Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Juarez!” Tim bellowed across the bullpen.

He watched Celina turn around, eyes widening a little before schooling her face. Clearly trying not to seem as afraid of him as she was.

Tim wore a neutral expression. He wasn’t going to yell at her. Heck he didn’t even want to talk to her about work. But he had a reputation to uphold and therefore he wasn’t going to give anything away. Yet.

Celina hesitantly walked up to him. She looked him up and down and Tim knew. He knew she knew he’d been texting her roommate and talking to her on the phone every night. It wasn't necessarily a secret. As far as he knew nobody at the station—besides Celina—knew about Lucy. Angela was thankfully too drunk that night at the bar to remember the beautiful girl he talked to all night and then subsequently drove home. She didn’t know how he’d spent almost every waking moment since, thinking about her. And he was most thankful that his best friend hadn’t caught him with the dopey smile on his face that seemed to accompany Lucy’s texts and phone calls. Because she no doubt would pester him for details and tease him until the end of time.

But then again… he really wouldn’t care. Because Lucy was different. Talking to her was like waking up to sunshine after days of endless clouds and rain. Everything he didn’t know he needed. It’d been a little over a week since they met at the bar and he wanted to take her on a date. A real honest to god date. Just them. He wanted to see her again and he had the blueprints of a plan but he needed Celina’s help… even if he was reluctant to say those words out loud.

“Sir?” She asked, trying to keep the trepidation out of her voice.

“You can relax Juarez. You’re not a rookie anymore. Nobody is scrutinizing your every move.” Tim said coolly.

Celina’s shoulders relaxed and she let out a breath. “What can I do for you sir?”

Tim’s eyes darted around, making sure nobody was in earshot to hear what he was about to say.

“I—I need,” he started leaning in closer to her. “I need your help. With Lucy,” he finished, his voice just above a whisper.

The younger officer didn’t react right away but when she pulled back her face wore a knowing grin and she watched him with an amused expression.

It felt foreign to Tim, being this nervous. And asking a subordinate for help with something like this. But this wasn’t just anything. It was his first date with Lucy. What would hopefully be their last first date ever and he wanted to make sure it was special. So asking for help from the person who probably knew her best… even if it was his coworker…was necessary.

So it took everything he had to stop himself from shooting her a glare for looking at him like that.

When she finally spoke, there was a teasing note to her voice. “And,” she cleared her throat. “What kind of help would that be?”

Tim rolled his eyes. Celina was enjoying this too much. But he pushed through, reminding himself of the outcome. “I want to take her on a date,” he said smoothly. “I know you know we’ve been talking… since that night at the bar.” He stopped himself from saying everyday just in case Lucy hadn’t actually shared with her roommate. But the way she nodded knowingly told him she knew way more than he probably wanted her too. But he digressed.

“I want to take her on a date,” he repeated. “And I want it to be perfect for her,” he blushed and Celina’s face softened.

It wasn’t everyday she saw this side of Tim Bradford. Hell she’d never seen this side of him. She didn’t want to tease him about it—he was still her superior and he clearly cared deeply about Lucy if he was going to these lengths for their first date. So Celina would help him however she could.

She nodded slowly, eyebrows raised waiting for him to continue. When he didn’t, she took over. “Okay. What do you need from me sir?”

Tim hesitated for a minute, collecting his thoughts. “I just—I want to know—,” he took a deep breath. “I need to know where to start.”

Celina pursed her lips before nodding in understanding of what he was asking. She waited a few beats, trying to think of what information to give him. It had been awhile since she’d seen Lucy go out on a date. Her last relationship was toxic and she knows her roommate was gun shy after that. But she knew Tim. He was a good guy and they both seemed to be falling pretty hard for one another so she was happy to help.

“Alright,” she began. “Well weeknights are tough for her but not completely out of the question. Mondays are usually a no. She comes home exhausted and passes out relatively early. The rest of the week could work, she just doesn’t like to be out super late. Saturday would probably be the best day but she does a lot of self care on Saturdays.” Celina paused, wincing at whether or not that was revealing too much. She wasn’t sure what Lucy had told him and she didn’t want to go spilling any secrets and destroying the magic early.

But Tim was nodding along, taking mental notes as she spoke so she continued and tried her best to censor her intel.

“She’s very lowkey when it comes to going out. She’s not one that needs to get all gussied up to go out. She doesn’t mind simple.”

He looked at the younger officer, waiting for more and a sly smile tugged at her lips as she prepared to say what she was going to say next. “Not that she wouldn’t appreciate something a little more upscale down the road.”

Tim once again rolled his eyes but if he was being honest, everything Celina was giving him was great. He was already starting to plan in his head. He figures something lowkey for the first date would be the best option.

“Do you think dinner and a movie is too cliche?” He asked.

