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Months of preparation.
Endless study sessions.
Unwavering support from the only person she truly wanted it from.
All of it had led up to this moment.
Lucy had been waiting for this moment far longer than just the minutes—or hours—she’s spent pacing the bullpen. It felt like she’d been holding her breath for years. And now with the results finally posted, her body refused to cooperate. She couldn’t turn around. Couldn’t face it. The self-doubt and anxiety had a hold on her that no amount of studying could shake loose.
Tim gestures behind her, silently asking if she’s going to look.
“I don’t think I can look,” she admitted nervously, voice tight as she bounced on her feet, and fidgeted with her sweater.
“Do you want me to look for you?”
“Yes.” The word slipped out before she could second-guess it.
But the second he moved to go around her, Lucy’s hand shot out. Her instinct to stop him was immediate—even if she didn’t know why. He paused, looking down at her with quiet patience, waiting for her to make the call.
“No, um—” she looked up at Tim and her heart fluttered when she saw the softness in his eyes. She knew he’d do whatever she needed him to do right now. And just as his endless support had been what kept her going through all the studying and spiraling and self-doubt, him being here right now for this meant everything to her.
“Yeah. Yes, please.” Lucy’s decision was made as the flashbacks of her standing in front of a similar list over a year ago began to creep in. She didn’t want to relive that particular moment so letting Tim go first was a better idea.
As Tim maneuvered past her, he looked at Grey, shaking his head both amused and unsurprised by Lucy’s nerves.
She bowed her head and exhaled a shaky breath, trying to brace herself. Hope and dread tangled in her chest. She strained to hear something—anything—in Tim’s breath or steps that might give her a hint. But he gave nothing away.
“Lucy.”
Her name spoken softly, drew her head up.
“Yeah?” she asked, voice cracking slightly as she turned.
Tim’s expression told her nothing. No hint of victory. No sign of disappointment. And she kind of wants to smack him a little for prolonging this but she also loves this about him.
“Look.”
She hesitated again, then took another deep breath. Two sets of eyes watched her, neither letting on, even a smidge of what that paper says.
Dammit.
She’s going to have to look for herself after all.
Lucy took the short few steps to the glass window and braced herself. She knew she was doing a horrible job of hiding how nervous she was. Everything she was feeling was written all over her face. But then she saw it.
1. Chen, Lucy
For a moment, she couldn’t move. Could barely breathe.
She blinked, just to be sure she was seeing it right.
Her name.
At the top.
She bit her lip as the burn behind her eyes grew stronger. Her chest tightened with the effort of holding everything in.
Holy shit!
Still staring at the list, she became distantly aware of Grey and Tim standing around her.
“Typical A student,” Tim said from behind her, voice warm with pride. “Nervous you’re going to fail, even when you’re top of the class.”
Lucy turned around, smiling because she could hear the smirk on Tim’s face.
But then she turned back around to look at the list again. “I did it,” she murmured, almost to herself.
“Of course you did it!” he replied without hesitation, his tone so sure, so full of belief in her that it hit her square in the chest. And God, if she doesn’t want to launch herself into his arms right then and there—wrap herself around him and thank him for everything he’s done, everything he’s been for her since she first mentioned to him that she was thinking of taking the sergeant’s exam.
She recognizes that would be totally inappropriate but it doesn’t make the feeling lessen. So instead she just stood there, overwhelmed with joy and relief and something else that was harder to name. She passed. She passed. And not just that—she was number one. Everything was falling into place and her heart and mind felt lighter than they had in months.
“Congratulations, Chen,” Grey said as he stepped closer. His voice snapped her from her thoughts.
She turned toward him trying to collect herself.
“You’ll be able to use those new credentials right away.”
Her eyes widened in genuine surprise. “What?” She didn’t think it would happen so fast. “A Sergeant position is open? Here?” She added hopefully after glancing at Tim. She really doesn’t want to transfer to another station. Not when her and Tim are so close to…
Grey’s lips twitched. “On the night shift.”
“Oh— On the night shift. Oh, that—that—okay. That’s great. Is it possible to trade or any—?”
“No.” Grey shakes his head.
“Yeah that’s—” she acquiesces. It wasn’t perfect. But it was a start. The title, the badge, the opportunity—it all still meant something. And even if she and Tim wouldn’t see each other every shift, she believed they could figure it out.
“Again, congratulations, Sergeant.” Grey said, pulling something from his pocket.
Lucy’s breath caught when she saw her new uniform patches. Carefully, she accepted them, holding them in her hands like they were something fragile.
“Thank you, sir,” She said, voice thick with emotion.
