thinking that it was a good idea.
"I had to get something from my place," Jamie explained shyly.
CC gave the smaller woman a curious glance. "Okay." CC shrugged as Jamie blushed slightly. "You’re so cute when you blush," CC taunted the doctor who was once again rubbing CC’s stomach. "Could you keep doing that?" CC inquired thoughtfully.
"Forever," Jamie responded softly as her hand drifted below CC’s tank top.
CC smiled at the comment and captured Jamie’s hand in her own. She raised the smaller hand to her mouth and brushed her lips against Jamie’s quivering palm. "That too," she murmured against Jamie’s skin. "Actually, I was talking about coming in the back door." Her jaw dropped as Jamie began to wiggle her fair eyebrows suggestively. CC squeaked in response and Jamie broke
out in laughter. "My, you are in a feisty mood tonight," CC said as a brilliant smile emerged on her lips.
"I can’t help it," Jamie said with a mock frown. "You see, I had this terrible fight with my girlfriend."
"Sounds awful," CC responded in a rich tone as she tilted her head down and began to nibble on Jamie’s neck. Jamie moaned in response as CC lost herself in the taste of the young doctor’s skin. "Tell me about it," CC said hotly in the blonde’s ear before she suckled her earlobe in her mouth. Jamie whimpered with desire; the sound of her need sent shivers up and down CC’s spine.
CC’s hands took on a life of their own as one cupped Jamie’s firm backside and the other slipped up to the gentle swell of her breasts. Her thighs began to tremble as Jamie’s body melted into her own. A sudden hardness pressed into her hip, startling her. At first she thought it was Jamie’s beeper but there was something else. "What the . . ?" she asked in confusion.
Jamie pressed her fingers against CC’s lips, stilling any further questions. "Are you?" Jamie inquired in a nervous tone. Her emerald eyes had grown dark and serious. CC blinked in confusion. "Are you my girlfriend?" Jamie’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke. Gently CC removed Jamie’s fingers from her quivering lips and tenderly kissed each digit.
She watched as Jamie’s eyes grew darker, only this time they were filled with desire. "I never stopped . . ." CC began slowly as Jamie pulled her hand away and reached into her pocket. CC swallowed hard, knowing that she needed to say the one constant thought that had lain in her heart since the day she had first lost Jamie.
"Jamie . . ." she continued as the blonde removed something from her pocket. "I never stopped loving you," CC finally confessed as Jamie took her by the hand. She felt the coolness of metal being placed in the palm of her hand. CC looked down at her hand in confusion. Her heart raced as she saw the tarnished brass ring resting there. CC opened her mouth to speak but was unable to form the words.
"I’ve always kept it close to me," Jamie confessed in a determined tone. "At times I hated myself for being such a sap. Now I know that I was meant to find you again. I love you, Caitlin." CC fought the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks. She placed the brass ring back in Jamie’s hand and closed the doctor’s fingers over it. Then she raised Jamie’s hand and placed it against the doctor’s chest. She smiled as she felt the rapid beating of Jamie’s heart.
The Brass Ring Page 20