Celina smiled at the sincerity and the hesitation in his voice. “No. Not at all sir. And actually I just saw a flyer for an outdoor movie festival this weekend at Griffith Park. Food trucks, picnic style, the whole deal. I won’t tell her about it and I’ll let you take full credit for the idea, if you decide to go that route. And,” she pulled out her phone. “The weather should actually cooperate.” She finished by showing him her phone.

LA weather in January could be mild but the potential for rain increased significantly. However he was in luck because it was showing low 70s with 0% chance of rain all weekend.

He smiled and although he didn’t want to admit it, it actually sounded like a great idea.

“Thanks Juarez. You’ve been helpful.” He said walking away.

“Anytime,” she yelled after him, shaking her head.

Tim gathered his thoughts and got to work planning. The first thing he needed to do was ask her. He checked his watch and saw that it was only 1:30. She was still at school and would be for at least another two hours. So he went back out on patrol and tried to pretend that he wasn’t nervous about asking Lucy out on a date.

***

His phone rang just before 4 o’clock and he tried to hide the smile that spread across his face at seeing who it was. But the risk of teasing from Aaron in the passenger seat was worth it.

“Hey you,” he said in greeting, climbing out of the shop. He didn’t need Aaron hearing his conversation so he opted to lean against the back with the window down in case a call came in.

“Hi,” the sweet voice on the other end of the phone replied. She sounded exhausted.

“How was your day?”

Lucy let out a long sigh. It put him on edge a little thinking something was wrong, but then she spoke. “Tired. I swear the weeks after winter break are almost worse than the ones leading up to it. These kids have so much energy. It feels like Friday, not Tuesday. She sighed again and Tim heard her car door close and then the beep signalling she locked it.

“I’m sorry. Anything I can do to help?” Tim flirted.

“Hearing your voice is a very effective calming technique,” she stated but he could hear the smile in her words.

“Nobody’s ever told me that before. Good to know,” he chuckled.

Just then the radio crackled to life and Tim looked at Aaron who was responding to dispatch.

“Oh no. Are you on patrol? Tim, I’m so sorry. I’ll let you go,” the sentence came out rushed and he could hear her guilt.

“It’s fine, Lucy. We weren’t doing anything and I answered,” Tim assured her.

“But now you have to go?” She asked.

“I do. But there’s something I want to ask you first.”

”Okay.”

Tim took a deep breath. He still couldn’t get a grip on how nervous he was for this. He was ninety eight percent sure she wasn’t going to turn him down. And quite honestly the longer he waited to ask her, that percentage was probably going to drop. And anyway, he wanted to see her again. Talking and texting was only doing so much.

“What are you doing on Saturday?” He finally got the words out, ignoring the sidelong glance from Aaron as he climbed back into the shop.

“No plans currently,” Lucy said, trying to sound calm and collected.

“So if I asked you out on a date, say for Saturday at five… you might say yes?” He teased.

“I’d say that was a definite possibility,” Lucy giggled, giving it back to him.

Tim smiled and started the shop. “I’ll pick you up at your apartment Saturday at five then.”

“Looking forward to it.”

There was a momentary silence, Tim knew they needed to respond to the call but he wasn’t quite ready to get off the phone with Lucy.

“Be safe Tim. I’ll talk to you later, Lucy finally said, giving him the out.

“I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”

He hung up the phone, ignoring Thorsen who was full on staring at him now. He flipped on the siren and threw the shop into drive, doing his best to focus on his job and not this Saturday.

***

The week crawled as his excitement for Saturday grew. And by the time it was actually here, he couldn’t believe it. He had to go in for a few hours this morning to cover for Lieutenant Grey but he was home by noon. Which gave him plenty of time to shower, pack everything he would need for his date with Lucy and anxiously pace his living room while he tried not to drive to her apartment too early.

Kojo watched him sit on the couch, get back up, sit back down, check his watch, let out a frustrated sigh, get up to go fiddle with something in the kitchen only to return to his place on the couch. The dog let out an annoyed huff at his mobile owner and Tim just smirked in the dog's direction.

“Don’t give me that okay,” he told the canine who laid his head back down but was still looking at him. “I’m nervous. So sue me.”

Tim reached for the remote hoping ESPN would be enough to distract him until it was time to leave to pick up Lucy.

He resisted the urge to text her. He was eager but he didn’t want to seem too eager. They’d already talked this morning. She called him before work, needing to know how to dress today.

“Comfortable,” was the only direction he’d given. He chuckled when she let out a frustrated groan at his lack of help.

“That’s it?” She’d asked, sweetly and he could sense what she was trying to do.

“That’s it.” He told her smugly. “I have to keep you on your toes.”

“You’re infuriating,” Lucy mumbled but he could hear the smile in her voice.

“And yet, here you are going on a date with me,” he teased.

“Lord only knows why,” she joked back.

