“Hey,” Mitzy mock-scolded from beside him. “Stop stereotyping, asshole. Not every woman wants to suck Andera’s dick.”
Cisco winced and grinned. The banter between these two was always epic. Mitzy had been on the force for twenty years and spoke whatever was on her brain. Lucas was still wet behind the ears, and she was constantly giving him grow-the-hell-up shit, albeit in a partner kind of way.
“Who said anything about women?” Lucas replied jokingly. “I hear there are plenty of guys who’d give their left nut to get Andera naked.”
Time for some razzing from Cisco.
“You offering?” Cisco cut in with a grin toward Lucas, having heard it all before. “Because if you are, I hate to disappoint you, but fraternization between officers is frowned upon.”
Mitzy chimed in, just as Cisco had expected. “And that’s the only reason you don’t want a gobble and swallow from my partner?” she rebutted, busting his balls.
“Nope. I also heard he uses his teeth.”
Mitzy cracked up, and Lucas shook his head, grumbling. “Get the hell gone, Cisco, before I make you catch the woman’s ass when she falls over attempting to walk a straight line.”
Cisco saluted, handed the driver’s papers to Lucas, then turned on his heel and hoofed it back to his bike. He didn’t need to be told twice to get away from the inebriated, blonde piranha, nor did he miss the ire in her face as he passed her car and rode off.
Oh, well. It sucked to be her this afternoon.
Ten minutes later he was pulling into the driveway of his childhood home. He liked that it still looked exactly as it had when he was growing up; white paint, black shutters, a welcoming, red front door. Adding to the place’s charm, this time of year the flower beds around the house were overflowing with perennials, and if he walked out back where fields stretched back for several acres, he’d see wildflowers in various stages of bloom. Maybe he’d even see a cornflower…
Nope. He wasn’t going to allow his head to go back to the lovely Miss Hilly’s eyes.
At least not yet.
The door opened and his mother beamed as he turned off his bike, swung his leg over the saddle, and removed his helmet. Once again, his fingers went to his hair, where he pulled his thick curls into some kind of order before approaching his mom.
“Hey, Ma,” he said with a grin.
“Hi, sweetie,” his mother replied. “I’ve got lunch already on the table.”
Cisco chuckled. “I didn’t ask for lunch.” Even though he assumed he’d get some.
“But I know you.” She rolled her eyes. “Even if you’ve just eaten, there’s no way you’ll turn down a bonus meal.”
He walked up and gave his mother a quick squeeze, and a kiss on top of her graying head. She still looked mighty fine for a woman in her fifties, her face unlined, her runner’s body still chewing up the pavement every other day. And as far as Cisco knew, she also continued climbing trees in her job as an arborist with the town’s Tree and Park Department.
“You know me too well, Ma,” Cisco smirked. “But I haven’t eaten any lunch today, and I’m starving. What’s on the menu?”
“Egg salad sandwiches, chips, and lemonade,” she told him.
“Nice.” Cisco knew there’d be one for her, one for Pops, and three for him. That would keep his stomach happy for a few hours.
His father was already seated at the table, his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose as he scrolled through his phone. “Do you know that the County Commissioners are thinking of rezoning part of the waterfront for condo development?” he asked with a frown.
“You know it’s happening everywhere, Gene.” His mother clicked her tongue. “The board will recommend it, the residents will fight it, then eventually the locals will be overruled and buildings will go up.”
It was the way of things. Developers with deep pockets could afford to pay off a lot of the right people to get what they wanted. It wasn’t exactly legal, but there wasn’t much the general populace, or even law enforcement could do to combat it.
“Now put your phone down so you don’t get heartburn while you eat,” his mother scolded, “and say hello to your son.”
His father did as his wife ordered, looking up with a smile. “Hi Cisco. It’s very interesting to see you on a Saturday before work.” He quirked an eyebrow, silently urging Cisco to explain.
Cisco sat down and grinned as he reached for a sandwich. His Pops knew him well.
Cisco took a bite, slowly chewed and swallowed, then gave his good news.
“I’ve been put on the day shift, seven to three, Monday thru Friday.”
“Oh, Cisco!” His mother clapped her hands together and effused. “I’m so happy for you. This has been a long time coming.”
“Not really,” Cisco countered, grabbing a huge handful of chips from the bag to put on his plate. “I only put in for the change a few weeks ago.”
“Right,” his father said. “But Frank knows you’ve wanted it for quite a while now. What made the old goat change his mind?”
Cisco knew that the “old goat” moniker was given with love. His family had been friends with the Ildavorgs since the first year they’d moved to town when Frank was a simple patrolman, and Pops a fledgling construction engineer.
Cisco quickly downed the first half of his initial sandwich, then used his finger to scoop up a blob of egg salad that had escaped, sucking it into his mouth. “Mmm,” he said appreciatively before answering his father. “There’s a camp out on Lake Pushaw that contacted him about an officer who might be available to teach self-defense to their campers.”
Again, his mother looked so pleased. “And you fit the bill perfectly, so he changed your schedule.”
“Temporarily?” his father asked, making smaller inroads into his plate than Cisco’s plow-through mode of destruction.
“Nope,” Cisco responded, happily chewing again. “Permanently, even though the camp gig only lasts two-ish months.”
“That’s wonderful, Cisco. Congratulations,” his mother effused. “Should we go out some night this week and celebrate?”
