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Tim Bradford’s day wasn’t horrible when it started. In fact, it had been pretty damn great. He had a nice breakfast—eggs and bacon, nothing fancy—and Kojo had salmon and eggs too, because why not? His buddy deserved the best. It was one of those rare mornings where everything was just... easy. And for once, Tim didn’t mind.
He stopped at Lucy’s favorite coffee shop on his way in, ordering her a chai latte, extra hot, with that weird syrup she liked. He smiled, thinking about how they had been talking. Really talking. He was even ready to ask her out on an actual date. The other day, they’d almost kissed, and the memory of it had kept him up all night, feeling giddy like a teenager. He hadn’t screwed things up for once. He went to her place to talk, they had dinner and watched Top Chef on her couch and, when it was time to leave, he felt like she wanted to invite him to stay over. He would have stayed without even blinking but was moving at her pace, so he left. At the door, while saying goodbyes, Lucy said she had a great time, and for a moment they looked into each other’s eyes and got closer, and closer, and closer… then her phone vibrated and the moment was over. No worries; he would be patient because patience would win the race.
But today, as soon as he walked into the station, his day took a massive nosedive.
He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight in front of him. The station was full. Of. Firefighters.
Tim let out an annoyed groan. Cops' worst nightmare: firefighters.
Among them was Bailey, cleaning something on Nolan's police coat. Bailey was nice, Tim thought to himself, even though she had made the poor life choice of becoming a firefighter. Not that he could really blame her for it. After all, she did marry John Nolan of all people, so clearly her judgment was questionable at best.
But none of that was the issue.
No, the real problem was the man standing next to Lucy: Emmett fucking Lang.
Emmett Lang. The Emmett Lang who had once dated Lucy Chen and had broken her heart by dumping her via text. The same Emmett Lang who had made his Lucy smitten. (At the time, she wasn’t his—he knew that objectively—but hell... she had been smitten with the idiot.) And now? Now the guy was standing way too close to her, with his arm casually slung around her shoulders, both of them laughing as Lang had just told the funniest joke in the world.
Tim fumed, gripping the chai latte cup so hard it almost collapsed in his hand. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Emmett Lang, in his station, laughing with Lucy like nothing had ever happened.
Lucy was so pissed at Lang back then, so why the hell was she even giving him the time of day? Tim couldn’t understand it.
Before he could storm over, Sergeant Grey’s voice cut through the station, halting the laughter.
“All right, listen up!” Grey called, his deep voice commanding everyone’s attention. “The city of Los Angeles has decided we need to bond a little better with our friends in the fire department. As part of this initiative, firefighters will be joining you for the morning, riding along on your calls. Tomorrow, the roles will be reversed—you’ll ride along with them on the fire trucks.”
The collective groan from the officers almost drowned out the cheer from the firefighters. Tim shot a quick glance at Lang, who grinned like a Cheshire cat.
Of course. He was giddy about it, the moron.
Tim finally caught Lucy’s eye, and when she smiled at him— that smile —he almost forgot why he was mad. He handed her the now-almost-cold chai latte with a small, sheepish grin.
“Hey, I got this for you. I’m sorry it’s almost cold by now,” he muttered, trying to shake off his irritation.
Lucy beamed at him, her eyes lighting up as she took the cup. “Thank you, Tim! You’re the best. I can heat it up in the microwave, no worries.”
His heart did a little flip at her words, and he felt a wave of pride. Maybe today isn’t going to be so shitty after all.
Then Lang stepped up.
“Bradford,” Emmett said with an infuriatingly charming grin. “Long time no see, huh?”
Tim stiffened, his good mood evaporating in an instant. “Lang,” he replied, voice flat.
Lucy glanced between the two men, her brow furrowing slightly. “Oh! Tim, did you know Emmett’s going to be riding with me today?”
Tim stared at her, not trusting himself to respond right away. Of course, he is.
“Yeah,” Lang added, clearly oblivious to Tim’s growing annoyance. “We’ll get to see how the real heroes work, right, Lucy?”
Tim’s jaw clenched. “Right.”
Lucy, ever the diplomat, quickly tried to defuse the tension. “Well, it’ll be a nice change of pace. Besides, I’ve got my rookie Seth with me, so we’ll have plenty of backup.”
