Luck o' the (non)Irish (New Haven Police Romance Series Book 1) Read online

  “No, don’t be scared. I just want you to be careful. Don’t take any chances.” He opened the door and stepped into the hallway. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She nodded and closed the door.

  He walked out into the parking lot, pulling his collar up and shoving his hands in his pockets. Although the clouds had disappeared, the wind was still sharp and the air still damp and cold from yesterday’s rain. There was no way he could let Amy drive her car on a spare in this chilly temperature. Especially with a hurt foot.

  He pressed the key mod button and a quiet beep sounded along with the flash of the headlights. What the hell was the matter with him? He’d never gone completely protective over a single person before. It was his job to protect everyone, so why did this woman feel different? Why was he taking care of her rather than just telling her what she needed to do?

  Because that was the kind of guy he was, he’d decided. He’d do it for his mother. Or sister. Or grandmother.

  Someone else though?

  He chose not to think about it.

  He slid into her immaculately clean car still carrying that new car smell. Very practical and fuel efficient. Exactly what he would expect of her.

  The engine purred to life and he turned his body to back out of the parking spot, when something in the back seat caught his eye. A lei. Made of condom packets. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel and a growl rumbled in his chest. Surely it was for her sister.

  An hour later, Peter knocked on Amy’s door, wondering what she’d look like this time. A different hair color? Crazy makeup?

  He had no idea what that look was she was sporting earlier, but he’d never seen anything like it. She didn’t seem like the type to dress too liberally, but those multi-colored lines were not what normal people wore, he knew that much.

  The door opened and he watched in anticipation.

  To his relief, she looked like a human. A beautiful female human. Her long hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders and her face was nothing like before. She just looked like she wore normal makeup. What was that earlier shit all about?

  “Wow, you look…”

  Her forehead furrowed as she waited for him to finish. He didn’t. “Better than before? I’m sorry you saw me like that.”

  He nodded, not knowing what to say. He liked seeing the real Amy in addition to the professional Amy. Apparently not many people were privileged enough to see that side of her. “Are you ready to go? I’ll walk you out.”

  She grabbed his keys and her coat and joined him.

  A few neighbors glanced at them as they walked side by side through the corridor and into the parking lot. Their eyes couldn’t have been any wider, and Peter could only imagine what they were thinking. Amy must have assumed the same thing based on the blotchy, reddened skin of her neck and cheeks.

  Peter bit back a grin. That blush of hers was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen.

  Her voice trembled. “So, um, I’ll get my new phone when I finish work today.”

  He nodded. “Great. Call me in the morning when you leave home.”

  She bit her lip. “See you then.”

  “See you then.”

  Chapter 4

  Nervous energy zinged throughout Amy’s body as she drove to New Haven Saturday morning. Her fingers tapped the steering wheel and her left leg bounced as her right foot went back and forth from the gas pedal to the brake.

  She repeatedly caught herself speeding. Stupid. Not only would the ticket cost money, but her insurance rates would go up, too. A waste of money. She never wasted money. Accountants didn’t do that kind of thing. Not to mention she’d be completely embarrassed if Peter found out, and knowing her luck, he would.

  Why she was so worried about what Peter thought, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that out of the two times she’d seen him, she looked her utmost worst. Well, he’d seen her more than she saw him. Hopefully she looked decent a couple of those times.

  At any rate, she wanted to impress him today. Her makeup was light and natural, her hair pulled neatly back into a ponytail. Jeans and a hoodie. She’d make sure she wasn’t a target.

  She parked across the street from the Dew Drop Inn, a little café just down the block from Get Lucky. Peter insisted on brunch before the shopping trip and she was happy to take him up on it. She hardly knew the man, and maybe relaxing with him before going to a sex store would make the experience a little less horrendous. Plus, she liked to look at him. And hear his voice.

  With a schooled expression, she strode across the walkway toward the café. She was five minutes early, as she was for every appointment she had. Would he already be there waiting for her? Would he be frustrated with her for being too early? Was he the type that showed up right on time?

  She bit her lip and looked to the ground. She was worrying too much. She hadn’t felt this giddy since she was twelve and madly in love with…she couldn’t remember who. But whoever it was, he was the heart throb pop singer at that time, and every teen girl wanted to marry him.

  Was Peter having that same effect on her? She thought she’d grown out of that stage long ago, but maybe she hadn’t.

  A hand wrapped around her elbow and a glacial wave of fear washed over her. She ripped her arm away from the grip and spun around to face her attacker.

  Peter merely crossed his arms and cocked his brow, that little half smile of his thawing the frigid fear inside her. “I’ve been calling your name since you got out of your car.”

  Heat rose up her chest and neck. The blotchiness would soon follow, and she had little makeup on to cover it up this time. “I was… Sorry. I was in another world.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “It’s Saturday. You don’t have to think about work today.”

  “I wasn’t! I was thinking about…” Oh crap. She couldn’t tell him she was thinking about him. “I was thinking of my shopping list. Don’t want to forget the blinking penis earrings.”

  “Penises have you so deep in thought you don’t even hear your own name?” He shook his head and stepped toward the café door.