As Grey walked away, Lucy remained still for a moment, patches in hand, heart full.
She had done it.
Lucy turned to face Tim, her smile bright and uncontainable as she held out her hand to show off her newest accessory.
Tim’s grin mirrored hers, and her heart did a somersault in her chest. God, he looked good when he smiled like that—and the fact that she was one of the few who got to see it made her feel something fierce and warm deep inside.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. They didn’t need to. Their eyes carried the weight of the words they weren’t brave enough to say.
Lucy’s mind flicked back to the moment a week ago, sitting across from him at the food trucks, having this same silent conversation. Saying everything without saying a word.
She’d told him then that she didn’t take the exam for him—and she still stood by that. This was a good move for her career and she was excited to finally be moving forward. But she’d be lying to herself if she said there wasn’t a small piece of her saying it was a good move for them as well.
Somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, she had forgiven him. The exposure to truth serum had revealed that to both of them. But forgiveness didn’t ease the fear. She was still scared. Scared to open her heart to him again. Scared he might walk away again if things got hard.
She hadn’t told him that. Instead, she hid behind the rank issue—because that was easier to explain than confessing the truth. But now, with rank no longer in the way, she knew she owed him honesty. And she owed herself a chance to be brave.
“So,” Tim said, rocking slightly on his heels, clearly nervous.
“So,” Lucy echoed, eyes still fixed on his.
“Congratulations,” he offered, voice light—but she could hear the wait behind it. There was more he wanted to say. She could feel it. She just hoped he’d let himself say it.
“Thank you,” she replied, stepping a little closer. Confidence blooming in her chest. “And thank you for everything. Really. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
His gaze softened as it found hers again. “You could have,” he said gently. “ But… you're welcome. I never doubted you for a second.”
Lucy smiled, a blush blooming across her cheeks. “I don’t know where you get all that confidence in me.”
Tim didn’t hesitate. “I trained you,” he said plainly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I know what you’re capable of, Luce. There’s nothing you can’t do once you set your mind to it.”
Her eyes stung with unshed tears, and she glanced away, blinking fast to keep them from falling. “Thank you.”
He gave her a small nod, then shifted gears. “So… Do you have any plans tonight?”
She shook her head. “Rodge is at the apartment, and Celina is serenading him with the song she wrote. I was probably going to hide in my room with headphones on.”
Tim frowned, and she immediately noticed. “What?” she asked, brow furrowing.
“That doesn’t sound like a very exciting way to celebrate a huge milestone.”
Lucy shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”
His frown deepened, “It is a big deal, Luce. Let me take you to dinner?” He asked it softly, hope laced through every word, and it tugged at something tender in her chest.
She looked at him for a long moment, pretending to consider—but the truth was, she’d already made up her mind. “Sure.” Her smile broke across her face like sunshine, and his followed—only his held something mischievous.
“What’s that look for?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.
“Do you trust me?” he countered, still grinning.
“I used to,” she teased.
He gasped in mock offense, clutching his chest like she’d wounded him, though the smile never left his lips.
“What are you up to?” she asked suspiciously.
“You’ll see. Meet me at my truck in ten minutes.”
“Oh, but my car—”
“You can get it later,” he cut her off, already backing away with a wink.
Lucy watched him retreat, her mouth slightly open, heart racing with curiosity. What on earth was he planning?
Ten minutes later, as promised, Lucy was leaning against the driver’s side door of Tim’s truck—just like she used to. The position felt familiar, comfortable, stirring up memories she’d tucked away for a time. But now fondly looked back on. Back when they were together, he used to walk up and—if she was distracted—wrap her in his arms from behind, rest his chin on her shoulder, bury his nose in her hair and press a soft kiss to her temple.
She kind of hoped he’d do that tonight.
So, she pulled out her phone and opened a random app, pretending to scroll. Her “cop eyes” weren’t really off—but she wanted him to think they were.
She heard the steady rhythm of footsteps approaching, and without looking, she knew exactly who they belonged to. Her heart skipped a beat as she imagined what he was seeing: her, leaning against his truck, looking like a living memory of everything they once had… and maybe could have again.
She heard the footsteps grow louder, her body instinctively tensing in anticipation—waiting for the familiar feel of his arms wrapping around her from behind, pulling her in close. But instead, his hands landed gently on her hips, and he exhaled a quiet, “Hey,” before turning her to face him.
A tiny flicker of disappointment passed through her, but it faded as quickly as it came. He was respecting her boundaries—and she loved him for that.
“Hey,” she returned softly, slipping her phone back into her pocket.