Tim forced a smile, though it probably came out more like a grimace. “Yeah. Sounds... great.”
He turned on his heel and stalked away before he could say anything worse. His rookie, Miles Penn, gave him a wide-eyed look as Tim approached, no doubt sensing the dark cloud of frustration hovering over him.
Miles swallowed nervously. “Uh... everything okay, sir?”
Tim glared at him. “Get in the car, Penn.”
The poor kid scurried off without another word, leaving Tim to stew in his jealousy. The day had barely begun, and it was already turning into a nightmare. And worst of all? He still hadn’t asked Lucy out on that date.
At noon, the tension between cops and firefighters had finally fizzled out. Tim was more than happy to see them go—especially Lang. He let out a long breath, feeling the weight of frustration slowly lift off his shoulders. It wasn’t much, but it was something.
With Lang finally out of his sight, Tim decided he’d salvage the rest of his day by doing something thoughtful. Buying Lucy lunch from that fancy sushi place she loved so much sounded like the perfect way to reset the awful morning. He knew she liked their sashimi and that weird vegetable roll that cost way more than he’d ever spend on himself. But for her? It was worth it.
By the time he got back to the station, with the sushi carefully balanced in one hand and a plan forming in his head, Tim was feeling optimistic again. He could ask her about that date he’d been thinking of all morning. They could sit down, enjoy lunch together, and—
No way. No way this is happening.
Tim froze in place, staring across the room at the sight that made his stomach sink all over again. It couldn’t be real.
But it was. Lucy was standing there, chatting amicably, of all things, with no one other than Chris Sanford.
Chris fucking Sanford.
The same guy she’d broken up with not that long ago... to go on a date with Tim.
Tim’s hands clenched around the sushi bag, the crinkle of paper bringing him back to the moment. He tried to keep his cool, but the scene unfolding in front of him was a sucker punch to the gut. He couldn’t believe it. First Lang, now Sanford?
For a brief, hopeful moment, he thought maybe it was work-related. Lucy was gesturing excitedly with her hands, that way she did when she got all worked up about a case, and Sanford was nodding along, looking... way too happy.
It had to be about work, right?
Wrong.
They weren’t talking about cases. They weren’t discussing anything remotely professional. Tim heard bits and pieces of their conversation—something about some beautiful place near Los Angeles. His heart sank even further.
Are you serious? First, Lang, now Sanford? Would she actually consider getting back together with Chris? Were they planning a trip together?
Tim’s head was spinning, his chest tightening with a now-familiar pang he refused to call jealousy. He wasn’t jealous. At least, that’s what he’d always told himself. But if he was being honest, he could trace the feeling all the way back to when Lucy was still his rookie. It had been there, simmering under the surface, whenever she’d talked about Emmett Lang. He hadn’t wanted to admit it then, but yeah, he’d been jealous.
And then there was Chris Sanford—another colossal mistake. It had been his own bright idea (stupid, so stupid) to invite Sanford on that double date from hell. And what did he get for it? Lucy dating the guy for a year. He could still remember the gut punch when Sanford started talking about moving in together. His Lucy, the woman he couldn’t stop thinking about, with Sanford of all people.
He knew he had no right to feel this way. He was the one who had broken up with Lucy in the first place, even though he loved her more than anything. He had been the one fucked up in the head, thinking he wasn’t good enough for her, that she’d be better off without him. And yet, after getting his shit together, he’d told her everything. He’d opened his heart to her, told her about his past, his trauma, and he’d said those three words: I still love you. I never stopped loving you.
Now, standing here, watching her laugh with Chris Sanford, it was hard to breathe.
Sanford must’ve noticed Tim’s presence because his happy-go-lucky expression twisted into a scowl. He muttered a quick goodbye to Lucy, and Tim caught something about her texting him the address later. Of what, Tim had no idea.
Lucy turned around, and suddenly, everything felt lighter. Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and nothing else mattered. The way she smiled at him— like he was the only person in the room —was enough to patch up the cracks in his heart, if only temporarily.
“Oh, Tim!” she exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise and happiness. “Is that... sushi?”
