by Gerri Hill
"Yeah? What about you?"
Casey shrugged. "I'm still waiting. It'll happen someday." Her smile vanished. "I hope." She looked up, surprised to find Leslie's eyes on her. She glanced at the others, but Tori had picked up the phone and Sikes had turned to his computer. She motioned to the hallway. "Can I talk to you?" she asked quietly.
Leslie nodded and got up, following Casey down the hall and into the ladies' room. Casey turned as soon as the door closed, facing Leslie.
"I need to apologize," she said.
Leslie frowned. "For?"
"Come on. We both know what for. It was inappropriate. I'm sorry."
Leslie raised her eyebrows. "What part, Casey?"
Casey dropped her head. She wasn't making it easy, was she? "If you were a guy, I never would have done that. And if your partner were a guy, he never would have touched you that way."
Leslie took a step closer. "Touched me that way?" she repeated.
Casey nodded. "I crossed the line. I don't know what happened. I just...I just did it. I grabbed you without thinking."
Their eyes met, holding. Casey tried to guess what was going through Leslie's mind. Was she remembering the way Casey had pulled her close, had pressed her body to her own? Casey swallowed, trying to clear her head, trying to forget how it felt.
"If it's all the same to you," Leslie said, "I'd just as soon not talk about it."
Casey shook her head. "No. It's not all the same," she said. "Please, we've got to talk about it. I feel like an ass. I just want to say I'm sorry and I want you to say you forgive me and we'll forget all about it."
Leslie turned her back to Casey. "And we'll just forget all about it, is that right?"
"Yes. It won't ever happen again. I'm sorry."
Leslie turned back around. "So the fact that I had a...a reaction to your touch doesn't matter?"
It was Casey's turn to stare. "What?"
"Maybe I should be the one apologizing."
Casey walked closer, her hand reaching out to grasp Leslie's arm. "What are you talking about? I did it, not you. You could file charges against me."
Leslie smiled. "Is that what you're worried about? Sexual harassment?"
"It's crossed my mind."
"Was it sexual harassment?"
"No, of course not. I swear. I don't know what came over me."
"And I don't know what came over me."
Their eyes met again and Casey was startled by what she saw there. She was unable to look away.
"I...I just had a...a moment," Leslie said quietly. "I thought you could tell. I thought you knew."
Casey couldn't drag her eyes away. All she remembered was the feeling of Leslie trembling in her arms. A trembling she assumed was from fear. "I guess...well, I guess maybe I had a moment too then."
They both broke into smiles and Casey relaxed, feeling somewhat relieved. At least Leslie wasn't pissed at her.
"Okay, so we had a moment," Leslie said. "And we won't talk about it anymore, right?"
"Right."
She nodded. "Okay. I can live with that."
But when the door opened and Tori walked in, they both took a step away from each other. Leslie's eyes darted from one to the other.
"I was just leaving," she said, then bolted from the room.
Tori stared at Casey, eyebrows raised. "Everything okay?"
Casey nodded. "Yeah, sure. We were...we were just having a moment."
Tori grinned and walked toward one of the stalls. "Yeah, Sam and I used to have moments in here all the time."
Their eyes met and Casey felt her face turn red. She followed Leslie from the room, hearing Tori's quiet laughter mocking her.
"Hey, Mac called," Sikes said when she returned to her desk. "Positive match on the knife wounds. And he said they got tox back on your homeless guy. He said to swing by if you wanted to chat about it, or he'd just e-mail you."
"Thanks. I think I'll swing by." She looked at Leslie. "You want to go?"
She noticed her hesitation and didn't blame her, but she nodded. "Yeah. Let's walk."
But their silence was unnerving and Casey finally stopped. "Look, are you mad at me?"
"No, of course not."
"Are you sure?"
Leslie took a step closer and Casey felt warm fingers grip her arm. "We're fine, Casey. But please, let's just forget about it, okay? 'Cause it's all fine." She squeezed her fingers tightly one more time, and Casey watched as her hand slipped away.
We'd be more fine if you'd quit touching me.
