The Negotiator

by Chris Taylor

  His gaze sobered instantly and he released her. “Cally, I’m sorry. I’m not making fun of you. I like you. And I’d really like to move in with you, as a friend, and help you out in your hour of need. Okay?”

  She nodded, and relieved to move on she reached out for the first thing that popped into her mind. “Do you need to give notice where you’re living?”

  “No, the place belongs to… It doesn’t matter. There won’t be any need to give notice. I’ll be able to duck over there every now and then and make sure that everything’s all right. There’s really nothing stopping me from moving in with you right away.”

  Cally debated his words in silence. Mistaking her hesitation, Andy frowned.

  “Is that okay? I thought it was what you wanted?”

  She stared up at him and nodded slowly. “It is. I-I just thought it might be harder than that to sort out. You wouldn’t believe the number of sleepless nights I’ve had trying to work out a solution. It-it just seems to have worked out too easily.”

  Andy shrugged and smiled. “Sometimes we get lucky.”

  Relief surged through her and she smiled back. “You’re right. Sometimes we do. It’s about time a little luck came my way.”

  “So, when would you like me to move in?”

  Cally glanced behind him to make sure Jack hadn’t returned. She was pretty sure he’d be fine about the arrangement, but he’d never had a man living in a house with them before and she wanted to talk to him about it first. She certainly didn’t want to thrust the information upon him as Andy unpacked his bags.

  Jack had been the only male in their household since the day he was brought home from the hospital. She wanted to give him a little time to adjust to the fact things were about to change. From the way he and Andy seemed to be getting on, she didn’t really have any concerns that he’d object, but he was her son and she wasn’t going to trample all over his feelings.

  “I need to talk to Jack, first. I’m sure he’ll be okay, but, you know…” She shrugged, hoping Andy would understand.

  He bent his head closer. The spicy scent of expensive cologne tickled her nose. Holding her gaze, he smiled.

  “Of course, I understand. Jack’s at an age where he knows what it’s like to be the man of the family. I want you to know I’m not going to do anything to upset him in that regard.”

  She smiled gratefully. “I do know. That’s one of the reasons I’ve agreed to let you move in.”

  His eyebrow rose an inch. “So, what are the other reasons?”

  She blushed and looked away. “Let’s just say it feels right.” She purposely kept her reply vague, unwilling to closely analyze why she acted as she had and said what she’d said. She knew the logical, practical reasons why, but that didn’t really explain why she’d asked a perfect stranger to move in with them.

  And yet, she had.

  Besides, what she’d told him wasn’t that far off the mark. It did feel right. He felt right. He felt safe. Right now, that was enough.

  “Mom? Andy? Are you in here?” Jack’s voice called out from the hall.

  “Yes, honey,” she replied and moved off Andy’s lap. She didn’t want him to see them in such an intimate position and jumping to the wrong conclusion.

  “There you are.” Jack’s eyes were softly accusing. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I even looked in the evidence room.”

  Her smile placated him. “I was just finishing up in here. Get your things together. We’ll be leaving in a few minutes.”

  Jack sighed, but dragged himself back out through the doorway. Andy studied her while she lugged the vacuum cleaner to the storage closet.

  “How many nights do you work here?”

  “Three. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.”

  “No wonder you look tired.”

  Cally tried not to take offense at his comment. After all, she was tired. With sleep mostly passing her by the last few nights, she was more than looking forward to the end of the week. She sighed and glanced up at him.

  “About you moving in…um… Are you working Friday night?”

  He nodded.

  “Good, that’ll give me time to talk to Jack and make sure he’s all right with this. “I’m sure he’ll be perfectly fine; don’t worry,” she reassured him. “I wouldn’t have even considered it if I thought he wouldn’t be.”

  “So, how big is my room? Do I have a closet? I’d like to know if my stuff will fit.”