“I’ll see you later okay?” Tim said. His tone softened, and his heart stuttered at the idea of getting to spend time with her later.

Lucy read his tone and the mood lightened. “I’ll see you later Tim. Be safe today.”

“Always am. Bye.”

As he recalled their conversation, he couldn’t remember a time that he’d ever been this nervous and excited to go on a date and be around another person. He doesn’t think he was even this excited with his ex-wife. He winces at the thought both because it was a red flag and a reminder that at some point he was going to have to tell Lucy he was divorced.

It wasn’t messy per se, but it was definitely what was best for both of them. His relationship with Isabel happened so quickly but crashed and burned in probably the worst of ways.

Tim shook his head, ridding himself of thoughts of his ex-wife. He wished no ill will towards her and last he’d heard she was doing much better but she was the last thing he wanted to think about before his date with Lucy.

He checked his watch again. Still too early to leave. He sighed, leaning back against the couch trying to focus on the highlight reels of last week's Rams game.

Excitement settling in his chest, for the night to come.

Chapter Text

Saturday’s for Lucy were usually the same. Slow starts, coffee, gym, a little shopping if she was feeling up to it and after that seeing where the day took her. Usually it led her right back to her apartment with her Kindle in hand or a true crime documentary on the TV. However, this particular Saturday looked entirely different.

In a good way.

She was still able to enjoy a slow morning, drinking her coffee while scrolling on her phone. She did go to the gym but as for the rest of the day… Tonight was her first date with Tim and she was spending the afternoon getting ready. She’d gotten her nails done earlier and now she was at home trying to relax before she had to start getting ready.

She was beyond excited. He’d finally asked her out after more than a week of texting and talking on the phone. When they hung up on Tuesday, she’d let out a delighted squeal but as today quickly approached she found herself panicking a little (okay, a lot) over the details. Where was he taking her? What should she wear? What if she didn’t know how to seem interesting in person? What if the spark that had ignited the night they’d met just wasn’t there. What if she’d romanticized this entire thing in her head.

More than once, she had to shake those thoughts from her head and remind herself that Tim wouldn’t have asked her out on a date if he didn’t want to go. But that only answered a few of her nagging questions. She still had no idea what she was supposed to wear because he’d given her exactly zero details. Lucy pulled her phone out, tapping his contact, deeming it not only appropriate, but necessary to just ask how she should dress for the evening.

She was allowed that much. She thought to herself as the phone rang.

Hello,” his deep voice sang out and immediately butterflies kicked up in her stomach at the sound of it.

“Hey,”

“What’s up? Couldn’t wait until tonight to hear my voice?” Tim flirted and Lucy found herself smiling.

“Maybe,” she teased.

“Well I’m always happy to hear from you. Is everything okay though?”

Man he was laying it on. Lucy thought. Not that she minded. It was endearing. “Everything is fine. I just had a question.”

“Okay.”

“About this date,” she started and she heard the small hitch in his breath on the other end of the phone. “How should I dress?” As she finished the question she heard the relaxed exhale he let out before answering.

“Comfortable.”

One word. That was all he was giving her.

“That’s it?” Lucy asked sweetly. Trying to pry more out of him.

“That’s it. I have to keep you on your toes.”

“You’re infuriating,” she mumbled, trying to stop the smile that was forming.

“And yet, here you are going on a date with me.”

“Lord only knows why,” she joked.

“I’ll see you later okay?” Tim’s voice was soft and Lucy’s heart started beating a little faster. Despite his less than helpful tips on her wardrobe choices she couldn’t wait to see him later.

“I’ll see you later Tim. Be safe today.”

“Always am,” he stated simply. “Bye."

“Bye.” she whispered, already pulling the phone away from her ear and tossing it on her bed. She fell back with it and let out a frustrated sigh.

Yeah. She was going to be spiraling for the rest of the day.

By the early afternoon, Lucy had showered and stepped into a pair of leggings and an old worn t-shirt. She started perusing through her closet looking for something comfortable yet cute. Something that was date appropriate without trying too hard. An outfit that would ensure Tim asked her out again.

An hour later she was no closer to finding that outfit and her bedroom looked like the closet had exploded. She stood in the middle of the room surveying all the discarded clothes around her.

“Comfortable,” she muttered to herself before letting out the fifth frustrated groan of the day.

Upon hearing it from the living room, Celina knocked on her open door. “Everything okay… in… here?” Her words slowed down taking in the mess of fabric covering Lucy’s space.

“NO!” Lucy whined with a little more bite than she meant to. “Sorry. It’s just I have no idea what to wear tonight. All he said was comfortable. And that doesn’t help me at all. Comfortable as in pajama pants and a hoodie? Comfortable as in hiking clothes?” Comfortable as in we’ll be sitting in a boujee LA restaurant among celebrities?” She asked, holding up a dress that was too fancy for school but she kept around for other occasions.

