Wrong Way Renee (11 page)

“Really? That's interesting. I think I'm going to head home now. You
know how much I hate football.”

“Are you g
oing out with him or anything?”

“With whom?” Her sister was too damn easy to piss off.

“Oh, you
…
”
She balled her fists and stomped her foot, just like she had when they were kids.

“Love you
.
”
She
hurried from the kitchen
and
made her way to the family room where the men were sitting on the couch, leaning toward the big screen TV. Elizabeth was thumbing through the December issue of Southern Living.

“I'm leaving now.
”
All eyes turned toward her.
“Thank you for a lovely Thanksgiving, everyone.
Cleave
, so nice to have met you.”

He
gave her a half nod
.
“Same here.”

The men turned back to the game.

“Bye, honey. Thanks for all your help.
”
Elizabeth laid the magazine down as she stood to kiss her daughter goodbye.

“Bye,
Mama
. Love you.
”
She drove back home feeling on top of the world. This would be the first weekend in years that she'd have two dates with two different men. But what if they both turned out to be duds? What if she got herself all hyped for two great dates, but they both stood her up? When she thought about her love life, her constant companions were fear and doubt.

The
men
might find her boring. What if
she somehow turned them off? She c
ould trip or stumble, showing them what a klutz she really was. What if they ran out of things to say? What if she was really as much of a loser as she suspected?

Chapter Four

“Extra whippe
d cream on that chocolate latte,
”
Renee told
the
Starbuck’s
clerk
as the woman fixed her coffee. She
sat at a table for two as her phone
rang
.
“Hello?”

“Good morning. Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?
”
Joe asked.

She smiled
as
his voice
seemed to caress her right through the phone line
.
“The usual, you know, tu
rkey, stuffing, family, guilt.”

“
I can relate. Heading out to the mall?”

“Yeah. I'm starting with a caf
feine IV.”

“Don't steal anything, now.”

She huffed.
“You're so not funn
y. How was your turkey day?”

“Good. I went to my dad and step
mom's. It was quiet, but nice. So, are we on for tonight?”

She closed her eyes, relieved he wasn't canceling.
“I'm looking forward to it. What time do you want to pick me up?
”
She took a long sip of her coffee, unsure if it was the joe or the Joe that had caused the warmth making its way through her body.

“How's six? I h
ave to work until four-thirty.”

“Tha
t'd be great.”
This was going to require a new outfit.

At a bouti
que she frequented, she found
a long sleeved
leopard print
turtleneck. A black
pencil
skirt completed the ensemble.

“How's that working for you, Renee?
”
the salesgirl called into the dressing room.

It was kind of embarrassing that she and the saleslady were on a first name basis, but it did help when she was
search
ing for something specific. The girl even had her cell number for when new merchandise came in that she thought Renee might like. And she always held a size
twelve
back for her.

“I love it, Robin.
”
She stepped out from behind the curtain.
“What do you think?
”

The girl gasped
. She had a flare for the dramatic. No matter what
sh
e tried on, Robin said it was fabulous.
“That looks fabulous on you.
Aren't you fortunate the
ski
rt is thirty percent off today?”

“Lucky me.
”
She charged her new outfit, then went on a search for Christmas gifts for her family and a Hanukkah present for Becky. When she got home, she took a power nap, then a long, hot shower. In her closet she found the suede boots she'd been dying to wear for a year, but never could find the right outfit to match. Her new one was it. With a suede drawstring purse, she was ready for whatever Joe had in mind. Well, not anything
although if he made the right moves it was going to take all her willpower to resist jumping straight into bed with him
.

At six-ten she opened her door
to find that her policeman looked even better
out
of uniform.
“You sure clean up nice, mister.
”
She stepped aside to let him in.

His gaze swept over her as he walked past and wolf whistled.
“Wow. You look…absolutely gorgeous.”

She could get used to this.
“Would you like a
drink?”

“Nah, I'm fine.
”
He looked around the apartment.
“Where's
Apple? I love cats, you know.”

“Yes,
I remember
. Apple…
here kitty, kitty.
”

The feline
came running in from the bedroom.

Joe bent down to rub her head.
“She's a beauty. Did you name her Apple because of her red coloring?
”
The
cat
rubbed against his legs and sniffed at him.
“She must smell Law and Order.”

Or
maybe you smell so good that she wants a whiff, like I do.

“I named her Apple because I got her at a bad time in my life. All my friends and my sister were getting married and I had recently broken up with a guy I thought I might marry. I saw this adorable orange and white ball of fluff in the window of a pet store and I had to have her. She helped me through that rough patch. From the first day I had her, she was the apple of my eye.
”
She
grabbed her purse and keys.
“Ready?”

