Me: Your wife was checking this out just now, just in case you needideas.
Gavin: You’re a lifesaver, McBee. Tell Sean he needs to keep youaround.
Me: Don’t worry, I tell him daily that you guys would be lost withoutme.
Gavin: Complete understatement. Thanksagain.
Me: Noproblem
Myla sighed. “That freaking blows. I really wanted you guys to be there, maybe get you two stuck under themistletoe.”
I rolled my eyes. “Sean Whistler is my partner and best friend—that isit.”
Myla spun on her heels to look at me. “The two of you would make the most adorable blue-eyed babies in the entire world! I just knowit!”
I scoffed at her, grabbing her tiny shoulders to make her turn around and keep walking. “Trust me, he thinks of me as his kidsister.”
Myla rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, Jess. Is it at least going to be a goodconcert?”
I couldn’t help but feel giddy thinking about getting to work a benefit where two of my all-time favorite bands were going to be performing. “The Hysterics and Three Ugly Guys are going to be there, so I’m prettystoked.”
“Damn, that is going to be an awesome show.” We made our way into Macy’s to find a new cologne for Gavin, the last item on our shopping list for the day. The smell from the different scents started to give me a headache as Myla looked around for the perfect fragrance for her man, finally settling on Beardbrand SpicedCitrus.
“Have you thought about what you’re going to get for Sean?” Myla asked as the sweet older attendant started to giftwrap her purchase in red and silverpaper.
I shrugged. “I’m at a complete loss. Last year we gave each other meaningless gifts since we hadn’t known each other for too long yet, but this year I want to get him something better than just a gift card, yaknow?”
Myla tapped her finger to her lips. “I’ll try to come up with something too. Maybe I can get Gavin and Jordan tohelp.”
I started to back away from the counter, muttering, “Thanks,” and bumped into another shopper behind me. “Sorry.” I whipped around and ran right into the broad chest of a tall man with stitches over hiseye.
“No problem,” the man said, putting his hands on my shoulders to help steady myfooting.
Myla narrowed her gaze. “Hey, weren’t you at The Cask and Barrel watching the Otters game the othernight?”
The man’s face turned a million shades of red. “I thought you two looked familiar. Leave it to me to shit talk to the one guy in that bar who actually wasn’t alltalk.”
I got lost in his deep brown eyes for a few seconds before trying to laugh off the situation. “Trust me, I’ve seen a lotworse.”
He laughed with me for a second. “Well, that’s a relief. I’m Vinnie, by the way. Thank you for helping me not get my ass handed to me the othernight.”
“I’m Jessica, and stopping ass beatings is actually in my job description.” His eyes captivated me again while his smile whisked me off to la-laland.
“You’re not a cop, are you? I thought all lady cops were butch and had man hands.” His smile widened as I gigglednervously.
Myla cleared her throat. “Hi, I’mMyla.”
Fucking cockblock.
“Don’t tell me you’re a cop too.” Vinnie shook herhand.
“No, just McBee over here, and I have to say, her hands are as far from manly as theycome.”
I noticed him glance down at my gloved hands, and I felt self-conscious. For all I knew, I actually did have gross man hands. Being a police officer did take away a small portion of my femininity every once in a while, but that was only because I didn’t take shit from anyone and men could be sexist pigs from time totime.
“Anyway, glad to see you got your eye taken care of. Try to stay away from drunk jerks at bars.” I hooked my arm with Myla’s and started to walk away fromhim.
“Yeah, thanks,” he called out as I hurried usaway.