Page 20 of The Sunny Side (Rojo 2nd Generation: Rojo Police Department #3)
C LANCY
I usually observed at least the minimum amount of respect for my sister’s privacy when I came over and knocked on their front door or called ahead to make sure they weren’t busy, but this was an emergency situation. I never even considered those things today.
I was teetering on the edge of a breakdown and needed help from at least one of them or even both if I could find them together.
Darcy squealed as she spun around with her hand on her chest and then leaned against the counter. “What the hell, Clancy?”
“That’s what you get for leaving your door unlocked!” I told her as I set Cupcake down on the floor. “I need help!”
“If you don’t already, you’re gonna need some soon for scaring the shit out of me like that!”
“What am I going to wear? I don’t know where we’re going, so I’m not sure if I should go all out with heels and the works .
. . not that I even know which bin my heels are in at this point, but I have a few hours.
I can . . . No! Wait! I can wear those black strappy sandals of yours.
Okay, so that’s good, but what do I have that would .
. . I hate that I don’t know what to expect. ”
“From what? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I’m going to dinner.”
“In public?” Darcy asked in shock.
“Yes, in public! Or maybe he’s the kind of guy who just wants to get in my pants and is going to try the ‘I wanted to cook for you’ bullshit.”
“Who?” Darcy shook her head and muttered, “I’m so confused right now.”
“Brawley!”
“You finally found him?”
“He found me. He walked right into my classroom, looking like a hot cop stripper showing up for a bachelorette party, and then asked me out.”
“In front of your class?”
“No!” I explained what happened this morning and then our brief conversation in his office. Before I had even finished, Darcy had Tansy on speakerphone, and within seconds, she was on her way over. “What am I going to wear?”
“We’ll figure something out, but I can tell you right now that it will be nothing like what you’ve worn on any of your previous first dates.”
“Why do you say that?”
“We’re dealing with an entirely different kind of animal here in Rojo, or at least with the men I’ve met so far. Since he’s part of their group, and even related to some of them, I am almost positive that dinner at the country club isn’t happening.”
“I mean, I know how to dress for that, but it’s clear that he’s not the country club type.”
Darcy threw her hands up in the air and looked at the ceiling before she cheered, “Thank you, God!”
I ignored her and continued, “But that’s why I’m so flustered and frantic.”
“Why didn’t you ask him what he had in mind so you would have an idea?”
“I was too rattled at the thought of going on a date with the man I’ve been dreaming about for years , Darcy! Years !”
Tansy burst through the front door and skidded to a stop beside me before she asked breathlessly, “What did I miss?”
“She’s planning country club fashion for a date with a biker cop.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Tansy asked.
“Years of conditioning that I’m still trying very hard to work my way past,” I said honestly.
I looked over what my sisters were wearing and smiled when I saw that their outfits were very much a reflection of their individual personalities.
“Obviously, both of you have been successful, but I’m taking baby steps. ”
“Step number one is that you only wear things that you’re comfortable in. If something’s too stiff . . .”
Tansy burst out laughing and said, “Personally, I’ve never found that to be a problem.”
Darcy pushed at Tansy’s shoulder and grinned before she continued, “Or if something is too scratchy, don’t even buy it. If it’s in your wardrobe already and you don’t love it, donate it or find a way to repurpose it.”
“Find whatever makes you comfortable, and that includes your work clothes,” Tansy added as she looked me up and down and then shook her head.
“You’ve got that uptight teacher vibe that makes me wonder if you walk around slapping a ruler on the palm of your hand while you scream, ‘There are rules for a reason, children!’ in a maniacal voice. ”
“I’ll unpack that insult later. Right now, I need something to wear to dinner.”
“Let us dress you,” Tansy suggested.
“And you can’t argue with what we choose.”
I narrowed my eyes at Darcy before I asked, “Doesn’t that go against the whole ‘wear what makes you comfortable’ vibe?”
Darcy rolled her eyes before she said, “At least give it a try, okay?”
“I’m not built like either of you,” I reminded them.
Yes, I was tall, but no matter how many times I reminded myself that I’d look ill if I was as thin as those archaic BMI charts suggested, I wasn’t exactly comfortable with my body. No one would ever consider me a gym rat. I didn’t have toned muscles I could show off or abs I was proud of.
As a matter of fact, I wasn’t sure I even possessed the ability to get abs. Of course, I hadn’t ever tried very hard, so there was that.
“You’re built like the pin-up models that have had men drooling over them since the beginning of time.”
I smiled at Darcy before I said, “You’re so sweet. So, since we’ve acknowledged that I’m not shaped like either of you, how will I possibly fit into your clothes?”
“I’ve got the perfect dress.”
Tansy grinned before she said, “Go home and take a calm, relaxing shower. We’ll be there in thirty minutes with your outfit, and then I’ll do your hair.”
“And I’ll do your makeup!” Darcy announced.
“You guys are the best,” I said as I choked back tears. “Who needs friends when I’ve got sisters like you?”
“You need friends! We’ll always be here, but you should diversify.”
Darcy rolled her eyes before she said, “We met with Marcus and the accountant today, so she’s using big words.”
“God, I love you,” I said before I gave each of them a hug. I swept Cupcake up off the couch where she was napping and headed for the door. Over my shoulder, I called out, “Please don’t make me look like a hoochie for our first date!”