  Her cheeks were on fire. Maybe she should have just been truthful and told him she was thinking of him. “No, I…I’m embarrassed. My sister and her friends like to party and get crazy, but I’d rather stay home and paint or something. I prefer quiet. The whole penis thing is out of my comfort zone.”

  She groaned. Why did she ramble so much?

  He pulled the door open and held it for her. “Paint? In other words, you’re always deep inside your head, aren’t you? When you’re not analyzing and calculating, you’re creating and dreaming.”

  “Exactly! I think you’re the first person who understands.”

  He guided her to a booth and held her hand as she scooted onto the bench. “Amy, it’s great to be so diverse in your talents, but you’ve got to start paying attention to your surroundings. This is serious. I could have taken you down in a split second out there and you never would have known what hit you.”

  “But I—”

  “Tell me without looking around if this place is crowded or empty. Are there any kids here? Were there pedestrians out on the sidewalks?”

  “I…” Nothing came out of her mouth. She had no idea. No idea at all.

  “Okay, now look around and tell me what you see.”

  She looked at all the tables and booths, just a few of them being vacant. Several old men sitting together drinking coffee. A few young mothers with their kids. But one thing stood out in particular. “I’ve never seen so many redheads in one place at a time.”

  Peter chuckled. “Seriously? You’ve been in this town two full days and you just now picked up on that?”

  She looked at him, eyes wide. “Well, it kind of hits you in the face. I mean, wow!”

  Peter cleared his throat. “Just another reason you stick out in this town. Most folks here have heavy Irish descent.”

  “That explains all the Irish business names.” She’d not
iced O’Leary’s, O’Toole’s, O’Ryan’s, and then there was a Pot of Gold, and End of the Rainbow.

  “This neighborhood is the Irish hub of the town, but still, the influence is pretty evident everywhere you look.”

  “How did I grow up just twenty miles away and never know this?” She felt stupid as soon as it came out of her mouth. She knew it, she just never put it together. Never cared. Their school mascot was a leprechaun. Everyone from miles around traveled to New Haven to drink at the pubs. They dyed the water in the city fountain green throughout the entire month of March.

  “I’m worried the thief is going to hit hard on St. Patrick’s Day when everyone’s at the parade and celebrations. I just wish…” He rubbed his temples. “I wish I had something else to go on. We don’t have any leads at all. Not a single clue.”

  “What happened? You never really said.”

  He shook his head. “Three of the wealthiest people in town were hit. One person’s car was robbed while she was getting her hair done, and another person’s car while he was at the golf course. And then a third person’s home was robbed while they were at their neighbor’s house during Super Bowl. Every single time, the victim was nearby when it happened, as if the thief watches and knows when and where to go.”

  A shiver ran down Amy’s spine. She did try to portray herself as a successful professional. If the criminal didn’t know her, he’d definitely think she was a worthy target. And an incredibly easy one at that.

  She studied Peter’s face. He was truly concerned for his community. And for her. Her chest swelled with respect and gratitude. “Thank you.”

  “For?”

  “For going out of your way to take care of me. For making sure I know I’m in danger and what a ditz I am. For keeping me safe and protecting me. I mean, you’re not even on duty right now. Or when you helped me with my car yesterday.” She looked into his eyes. “You don’t even know me.”

  He shrugged and grinned. “It’s not a big deal.”

  Peter

  Peter stood at the check out counter and looked back at Amy as she slowly made her way toward him from the restroom. They had eaten in silence. Amy grew quiet once she understood how the perpetrator functioned and how easy she would be to take advantage of. She reacted just as Peter hoped she wouldn’t. She got scared. Fear never helped anything. Not if you crawled inside yourself, anyway. Fear is natural, but it’s not always natural to use it to your advantage. Some people needed to be trained to do that. Amy was one of those, but he wasn’t sure he had time to accomplish that.

  “Thanks, Margie,” Peter said as he handed her the payment. “It was good as usual.”

  She smiled and nodded at Amy who had passed by them and stood waiting at the exit, staring at her shoes. Margie leaned closer and gave him a subtle wink. “Should be better than usual with the company you’re keeping today.”

  Peter was at a loss for words. He couldn’t recall ever being speechless, but with Amy involved, he just didn’t know what to say. People made their own deductions, true or false, and he simply didn’t have the desire to refute them.

  An awkward silence would work best. He furrowed his brow and looked from Margie to Amy, and back to Margie. That should leave her unsure. He lifted a brow. “Have a good day.”

  Margie’s smile grew wider. Apparently his tactic didn’t work so well.

  Peter opened the door for Amy and followed her out, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. The wind was picking up as the next round of dark clouds approached. He glanced at Amy in her blue jeans and hoodie, wondering if he should offer his jacket. She might interpret it the wrong way if he asked her if she was wearing anything under her hoodie, and it would sound strange to ask if she was wearing layers.

  She edged closer to him, their arms touching as they walked.

  “Are you cold?” Such a simple question. Why he hadn’t thought of that to begin with, he didn’t know.