He snapped out of his haze, remembering the bag in his hand. “Yeah, your favorite.” He handed it to her, managing a small smile despite the chaos in his head.
Her face lit up even more, and before he could react, Lucy stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.
“You’re the best!” she said brightly. “Thank you so much. You always know how to make my day better. First, the chai latte, now this? You’re spoiling me.”
Tim’s heart did a flip, and he could barely focus on anything other than the lingering warmth from where her lips had touched his skin. For a second, he almost forgot about Lang and Sanford.
Almost.
“I was wondering,” he started, trying to sound casual, “if we could talk after shift?”
Lucy nodded eagerly, her eyes shining with affection. “Of course! I’d love to.”
He felt a surge of hope. Maybe they could finally get everything out in the open. Maybe this was the moment he’d been waiting for.
Just as he was about to suggest joining her for lunch, Nolan appeared out of nowhere.
“Hey, Tim, can I grab you for a sec? I need your opinion on this case,” Nolan said, oblivious to the tension in the air.
Tim gritted his teeth, forcing himself to smile. “Yeah, sure.”
Lucy gave him a sympathetic look as she headed off to eat her sushi, leaving Tim standing there with Nolan, feeling more frustrated than ever. He wanted to yell at Nolan for terrible timing, but instead, he just nodded along to whatever Nolan was saying, his mind still on Lucy and Sanford.
As far as days went, this one was shaping up to be one to forget. And it wasn’t even over yet.
Tim was halfway through signing the stack of forms Nolan had dumped on him when he felt Nolan’s eyes on him—watching, judging, or maybe just waiting for something to explode.
“You good, Bradford?” Nolan asked, his brow lifting as he leaned against the desk, way too relaxed for Tim’s taste.
Tim let out a frustrated sigh, his pen pressing down so hard it almost ripped the paper. “No, I’m not good. I was finally getting somewhere with Lucy—things were moving in the right direction. Then today happens, and boom—her exes show up like they’re part of some twisted reunion tour.”
Nolan chuckled, not bothering to hide his amusement. "Lucy does have a way of staying friends with her exes. Never really figured that one out, but hey, can’t say I mind."
Tim shot him a glare, eyes narrowing. "And why exactly wouldn't you mind, Nolan?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Nolan’s smug grin faltered. A flicker of guilt flashed across his face, and he shifted uncomfortably. "Uh... Well... I mean... it’s kind of because—"
"Because what?" Tim demanded, sensing something he wasn’t going to like.
"Because... Lucy and I... used to... date?" Nolan winced as if waiting for Tim to hit him with a clipboard.
Tim froze. His brain refused to process the information for a solid five seconds. Then it hit him like a sledgehammer. Nolan and Lucy. What the fuck?
"In what universe does that even make sense?" Tim muttered, more to himself than to Nolan. His chest tightened, and he could feel the edges of panic creeping in.
"Now, listen—" Nolan started, holding up his hands in defense. "Don’t freak out, okay? It was ages ago, and we’re just friends now as you well know!"
"Don't freak out? Don’t freak out?" Tim repeated, his voice rising an octave.
“Please don’t kill me!” Nolan yelped, abandoning all attempts at damage control. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and bolted down the hallway like a scared kid who had just set off a firecracker in the principal’s office.
Tim stood there, blinking, trying to breathe through the wave of disbelief that hit him. Nolan. And Lucy. Lucy. And Nolan.
His hand gripped the edge of the desk as he muttered under his breath, “What? The. Hell.”
The shop was eerily silent as Tim and Miles drove through the streets of Los Angeles later that afternoon. But the tension in the air was so thick it could’ve been sliced with a knife.
Penn, shifting uncomfortably in the passenger seat, risked a glance at his TO. Tim’s jaw was clenched tighter than a steel trap, and the vein in his temple throbbed ominously. It was like sitting next to a ticking time bomb.
"Uh... sir?" Miles began cautiously. "You seem... worse than usual."
Tim didn’t respond. His mind was still reeling from the Nolan-and-Lucy revelation. It was one thing to deal with Lang and Sanford hovering around, but Nolan? John freaking Nolan?
Then the radio crackled to life, and Detective Angela Lopez’s voice came through, dripping with mischief.