◆◆◆
brAWLEY
I thought it was funny that out of all the neighborhoods Clancy could have chosen, she had picked out a house just a few blocks from mine. That made sense, though, since her cousin Sophie was how she was connected to Rojo.
It seemed crazy that none of us had ever made that connection before, but then again, I had only known her as Clarisse. I also didn’t exactly announce that I’d been accused of stalking her - or at least bothering her enough for her parents to get the law involved.
As a police officer, I knew there was more at play than just their accusations.
Their money and connections played a large part in getting that through the courts so quickly with so little evidence, but that didn’t really matter now that everything was cleared up.
It pissed me off to think that Clancy’s stepmother had judged Orson and I solely on our appearance and the fact that they didn’t recognize our names from their social circle, but shit like that happened everywhere.
And, to be quite honest, I was glad I didn’t belong in their orbit. It sounded like a lonely existence where everything was weighed on appearances rather than character, something that the people in my family found much more important.
What I did find funny was that they would have been surprised to find that my family wasn’t lacking financially at all.
My mother’s childhood career and her inheritance from her parents gave her quite a nest egg.
With that in addition to her successful business here in town, my mom would have had no problem finding her place among the country club set, if that’s what she had chosen.
Although they shared their money, my father had a substantial income of his own.
Years ago, he had invented some things with his buddy Zeke Duke, and they had done very well with that.
Through the years, he’d added to the original invention and even come up with a few more, which netted him his own fortune.
Luckily, neither of my parents were focused on money and hadn’t raised us to be.
Our childhoods weren’t spent in stuffy places where we had to be on our best behavior.
No, our childhoods were spent exploring the outdoors with our dad and then enjoying a home-cooked meal before we joined Mom in one of her yoga classes or sat with our parents out on their favorite rock and watched the sunset as the canyon behind our house came alive with wildlife.
Growing up, my father taught me lessons about a myriad of things like how to track wildlife and game and how to work with wood. He created beautiful pieces with his hands that others would consider priceless works of art. Almost everyone I knew had something my father had made for them.
His passion in the last few years has been creating pieces for use in everyday life, from the chess sets for those who enjoyed the game to cutting boards lovingly crafted for housewarming gifts. His handiwork could be seen around the homes of many of our friends and family.
As I pulled up in front of Clancy’s, I wondered if he might have a spare cutting board sitting around that I could give her as a sort of a belated welcome gift with an added, “I’m sorry my family has bitched about you and yours for the last thirteen years.”
I waited patiently after I rang the doorbell, smiling when I heard her dog barking inside and Max’s reply coming from inside the truck behind me.
I hoped that Clancy would like my date idea and that she’d be understanding when she found out why I had chosen this particular location for tonight’s dinner.
Luckily, I wasn’t on call very often, but it always seemed to happen when I really didn’t want to be interrupted - like tonight while I was on a date with a woman I couldn’t wait to get to know better.
The door opened, and the vision I saw made me suck in my breath and pray that my jeans would hide the instant erection I got when I saw Clancy standing there.
She was wearing a dress that looked like a long, soft T-shirt with a slit up one side, giving me a great view of her leg up to mid-thigh. When I was finally able to peel my eyes away from that exposed skin, my eyes traveled up her body to take in the rest of the view.
The dress she was wearing followed the curves of her body perfectly, showing off the flare of her hips before it tapered up and fitted itself against her chest - an abundance I found myself dying to explore.
Clancy wasn’t overweight by any means, but she wasn’t toned either.
She looked healthy, and I appreciated that in more ways than I could count.
When I finally made it up to her face, I found her giving me a once-over too. Her hair was pulled away from her face with her bangs swept to the side so I could see those gorgeous eyes. She had her hair in a thick, shiny braid pulled over one shoulder.
I had to admit that I was relieved when I saw that she wasn’t dressed as if she was expecting to go to an expensive restaurant .
. . Although, I hoped I’d have a chance to do that soon too.
When I heard scratching on the glass, I looked down and saw her tiny dog doing her very best to dig out through the storm door so she could hang out with Max who was now howling.
Clancy bent down and picked up her dog before she opened the door. Her face broke into a smile as she locked eyes with me and said, “Hi. Let me put her in her kennel, and then I’ll be ready to go.”
“Actually, I had to bring Max since I’m on call, so I thought your dog might like to join us. I know Max would be all for it.”
“Really?” Clancy asked, clearly happy about my suggestion. “I’d love to bring her along. You’re right . . . She hasn’t been the same since I picked her up the other evening, and I think it’s because she’s missed her new friend. Would you and Max like to come in?”
I glanced down at my watch and then shook my head before I suggested, “Maybe later. I planned our dinner around something specific that starts in half an hour.”
“Am I dressed okay for where we’re going?”
“You look fantastic, and what you're wearing is perfect.”
“Thank you. Just let me get my bag then.”
I watched Clancy walk away and appreciated the dress she was wearing even more than before. So far, at least from her outward appearance, Clancy Middleton seemed like the perfect woman.
I just hoped her inner beauty was as stunning as her looks. If that was the case, then she would truly be the whole package - something a smart man would appreciate and honor with everything he had.
Luckily, I was that kind of man.