Chapter Text
Haley’s Bakery ---
I placed my hands on the display, surveying the sugary sweet treats safely protected behind the glass. The one I really had my eye on was a chocolate cupcake with a mound of chocolate, butter cream icing with little heart sprinkles and a candied heart on top. I know someone that will absolutely love that.
“What’s with all of the cupcakes lately, Haley?” she asked, pushing herself from the counter as I accepted my coffee that Haley just made me. “I’ve never seen you make so many before.”
I watched Haley smile as she wiped her hands on the red and pink apron that she was wearing to keep her from getting dirty while doing prep work and baking. “It’s Valentine’s, Eve. Everyone wants to pick up something to take to their sweethearts.” She folded her arms and placed them on the countertop as her smile widened. “Where’s your sweetheart?”
My eyes narrowed as I sipped on my coffee. “Who?”
“You know who,” she said with that sing-songy voice when she’s trying to be sweeter than the confections that she makes. “You know who? What’s the name Tina has for him…”
She tapped her finger against her chin as she tried to think of the name. I wasn’t about to tell her what it was. It’s something I’ve been trying to get Tina to quit doing.
“I got it,” Haley said, snapping her fingers. “Ice face.”
And there it is…
Tina started calling him that a few months after my mother and her team walked into the police department. One of the rare times that he stood in my office long enough for Tina to give me one of her well-meant but well worded reports, she watched him the whole time. He just stood by my damaged file cabinet – the one that he still hadn’t replaced after hitting it – and stared out the window.
I still laugh when I think about it. After he left, Tina ran back into my office with a thousand of questions. But my favorite was when she asked, “Does he ever smile?”. I just laughed and shook my head, saying “Not really.” But when he does…
My heart beats faster and I can’t breathe. It’s like having all of the air sucked from my body. I can’t move. Can’t think. I just stand there and fall into those green eyes
“Hello?!” Haley said, snapping her fingers in my face.
I blinked a couple of times, swallowing that sudden lump that formed in my throat. I could feel my cheeks heating up from embarrassment. I am way too old for this whole crushing on some guy thing. But he has done something to me since meeting him that has required me to by the mega sized package of batteries from the local box store. Hmmm…I wonder if Amazon has rechargeable vi –
“Still with me, Eve?” Haley asked, pulling me from my thoughts again.
Clearing my throat, I shrugged. Trying to act like I wasn’t thinking about him…again.
“I’m here. And honestly, I don’t have an exact definition as to what we are other than professional colleagues,” I told her.
Taking another sip of my coffee, I felt my shoulders slump just thinking about him. As much as I find myself attracted to him and want him and dream about him regularly in ways that would make many blush, nothing has happened.
Nothing.
I just don’t get it. He’s cranky and moody if I flirt and try to charm him. He’s cranky and moody when I completely ignore him, too. The man is unsufferable.
Haley clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, shaking her head. “That’s a shame.” She crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head to the side slightly. “He is pretty to look at.” She lifted one shoulder in a lopsided shrug and smiled. “And so are his friends.”
I puckered my lips, nodding my head. Couldn’t disagree with that.
“So…did you need anything? Or is coffee it today?”
“Oh…yeah. I do need a couple of things.” I gave Haley my order and began to wander around the bakery while she prepared the packages.
The bakery was decorated in reds, pinks and whites for the upcoming Valentine’s Day. Everything was bright and cheery. Flowers and hearts and all other sorts of decorations livening the business. It was so cute I could feel my teeth rot and I haven’t even had a cupcake yet. I’m curious though…does Tina get her ideas to decorate around the station from Haley or does Haley get it from Tina? Then again, I could see them shopping together to find decorations. Then going back to Tina’s house, separating everything they bought while drinking wine and eating cheesecake.
“Plans tonight, Haley?” I asked, trying to fill in the silence.
“Actually, I do,” she said, boxing up a large, blueberry muffin that I was getting for Nate. “I have a date tonight and we’re driving up to Amherst for a movie and dinner.”
“That sounds like fun,” I said, turning back around to look at her.
She began to bag up the bright pink boxes and seal them shut with a rose sticker. “What about you, Eve? You have plans?”
I could see Haley’s eyes widen when she caught a glimpse of my expression. I really was trying not to show any emotion or any anything. I was trying my best to keep it quiet, but I guess the look in my eyes or the way I was trying to be expressionless didn’t work.
“You do! Don’t you?” she said, clapping her hands together and lifting them to her chest.
I puckered my lips, blowing out a heavy breath. “Sort of. Maybe. I don’t know.” I fidgeted in the spot where I stood. I hate being put in a spot. Shaking my head, I sighed. “I’m just going out to dinner with a work friend. It’s nothing.”
Haley frowned. “And it’s not with Ice Face?”
I shook my head, taking another sip of my coffee. “No,” I said while thinking “Unfortunately.”
She began to bag up my order, shaking her head. “I know they haven’t been in town long, but I really thought you two had a connection.” She looked up briefly with a sad glint in her eyes. “Much better than you and Bobby. You two were just combustible.”
“No kidding, Haley.”
Oh, how I’m happy that ship sailed a long time ago. I’ve tried to stay away from Bobby as much as possible but since I am the only detective in town and he’s the top reporter for the only newspaper in town I keep finding myself dealing with him much more than I’d like to. I’ve done so well not falling into that trap again. Well…that was before that one night when I weaseled his way into the apartment and…
…I’m so ashamed of myself. I kissed him. I, Evelyn Martin, am a weak, weak woman.
She pushed the bag across the counter in my direction. “Date or not, I hope you have a good evening, Eve.”
“Thanks, Haley. I’ll see you in the morning,” I said before turning around to head towards the door to leave.
“I’ll have the station’s order bagged up and ready to go for you at the usual time.”