"Hey, Bradford, heard Lang was all over Chen this morning. How’s that treating you?"
Tim clenched the steering wheel so hard it squeaked.
Miles, sensing danger but clearly not grasping the full scope of it, chuckled awkwardly. "I mean... I can’t blame the guy."
Tim shot him a warning look, but Miles, being a rookie with poor survival instincts, kept talking. "Honestly, sir... if I had a shot with Lucy Chen? I’d marry her. No hesitation. I mean, come on—she’s gorgeous, smart, kind, and probably the most badass cop I’ve ever seen."
The radio crackled again, and Lopez’s amused laugh echoed through the car. "Oh, boot. You’re so dead."
Tim’s eye twitched. Slowly, he turned toward Miles with a deadly calm. "Get out of the car, Penn."
Miles blinked. "W-what?"
"You heard me. Out. Now."
Confused but obedient, Miles scrambled out of the car. Tim followed, pointing toward the sidewalk running alongside the station.
"Start running, Penn."
Miles gaped at him. "Sir?"
"Run, boot!" Tim barked.
With a yelp, Miles took off down the sidewalk, his boots pounding against the pavement. Tim watched him go, arms crossed over his chest, his frustration simmering just below the surface.
Lopez’s voice returned on the radio, practically cackling with laughter. "You made him run? You’re really punishing him because he likes Chen?"
"He’s running because he opened his mouth," Tim shot back, though a part of him knew Lopez was right.
Miles kept running, his pace faltering after the first five minutes, but Tim was unmoved. "Keep going, Penn! You’ve got at least fifteen minutes left!"
The rookie groaned but picked up the pace, his steps heavy with regret.
Tim finally allowed himself a small, satisfied smirk. It wasn’t much, but making the rookie sweat was a small consolation after the chaos of the day.
By the time the shift was over, Tim Bradford felt like the universe had chewed him up and spit him out. He sat in the shop for a few minutes after finishing his shift, his head leaning back against the seat, eyes closed.
It was one of those days that made him question everything. Why had he thought he had another chance with Lucy in the first place?
He couldn’t stop the thoughts racing through his mind. She’s kind, Tim. That’s all it was. The way she smiled at him, the way her eyes lit up—it didn’t mean what he wanted it to mean. It was just her being friendly, the same way she was with Nolan, Lang, and Sanford.
He let out a bitter chuckle, scrubbing a hand down his face. She had a gift—this ability to stay friends with the men who had once been her boyfriends as if none of it had ever hurt. She was a forgiving person by nature. And what was he, really? Just another ex on her list. Another guy she was too good-hearted to cut off.
Maybe, Tim thought, that was all he was to her now—a memory she was too polite to erase. His heart ached with the weight of it. It wasn’t just regret that gnawed at him; it was the realization that he had been the one to walk away. He threw away his chance.
He opened the car door, the cool night air rushing in as he stood and stretched. His muscles were heavy with exhaustion, and his heart felt even heavier. Why fight it?
Lucy was vibrant and full of life. She was everything good in a world that seemed intent on chewing people up. She deserved more than a guy like him—more than someone carrying around all his baggage.
After changing, Tim shoved his hands in his pockets and headed toward the parking lot. That’s it. It’s over. He’d bow out gracefully, and she could move on. She already had, really. All those smiles, all that kindness—it wasn’t love. It was just who she was.
His shoulders sagged under the weight of his thoughts, and his heart felt like it was barely beating at all.
Then, from behind him, he heard footsteps.
At first, he thought it was just another officer heading home. He kept walking, too tired to care. But the footsteps grew faster, purposeful—until a voice called out behind him.
"Tim! Wait!"
He slowed but didn’t turn until she was right next to him, arms crossed and a teasing smile on her lips. “Heard you made your poor boot run laps around the shop today.”
Tim snorted, the corner of his mouth twitching in something that resembled a smile—though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah. He actually dared to talk personal stuff in the shop. You know my rules.”
Lucy tilted her head, giving him that knowing look that made his defenses crumble every time. “I know that’s not it, Tim.” Her voice softened, and she stepped closer. “Be honest with me. Like you’ve been lately. What happened?”
