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  Staring down at the amber liquid in my glass, I couldn’t hold it in. Before I really knew what I was saying, I blurted out, “It’s sad when a parent dies but their kid survives. It’s miserable when anyone dies, but a mother dying in front of her daughter in a car crash is downright awful.” I slammed back the rest of my drink and grabbed my coat from the stool next to me. “I think it’s time to call it a night. See you guys at the rehearsal dinner?”

  “Yeah, man. See you Friday.” Gavin nodded as Jordan waved goodbye.

  Chapter 2

  Whistler

  This has seriously got to be a damn joke. I checked my watch again. We were getting close to thirty minutes of no-show bride. Is this really happening right now?

  Gavin started to bounce on his heels. “What the heck is taking them so damn long?” he mumbled. With the back of his hand, he wiped sweat off his brow. It was a chilly fall day, so for him to be sweating, there was a serious problem. But if I was in his shoes, I would have been sweating too.

  “You know how Marsheila has to be perfect. They’re probably still trying to get her hair just right,” I said, trying to comfort him, but there wasn’t too much I could come up with. From where I was standing, it wasn’t looking good. All I could think about was how much I wanted to be an ass and tell Gavin that I had warned him, but what good would that do in that situation? It was better too bite my tongue and try to be as supportive as possible.

  The music from the string quartet was starting to get on my nerves as they started to play their set for a third time, the droning of the repetition digging under my skin making me want to rip the damn bowtie and vest off instantly. The guests were fidgeting in their white folding chairs as they looked around, muttering to themselves. It was starting to get pretty awkward and downright embarrassing. All eyes were glued to us as the shit slowly started to hit the fan. I felt like I was front and center for a train wreck that was about to take place.

  What a fucking crock of shit.

  With all the demands Marsheila had put on the damn wedding, making Gavin shell out upwards of seventy grand on one damn day, I was thinking how that bitch better make an appearance soon or I was going to start breaking necks.

  Right as I took my cellphone out of my pocket to call Marsheila, the maid of honor, who was also Marsheila’s sister, started quickly shuffling around the group of seated guests, trying to wave Gavin over.

  I followed Gavin closely as he rushed toward her.

  “I am so sorry, Gavin. I couldn’t talk her out of it.” She shoved the note into Gavin’s hand before turning around and bolting away in her tan heels and flowing seafoam green dress.

  What in the ever-loving fuck just happened?

  Gavin dropped to his knees in the cold grass right at my feet. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening to my best friend, and there was nothing I could do to help or stop it.

  I started to pull him to his feet, forcing Gavin to stand. His face was red, his eyes were glassed over, and his jaw was hanging open. Before I could even register what he was doing, Gavin’s fist was connecting with the side of my face. I grabbed my cheek as tears started to roll down his.

  “Holy fuck man!” I exclaimed, staggering back a few steps.

  Gavin was frozen. All eyes were on us, the guests slack-jawed as they watched the worst moment of Gavin’s life unravel in front of them.

  I needed to see the note clutched in Gavin’s hand before he had a chance to read it. I needed to know that cunt’s ridiculous excuse for breaking his heart was.

  “Get off of me!” Gavin protested as I desperately tried to wrestle the note out of his grasp.

  “You just punched me, dude. You need to let me see this.” Our eyes were locked. I knew the big, bad hockey star was about to fight me like he did the guys in the rink, but I didn’t give a fuck. It wouldn’t have been the first time Gavin and I got into it. He usually won, but I held my own.

  I tore the envelope open and read the scribbled cursive that wove the biggest heap of bullshit I had ever read in my entire damn life.