Leslie turned. "What?"
Casey's eyes widened. "Oh, my God. Did I say that out loud? I thought I thought that."
"Thought what?"
"Thought what you thought I said."
"Huh?"
She laughed. "I thought...well, never mind."
Leslie stared at her, then bumped her shoulder lightly as they started walking again. "You know, with a little perfection, we can take this comedy act on the road."
"Funny, Tucker."
Funny, yeah, but Leslie felt like she was going to explode if she didn't resolve this soon. Her admission last night, and her plan to act like an adult this morning and talk to Casey had gone out the window as soon as she laid eyes on her. It was easy to tell that Casey was eaten up with guilt and Leslie couldn't let her take all the blame. She also couldn't bring herself to say the words I'm attracted to you either.
So they'd fumbled through the apologies, finally agreeing to forget about it and move on. Which would have been ideal, if not for one little problem.
She was attracted to her.
"What do you think?"
She blinked. "What?"
Casey tilted her head. "About the cocaine."
She frowned, meeting Casey's eyes.
"Okay. So you weren't listening," Casey said with raised eyebrows. "Tox came back positive for cocaine. Homeless people can't afford cocaine. Homeless people can't afford drugs period. So, where do you think he got cocaine?"
"Patrick?"
"If Patrick is homeless too, where'd he get cocaine?"
"Okay, so it's really a rhetorical question?"
Casey laughed. "No, I was hoping you'd have a guess."
"The way you've described this Patrick, he may be a carrier for a dealer. Could be why he's a little better off than the others," Mac suggested.
"But what dealer is going to trust a homeless guy with money?" Leslie asked.
"True."
Casey sighed. "Okay, Mac. Anything else?"
"Nothing else on tox."
"And the knife wounds are a positive match?"
"Yeah. I'll include photos from both in my report. I'll copy Hunter on the e-mail."
"Thanks. At least we know we have a link now."
Leslie sat quietly, watching as Casey brushed at her hair, unconsciously tucking the longer strands behind her ears. Her eyes lowered and she was horrified to find herself staring at Casey's chest. She pulled her eyes away, focusing on Mac instead.
"If you can find me a knife, we can match the cut."
"Yeah, and if I can find me a Patrick, maybe I can find you a knife." Casey stood. "Thanks for your time, Mac."
Casey held the door for her and Leslie walked through without a comment. Back on the street, she found herself keeping her distance from Casey as they headed back to their building.
"You know, tonight, there's really no need for both of us to be out," Casey said.
"Are you going to start that again?"
Casey glanced at her quickly, then away. "No offense, but there seems to be a little tension between us. And I hate it."
Leslie stopped, grabbing Casey's arm to make her do the same. "I hate it too. I'm sorry."
Casey ran her hand through her hair, staring skyward. "Look, I don't know what to do. I'm sorry for what happened. It's obviously made you uncomfortable to be around me."
"What?"
"That's why maybe tonight, we shouldn't be together."
"O'Connor,
get over it already, will you? We're both adults here. And for some reason, you're not seeing the whole picture." She realized she was still gripping Casey's arm and she released her. Christ, can't you keep your hands off her?
Their stare was intense, neither pulling away. Finally, Casey took a step back. "Okay. I'll get over it."
"Thank you."
But not another word was spoken as they continued on to their building. At the door, she paused, shifting nervously as Casey waited.
"Look, I've got an appointment," she blurted out. She glanced at her watch. "Early lunch. I'll be back in an hour."
Casey frowned. "What?"
"Call my cell if you need me."
She left Casey standing at the door, but she had to get away. She sat for a moment in her car, trying to decide what to do. Then it hit her.
Sam.
But she almost lost her nerve as she walked into CIU. Sam and Tori were good friends with Casey. But who better to talk this out with than Sam? So she showed her badge and was pointed toward Sam's office without having to explain her business. At the door, she raised her hand to knock then stopped, closing her eyes for a moment before tapping lightly.
Sam glanced at the door, then called a quick come in. She was surprised when Leslie Tucker stuck her head inside.
