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“Are you ready?” Tim asks as soon as Lucy steps inside his office. She’s already changed out, her bag on her shoulder. He can see her engagement ring from where he is sitting. It shines in the light and he can’t help but smile.
It looks good on her finger.
“Yes.” Lucy says. “Are you?” She gives him a pointed look and he nods. He stands up and starts putting everything into his bag.
“Yes.” He says. “Just give me a few minutes. I will—-”
“Lucy.” A voice says and Tim watches as Lucy freezes. He is frozen too, and he doesn’t need to see the person to know who it is. He knows the voice, the last time he heard it was unfortunately when he came into this very office and asked about house for him and Lucy.
(Thank god it didn’t happen. Thank god Lucy broke up with him.)
It’s Chris Sanford.
Lucy turns around to and there’s no doubt she clocked Tim’s expression.
“Chris.” Lucy says politely. “What are you doing here?” Chris doesn’t reply instead his eyes go to her finger. His face darkens a little.
“So it’s true.” He says. “You are engaged.. to him.” His eyes go to Tim who just holds his gaze.
“Yes I am.” Lucy says. Chris clenches his fist. “Do you have a problem with that?”
“Yes I do.” Chris says. “I treated you with respect. I was doing everything for you. I was planning our future and you just… broke up with me.”
“Do you not hear yourself?” Lucy asks her voice calm and Tim is surprised. As far as he knew she hadn’t had any contact with Chris since they broke up. She said it was horrible but it was done and he could only think it was horrible because Lucy cared.
She was a kind person with a big heart. She had empathy for those who didn’t deserve it. It was one of the many, many things he loves about her. It was one of the ways she healed him.
“It’s all about you. I, me, me.” She says. “You didn’t do any of those things. You were selfish, you were controlling. You demanded I buy a house with you. You didn’t even know me.”
“I wanted to be with you. I cared about your feelings.” Chris says. “I would have gotten you a ring that shined. Unlike that piece of crap.” Tim feels his stomach drop a little, and looks at Lucy but her face doesn’t change. He has a feeling she doesn’t like the fact Chris just insulted her ring.
“Right,” Lucy says. “You still don’t get it. I don’t need anything fancy. But you wouldn’t know that. Tim knows me.” Chris stares at her and steps forward towards her. Tim is behind Lucy in an instant just daring Chris to step any closer.
“What I don’t get is how you got with the man who disrespected you. Who was an ass to you. You think he has changed but he hasn’t. Just wait he will go back to his old ways. He doesn’t care.” Chris sneers. “Maybe you do deserve this life.”
“Tim is not the asshole,” Lucy says calmly. Tim doesn’t even want to see what her face looks like. He might even be scared of her. “You are.”
“No. No.” Chris says and he reaches for Lucy but Tim grabs him and shoves him. Hard. Chris stumbles backwards hitting the side of the door. Lucy looks back at Tim, she is angry. But. Or at him.
“I can file a report for assault!” Chris growls and he moves forward again. This time Lucy shoves him away. He stumbles again.
“Actually, Tim’s camera will show you trying to touch me.” Lucy says. “We were just trying to defend ourselves.”
Chris eyes go to Tim, and he does look a little less confident than before. “You are the ones who pushed me.” He says but his voice falters.
“You are the one who put your hands on my fiancée.” Tim snaps at him. He steps next to Lucy so he’s even with her. He knows she can handle Chris on her own, and if this was any other place he wouldn’t hold back nor would he let Lucy hold back.
“And?” Chris sneers. “You are the watch commander. You are being watched. You aren’t going to do anything Bradford. Your moral code—”
Lucy steps forward and shoves Chris again. This time she follows him until she has him trapped. “No but I will. You are a piece of shit Chris. You think you are so high and mighty but you are pathetic. We broke up. I moved on. You should too.” Lucy says her voice cold and firm.
“You moved on awfully fast Lucy.” Chris says. Tim rolls his eyes, this guy really wouldn’t give up.
“Pretty easy when I’m with someone who actually cares about me.” Lucy says. She turns her head to look at Tim and gives him a smile.
“You are a bi—” Chris starts but Tim has had enough.
“Watch it.” He says coldly. “Think before you speak Stanford. You can go now.” Chris gapes at him and then turns around and storms out of the office.
There’s a moment of silence.
“You don’t have your camera on.” Lucy says looking him up and down. Tim’s lip twitches into a smile. He didn’t know if he could pull that one off. Chris clearly didn’t notice.
“He doesn’t know that.” Tim says. “I had no idea he was so bitter.” Lucy shrugs her shoulders and then holds out her hand.
“Are you ready to go home?” She asks. Tim nods and continues to gather his stuff. He steps closer to her.
“I’m really glad it worked out the way it did. You. Me. Not Chris and you.” Tim says and he puts a hand on her lower back and guides her out the door.
“Me too.” Lucy says. “Me too.”
***
When they get to the parking lot they see Chris shaking his fist at the tow truck driver who is loading up his car. (His stupid small car that made him look like even more of a clown).
Tim looks over at Lucy who looks amused. “This is what happens when you are a jackass.” Tim whispers to her. Lucy shoves him a little but it’s playful.
“No, this is what happens when he has 5 unpaid parking tickets.” The tow truck driver says. Chris glares at him.
Tim takes her hand and leads her to the truck. He gives her a kiss and then looks over towards where Chris is standing still yelling at the tow truck driver. He shakes his head and climbs into the truck.
Lucy holds out her hand and he takes it. He runs his fingers over the ring.
“The ring is perfect.” She says. “I don’t need anything big or fancy.”
“I know.” Tim says and it’s exactly where he picked that ring. It was Lucy. He didn’t need to worry about her not liking it because he knew she would.
“It’s from you and you know me better than anyone.” Lucy says and she leans across the console to give him a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”