Her roommate just looked at her with eyes wide and smiling. She was trying her best not to give away that she knew exactly where Lucy was going on her date. Maybe she was breaking girl code a little bit but she was also terrified of Sergeant Bradford.

Lucy continued rambling and Celina averted her eyes. Looking like she wanted to be anywhere but here. Unfortunately for her, Lucy clocked it and immediately called her out.

“What was that?” She gasped.

“What?” The younger girl feigned innocence.

“Do you…” Lucy paused, sizing her up. “You totally know where he’s taking me don’t you? Celina!?”

“No I—I don't,” Celina held her hands up. “I swear. I—he,” she stuttered, slowly letting out a breath and relenting. “Fine. Maybe I do. But only because he asked for some help. He wanted the date to be perfect so he ran some ideas by me. That’s it. Please don’t be mad.”

She watched her roommate ramble and could feel the tension leaving her body. “Celina stop. I’m not mad. I promise. But you have to tell me. I don’t want to overdress or underdress. I really like Tim and I want to make a good impression,” she begged.

Celina pursed her lips as her eyes darted around the room. “Tell you what. I’ll pick out an outfit for you that I know will be perfect for what you guys are doing. But I’m not going to tell you where he’s taking you. I know you want to be surprised and while you’re my best friend and I love you Tim—Sergeant Bradford is still my boss and he scares me.”

“Deal,” Lucy huffed out, relieved.

Celina strode to the closet, rifling through endless clothes that were work appropriate but didn’t necessarily scream first date. Finally she found a plain pink v-neck blouse and a cream waffle-knit shacket that would pair well with a pair of jeans. Celina sifted through the stack of pants, looking for a specific pair. Letting out a triumphant ‘Aha’ when she found them.

“Here,” she said, handing over the clothes.

Lucy hesitated, giving the pieces a once over. “Are you sure? Jeans?”

“Yes I’m sure. These ones make your butt look good so…” Celina wiggled her eyebrows.

She let out an incredulous sound, gaping at the young cop standing in front of her. “Alright. Thank you.” She walked into her bathroom to get dressed and finish her hair and makeup. Something else she couldn’t do until she knew what to wear.

When she finishes, there is plenty of time left before Tim has to pick her up. Which is how she finds herself pacing the apartment while Celina sits on the couch, scrolling her phone, trying to be supportive but also letting Lucy have her space.

“Will you please come sit down?” Celina finally said when Lucy darted between the living room and the kitchen for the fiftieth time.

“I can’t. I’m too nervous. Sitting will only make me more anxious.”

“You still have like forty-five minutes. Are you really going to do this,” Celina gestured. “Until he gets here?”

“Yes,” she deadpanned. “No. I don’t know. I just—I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”

“It’s been a while since you’ve been on a date,” it wasn’t a question, rather a simple statement of fact.

It had been over eight months since her last date. She’d been out with the guy a few times before and she thought it might go somewhere but it ended in such a disaster she was ready to swear off dating and guys altogether. Until she met Tim.

“I know,” Lucy sighed. “It’s just—I guess I’m—I don’t know,” she buried her face in her hands. “I know it’s been too long since I’ve been on a first date,” she reiterated. “What if I—what if I mess up? Or he doesn’t want to see me after tonight. I really like him and I don’t want this to turn out like every other relationship.”

Her roommate watched her with curious eyes, letting her express any and all apprehension she was having about tonight. She didn’t want to diminish what she was feeling but she did want to try and help. “Can I tell you something,” she asked, sitting up.

Lucy nodded, finally sitting next to her, eyes expecting and anxiously bouncing her leg.

Celina took a deep breath, “If it helps— I think Tim may be just as nervous about this as you are.”

“Really?” She sat up straighter.

Celina closed her eyes and nodded, relaxing back into the couch.

Lucy took a calming breath and leaned her back against the armrest, careful not to wrinkle her outfit or crush her perfectly crafted "natural" curls. She opened her mouth a few times like she wanted to say something but closed it, as if not sure what she wanted the words to be.

“Listen,” she started, noting the hesitation on Lucy’s face. “I’ve known Sergeant Bradford for almost two years. And in that time, he’s been strict, demanding, grumpy, broody, a drill sergeant if there ever was one. But I will tell you, in the last two weeks since he’s been talking to you I’ve never seen this side of him. Sure he’s still a hardass but he’s also been smiling more. And Aaron tells me that he’s been easier to get along with. And for him to come to me, a subordinate, to ask for advice on making your date perfect… that was huge for him,” she put a comforting hand on her knee. “So I don’t think you could mess this date up even if you tried. I think you’re both so ridiculously into each other, that as soon as he gets here, you’re going to forget all about those nerves and you guys are going to have the best time.”

Lucy watched as the younger woman shifted, unsure of where to go from there. She herself felt more relaxed after that declaration and it did make her feel a little better thinking that Tim was just as anxious as she was. Maybe she just needed to see him and everything would be okay.