"Sam, I'm sorry to barge in unannounced, but--"
"No, come in. Is everything okay?" Then her heart raced. "Tori?"
"No, no. Everything's fine. I just needed...well, I wanted to talk. It's personal."
Sam nodded. "Of course." She motioned to the visitor's chair across from her, wondering at the troubled look on Leslie's face.
"I know it's only ten thirty, but could you break away for lunch?"
Something about the haunted look in her eyes made Sam agree. "Sure. I can get away."
Leslie smiled her thanks. "And when I say lunch, I didn't mean to eat. I just...just..."
"Need to talk?" Sam grabbed her purse. "I understand. How about we walk down to The Palms? We can get some iced tea and find a table in the shade," she suggested.
"Perfect."
Sam stopped at the reception desk on her way out, letting Melissa know she'd be out. Once they were on the sidewalk, Sam leaned closer. "Want to tell me now or do you want to wait?"
"You already know, don't you?"
"Casey?" she guessed.
Leslie looked away. "I'm engaged to be married and I find myself attracted to another woman." She stopped up short on the sidewalk. "And I don't know what to do."
Sam took her arm. "Come on. We'll talk." At The Palms outdoor restaurant, she directed Leslie to an open table and then went in search of a waiter. Two teas and a spinach and mushroom quiche should serve as a light brunch. When she got back to the table, she squeezed Leslie's hand. "It's not the end of the world."
"I know." She twisted her napkin nervously. "What did you do when you found yourself attracted to Tori? I mean, you were with a guy then, right?"
Sam smiled at the memory. "Yes. And I was scared at first, I didn't really know what was happening. It obviously made me realize that what I felt for Robert wasn't it, you know? But we weren't living together, so that made it easier. And we weren't engaged. He wanted to get married, but I was never ready." She squeezed Leslie's hand again. "And of course, now I know why I wasn't ready."
"It's funny. When Michael asked me to marry him, I thought it would be good because he still had his friends and his games, and he wouldn't expect me to be with him constantly." Leslie tossed her napkin down and leaned her elbows on the table. "Isn't that an awful reason to agree to get married?"
Sam studied her, wondering what it was Leslie wasn't telling her. She didn't have to wonder long.
"I've had these feelings before." She glanced at her. "For a woman, I mean. Well, a girl really. We were nineteen. And without going into great detail, I ran from it. I just couldn't deal with it at the time. I didn't think I could ever deal with it." She paused as the waiter brought their tea. "I hid it away, I buried it, and I went on with my life. Truth is, I forgot about it. I mean, I'm thirty-two. Nineteen was a long time ago."
"But before Michael, I'm guessing there wasn't anyone?"
"No, not really. I dated but...how did you know?"
"Because before Robert, I was the same way. And when I met him, I thought, this isn't so bad. I mean, maybe this is all there is, you know?"
"Exactly. That's how I felt with Michael. It's been okay. But now, it's not okay." She looked at her. "Casey, I think about her all the time. I can't wait to get to work each day. I want to be near her, I want to touch her. And when I get home to Michael, I realize I don't feel those things with him. I never felt that need to be with him."
Sam nodded. "I know exactly how you're feeling. I just wanted to be with Tori all the time. I didn't care how or when."
Leslie laughed. "I know. I never thought I'd love all-night stakeouts."
They were quiet for a moment, Sam letting Leslie collect her thoughts. She finally leaned back in her chair. "So? Now what? Does Casey know?"
"Casey is either oblivious to it, or else she's pretending she's oblivious."
"Well, if it's anything like with Tori, I had to practically hit her over the head with it. But maybe that's not what you want? Maybe you want Casey to ignore it?"
"Like this is a phase and I'll get over it?"
Sam shrugged. "Perhaps. I mean, you consider yourself straight, right?"
"I did, yes."
