Safe from Harm (Protect & Serve #2)(2)

Gabe lifted a brow at his best friend. “Oh yeah? I can think of a few dumbass moves since then. Need a few reminders? ’Cause I remember ’em all, dude.”

“God, no!” Chris said with a grin. “It’s a wonder we even survived with some of the stupid shit we used to pull. If your dad had had any idea of what we were up to, he’d have kicked our asses all over the county.”

“No shit. He…” Gabe’s words died on his lips when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a stunning titian-haired woman sitting a few tables away. “I’ll be damned. What’s she doing here?”

Chris twisted around in his seat. “Elle McCoy? Dunno. I’m sure they let her out of the prosecutor’s office now and then.” He turned back around, then a slow, shit-eating grin spread over his face. “No way.”

“What?” Gabe demanded, dragging his gaze away from where the county’s deputy prosecutor was chatting with some douchebag in a suit.

“You’ve got the hots for Elle,” Chris drawled.

“Whatever,” Gabe scoffed, although he had to admit it didn’t sound very convincing. Probably because he was lying out his ass. “She can’t stand me. And she’s more than happy to tell me to fuck off at every opportunity.”

“I always knew she was wicked smart,” Chris mused with a grin.

“Yeah, well, she was smart enough to pink-slip you,” Gabe shot back, still irked all these years later that his best friend had ended up going out with Elle her entire senior year before they’d called it quits. Even worse was that it was his own damned fault Chris and Elle had dated because he’d actually suggested Chris ask her out. It pissed him off even more that in spite of their breakup, Chris and Elle had stayed friends all these years, while he’d rarely even received a civil word from her.

“So, what are you saying? Jessica’s an idiot for marrying me?”

“An idiot?” Gabe scoffed. “Hell no! The woman’s a saint to put up with your ass.”

“Well, it’s gonna take another saint to handle you, that’s for damned sure,” Chris assured him. “And I don’t know that you’ll find another woman like Jessica.”

Gabe glanced back to where Elle and the Suit were sitting to see them pushing back from the table. The guy didn’t even pull out her chair. God, what an asshat. She could do so much better. She deserved so much better.

When she suddenly glanced over their way and smiled, offering a little wave in greeting, he jerked his chin, belatedly realizing she’d been waving at Chris.

“Shit,” Gabe muttered under his breath, feeling like a moron when Elle noticed him. But, much to his surprise, she and douche-suit made their way over to his and Chris’s table.

“Hey, Chris,” she greeted with a friendly smile. But when she turned toward Gabe, her gorgeous green eyes danced with light, and she raised a brow as if in silent challenge. “Dawson.”

He allowed a slow grin to curve his mouth and leaned back in the chair, resting his forearms on his gun belt as he drawled in a low voice, “McCoy.”

She flushed a little as their gazes held, but then her chin went up a notch and she turned her attention back to Chris. “How’s Jessica? Any news?”

Chris’s gaze was darting between Gabe and Elle, and he had to smother a grin when he replied, “Soon. I’ll let her know you asked about her.”

“So who’s your friend?” Gabe asked, jerking his chin toward the stiff who looked extremely bored to be having a conversation with two cops.

“Oh, sorry!” Elle replied as if suddenly remembering the guy was even there. “Chet, this is Officer Chris Andrews and Deputy Gabe Dawson.”

Jesus, seriously? Chet?

Gabe stood and extended his hand, not surprised at all when Chet’s grip was pathetic and clammy. “What brings you slumming to this part of town, Chet?”

Chet gave him a tense smile, his gaze darting around nervously, like he was afraid he’d catch a mean case of the clap just by being in a place that didn’t take reservations a month in advance. “Well, Elle suggested we dine in this…unique establishment. I believe she called it a ‘cultural icon’ of the county. And how could I refuse one of her little whims?” He placed his hand on the small of Elle’s back and gave her a look that made Gabe’s jaw tighten with disgust. “She’s so delightful that way.”

God, what a fucking tool.

“Uh-huh.” Gabe blinked at the guy. What the hell did Elle possibly see in that guy? “So where you kids off to now? Too early for the opera, I guess.”

Chet looked down his nose at Gabe as he said, “I’m heading back to the office to close a multimillion dollar deal before calling it a day and heading to the gym. And how about you, sport? Have you met your doughnut quota today?”

As much as Gabe would’ve loved to clock the condescending little prick, he settled for giving him a cockeyed grin, refusing to rise to the bait. “Not yet, champ. But the day’s still young. There just might be a cruller in my future.”

“Chet, would you mind going out and starting the car?” Elle interjected, dismissing the guy before Gabe could get in another jab. “It’s such a hot day…”

“Sure thing, babe. Don’t be long.”