“Ready to go?” he asked, voice casual but eyes bright with something unspoken.
“Yeah—uh, where exactly are we going? Shouldn’t I get to pick? I mean, it’s my celebration din—”
She didn’t get to finish. His fingers pressed gently to her lips.
“Shh. I said trust me.”
“And I do trust you. But you also know I have a very complicated relationship with surprises.”
He just grinned, then took her hand. “Come on.”
Walking her to the passenger side of his truck, he opened the door and gestured toward the seat with a smug tilt of his head. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously but climbed in anyway, letting him close the door behind her.
When he joined her on the driver’s side, she was still staring at him.
“Okay, Bradford. Out with it.”
“With what?” he asked innocently.
She gave him a skeptical look. “That smile. You’ve got your conspirator smile on, and it’s starting to freak me out.”
“My what now?” he asked, feigning offense.
“Oh don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. You, Tim Bradford, have three smiles. There’s the polite ‘get me out of here now’ smile, the real, actual Tim smile—which is my favorite, by the way,” she added, catching the pink creeping into his ears. “And then there’s thatone—the ‘I’ve got a secret and I’m not telling’ smile. I became very familiar with it during my rookie year. Usually meant I was about to be hit with a Tim Test.”
He stared at her, jaw dropped. “I don’t like how well you know me sometimes.”
“Liar,” she teased, laughing.
And he laughed too, because she was right. He loved that she knew him—probably better than anyone else ever had.
As he pulled out of the parking garage, Lucy noticed he turned left instead of right—the direction that would’ve taken them to his house or any familiar restaurants.
“Wait—are you seriously going to make me wait to find out where we’re going?” Her words came out in a slight whine, and she winced at herself just as Tim shot her a smug grin, eyes back on the road.
She relaxed a little in her seat. She trusted him. Whatever he had planned, she knew it wouldn’t be anything that would make her uncomfortable. That was Tim—always stead, always safe.
Reaching for his hand resting on the console, she laid hers over it and gave his fingers a gentle squeeze.
“Sorry,” she said softly.
Tim glanced over and smiled, then turned his hand so their fingers could intertwine. Lucy looked down at their joined hands, her smile widening. It felt familiar. Right. Warm. Like something she didn’t want to let go of—tonight, or ever.
She gave his hand another squeeze. A quiet thank you.
As they drove farther, a flicker of realization sparked in her mind when he turned down a side road she recognized. Her eyes widened.
“Wait… are we going to the beach?”
He didn’t answer right away—just wore that same smug, conspirator smile. But she already knew. Excitement bubbled in her chest.
“But I thought you said we were getting dinner?” she asked, even as the pieces started falling into place.
Tim glanced at her as he reversed into their unofficial spot—one they used to sneak away to when they were dating, a quiet stretch of shoreline that wasn’t exactly private, but wasn’t well-known either. She’d dragged him there a few times, despite his grumbles. She had her ways of getting him to say yes.
Lucy turned in her seat, and her jaw dropped. How did she miss it before?
In the backseat: a neat stack of blankets and pillows. On the floor: a large picnic basket.
She snapped her head toward him, eyes wide.
Tim had parked with the tailgate facing the water, the sun dipping low on the horizon, casting gold across his face. He looked at her, smiling—not smug this time, but soft. Hopeful.
And Lucy felt her heart do something it hadn’t done in a long time.
It leapt.
“Tim,” she whispered, her voice soft with disbelief. “You planned a beachfront picnic?”
He nodded, gave her hand a quick squeeze, and slipped out of the truck. A second later, he was at her door, opening it like the perfect gentleman and helping her down.
“How did you—,” Lucy stopped, watching him in awe as he pulled all the pillows and blankets and the picnic basket from the backseat and started arranging everything in the truck bed. “I just… I don’t even know what to say.” Her voice caught. This was easily one of the most thoughtful things anyone had done for her. And they weren’t even together. That fact stung more than she cared to admit.
“Tim,” she said again, voice barely above a breath. “How?”
He reached out a hand, helping her climb into the bed of the truck.
Once she got comfortable, he settled beside her, pulling the basket between them, “Okay—full honesty,” he said, looking at her with an openness that tugged at her heart.
Lucy nodded, silently encouraging him to go on.
“I had this planned. Whether tonight was for congratulations… or something else. I knew I wanted to do something meaningful for you.”
Lucy looked at him in awe. Adoration shone through.
He opened the basket, pulling out a bottle of her favorite wine and two glasses, which he handed over.
While she poured, Tim laid out the rest: two wraps—veggie and turkey—two servings of pasta salad, a container of fresh fruit, and finally, her favorite, a small box of chocolate-covered strawberries.