  My dearest Gavin,

  This is the hardest letter I have ever written in my life. Please know this decision was not made lightly or in haste in any way. It’s taken me over a month, and sadly, I know without a doubt that it’s not just cold feet. I do believe we are making a mistake and should not get married at this time. I have dreamed about becoming your wife for as long as I can remember, and it’s with a heavy heart that I have to close the door on that dream. You’re an amazing man and will be a fantastic father and partner for someone, but I believe I’m not the one you’re supposed to be with. Through all of it, I have felt second in so much of your life, and I cannot start a marriage being anything but first and foremost in my spouse’s life. My eyes were opened more and more over the last few weeks to things that aren’t going away, getting better, or changing. Putting my feelings on the back burner has weighed me down, and I know that is not what either of us deserve. I know I have changed over the last few years, and that’s a huge part of this. You need to be with someone who is more like you, who still wants to do the same things you do, who loves hockey and doesn’t mind how much you travel. I will always love, admire, respect, and be so proud of you, and I will always be here for you, Gavin. I’m going out of town for the weekend to be alone and truly get my head on straight. Please give me this space. I guess we can hammer out the details when I get home. Please understand that the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. I know inevitably that is what is going to happen, and I am so sorry. I do love you, Gavin.

  -Marsheila

  Gavin tried to snatch the note out of my hands as I reread it in disbelief then said, “Why don’t you just wait until tomorrow for this? Let’s make the best of all the money you blew on this shit show.”

  I put the note in my pocket, and Gavin turned to his guests. “It seems like there won’t be a wedding tonight…I guess that’s something to celebrate.” He threw his hands into the air, letting out a weird laugh.

  “Fuck it!” I slapped Gavin on the back before yelling, “It’s all paid for already, let’s have a damn party!”

  So, in our tuxes, with all the guests that were there for Gavin, we went and got plastered at the open bar, ate a shit load of amazing filet mignon with wild Alaskan salmon along with everything else at the buffet, and danced our night away. The best part by far was the food fight that ensued once the cake was brought out. Gavin got an extra bill for cleaning and damages a few days later, but he didn’t mind in the slightest—it had been totally worth it. I was just glad my best friend wasn’t going to be tied to that raging bitch for the rest of his life. If I never saw Marsheila again, it would be too soon.

  Chapter 3

  McBee

  A few years later

  “You’re going to be great! Just try and calm down a bit. It’s going to be fine. Everyone is anxious on their first day on the job. It’s totally normal.” My mother tried her best to comfort me, but to no avail. “I was a complete ball of nerves on my first day and it ended up bring the best day of my life, second only to the day you were born.”

  I was about to walk into Precinct 69 in Brooklyn. I was about to have a dream I’d had since I was a little girl come true. Both of my parents had been NYPD, and it was time for me to finally follow in their footsteps.

  Growing up, I had mostly been a loner. I preferred fictional characters to the mean girls and horrible bullies I had dealt with at school. I loved mysteries and crime dramas, reading them as fast as I could get my hands on them. Now, I was embarking on my own crime-filled adventure.

  “Yeah, Ma. I know, I know. I’m allowed to be nervous, though—it shows that I care.” I paced a few times just down the block from the front door like a lunatic.

  “Your father and I are just so proud of you, Jess. You are going to be one hell of a cop!” I could hear her sniffling a bit.

  “Thanks, Ma,” I sniffled a little bit too, “Ma, I
gotta go. I don’t want to be late for my first shift.”

  We hung up the phone and with a deep breath and shaking hands, I walked into the station. I knew my way around it for the most part, and within a few minutes I was standing in the captain’s small office, trembling like a leaf.

  “Good morning, sir.” I choked a bit as my throat turned into the Sahara, looking down at the captain that was reading a file on his desk with a magnifying glass.

  “You must be the new kid.” Captain MacDonnell heaved up from the chair behind his desk as I reached my hand out to shake his.

  “Y-Yes, sir,” I stammered.

  He hit a button on his phone. “Whistler, come here. Your new partner is waiting.”

  Captain MacDonnell had a devilish smirk on his face as one of the most handsome men I had ever laid eyes on strode into the minute space. He was tall, broad, and had the clearest cobalt eyes I had ever seen in my damn life. That wasn’t the kicker though—it was his damn smile. That smile could make an angel sin.

