“Luc, no!” Celeste cried out. She already saw the fear in Paulie’s eyes and knew the man would meekly accept whatever punishment Luc meted out. “Please, Luc, don’t.” She crawled across the floor and grabbed his arm. She could feel the muscles quivering under her hands. “Look at him,” she implored. “He isn’t going to fight back.”
Luc slowly lowered his arm to his side. He reached down and pulled Celeste up into his arms. He held her so tight she mumbled a protest.
“Luc, I need to breathe,” she murmured against the warmth of his neck as she clung to him.
They both looked down at Paulie, who had pushed himself up against the wall. With his hands covering his face, Paulie sat there crying like a small boy.
“He’s broken, Luc,” she said softly. She raised her head at the sound of police sirens from outside. She smiled as she heard Dylan shouting at a patrol officer.
Luc kept her in his arms. “I remembered something,” he said simply.
“How long are you going to sit around looking like that?” Dylan asked Celeste a week later.
“Looking like what?”
“Like you lost the guy you’re in love with.”
Pain sliced through her. “I arrested his best friend for rape. Luc hasn’t even called me, so how can you honestly think he’ll want to see me?”
“Sure he will,” he said confidently. “You forget. He called me to tell me he realized that there was a good chance Paulie was Prince Charming. For some reason he remembered ordering those particular roses was Paulie’s idea. The guy said something about how a woman deserved a beautiful rose. He drove back to the restaurant and found Paulie’s car gone and yours still there. He called me and said he was on the way to your apartment. He had a hunch that’s where the two of you were headed. The guy sounded scared, and something tells me he never gets scared. Go see him, Celeste. If he’s stupid enough to toss you out on your butt, I promise I’ll go back and beat the crap out of him. Fair enough?”
She considered his words. “Really?”
Dylan nodded. “Really.”
“Tomorrow,” she said.
He sighed. “Okay, tomorrow, but I’m holding you to it. You’re no fun when you’re miserable and in love.”
The next day when Celeste stopped by the restaurant, it was closed. Following a hunch, she drove out to Tank’s diner. She found Jimmy seated at the counter, drinking coffee and trading good-natured insults with Tank. She hesitated when she stepped inside. Tank saw her first and immediately filled a mug with coffee. He gestured to a stool next to Jimmy, who seemed to be the only customer.
“I was wondering when you’d be by again,” Tank said.
Jimmy had the grace to look embarrassed. “I’m sorry I called you what I did.”
She waved her hands. “I must have played my part pretty well. Don’t worry about it.”
“No, he needs to apologize,” Tank said. “Kid needs to learn you don’t insult women.”
Celeste felt the stir in the air. She turned and watched Luc walk from the rear of the diner. Her heart sank when she saw his blank expression.
“How is Paulie doing?” he asked.
“He says he wants to be punished,” she said, tamping down the hurt she felt at the emotional distance he put between them.
“The attorney I got him said Paulie’s pleading guilty. He admitted to everything.” Jimmy’s face twisted with grief. “If anyone had told me Paulie did those things I would have called them a damn liar. Anyone but him.”
“He’s facing multiple rape charges and one charge of murder,” she said quietly. “While he didn’t deliberately kill her, he did cause her death.” She looked directly at Luc, silently pleading with him to return her gaze.
“Jimmy, come on back here and show me how you make those fancy eggs,” Tank said suddenly.
Jimmy glanced from Celeste to Luc. “Sure.” He slid off the stool and started to walk around the counter. Then he stopped. “Are you really going to let the best thing in your life get away? Hell, Luc, even cops need love.” He walked back into the kitchen area with Tank.
“I didn’t want it to happen this way,” she said miserably.
“I know,” Luc said quietly. He took a deep breath. “Jimmy and I have talked about all this. We’ll do what we can to help Paulie. We’re keeping the restaurant closed for a month or so. Too many people coming in for the thrill, not for the food.” He paused. “I just wish I’d realized it sooner. I was driving away and suddenly remembered a time when Paulie said all women deserve love and roses.”
“And that’s when you knew,” she murmured.
He nodded. He lifted his head and stared at her.
“I’m not the easiest person to be with. I figured I would always be alone. Convinced myself I was better off that way. The trouble is, I didn’t plan on meeting you and realizing I don’t want to be alone anymore. I want you in my life, Celeste.” A corner of his mouth lifted. “Even if you’re a cop.”
Her heart soared at his words. She took one step forward, then another, then ran into his arms.
“Hell, Celeste, your parents are going to tell you you’re making the mistake of your life,” he told her.
“Are you kidding? They’ll be ecstatic I found someone,” she assured him with a lilt in her voice.
He looked down at her upturned face and shook his head. “Lady, you scare the hell out of me, but I love you and want to marry you.”
“Wow,” she whispered. Smiling through her tears, she reached up and cupped his face with her hands. For the first time, she saw true joy in Luc’s eyes and face. She didn’t think she could imagine any sight more incredible than the man she loved more than life itself admitting he loved her and wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. “You actually said the L word in the same sentence as the M word. Don’t worry, Luc, I’m scared, too, but something tells me as long as we’re together we can do anything.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8084-1
ROSES AFTER MIDNIGHT
Copyright © 2003 by Words by Wisdom
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