Page 21 of The Sunny Side (Rojo 2nd Generation: Rojo Police Department #3)

C LANCY

“Have you lived in Rojo all of your life?”

“I have,” Brawley answered. “I split my summers between visits to my Mawmaw’s in Louisiana and family in Colorado, but this has always been my home base.”

“I was born and raised in Colorado.”

“Rojo is quite a change from life in Denver, I’m sure.”

“My life hasn’t really changed much, but the scenery is different. Rojo is very . . .”

Brawley laughed and finished for me, “Flat? Brown?”

I burst out laughing and agreed, “It’s flat alright. At least there’s green spaces in town, right?”

“What will you miss most about Colorado?”

“Walking the trails and finding a place to sit and read was always one of my favorite things to do. Now, I’d be lucky to find any tree anywhere. It wouldn’t be the same.”

“It’s not flat where my parents live, but the hiking is much different than what you’re used to in the mountains.”

“How so?”

“Well, everything’s mostly shades of yellow and brown . . .” I burst out laughing, and Brawley smiled before he continued, “And it’s a canyon.”

“They live near a canyon?” I asked.

“They live right on the edge, and the majority of it belongs to my father. He’s tied to the land in a way that most people wouldn’t understand.”

“Does your mom?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s all that matters.” Brawley turned the corner, and I saw food trucks lined up along the side of the street next to a large park and asked, “Are we stopping here?”

“Is that okay?”

“This is perfect!” I said. I was so glad that I’d taken my sisters’ advice and worn the outfit they’d suggested, down to the colorful Converse they’d insisted on. Just to reassure him that I was happy with his date idea, I said, “I love this!”

“I’m glad. While I’m on call, I need Max with me 24/7. I’m technically supposed to be in my cruiser, but I called my boss and got permission to leave it at home so I could pick you up.”

Some women might think Brawley was taking the easy way out by having what was going to amount to a picnic in the park, but I didn’t agree. His plan was thoughtful, comfortable, and unique. The fact that he thought to include our dogs only made it all the better.

“I did make a few other arrangements that I thought you’d appreciate.”

“I can’t wait!”

Brawley found a spot and parked before he came around to open my door. He put his hand out toward me, and I took it as I slid to the ground. He smiled at me before he opened the back door to get the dogs.

I put my hand on his arm to make him wait and lifted my phone to take a picture of Max and Cupcake, who were snuggled together in the back seat.

“They’re so cute!” I exclaimed.

“I guess this is their first date, too, although they’re already a few steps ahead of us with the cuddling part.”

Feeling saucy, I winked and said, “Play your cards right and maybe we’ll catch up soon.”

“I can’t wait.”

Once the dogs were hooked to their leashes, Brawley lifted the backpack he’d been carrying earlier today from the floorboard and slung it over his shoulder before he took my hand.

His hand engulfed mine and, once again, made me feel much more delicate than I knew myself to be.

At 5’10”, I was taller than most women I knew, but with Brawley being physically bigger and stronger, he made me feel petite.

As we walked along, I noticed he was much more careful about his steps on the uneven grass of the park.

“What happened to your knee?” I asked, referencing the brace he was wearing.

“Years of abuse between sports and being a wild kid culminated in an injury that almost ended my career. I slipped on some wet grass while on a foot chase with a suspect.”

“Oh no! Well, you’re still on the force, so I guess that’s good.”

“I can’t be on patrol anymore, which I really loved, but I’m really starting to like the cushy life I’ve got as the resource officer at the middle school.”

“It might be cushy now, but I’ve been a teacher long enough to know that you can’t judge reality by the laid-back summer school vibe.”

“I’m sure it’s going to be a lot busier during the school year.”

“Being in a building full of middle school students is like being dropped into a cage match between a bunch of rabid, screeching animals. Most days, you’re in there alone because the ref got smart and bolted after the second the bell rang.”

Brawley burst out laughing and said, “I remember middle school, and I think that’s a perfect description.”

“I love it, though. I am so excited to be teaching summer school. I really hope I make a good impression so they’ll offer me a permanent position.”

We walked toward a raised dais that was set at the end of the park. There were people scattered all over, sprawled out on blankets or sitting in folding chairs as they ate. I hoped there was a blanket for us in his bag.