“Thanks,” she whispered and Celina nodded. “But I do need to distract myself for the next thirty minutes so…,” Lucy continued, glancing at her watch. “Any ideas?”

Celina put her phone aside and nodded toward the paused TV in front of them. “We’ve got about thirty minutes left of Mind Hunter.”

Lucy smiled and nodded as Celina navigated out of the show she was watching and to the show they had started together.

She was still a little on edge as they watched their show. She’d no doubt have to go back and watch it again when she could fully focus but her mind was making room for her excitement to take over her nerves. Not that she hadn’t been excited before, it’s just all her fears did a good job of pushing it aside. However, now the opposite was true. And hearing Celina’s little speech helped immensely. She found it sweet that he was going to so much trouble just to make sure their first date was special. She smiled as the thought popped into her head that this could possibly be her last first date. Her cheeks pinked up when she realized she was getting ahead of herself. She was grateful that Celina was too absorbed in the show to notice.

The credits had barely flashed across the screen when there was a firm knock on the door. Both girls whipped their heads around.

Show time.

Chapter Text

Tim took a deep breath. A few actually. He checked the apartment number in his texts from Lucy as he rode the elevator up and again when he was standing in front of apartment 610. He squared his shoulders and blew out another breath, hand tightening around the bundle of sunflowers in his hand. He remembered Lucy mentioning in passing that since she was a little girl sunflowers had always been her favorite. So he’d stopped at a floral stand on the way to her apartment. He just hoped she liked them and didn’t think he was coming on too strong.

He shook his head, deeming that thought ridiculous. No girl he’d dated had ever balked when given flowers. Before any other irrational ideas popped into his head, he lifted his fist and placed two firm knocks on the door and waited. He heard some shuffling around behind the door and a muffled ‘just a second’ from a voice that was definitely not Lucy’s. Which meant Celina was home.

It’s okay. Tim thought. It’s totally normal for your subordinate to see you picking up your date. Nothing weird about that.

Footsteps began approaching the door and it opened to reveal Celina not Lucy and Tim’s heart dropped a little.

“Hello sir,” the young officer offered.

“Juarez,” Tim nodded.

“Come on in,” Celina stepped aside, giving him room. “Lucy will be right out.”

He made his way into the apartment just in time to see Lucy emerge from the bedroom on the left. She was placing something in the small bag in her hand not paying attention but he stopped, his breath catching.

Her hair was in soft waves that cascaded over her shoulders, some of it pulled back. Her pink blouse hung perfectly accentuating her golden honey skin. She wore a pair of jeans that had Tim trying not to stare too long because he was going to have some unholy thoughts. When she finally looked up, she smiled at him and he caught the soft tinge of pink in her cheeks and it was like the air got knocked out of his lungs. She was radiant. The most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“Hey,” Lucy beamed.

It took a minute for his brain to catch up with him and gave his head a small shake before returning her smile.

“Hi,” he breathed out. They stared at each other for probably a minute too long, barely registering the sound of Celina’s bedroom door closing behind them.

Lucy’s eyes strayed from his, to the flowers in his hand and then back. Tim stepped forward suddenly, as if just remembering he was holding something.

“Umm, the-these are for you,” he stumbled over the words, holding the sunflowers out to her.

If it were even possible, the smile on Lucy’s face grew exponentially at the gesture. Not only had he brought her flowers on their first date, but he’d remembered her favorite flowers. And she’s pretty sure she’d only mentioned that to him one time and it was a very brief topic of conversation. God she was already falling hard for this man and they hadn’t even left her apartment yet.

“Thank you,” Lucy reached for the flowers, burying her face in them to smell them, in an attempt to hide her blush.

Tim nodded, still smiling, eyes crinkling and stuffing his now empty hands in his pockets.

“They’re beautiful. Let me just put them in some water and we can go.”

He nods once again, watching her move around the kitchen island to find a vase. While she rummaged through her cupboards Tim’s eyes wandered around the space. He noticed the orange walls, not his taste but for whatever reason he thought the color fit Lucy. Bright walls to match her bright personality. There was a green couch with multi-colored pillows and a white blanket draped across the back. Shelves and tables with books and various items. The space felt warm. Lived in.

“You ready?” Lucy’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. She was standing right in front of him now. He glanced behind her to see the sunflowers now perched on the island in a green vase.

“Yeah.” Tim removes his hands from his pockets and lets one hover over the small of her back, not quite touching as he guided her out the door. He waited while she locked the door and then offered her his arm. She gave a startled but admiring “oh!” as she linked her arm with his. He led her down the elevator and to his truck and like a proper gentleman helped her into the passenger seat before jogging to the driver side.

