Rebound (Seattle Steelheads #1)(23)

I pressed my lips together to force back a laugh.

She reached for the glove box but paused and glared at me. “Do you mind if I pull out some napkins?” She made it sound like it was the worst imposition ever that I might be worried about officer safety, but she’d already opened the glove box to get her registration, so I was pretty sure there was nothing in there except papers and napkins.

“It’s fine,” I said. Still, I kept watch as she yanked it open and gathered a handful of napkins to mop up the coffee. Couldn’t be too careful.

Once she’d gotten the coffee crisis under control, she glared at me again, and I offered my most cheerful smile as I handed the clipboard back to her. She jerked it out of my hand, but this time managed to avoid another coffee disaster.

She skimmed over the ticket. “A hundred and thirty-six bucks? What the hell?”

“That’s the fine for driving while on your cell phone in the City of Seattle.”

She said something I didn’t understand, signed the ticket, and thrust it back at me without making eye contact. I tore off her copy and handed it back.

“Are we done here?” she demanded.

I offered my brightest smile. “Yes, ma’am. We’re done here.”

“Thank God. Such bullshit.”

“You have a nice day, ma’am,” I said to the closing window.

“Asshole,” she said through the remaining crack just before the window shut all the way.

As I headed back to the cruiser, I let go of the chuckle I’d been restraining through the entire stop. When her tires squeaked on the pavement, I snorted. She didn’t peel out enough to throw gravel or cause an accident—the road was deserted—but she definitely wasn’t impressed with me.

I slid into the passenger seat of the patrol car.

“Oh Lord.” Laura rolled her eyes. “What did you say to her?”

“What? Nothing!” I showed my palms. “She was concerned that while I had her pulled over, real crimes were going on, so I just told her to let me know if she knew the location and nature of those crimes in progress.”

My partner snorted, elbowing me playfully. “You’re such a dick.”

“What?” I laughed.

Rolling her eyes, she put the car in gear and turned on the turn signal. “I’m assuming she was thrilled about the fine?”

“Oh yeah. Overjoyed.”

“As if it’s a big secret that talking and driving is a ticket these days.”

“Right?”

“Play stupid games…”

“Win stupid prizes.” We bumped fists, and she continued down the road while I finished up the paperwork for the ticket I’d just issued.

“So how’d things go with that hockey player last night?” she asked.

“Well, he wasn’t wrong to be worried—his ex ignored our warnings and showed up.”

“Ugh. Of course he did.”

“Mercer PD picked him up, though. He shot off his mouth and acted like a jackass, but he didn’t touch Asher.”

“That’s good, I guess.”

“Could’ve been worse.” I leaned down to slide the ticket book under the seat, then sat up again. “I’ll check in on Asher later. See how he’s doing.”

Laura threw me an uneasy look.

“What?”

She shrugged. “Nothing.”

“Bullshit. That wasn’t a ‘nothing’ look.”

My partner sighed, tapping her thumbs on the wheel. “Look. I know you’re concerned about this guy, and I get it. I’m just… I guess I’m worried you’re going all in with him somehow. Like you’re investing all your headspace and all your off-time in making sure he’s okay. Which… I get it. Why you’re concerned. But I’m concerned about you.”

“I’ll be fine. I just want to make sure he’s got a handle on things. Especially since he’s justifiably scared to get a protective order.”

Another glance, and she didn’t even have to say it out loud. We responded to so many domestics it wasn’t even funny. Why this one? Why was I driving out of my way to Mercer Island to make sure Asher got a handle on the situation?

“If you’re worried this is because he’s Asher Crowe,” I said dryly, “it’s not.”

“No, I know. But something keeps pulling you back to his place instead of turning it over to local police.”

“I know. And I know it’s unusual.” I swallowed. “I guess… Well, to be honest, what he’s going through with his ex? Like I said, I see myself in him and his situation. Everything he’s dealing with was my biggest nightmare worst case scenario with Marcus.”

“But Marcus was never violent, was he?”

“No, but in the back of my mind, I always wondered if he might get violent.” I stared down at my hands and pushed out a long breath. “Especially when I tried to leave him.”

“So by helping Asher, you’re keeping your worst nightmare from playing out, even though you’ve already escaped Marcus without that happening.”

I chuckled halfheartedly. “I never said it made rational sense.”

She didn’t laugh. “Just promise me again that you’ll be careful?”