"So did I. Until I met Tori. And I thought, how funny. What are the chances I could make it into my thirties and have never met a woman who stirred sexual attraction before? Must be an anomaly. But I couldn't shake it. All the things I was taught I'd feel when I fell in love, I never felt them until I met Tori. And once I accepted that and quit fighting it, it just all fell into place. Tori, on the other hand, was harder to convince. She had this huge wall around her. She wouldn't let anyone get close. She didn't want anyone to love her and she didn't want to love anyone. It was her way of not getting hurt." She sipped from her tea, wondering how much to tell Leslie. "I know you don't know them very well, especially Tori, but if you take them at face value, they seem so very different from each other. Tori is distant, she appears unapproachable to most. She doesn't make friends easily. Casey is just the opposite. She's very friendly, very open, and very approachable. And they both hide behind those traits. Tori lost her whole family when she was young." She paused. "They were murdered while she was made to watch."
Leslie's eyes widened. "I had no idea."
"She was twelve, but it took its toll. And Casey, well, she just had a crappy childhood. And her brother, well, let's just say he's a--"
"Bastard," Leslie finished for her. "She's told me some."
"Good. Then you can understand how they were both starving for family. So when the two of them get together, as different as they appear on the outside--when they drop their protective shields--they are so much alike, it's scary. They could be sisters. I tease them all the time, and despite their protests, I think they love it. They need each other." She stared across the table, wondering where she was going with this story. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that underneath that happy-go-lucky persona that Casey sports most of the time, lurks a fragile and kind heart, just like Tori's. And I don't want to see it get broken. She doesn't deserve that."
Leslie smiled. "No. But that would mean we'd have to actually talk about this."
Sam laughed. "Yeah. Good luck with that. Getting them to talk about their feelings is like pulling teeth."
Their waiter brought their quiche and Leslie looked up in surprise. "Lunch?"
"I missed breakfast." She felt her face blush, remembering just why she'd missed breakfast. "It happens quite often."
Leslie picked up her fork, then paused. "You won't say anything, will you? I mean, to Tori?"
"No. I promise. I won't say a word. This is between you and Casey." And she wouldn't. She sat there, watching Leslie, remembering
her own plight, remembering how scared she was when she realized it wasn't Robert she was in love with but a woman. Scared, yes, but it had all been worth it. It hadn't been easy, but she wouldn't trade it for anything. Tori was her life. And she wanted nothing more than for Casey to find that same kind of love. Whether or not Leslie was the one, she knew they would have a rough road ahead of them.
But some things are worth it.
Chapter Nineteen
Casey pulled up beside Leslie's car, just like always. And like always, Leslie was waiting for her. She had two water bottles this time.
"I'm tired of you stealing mine," she said lightly as she handed one to Casey.
"And here I brought you an extra bag of potato chips," Casey said with a smile.
Their eyes met for a second, and Leslie nodded. Yes, they both knew what they were doing. And it was okay. Forget about yesterday. Start over. They could do that.
Casey pulled into traffic, driving slowly down Main, heading to Deep Ellum. Hunter and Sikes were already out, cruising the apartments. And with any luck, they'd find something. Because the idea of being out every night, cruising the streets, was depressing.
"Michael have plans tonight?" she asked.
"No. Actually, he was pissed."
"Told you."
"Doesn't matter. I told you that you weren't going out alone."
"Yeah, well, we can't keep this up indefinitely. You'll be divorced before you're even married and I'll never get a date."
Leslie laughed. "Those are our choices? Divorced and celibate?"
Casey pulled onto Elm, cruising slowly through the club district. "So, how pissed was he?"
"I'm apparently bordering on neglect."
"I see. Food or sex?"
"Both. He can't seem to order takeout on his own."
"But sex on his own is not a problem, right?"
Leslie laughed. "I wouldn't know. But we had quite the argument earlier."
"I'm sorry. Again--"
"Stop. Our argument had little to do with me being out again. It was just an excuse."
"I don't understand."
"When Michael has options, like a ball game, he doesn't care about my hours. But when he has nothing, like tonight, he cares. And as I told him, if I'd been left alone last night while he went to his ballgame, he wouldn't have considered it neglect that I was home alone. But apparently, since I'm out tonight while he's home alone, it's suddenly a big deal."