  She ducked her head in embarrassment. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it a room, despite what the poster says. It’s more like a sleepout. There’s a sofa bed and a table and a cupboard and there’s a shed out the back you can use for storage. I’m sure you’ll be very comfortable,” she added hurriedly, “and it’s screened in, so you won’t get eaten by mosquitoes.”

  He smiled and her belly flip-flopped. “That’s good to hear. Mosquitoes and I don’t get on.”

  She smiled back at him and opened the door to the storage room. Andy leaned against the wall opposite and folded his arms across his chest. She tried not to notice how the movement caused his biceps to tighten.

  “So, if I take on all of these manly duties, remind me again what it is I get in return?”

  She squirmed. A hot flush worked its way across her face. When he put it like that, the deal seemed a little one-sided. She met his gaze with reluctance and caught the sparkle of humor in his eyes.

  With a self-deprecating smile, she shrugged. “You get the pleasure of my company whenever I’m there and if you like, I’m happy to share meals with you. Cooking for one more won’t make much difference.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t want to put you out.” His face was a picture of innocence. “After all, the things you expect me to do are so…” He paused dramatically. “Insignificant. They fairly pale in comparison to clever conversation and a decent, home cooked meal.”

  Cally choked, trying not to laugh. He was right: It wasn’t fair. This golden Adonis was making fun of her and all she wanted to do was laugh right along with him. But she needed to establish her tone as landlord. He was, after all, about to become her tenant. Clearing her throat, she schooled her features into what she hoped was a serious expression.

  “Well, I’m not promising you a home-cooked meal every night and of course, I said nothing about it being decent.”

  “Of course.” His eyes glinted with mischief. “What about a good-night kiss?”

  Instant awareness of his hard male body flooded through her. She was standing much too close. The smell of his cologne mixed with the warm male scent of his body once again teased her nostrils. Her heart pounded with excitement and fear. She wasn’t ready. She wasn’t—

  “I’m sorry, Cally. I didn’t mean that. It was a joke.” He looked worried.

  “It-it’s okay. I know you weren’t serious. I have utmost faith in your integrity. I’m sure you’ll respect my boundaries.”

  “Of course. I was teasing. Your house, your rules.”

  “Mom! Are you coming?” Jack’s plaintive whine traveled up the hall. A moment later, he joined them with his books under his arm. Cally jumped guiltily and glanced down at her watch.

  “Oh my goodness, it’s nearly nine o’clock! I can’t believe it’s so late. I have to get Jack home and into bed. It’s a school night.” She tossed the cleaning cloths into a bucket on the floor of the storage room and shut the door. With a small smile of farewell tossed in Andy’s direction, she collected Jack and turned to leave.

  “Cally!” He waited for her to stop and turn around. “I’ll see you on Friday night, right?”

  “Of course. I’ll be here. I’ll see you then.” Her eyes connected with his. Her heart skipped a beat and then pounded against her chest. She dragged her gaze away and drew in a quick breath, then turned and walked toward the door with Jack trailing behind her.

  * * *

  Andy stared after Cally and her son and his shoulders slumped on a sigh. Forty-eight hours suddenly felt like a lifetime away. He
couldn’t believe how hard and how fast he was falling for her. The insight she’d given him into her early life had further endeared her to him. She’d done it tough, was still doing it tough and yet she’d felt sorry for him.

  A stab of guilt went through him at the thought that he hadn’t been entirely honest with her. She’d asked about his family and he’d replied the best way he could. If she ever found out the truth of his childhood, she might never come to care for him.

  He was already a little in love with her and he’d known her for less than a week. He wanted to hold her, protect her and keep her safe from the blows life sent her way.

  He’d done his best to keep his feelings to himself. He didn’t want to scare her off by declaring how he felt too soon. Her past experience with men had been anything but positive. Something told him getting her to trust him wouldn’t come easy. Then again, anything truly worth having never did.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Cally glanced at her son. “Jack, would you sit down at the kitchen table for a minute? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

  Dinner was over and she’d just finished packing the dishwasher. Jack lay sprawled on the couch in front of the television. Pushing himself upright, he wandered into the kitchen and sat beside her at the worn pine table.