  She ignored the question. Instead, she leaned in and whispered, “Did you notice everyone staring at us in the café? Even out here. They’re looking at me. Do you think it’s one of them?”

  A laugh rumbled through his chest as she shifted her eyes from person to person. “They’re staring because of me. Everyone in town knows who I am, Amy, and they’re curious who I’m with. They’re just being nosy. It happens in small towns.”

  “I feel a lot safer walking next to you,” she whispered.

  “You felt safe before you knew what was going on.”

  “I shouldn’t have. I was so naive.”

  Peter dipped his head to her ear. “Why are you whispering?”

  “Because it’s a secret.”

  “You’re silly.”

  “I’m being careful.”

  “You’re being silly.”

  She shoved away from his side and walked a full few feet away from him. “I have the worst luck out of everyone I’ve ever known. I go to extremes to make sure I have all the best safety and security available. I won’t take any chances, Officer Tinsley.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Amy, I want you to be careful. That’t not why I’m calling you silly. I mean you don’t have to whisper. There’s no one anywhere near us.”

  She looked around, moved closer to him again, and whispered once more. “What are they going to think when they see us walk into Get Lucky together?”

  It was his turn to look around. Several people stared at them, most of whom sported some kind of expression ranging from surprised to amused. They weren’t used to him being with a woman. At least not without involving some kind of official business. He was known as the untouchable bachelor. Too serious and busy working to find comfort in the arms of a woman.

  It didn’t matter what the townspeople thought. They’d be asking Brett, the store owner, soon enough. Brett would have his fun with them and then set them straight. “Don’t worry, your reputation won’t be tarnished.”

  “What about your reputation? The whole town relies on you to protect them.”

  He grasped her arm and pulled her to a stop. “Amy, this is no big deal. It’s just a store, just like any other store. We all know each other here. And how do you think this place stays in business? I’ll tell you how, because everyone else, from here and miles around, shop here too.”

  She looked into his eyes, a spark in her own. The embers in the pit of his stomach began to smolder. He hadn’t expected her to show interest. Maybe it was just his imagination playing tricks on him with her sweet, innocent look she was sporting today, but he didn’t think so. He’d looked into her eyes enough to know this look was not typical.

  The cool breeze cut across his cheeks and he pulled his jacket collar up. “Might as well get this done.”

  She took a deep breath and walked to the door. He followed, very much aware of all the eyes on them. A chill ran through his veins. There were eyes on them, that much was for certain. But something wasn’t quite right. He could feel it deep within. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled.

  He glanced at all the familiar faces, smiled and waved as he met their gazes, but couldn’t see anyone or anything out of the ordinary. He narrowed his eyes and turned to follow Amy inside.

  The bell jingled as they passed through the entrance, setting Peter’s nerves on end even further.

  He needed to relax. Everything was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Maybe it was his turn to be silly about the sex shop. He’d just calmed Amy down about it, and now he needed to hear the same lecture repeated to him. That was all. He’d never been in here before, after all. Never had the need to. Apparently it made him nervous. There wasn’t much that could ruffle him, but now he knew an adult store could. Who would have known?

  Amy walked straight to the checkout counter and pulled a piece of paper from her purse. “I need these things.”

  Brett perused the list, then pointed to different areas in the store. “This is over there, and this—”

  “Can you just get them for me, please?” She shot a g
lance at Peter, then back at Brett. “We’re, uh, kind of in a hurry. I’m picking this stuff up for a bachelorette party and—”

  “I know, sweetheart. I recognize you from the other day. You don’t have to explain yourself.” Brett grinned at Peter. “This one’s a bit bashful.”

  “Yeah, I got that.” Peter watched the blotchy redness creep up Amy’s neck and into her cheeks. With a silent chuckle, he stepped into the aisle of the store. Might as well look around as long as he was in here.

  “Peter,” Amy hissed. “What are you doing?”

  He furrowed his brow. “Am I not allowed to browse?”

  “Absolutely not!”

  “You’re silly.”

  “Am not.”

  “Are, too.”

  She crossed her arms and glared.

  He lifted his chin. “Come with me.”

  Her glare grew harder.

  “You’re not even curious?”

  Brett walked past with a shopping basket and the list. “She spent plenty of time browsing the other night, Peter. Pretty sure she already knows what’s here.”

  Amy’s cheeks reddened even further.

  Peter meandered the aisles while Brett gathered the items and rang up the sale. When they were finished, Amy stood by the door, waiting.

  A gnawing need pulled at Peter. He grinned at Amy and turned away from her, heading back down an aisle. There was something he had to get before he left. He’d found the perfect gift. At least he thought so. She might slap him for it, but he thought it was clever and hoped she would too. He went to the counter and pulled out his wallet while Amy stood at the exit with an expression of shocked disbelief.

  Brett laughed when Peter put the gift on the counter. “Funny, my man, too funny.” He slid the object into a bag and threw some other goodies in from below the counter. “For you, I added a few surprises. Enjoy.”

  “No,” Peter said. “It’s not like that. This is just a gag gift. A good luck charm, actually.”

  Brett snorted. “Everything in this place is a good luck charm, Peter.”

  Peter grinned. “Touché.”