  With a sly simper spreading on his lips, he held his hand out. “Sean Whistler. Nice to meet you.”

  “I’m Jess—uh, Jessica McBee. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” My fingers gripped his for far longer than was appropriate as I got lost in the clear oceans that captivated me, and the captain cleared his throat.

  “Whistler, show McBee the ropes and keep her out of trouble, ya hear? Her parents were on the force and her dad was actually my partner when I worked vice for a blink of an eye.”

  Sean put his hand on my shoulder and started to usher me out of the captain’s office. “Nervous, McBee?” he asked, digging his car keys out of his pocket.

  “Is it that noticeable?” My cheeks were burning red as I followed him out the doors and to his patrol car.

  He shrugged. “Just a lucky guess. Everyone is a little nervous in the beginning, but don’t worry, I got your back.”

  I melted into the passenger’s seat, thankful to not have a raging dick for a partner. That would have made everything so much worse.

  “So, your parents were cops, huh?” he asked as he put the car in reverse.

  I nodded. “It was kind of a no-brainer for me. I always wanted to be just like them. They were my real-life heroes, ya know?”

  He flashed his toothy, panty-melting smile, and I about damn near fainted.

  How am I supposed to be professional and not swoon over my partner every time he grins at me?

  “Yeah, I totally get it. My uncle was a cop, and I thought it was the damn coolest thing in the world. When we were little, he’d let me and my buddies ride around the block in the back of his car with the lights on and I even got to play with the siren sometimes. I thought it was the best shit on the freaking planet.” Sean was luckily oblivious of my drooling as he talked to me.

  Sean and I spent the day driving around, writing traffic citations and a speeding tickets—nothing to write home about. I didn’t care, though; to me, it was the most thrilling day of my fucking life. I was actually dressed in my uniform, wearing a badge I had earned, riding around with a partner in a cop car, protecting and serving the community that I loved.

  “You did all right today, McBee.” Sean winked at me, putting the car in park in the back of the station.

  I shifted in the lumpy seat to get a better look at my new partner. “Thanks for everything today. I learned a lot.”

  “Don’t mention it.” He rubbed the back of his neck slowly. “Say, would you want to grab a drink with me and a few of my friends tonight? Jordan is guest bartending at a new place and Gavin and I promised her we’d show up.”

  Over the course of the day, Sean had told me all about his friends. Jordan was some type of famous bartender and went all over the country helping failing bars turn their staff around before they tank. I thought it was really sweet that Sean made it a point to support her whenever he could; it really said a lot about his character.

  The big shocker was Gavin—I couldn’t believe my new partner was best friends with the captain of the New York Otters. That was fucking mind-blowing shit to me. Growing up in Brooklyn, the Otters were a way of life—my dad and I never missed a game when he was off in time to watch them. I had so many amazing memories of sitting on his lap watching Gideon Hayes and Reggie Cox dominating the ice back in the day.

  The fact that I was getting invited out with Sean the first day was pretty awesome—I had been worried he wasn’t going to like me or would get sick of how boring of a life I had within the first five minutes of meeting me.

  “I would love to.” I gripped the door handle firmly in my quivering hand.

  Get a damn grip, McBee. It’s normal to be invited out for a drink after a shift.

  Chapter 4

  Whistler

  Gavin slunk onto the barstool next to me. “How was your date?” I asked. By the look on his face, I already knew the answer.

  “Horrid. Simply awful. My mother has the worst damn taste in the fucking world.” He threw his hands in the air as Jordan poured his Manhattan into a martini glass. “Bless you.” He bowed his head in thanks as he took the cocktail from her.

  “Was it really that bad?” Jordan asked, and Gavin flipped her off.

  “She was gorgeous with long blond hair and a huge rack, but she had the personality of a wet paper towel.” Gavin sucked in a sharp breath with his eyes slammed shut.