  “What is it?”

  It was Thursday night and she’d spent most of the night before—and all of that day—deciding how to approach him with the news that Andy was moving in. She thought her son would take it well, but it was such a huge change for him, she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t nervous about his reaction.

  She took his smaller hand in hers. Despite her rigorous sunscreen routine, the summer sun had dyed his skin a dark color, contrasting starkly with the blond of his hair.

  “Mom, what’s going on? Why are you holding my hand? You’re acting weird.”

  She grinned. Trust a ten-year-old to tell it like it was. “I’m sorry if I seem weird, sweetheart. Everything’s fine. I want to talk to you about Andy.”

  Jack frowned. “You mean Andy from the police station?”

  “Yes, honey, Andy from the police station.”

  “What about him?”

  “Well, I’ve been thinking about this for a while.”

  “Thinking about what?”

  Cally breathed deeply. “About getting a roommate. You know, someone to move in and help with the bills and stuff.”

  “Like you and Aunt Mary?”

  She smiled, liking his analogy. “Yes, kind of. Although we were related, so she wasn’t strictly a roommate, but you’re on the right track. The person would live here, just like we did with Aunt Mary, and they’d pay rent. They’d also share food expenses and other things like the electricity and gas. Sometimes, we might share meals or watch television together. Things like that.”

  “Why do we need a roommate?”

  “Well, the extra money would be a big help.”

  “What about the cleaning job? I thought you said we had heaps of money now?”

  She tried not to grimace. Darn, his memory.

  “Yes, honey, it’s helping, but things are always cropping up, like that flat tire. Having someone to share the household costs would really help.” At least with Andy’s assistance, she’d meet her monthly commitments and even have a little left over.

  “So, how are you going to find one?” Jack’s question interrupted her thoughts.

  “Sorry, honey?”

  He rolled his eyes at her. “I said how are you going to find one?”

  “One what?”

  “A roommate? Do you put up a notice or something? I could ask my friends at school. Maybe one of their moms might want to move in with us. That’d be cool, wouldn’t it?”

  She smiled, glad he seemed to be embracing the idea, even if it had gone in a different direction.

  “Actually, I already have someone in mind. In fact, I’ve spoken to him about it and he’s keen to give it a go.”

  “He? You mean another guy is moving in here? Who is it?”

  “What would you think about Andy?”

  His eyes widened in surprise. “Andy? He’s the one moving in?”

  She nodded, holding her breath. “What do you think?”

  “You’ve already asked him, so it doesn’t matter what I think.” Jack pushed away from the table, his face filled with hurt.

  “Jack, that’s not true. It does matter what you think. In fact, I told Andy last night I had to talk to you about it before it would be a done deal. I’m not going to do anything you’re not happy with.”

  He looked unconvinced. She tried again. “Honey, we really do need to get someone in to share the expenses, but it doesn’t have to be Andy. I only asked him because he’s nice and he seems like someone we can trust. He’s a policeman, after all.”

  Jack stayed quiet, his face turned away from her. She waited nervously for him to speak.

  “Where would he sleep?” His voice, soft and uncertain clutched at her heart. “It better not be in my room.”

  Cally swallowed a sigh of relief. “Of course I wouldn’t give him your room. I told him about the sleepout.”

  “The sleepout? But it’s not even air conditioned. He won’t want to sleep out there.”

  “He didn’t seem to mind.”

  “Did you tell him how hot it is? There’s no way I’d sleep there!”

  A smile tugged at her lips. “Well, now that you mention it, I think I might’ve forgotten to say anything about that. I guess he’ll work it out before too long. The weather’s not going to cool down any time soon.”

  He smiled back at her without malice. “Poor Andy.”

  “Yeah, poor Andy.”