“Thanks again, Haley.” I paused at the door, looking back over my shoulder. “Good luck tonight on your date.”
“I hope so,” Haley said with a wicked smile on her face.
I walked out of the bakery, chuckling. That smile on her face was pretty like the one Tina had before I left the station. Tina had just started dating one of the guys from the fire department and was head over heels and for Tina that’s a short trip. But it’s that time of year in Wayhaven. The weather teasing for an early spring, not to mention the holiday itself.
It almost made me nauseated to think about it. Here I am, pining over a man that can barely look at me without scrunching his face with a pained look. I thought things might have changed after the fall carnival when we were riding on the carousel together, but he distanced himself again from me. Christmas was uneventful since the team was away on the other side of the world chasing down some Trappers. That’s when Alpha assumed the role of my protectors and that’s when tonight ended up the way it did.
“I’m having dinner with a werewolf,” I told myself as I sat the box of sugary treats in the back of my car.
Sliding into my car, I pulled the door shut and started the battle with the seatbelt to get it on. Once I finally wrestled it into submission, I eased the key into the ignition and stop. I found myself staring out the front window of my car, holding the key in the ignition and completely went blank.
I’m actually going out with Maaka tonight. What in the ever-loving hell am I doing? Seriously, Evelyn? You don’t want to go out with Maaka, the man that insists on calling you Gingersnap every time you’re around him. Sure he’s handsome, extremely well built and is actually quite funny when you get him talking.
I dropped my head on the steering wheel with a thump. Just enough that my horn let out a choked beep. Sighing heavily, I let out a groan.
“What the hell am I doing?” I asked myself.
Sitting up straight, I leaned my head back and stared up at the roof of my car. I don’t want to go out with Maaka, but damnit…he asked. That jerk didn’t ask me to go or much less do anything at all with him.
Finding new confidence, I turned the key in the switch praying that it would start. The car sputtered a couple of seconds before roaring to life. Well…if the car could roar it did. It was more like a cat hacking up a furball but nonetheless it started.
“I’m going out tonight,” I informed myself, shifting into drive.
Nothing has to happen. It’s two work colleagues having dinner, that’s it.
….. ….. ….. …..
Warehouse, Outside of Wayhaven ---
“What’s in the bag, Eve?” Felix asked as soon as I rounded the corner.
Barely managing not to drop the bag, I froze where I stood, trying to catch my breath. “Damn, Felix. Quit sneaking up on me.”
“Sorry,” he said as he spun around me quickly. “What’s in the bag?”
“Something for you guys,” I said, continuing to walk towards the common room. “Where’s everyone else at?”
“Natey’s in the library, probably reading,” he said, scowling. “Mason’s on patrol. And Adam is…”
Sensing the hesitation, I turned to look at him and sighed. “It doesn’t matter, Felix. He doesn’t want to see me anyway.”
“That’s not true. I think he wants to but – “
I stopped him by holding up my hand. “It’s okay. I’m not worried about it, Felix.”
Felix bit down on his lower lip, nodding his head. The frown slowly faded as we reached the common room. “So…what’s in the bag?”
“I brought you guys some treats for Valentine’s Day. I saw them and thought you might like something. But you need to go get Nate so I can give him his, too.”
I sat the bag down on the table and began to remove the boxes. I hoped that during the drive to the warehouse they didn’t get messed up. “And you have to promise me this time, Felix. Don’t eat everyone else’s, okay?”
He snapped his fingers and pointed at me. “Not making any promises but I’ll try for you, Eve.”
Rolling my eyes, I smiled and shook my head. “Guess that’s the best I can ask for. At least leave Tapeesa’s alone. I promised her I’d bring her something.”
“Now that I’ll promise,” he said, picking up the box with his name written on it. He turned around to find me heading for the door. “You leaving already?”
I stopped to look over my shoulder at him. “Not yet. I’m changing my clothes then going out for dinner.”
“Natey told me you were going out tonight,” he said, peeling the paper from the cupcake.
Honestly, I’m surprised he didn’t shove the whole thing in like he had last time. “It’s not really a date. He’s just being nice and taking me out to dinner.”
“That’s a date,” he said, with a mouthful of pink icing and cake.
Shaking my head, I turned around to face him. “It’s not a date. It’s two people that work together and get along well, going out for dinner.”
He took another big bite. “It’s a date,” he said, chewing away.
Sighing, I shook my head again, closing my eyes. I could talk to Felix until I’m blue in the face and still not win. “Not a date.”
“Mason says it’s a date. He told everyone that Maaka asked you out on a date.”
I frowned. “Everyone?”
He nodded, licking the icing off his fingers. “At the meeting this afternoon.”
Oh…just wonderful. Doesn’t matter. I know it’s not a date and that’s all that matters.
“Mason’s wrong. It’s not a date.” I turned around to leave. Waving my hand over my shoulder, I said, “I got to get ready. Leave those alone, Felix.”
Felix looked down at the other boxes and frowned.
….. ….. ….. …..
I stepped into my room, shutting the door. Leaned my back against it, I closed my eyes and let out a heavy breath. I can do this. It’s just dinner with Maaka.
A werewolf.
A big, huge, furry werewolf.
But why is it that all I can think about is a tall, well built vampire with green eyes that can calm me when my mind is at battle with everything around me and in the same instant makes me what to hit him with a train.
Why can’t he just pull his head out of his ass to say something to me? Anything other than “It’s complicated, Detective” or “It’s for the best.” What’s for the best is that he quits playing with my emotions and stop making it so freaking complicated!
I slammed my fist against the door behind me before pushing myself away. I have to admit that he’s not going to do anything and I’m too human and don’t have centuries to deal with it.
Tonight, I am going out and having fun.
….
….
I hope.