  “Here’s to another epic fail in Mrs. Hayes’ matchmaking career.” I raised my glass to Gavin’s, and Jordan held her stomach from laughing so hard. “At least this one had a nice set of twins on her.”

  “Sean, don’t be gross.” Jordan shot a sharp look over at me before turning to Gavin. “You know, Gavin, one of these days you’re going to have to tell your poor mom to just cut her losses and realize good breeding isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” Jordan was completely right—Mrs. Hayes was just going to have to accept that Gavin was in a slut phase of his life. He wasn’t ready to settle down again after Marsheila, and picking up random chicks at bars was going to have to do until he snapped out of it or got his fill of strange. It was hard for him to find anything other than puck bunnies to deal with his traveling and odd hours, anyway.

  “How’s it been going at this place?” Gavin asked, deflecting.

  Jordan was barley tall enough to reach all the way over the bar. She started shaking a drink over her shoulder. “They’re paying me well to get their staff in shape, so I can’t complain. I like the change in pace.”

  While Jordan was rambling, I saw my new partner was coming through the front door. I frantically started waving as I yelled, “Hey McBee! Over here!”

  “Who’s that?” I heard Gavin ask Jordan as I walked over to Jess.

  “Hey Jess. Glad you could make it.” I put my hand on her shoulder. I would have been a liar if I’d said I wasn’t attracted to Jessica, but she was my partner and completely off limits. I had to keep reminding myself of that unfortunate fact.

  “I told you I would, and I am a gal of my word,” she stated very matter-of-factly with a closed lipped grin.

  “Guys, this is Jessica, my new partner,” I stated to Jordan and Gavin as I felt my heart start to race a bit. I was shocked at how nervous I was to introduce Jess to my friends.

  Her bright blue eyes lit up as she made introductions and took a seat between Gavin and me.

  We all made small talk for a while, and I was glad Jordan and Gavin both took the time to get to know Jess. I’d been nervous as heck for no reason and was glad to be pleasantly surprised at how well they all seemed to get along right away.

  “You know, this is the first time Sean has introduced us to someone he works with.” Gavin took a long gulp from his Manhattan.

  Jessica’s face lit up and she jabbed my arm with her elbow. “I guess I made a good first impression.” She giggled a little at the end of her sentence, and I couldn’t help but feel flushed.

  “You ain’t half bad, rookie. First partner I’ve had who’s at least entertaining to t
alk to.”

  Right then, Gavin’s attention was diverted to the door as it was opening. A well-dressed guy was holding it for a woman who had my best friend completely mesmerized.

  As Gavin picked his jaw up off the floor, Jordan threw an olive at him. “Hey, creeper, see a ghost or something?”

  The woman shot a quick glance in our direction before she was ushered away by her date.

  “I feel like I know her from somewhere. Did she go to school with us?” Gavin asked quietly, eyes still glued to the spot the woman had just left.

  “Gavin, she’s a little younger than we are—though I’m sure you would have hit that in high school anyway,” Jordan answered.

  He shrugged. “Maybe she just has one of those faces.”

  Chapter 5

  McBee

  A little over a year later

  “Hold on, guys—Seven needs a water break.” Huffing, Myla poured water into her husky’s Otters-themed travel bowl. It was downright adorable how engrossed Myla was in the Otters fandom—from her matching red and blue sweats to Seven’s collar and leash, all the way down to her backpack and keychain, Myla screamed Go Otters. I mean, it did make sense since she was the wife of the Otters’ captain and the sister of the previous year’s MVP, but sometimes it was a little much.

  Stretching, I took in a deep breath of chilly air then checked the running app on my iPhone. “Three miles down, ladies. We’re kicking ass for sure.” Central Park was bustling with early morning runners, bikers, joggers, and even a few roller-bladers, all decked out in their winter sports gear to work off their Thanksgiving feasts and gear up for the rest of the holiday meals that were right around the corner. It was my favorite time of year and I was soaking it all in. The crispness of the air, the energy of the city, the excitement of all of the festivities—it was truly the best time of the year in New York City.