“Sure.
”
He took a long look around the living room.
“I like your apartment. You've got good taste.”

“I'm going out with you, aren't I?
”

He grinned and raised an eyebrow as they headed downstairs.
When he took her hand, her breath caught
.
Something felt so right about the way their fingers intertwined
perfectly
like long lost puzzle pieces.

But she
stopped in her tracks when she saw the police cruiser.
“Tell me we're not riding in that.
”
She glanced around the parking lot to see if anyone she knew was around. Thankfully, none
of her neighbors were outside. They might think she was being arrested.
Her mother would have an IBS attack for sure if she knew.

“That's my chariot. The sheriff's office gives us the car for personal use too. I have no need for another. If it makes you uncomfort
able, we can take yours.”

“No…
no, that's fine. I get to ride up front with you, though, don't I?
”

He glanced sideways at her, flashing his dimples.
“Yeah. I'll even turn on the siren if yo
u're real good.”

She rolled her eyes.
“No, that's okay.
”

He drove them to a tiny restaurant in a strip center called Sebastian's. The hostess recognized Joe and called him by name.
Renee wondered if she was imagining that the woman flirted with
him
as they made their way through the restaurant to their table.

She seated them in a booth next to the window
as she flipped her hair and batted her lashes at him.

Nope, not my imagination
.

But she couldn’t really blame the hostess. Joe was beyond hot.

A
strolling violin player making his way toward their table. She opened her menu to quickly decide what sh
e wanted, so when the serenader
arrived, she could give him her full attention.

Sh
e gazed into Joe's eyes.
“I think you made a good choice, taking me here. I like it already.
”

H
e leaned against the padded seat back.
“I knew you would.”

“How did you know that?
”
She raised her eyebrows.

“I ca
n spot a romantic a mile away.”

Her stomach flipped.
“I am a romantic. And obviously, you're one too. So, tell me a
ll about yourself, Joe Morton.”

He met her gaze
and the air between them sizzled with the electricity of mutual desire
.
“There's not much to tell. I'm a boring guy. I go to work, catch a few bad guys, help out a damsel in distress or two, then go home and watch a basebal
l game while I eat cold pizza.”

“Oh, come on. Where are you fr
om? Tell me about your family.”
As she asked the question, she realized her family wouldn’t approve of her dating a cop.
Her mother was a snob who wasn’t even aware that she looked down upon anyone who worked a blue collar job.

“Okay. I was born in Indiana, an only child. We moved here when I was in Junior High because my father was offered a good job a
t Disney World painting murals.”

“Ah, a
n artist
.”

“
He’s a
fine one, still is, although he's retired now.
”
His eyes darkened.
“My
mother
died of breast cancer when I was in high school.
”

Her chest tightened at the pain etched in his expression.
She took his hand across the table.
“I'm so sorry.”

“Thanks.
My dad remarried a few years ago. She's very nice, my step
mother
. Anyway, I graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Criminal Justice and was hired immediately with the sheriff's offic
e. I've been there nine years.”

“Ever been married?
”
She raised an eyebrow, hoping she wouldn't hear about an ex-wife and children.

“Nope.”

Good.
“Any old girlfriends lurking about?
”

“What is this, the third degree?
”
He chuckled.
“I was engaged once. She broke my heart and it took me two years to even ask a w
oman out on a date since then.”

“How long has it been since your fiancée broke it o
ff?”

“Two years.”

“So I'm
…
”
A lump formed in her throat.

“Yup.
”
He pushed the saltshaker around the table.

“I'm flattered.
”

The waitres
s arrived to take their order. After she left, Joe reached across the table and gestured for her hand. When she gave it to him, he rewarded her with that sexy grin. “You have beautiful hair.
”
Thick silence hung in the air for a few seconds until he spoke again.
“
T
ell me about your salon.”

She relaxed a little at the less personal subject.
“It's called Hair Affair and it's on Elm Street. If you get a bad haircut there, you can say you had a nightmare on Elm Street.
”

“Ha. I bet you don't
tell that one to the patrons. Pretty cool to be so young and already have your own business. H
ow many peo
ple do you have working there?”

“My partner, Becky Weiss, the one you met at Jordan's, is a hairdresser. We have one other right now, Zoey. She's been there about a month now. Our last hairdresser walked out right in the middle of a perm. What a nut case. Then we have one other nail tech, beside me. Her name is
Chantelle
. She's about forty, divorced. Does good nails. I'd like to find another hairdresser or two.
”
She liked that he seemed interested in her business.