“You did all this?” Lucy asked, still stunned.
He smiled and gently rubbed her arm. “I wanted tonight to be special.”
“But… you had everything ready. How’d you know I’d say yes?”
“I didn’t,” he shrugged. “I was just hopeful.”
She laughed. “And you willingly came to the beach?”
Tim smirked. “Some things are more important than my strong dislike of the ocean,”
That earned him his favorite smile, and the blush that rose in her cheeks didn’t go unnoticed.
“This is really nice,” she said quietly. “Thank you.”
He gave her a small nod, eyes closing for a moment as if letting the moment settle into his bones.
They ate in silence, the kind that didn’t press or strain. It was soft, peaceful—the kind of quiet that wrapped around them like a blanket. And when conversation did flow—it was light and easy. Punctuated by sidelong glances and shy smiles brimming with things unsaid.
By the time dinner was done and the wine bottle was nearly empty, Lucy reclined on the pillows, rolling onto her side to face him. Tim mirrored her, their eyes locking, neither speaking for a long beat. Their gaze held more than words could convey—unspoken understanding, affection, and something deeper just beneath the surface.
“So,” Tim finally said, breaking the spell gently. “How do you really feel? Now that it’s over. Now that you finally know how you did. What’s going through your head?”
Lucy inhaled deeply and let the breath go slow. “Relieved,” she said with a soft chuckle. “That’s the first word that comes to mind.”
Tim waited, giving her space to sort through her thoughts.
“I don’t know. I think I’m still in shock. I mean—I didn’t expect to score the highest. And then Grey offering me the sergeant position…it all just happened so fast.”
“You’re an incredible cop, Luce. You’re going to make an amazing sergeant. And I am so proud of you.”
“Thank you,” she said sincerely, scooting closer until barely an inch remained between them.
“Of course.”
“So I guess that’s one thing out of the way,” she murmured casually, but Tim’s eyes widened.
“Oh—uh, yeah. But you know that’s not why I brought you here right? I wasn’t expecting anything from tonight. I just wanted to celebrate you.” He sat up a bit, earnest and careful.
“I know,” Lucy said gently. “And I appreciate it. More than you know. But… you mean to tell me you haven’t been thinking about it?”
Tim looked sheepish. “I mean yeah. But I don’t want you to think I supported you just so I could win you back.
Lucy tilted her head, confused. “I would never think that, Tim.”
He pressed his lips together, unsure where to go from here.
“It’s going to be weird,” Lucy sighs. “Working nights. Not seeing you every day.”
Tim relaxed a bit and laid back down again, arms folded—one across his chest, one behind his head. “Yeah. It is.”
“We’ll just have to find time to see each other outside of work,” her voice was playful, almost flirtatious, as her fingers inched toward him.
He glanced at her then, catching the small tugging at her lips, the slow flutter of her lashes. The sight alone unraveled him. He wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss her—but he stayed still, unwilling to risk the balance.
“Yeah?” he asked, eyes back on the sky.
“Yeah,” she huffed, a hint of frustration in her voice restraint. Determined, she shifted closer, erased the space between them, and took the hand resting on his chest, guiding it around her shoulders as she nestled into his side.
His breath caught as she settled against him, her head resting on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat speed up under her cheek. He held still, unsure, not wanting to misstep.
Lucy tilted her head slightly, looking up at him. Their eyes met again—for what felt like the hundredth time tonight—but this time, felt different. And that’s because it was. This wasn’t a sated, post hook-up cuddle, or a comforting hug after a hard shift. This was an embrace that spoke volumes. On the precipice of getting back something they’d both been longing for. A clear desire to be with one another in every single way.
“Kiss me Tim,” she whispered.
His breath hitched. He didn’t move at first—waiting, making sure she meant it. He searched her face for hesitation. Found none.
So he closed the distance.
The kiss was slow. Sweet. The kind that made her toes curl. Not urgent, not rushed—just honest.
It ended too soon, replaced by a series of featherlight kisses before he pulled back, both of them smiling. Lucy rested her head back on his chest as he held her tighter. She tossed a leg over his, her arm draped across his stomach.
“We’ll figure it out,” she murmured, not wanting to fracture the serenity of the moment.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“This. Us. My new schedule. We’ll figure it all out. I’m sure of it.”
“Yeah?” He asked again, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“Yeah. I know what I want,” She looked up at him again, then leaned in, placing a soft kiss on his lips.
“Me too,” he said, resting his forehead against hers.
“I love you Tim.”
“I love you too Lucy.”