Calculated Collision
Page 26
“Not yet. I just wanted to call and check in,” Cole said.
Pete’s bullshit meter lit up like a Christmas tree. He set Ethan down on his desk in the Criminal Investigations Division room—where all the detectives officed—as they reached it, handing his partner’s son the foam apple he kept around to squeeze when he was stressed.
Ethan made motor sounds as he steered the paper aeroplane around, then rammed the apple into it, making explosion noises.
He grinned at the child. “What happened?”
“What do you mean?” Cole asked.
Pete might have only known the guy for about a year, but it was obvious his buddy was trying to come off as innocent. It might’ve worked on someone else. “How’s my partner?”
“She’s…fine.”
“Okay, quit hedging. You’re starting to worry me. Is something wrong?”
“Sorry.” Cole’s tone was dejected. “Everything’s fine. Really.”
“What’d you do?”
“Andi’s…in a mood.”
“Well, hell, she is having a baby.”
“She…asked me to leave the room.” His fellow detective’s voice dropped to a whisper.
Pete couldn’t hold the laugh back. He shook his head, though his friend couldn’t see him, ignoring Cole’s growl. “Do you want me to come up there?”
“I can handle my wife,” Cole shot back.
He held back another laugh. Damn good thing Andi couldn’t hear her husband’s declaration. “Want to talk to your kid?”
“Sure.”
“Ethan, your dad’s on the phone,” Pete said.
The little boy’s face lit up even before he handed over his cell phone. “Daddy!”
It was odd considering someone other than Iain as Andi’s son’s father. Pete’s partner’s first husband had never got the chance to be a father to Ethan, but Cole was a great dad. The former FBI agent was equal parts fantastic husband and hell of a cop, too. Stubborn, like his partner, but they were made for each other.
Iain would have liked the guy, as odd as that was to contemplate. A fellow cop and good friend of Pete’s, Iain had been killed in the line of duty over four years ago, leaving a six-week-old baby and a devastated wife to cope without him.
Pete had been out of commission when Cole had come to town after a human trafficker. The slimy bastard had put two bullets in Pete, actually.
The FBI agent had turned Andi’s life upside down. But they’d solved their case and fallen for each other. It was satisfying to see his partner happy again. She’d always meant the world to him. Cole was a good guy.
He heard the steady hum of Cole’s voice as he spoke to Ethan. Pete smiled as the kid babbled away about the paper aeroplane and Nikki. Her carefree laugh bounced around into his mind and he sat straighter in the chair. Get her out of your head, dude. You’ve bigger things to worry about than a chick you can’t have.
Pete snapped back to attention when Ethan handed his cell over.
“Pete?” Cole’s voice was far away as Pete’s fumbling fingers brought the iPhone back to his ear.
“I’m here.”
“Well, I’m not. I need to go. Nurse’s hollering.”
“Showtime?”
“Maybe.” Cole’s voice kicked up a notch.
Pete smiled. “It’ll be okay. Go have a baby. Keep us posted.”
“You got it. Cass is gonna grab E-man later.”
“Good deal.”
Cole disconnected the call, and Pete glanced at the little boy sitting on the edge of his desk. Ethan was still making motor noises, flying the pliable fake fruit and his paper aeroplane around in circles.
God, he was growing up. Not a tiny baby anymore. Hell, not a baby at all. Pete had held him and changed his diapers, fed him so many times in the middle of the night he’d lost count. Almost like Ethan was his kid.
Andi had needed that from him. He loved her like a sister. It wasn’t a chore to be more than her partner at work. She’d needed him.
But not now. She had a new love, a new life. And Pete was happy for her. But he’d been…displaced. They’d been partners for years. More than that, they’d been best friends. Still best friends, dammit. Now that she had Cole in her life, they saw less and less of each other outside of work.
Pete needed to get a life.
And isn’t that pathetic?
His text alert went off and he glanced at his cell.
We need to talk. Do you have time for me tonight?
Liz.
Shit.
Sucking in a breath, Pete looked at Ethan and pocketed his phone. He didn’t have time for the lovely blonde attorney.
“C’mon, squirt. Let’s go to Dixie’s and get some grub.”
“Yeah!”
Pete grinned at the kid’s enthusiasm and swung Ethan into his arms.
Liz would wait.
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About the Author
C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She’s married and has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She works with kids when she’s not writing.
She’s always wanted to be a writer and is overjoyed to share her stories with the world.
Email: ca@caszarek.com
C.A. loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.totallybound.com.
Also by C.A. Szarek
Crossing Forces: Collision Force
Crossing Forces: Chance Collision
Totally Bound Publishing