Lucy wiped her hands on her jeans trying to seem less nervous than she was, but doubted she was doing a good job. She took a deep breath while Tim hopped in the driver's seat. He smiled over at her as he turned over the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.

The air in the cab of the truck was charged with nervous energy. Radiating off both Tim and Lucy. Neither one knew how perfectly the other wanted this date to go. Tim dutifully kept his eyes on the road, hand gripping the steering wheel. Lucy glanced over shyly a few times, opening her mouth like she wanted to say something but no words coming out.

When he pulled up to a red light, Tim looked over at Lucy, the awkward silence suffocating them. Finally, Lucy spoke.

“So do I get to know where we’re going now?” She asked with a teasing lilt.

Tim smiled. “When we get there.”

Lucy shook her head, smiling. Both of them now grateful that the ice had been broken.

“How was work today?” she inquired, wanting to keep the conversation going.

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his chin.

“Uh oh. That bad,” she added, wincing.

“No,” he reassured her. “Not really. I just had to fill in as watch commander and people think just because Lieutenant Grey isn’t there, they can get away with whatever they want. Remember that officer I told you about, Smitty?”

She nodded, recalling the stories he’d told her the night they’d met.

“He thought he could convince half the station to leave early to go paintballing,” Tim shook his head in exasperation.

“Wow!” she scoffed. “How far did he get with that?”

“Not as far as he would like to think,” he chuckled. “I shut him down after I overheard the third person whispering about it.”

Lucy smirked, a flush creeping up her cheeks at the thought of Tim taking command. “Good for you.”

Another beat of silence surrounded them before she spoke once again. “I understand though.”

Tim looked at her briefly, raising his eyebrows before turning back to watch the road. “Yeah?”

“Yeah I mean before I got hired at Mid-Wilshire elementary I substitute taught at a lot of different places and kids think that just because their regular teacher isn’t there, it’s a free for all.”

Tim looked over at her again and nodded, smiling.

“I shut all that down right away. And I make sure my students know that when someone is there that’s not me, they better treat them with the same respect as they would show me.”

He nodded once again, not taking his eyes off the road but he was clearly impressed. “Sounds like you know exactly what I’m talking about. Not sure how I feel about police officers acting the same… or worse I guess… than Kindergarteners.”

Lucy giggled at the comparison. She played with the hem of her shirt trying to think of where to steer the conversation next. A quiet exhale of relief escaped her when Tim was the one to ask a question next.

“How long were you a substitute teacher?” He turned the truck and Lucy thought she recognized the route they were headed.

“Technically two years,” she answered.

“What do you mean technically?”

Lucy took a deep breath and eyed him, assessing whether he really wanted to know or if he was just making polite conversation. When her eyes met his, she saw unfiltered curiosity. Not a hint of anything else.

“So I did the whole typical substitute gig when I first graduated. Different schools or classrooms each day. But my second year, I got hired in mid-year to do a long term for a maternity leave. But then that teacher decided not to come back for the rest of the school year. So they asked if I was comfortable finishing out the year. I agreed so I was in this weird in between where I wasn’t actually the teacher of record but I was the one creating lessons and grading and communicating with parents. So that’s why I say technically two years because it wasn’t until the following year that I got a full time position.”

Tim nodded to let her know he was listening. A smile spread across his face.

“And then,” Lucy continued. “The teacher decided to not come back at all, so the principal offered me the job, saying she was impressed with how I adapted to the situation and handled it with grace.”

“Impressive,” he stated.

Lucy nodded, proud. “And that’s where I’ve been ever since.” Then her eyes widened and she turned toward Tim who was oblivious to the guilt suddenly overtaking her. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I just made this whole conversation about me. I’m so sorry Tim. Did you want—”

She cut herself off when Tim’s hand landed on hers resting on the center console. “Lucy, take a breath. It’s okay. I asked you a question and you answered. That’s all. I like listening to you talk and I don’t like talking about myself that much anyway.”

Her mouth opened to counter an argument but closed it quickly when she saw the genuine smile cross his lips. She nodded, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Realizing that it was going to be really hard to mess this thing up with Tim. That realization causing a stampede of butterflies in her stomach.

Before either could dwell on the lull in the conversation, Tim pulled into the parking lot of Griffith Park. Lucy gazed out the window at the flurry of people and food trucks and noticed the giant projection screen in the distance.

“Is this what we’re doing?” she asked aghast.

Tim nodded and looked over at her sheepishly. “I hope it’s not too cliché.”

“It’s perfect,” she squeezed his hand on the console and watched as his worry faded away.

Tim parked his truck and got out, hurrying over before Lucy could let herself out.

“Such a gentleman,” she commented.

Tim’s cheeks heated up as he reached for her hand. Lucy looked down to hide the smile at his reaction.

“Alright,” Tim spoke, clearing his throat before continuing. “The movie doesn’t start until a little after six. We can get something from the food trucks or I packed a picnic if nothing sounds good. Or it can be snacks for later.”