Tim let out a long, shaky breath, suddenly finding it impossible to meet her gaze. “Fine,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “You really wanna know?”
Lucy gave him an encouraging nod, her eyes steady on his.
Tim inhaled deeply and then let it all out in a rush, like ripping off a band-aid. “I saw Lang all over you this morning. Then I saw you chatting with Sanford—of all people—and it looked like you were having the best time.” He swallowed hard, his voice growing tighter. “And then—" He ran a hand down his face as if the day had been physically draining him. "Nolan—he let it slip that... you two dated.”
Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise. “Nolan told you that?”
“Yes!” Tim exclaimed, his emotions boiling over. “And then, just to top it all off, my rookie wouldn’t shut up about how amazing you are.” He laughed, though it was without humor. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. “And you know what? He’s right. You are. You’re incredible, Lucy.”
Tim’s voice broke, and he looked down, blinking rapidly. “I realized I missed my chance. I ruined everything. Now I’m just another idiot you were kind enough to be nice to. But the thing is...” He finally met her eyes, his heart laid bare. “You’re the love of my life, Lucy. And I was dumb enough to walk away from you.”
Before he could spiral further, Lucy took two quick steps forward, grabbed him by the front of his jacket—and kissed him like her life depended on it.
Tim stood there, utterly stunned, his brain short-circuiting from the feel of her lips on his. By the time she pulled back, his head was spinning, and he could barely remember how to breathe.
Lucy arched an eyebrow, a sly smile playing at her lips. “You gonna shut up now?”
Tim gave a slow, dazed nod. “Yeah,” he whispered, his mouth still buzzing from the kiss.
Lucy grinned, the warmth in her gaze making his heart ache. “Good. Now let me explain, okay?”
He nodded again, still too stunned to form words.
“A couple of years ago, Emmett reached out to apologize for everything,” Lucy began, her voice gentle but clear. “By that time... I think I was already half in love with you, so I didn’t feel like holding a grudge.”
Tim’s heart gave a hopeful lurch at her words, but he stayed quiet.
“Emmett got his shit together. He wants to get engaged now—to this really sweet girl from my yoga class. That’s why he was so excited to see me today—he wanted advice on his proposal. It’s weird, but we both know we weren’t meant to be, and he knows I love you, so we’re cheering each other on.”
Tim let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
“And Chris...” Lucy continued, her voice softening even more. “We talked a couple of months ago. I asked him to forgive me for how I ended things, and we’re on good terms now. He’s a good guy, always was. He just wasn’t the guy for me and he understands it now. He’s moving to New York to take a big attorney job, and he just needed the address of a place I know to throw his going-away party.”
Tim’s shoulders relaxed, some of the weight lifting from his chest.
“And as for Nolan,” Lucy added, rolling her eyes with a grin, “that was short-lived. We figured out pretty quickly that we were better off as friends—long before you divorced Isabel.” She smirked. “Bailey still teases me about it.”
Tim gave a small, incredulous laugh. “You and Nolan. I still can’t wrap my head around that.”
“Yeah, well, it didn’t last long enough to count,” Lucy teased.
Tim hesitated for a moment, shuffling his feet like a schoolboy. “So... do you still like me?” he asked, his voice quieter than usual.
Lucy’s eyes softened, and before he could spiral into another ramble, she reached for him again, cupping his face in her hands. “Tim Bradford, you’re the only man I’ve ever wanted to punch and kiss at the same time. Of course, I like you. Like seems like a stupid word for how I feel about you. I love you, Tim.”
Tim’s heart soared, and the words spilled out of him before he could stop them. “I promise I’ll be the best boyfriend, Lucy. And the best fiancé. And the best husband. And the best father and grandfather—”
Lucy cut him off with another kiss, silencing him in the best way possible.
Later, sprawled across Tim’s chest, Lucy traced lazy patterns along his arm. The room was dim and quiet, filled with a contentment Tim hadn’t felt in years.
He tilted his head to look at her, brushing a lock of hair from her face. “So, about my boot’s crush on you...” he started, his voice playful.
Lucy smirked against his skin. “If you play your cards right, Bradford, he’ll never make it onto the list.”