When he stopped in front of a screened enclosure near the back of the crowd, I saw that he’d done much more than bring a blanket.

The teenager inside the tent unzipped it for us and then held the flap open so we could walk inside as Brawley said, “Thanks, Noah. You picked a perfect spot.”

“Glad you approve,” the young man replied.

“Clancy, this is Noah Forrester. He’s going to watch the dogs while we forage for food.”

“And we get to sit in here and eat? This really is perfect.”

“I thought it would be a good idea to keep the dogs contained so they don’t get riled up and decide to run off.

Plus, if we’re careful and keep the screen zipped, we might not get carried away by mosquitos.

” Brawley dropped his bag next to one of the chairs in the tent, and I was surprised to see that he really had thought of everything.

There was even a small folding table set up for our drinks and food.

Brawley handed his leash to the young man and nodded for me to do the same.

“Max needs to stay on leash until I get back.”

“Yessir.”

Brawley took my hand again and asked, “Are you ready to have our first argument?”

“What?” I asked in shock. “Why would we argue?”

“I’m about to ask the age-old question that has caused more fights than anything else.”

“What question?”

“What do you want to eat?”

I giggled and followed him out of the tent before I squeezed his hand and said, “We have enough options here that we don’t really have to decide, do we?”

“A little of this, a little of that, and bam! We’ve avoided our first tiff.”

“Exactly!”

◆◆◆

brAWLEY

“Brawley, I have to give you credit. This has all been wonderful,” Clancy said as the band who had started playing on the stage up front announced that they were taking a break.

“I guess I’m going to have to up my game to make sure our second date is even better.”

“I’d be content to come back and do this again. I haven’t ever enjoyed a first date as much as this one.”

“I’ll take that to mean you’ll go out with me again.”

Clancy studied my face for a few seconds before she said, “I’ve been trying very hard not to think about your ulterior motive, but I have to ask - why me?”

“Why did I ask you out?”

“Yes. You’ve spent the last decade thinking I was a snooty bitch who tried to ruin your life, but you’ve suddenly done an about-face.”

“I understand now that all of that had nothing to do with you, and that changed things.”

“Enough that you felt the burning desire to ask me out?”

I decided to be honest with her. “I went to the hospital the day of your accident to make sure you were okay but also to see if you were really as gorgeous as I remembered.”

“You thought I was gorgeous?”

“I did, but I was almost positive I had to be wrong. Your hair was all over the place, and there was blood on your face. It was dark, so we were seeing each other in the light of an emergency flare, so I was sure there was no way your eyes were as gorgeous as I’d imagined or that your hair was as soft as it felt when I was holding you in my arms or that your voice still had that sexy rasp now that you weren’t screaming for help. ”

Clancy cleared her throat self-consciously, but a flush crept across her face again as she pushed her glasses up, something I’d noticed she did when she was flustered. It was so fucking cute that I knew I’d never be able to resist trying to unnerve her.

“It was a brilliant idea to set up this tent. Is it really a tent if it’s transparent? I suppose it would be since it has a roof and walls and is held down with stakes and propped up with poles; the idea of an actual tent has just always seemed so constrictive compared to this.”

“I think this is called a bubble tent.”

“That makes sense.” She tapped her feet, as if trying to find something else to talk about, and said, “You said you like to hike. Have you ever been camping?”

“More times than I can count. Orson and I were actually camping the night of your accident.”

“Orson is the man that was with you?”

“He’s our age.”

“Are you still friends?”

“Yes. I don’t get to spend as much time with him now that we’re adults with jobs, but we try to schedule at least one camping trip every summer.” I tapped the brace on my knee before I said, “We’re going to miss it this summer, but that will be the first time since we were kids.”

“How did you meet him?”

“His parents are friends with mine. They have family here that they come to visit, and we go up to Colorado once a year for a reunion, so it was easy for us to keep in touch.”

“Do you have a large family?”

“Two sisters and a brother.”

“Do you have many cousins? I believe you know my cousins. Well, they’re my second cousins. Or would they be my third? I don’t even know,” Clancy laughed uncomfortably before she said, “They’re really the only family we have now, other than our father and stepmonster.”

“You and your sisters really hate that woman, don’t you?”

“You have no idea.”

“Was she mean to you? Locked you in the closet when you talked back? Made you live under the stairs and wouldn’t let you get any mail?”