Lucy looked over at the man standing next to her. Her expression soft and appreciative. She’d never had anyone put in this much effort for her before. Especially not on a first date. And it made her heart do funny things. She looked in the backseat and spotted a picnic basket under a pile of blankets.

“Let’s go see what our options are,” she suggested.

Tim nodded and they began walking through the park. Hand in hand, they looked around at the different options while doing their best to ignore the hustle and bustle of people around them.

“Do you want to each get something different and share?” Lucy asked, when making a decision was beginning to seem impossible.

“That sounds great. But this is my treat. So you pick first,” Tim offered in a tone that left little room for argument.

That didn’t stop her from trying. “I—” she started, but closed her mouth immediately when she saw the look on his face. “Okay fine,” she relented.

Tim smirked and gestured around the area. “So what’ll it be?”

“Thai?”

“Sounds great.” He stood next to Lucy while she ordered a small helping or pad see ew and pad kra pao. He had his card waiting before she even had a chance to reach for hers. He gave her a smug look as the lady swiped the card and handed it back to him. When she was handed her food, Tim led her over to one of the many taco trucks. He placed his order and they found a quiet spot away from the crowds of people.

They swapped some of the food and dug in.

“So was Kindergarten always the plan?” Tim inquired, breaking the short silence between them.

Lucy looked at him, eyebrow quirked, before registering what he was asking. She tilted her head back and forth, swallowing her bite of food before answering. “It wasn’t not the plan. I didn’t really care what grade I ended up teaching but now that I’ve been there, I can’t imagine teaching any other grade.”

Her answer was honest. And Tim heard a certain passion behind her words that made his chest squeeze.

“What about you?” Her words drew Tim from his thoughts.

“Huh?” he asked dumbly.

“Was being a cop always the plan?”

“Oh,” Tim shrugged, figuring out how to continue. “I don’t know. When I came back from the army it just felt like a logical next step. I didn’t know where else I could put that military training to good use. So I signed up for the academy the first chance I got. And here we are. Almost twenty years later. And I also can’t see myself doing anything else.”

He gave her a small smile as she took another bite of her noodles.

“So what made you want to be a teacher? I remember you said your parents were therapists and thought you’d follow in their footsteps. What made you defect?”

Lucy grimaced at the mention of her parents but her heart sped up hearing he remembered yet another small detail about her. She wiped her mouth with a napkin and looked up at him. Finding the same genuinely curious expression he’d given her earlier in the truck. She lost herself in his eyes, delaying her response and she missed the way he’d shifted nervously.

“Sorry,” the word brought her back to the present. “If it’s too…” he continued but she stopped him by placing a hand over his atop the table.

“It’s fine,” she smiled. “Um… I don’t know if it was really one thing. I had amazing teachers growing up and I saw what a difference they could make in their students' lives. And I always admired that.”

Tim nodded and took the last bite of his food.

“I spent too many hours in therapist offices growing up…” she paused realizing how that sounded. “Because of my parents… not because… oh god. This is… I’m… Sorry.” Lucy closed her mouth immediately.

Tim smiled at her, unable to keep it to himself. He found her little spiral adorable. “Lucy, it's okay. I didn’t think… that’s not where my mind went when you said that.”

She gave him a small look of relief, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I spent a lot of time in their offices and while I admire the work they do and I believe mental health is important; I wanted to make a difference somewhere else.”

“That’s noble.”

“Thanks,” she smiled, feeling much more relaxed than she was a minute ago. “And you. I so admire the work you do. The things you’ve seen. I can’t even imagine. I know some of the stories Celina has come home with. I'm just in awe of what you guys deal with everyday to make sure we’re all safe out there.”

Tim nodded thoughtfully. He’d never really been praised for his work, from anyone not on the job that is. “It’s… Yeah. It’s definitely never boring.”

Lucy nodded along as the conversation fizzled out. But the silence was once again never awkward. Never tense. Both felt a comfortability with each other that they’d never felt with anyone else.

Once their food was eaten and the sun began to dip behind the trees, Tim stood and began to gather their trash, Lucy following suit. “Shall we go get our things from the truck and stake out the perfect spot for the movie?” He asked.

“Sounds great.” Lucy laced her arm with his again as they strolled back to the parking lot. Tim grabbed the blankets handing them to Lucy and then reached for the picnic basket. They made their way to the open field where couples and families alike were claiming their spots for the night’s movie under the stars.

“Alright so what do you think?” Tim asked, surveying the space. “Front, back or somewhere in the middle?”

Lucy looked around thoughtfully, trying to find the best spot. “How about over there?” She pointed to an unclaimed area near a tree that was close enough to the screen that they could still hear and see the movie, but far enough away from the larger part of the crowd that it felt a little more romantic.