  * * *

  Cally drove to the North Sydney Police Station in heavy Friday evening traffic. Jack was in his customary seat in the back of the Corolla, gazing out of the window into the darkness.

  “When’s Andy moving in, Mom?”

  “I’m not sure, honey. I’ll speak to him tonight and see what he wants to do.”

  “I hope he moves in on the weekend. Then I could help him unpack. I bet he’s got some really cool stuff.”

  “Maybe.” Cally smiled, pleased to see how well Jack was adjusting to the idea. She’d meant it when she told him if he wasn’t happy, they’d look for someone else, but it was Andy she really wanted.

  Not in any sexual sense, of course, rather in the sense she felt drawn to him in a safe, secure kind of way. The fact his movie-star looks made her heart accelerate with nerves didn’t mean anything as far as she was concerned. It was only because she was so inexperienced around men—ones that looked like him, especially.

  Once the newness of him had worn off and she’d gotten used to him, she was sure her pulse rate would return to normal and he’d become just another person in the house.

  That’s what she was counting on, anyway.

  “Mom, the light’s green.”

  Forcing her attention back to the road, Cally drove forward. A couple more blocks and they’d be there. Her pulse began beating a rapid staccato and all of a sudden, the butterflies were back swarming in her stomach.

  * * *

  Andy checked the clock on the far wall of the squad room for what felt like the hundredth time. It was a standard, government-issue clock with a round, white face and big black numbers that could be seen from any desk on the floor. Right now, it was almost six-thirty.

  A surge of excitement and nerves flooded his chest, making it hard to concentrate. He’d thought about Cally all day, while he’d been sorting through stuff at his condo. In anticipation of Jack’s consent, he’d made preliminary arrangements with his housekeeper to move in temporarily. She’d been more than happy to oblige.

  He’d waited impatiently for the day to end so he could return to the police station and see Cally again. It had been two whole days since he’d spoken to her. He’d never known time to crawl by so slowly.

  Tom was also there for another nightshift and
had chided him about it not long ago, when he’d noticed Andy’s obsession with the clock. Andy had brushed off Tom’s friendly jibes with a laugh and a shake of his head, but he’d taken care to use a little more discretion when he’d checked the time a little while after.

  This preoccupation with her was scaring him a bit—even more than a bit. The feelings she stirred inside him were terrifying. He’d never before felt so incredibly connected to a woman on so many different levels and within such a short period of time. And he hadn’t even kissed her!

  Too bad she didn’t feel the same way. But maybe it wasn’t him? Maybe it was men in general who made her nervous? After hearing her story, he understood why she had set some boundaries.

  The door to the squad room opened. Jack’s tousled, blond head appeared in the doorway, followed closely by his mother’s. Andy’s heart jumped. She was dressed in another knee-length summer dress. This one was white with huge, red hibiscus flowers printed all over it. It was cut moderately low and the soft cotton fabric cupped her breasts. She looked fresh and bright and beautiful—and nothing like a cleaner.

  “Hey, Andy!” Jack grinned. “Mom says you’re moving in with us. Is that right? Are you?”

  Andy’s gaze tangled with Cally’s. “Well, if it’s okay with you and your mom,” he said slowly. He watched Cally closely, wanting to gauge her reaction to her son’s enthusiasm.

  She held his gaze, her eyes as clear as the summer sky. A smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Of course. Jack and I would love to have you.”

  She sounded so sincere. Emotion tightened his chest. His heart clenched. What the hell; he was always up for a challenge. He’d have plenty of time at his own leisure and on her turf to win her over.

  “When are you moving in?” Jack’s voice was full of excitement.

  Andy focused his attention on the excited boy in front of him. “Well, I’m off this weekend. What if I start moving my things in tomorrow?”

  “Cool! That means I’ll be able to help you.”

  Andy looked at Cally. “If that’s all right with your mom?”

  She gave him another smile. “Of course. If you’re sure he’s not going to get in your way?”