Tim gave a terse approving nod and let her lead the way. She unfolded the larger blanket in her arms and laid it on the grass. She took her shoes off and situated herself while Tim busied himself with getting refreshments from the basket he’d packed. He pulled out cups and offered wine or water. Lucy opted for water, not wanting to be under any sort of influence. And then he took out containers full of various fruits, crackers and cheeses. Along with his famous chocolate chip cookies. His mom’s recipe and his secret weapon. Usually he didn’t pull these out until he’d been dating someone for a few weeks. But he knew Lucy was different and he was trying everything he could to impress her.

They started a respectable distance apart on the blanket but as they chatted while waiting for the movie to start, they got closer and closer. Like magnets being pulled toward one another. By the time the movie actually started, there was no space left between them. Their thighs were pressed together, hands close enough that every so often one of them would run a finger across the others.

Tim offered Lucy a cookie which she happily accepted. Her eyes went wide when she took her first bite and whipped her head toward him. The smug grin on his face said everything but she had to give credit where credit was due. “You made these?”

“Last night.”

“These are the best cookies I have ever tasted.”

“Thank you,” he said sincerely. “It’s my mom’s recipe. We cooked together a lot when I was younger and I’ve always enjoyed being in the kitchen.”

Lucy’s eyes sparkled at his admission and she moved so she could grab his hand. She squeezed it once and he smiled at her. Making a daring move, he put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. The moment was perfect.

As the movie continued to play, and the night air grew cooler, Lucy eventually put on the cardigan she’d brought with her. Tim noticed of course, and tugged her a little closer. She looked away, bashfully, smiling on the outside, giddy on the inside.

When the credits finally rolled, both of them hesitated to get up. They watched the people around them pack up and make the way to their cars but neither one wanted to break the magic of the night. It was hands down the best first date either of them had been on.

Eventually, they locked eyes and smiled, knowingly. Lucy moved first, reaching for her shoes and putting them back on. She stood while Tim packed up the containers back into the picnic basket. Once the blanket was folded, Tim reached for Lucy’s hand and led them back to his truck.

“Tonight was really fun. I had a great time,” Lucy spoke first as Tim pulled out of the parking lot.

“Yeah?” He glanced between her and the road, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “This was one of the best first dates… one of the best dates I’ve ever been on,” she amended.

“Me too,” Tim whispered shyly.

Easy conversation flowed between the two as Tim drove the route to Lucy’s apartment. The ride was not nearly long enough for either of them, but they both knew the night had to end sometime.

When they parked, neither made an attempt to get out. They just stared forward out the windshield. Lucy fiddled with the hem of her shirt and finally unbuckled and began to reach for her door.

“Let me walk you up,” Tim comes around to the passenger side and helps her out.

“You don’t…” Lucy begins to say but quickly realizes she wants just a few more minutes with him. “Thank you.”

He smiles at her as she punches in the code to get into her building. They ride up the elevator in silence. It’s different than the lulls in the conversations they’d had tonight. It was heavy. Borderline awkward. Lucy looked over at Tim whose eyes were fixed on the ground, hands nervously tapping his jeans. He looked like he’s mentally preparing for something and Lucy hoped to god she knew what it was.

The elevator dinged and opened at floor six and Lucy stepped off, Tim following close behind. She walked up to her door and hesitated for a minute, not actually opening it. She turned around and Tim was so close she could reach out and touch him. She looked up and met his eyes. They were watching her carefully. Searching her face.

“I really did have a great time tonight Tim,” Lucy said quietly, knowing her nosey ass roommate could potentially be listening on the other side of the door.

“Me too,” he stepped closer and Lucy’s breath hitched.

She leaned in at the same time he did and their eyes were locked on each other. Tim’s hand came up to rest on Lucy’s cheek and the next thing she knew their lips met. Lucy felt the sparks immediately. The kiss was slow and sweet and the feel of Tim’s lips against hers was something she never wanted to forget. Something she never wanted to end. When he pulled back, she stood there for a minute. Eyes closed. Lips tingling from the best kiss she’d ever had. When she finally came back to earth, her eyes fluttered open and she saw Tim standing there looking just as dazed but he was grinning.

“Wow,” he breathed.

“I’ll say,” Lucy smiled, her brain finally catching up with the rest of her body.

Tim brushed a stray piece of hair behind Lucy’s ear and she shivered at the contact but it made her stomach do backflips. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he offered.

All she could do was nod. He gave her one more smile before turning to walk back towards the elevator.

“Or you could call me when you get home,” she yelled after him.

Tim stopped in his tracks and turned. She was smirking and his heart stuttered in his chest. He knew he was in trouble with her but if he was being honest with himself… he didn’t care one bit.

“I’ll call you when I get home. Goodnight Lucy.”

“Goodnight Tim.”

And with that, he disappeared around the corner and Lucy slipped into her apartment excited for what was to come.