Page 73 of Rogue Wave

I’d answered the call and talked with Kim for a few moments. She’d let me know the FBI was at the station and was requesting my presence.

I’d reluctantly kissed Hazel goodbye and made my way off to work with Shadow.

Thankfully, when I’d gotten into the office, the chaos of the day took over, giving my brain something else to focus on instead of my blue balls.

We’d had a few good leads that we’d turned over to the Coast Guard and FBI investigators who were working the drug case with us. The FBI hadn’t wanted to cancel the reward money too early, but I’d convinced them that the last three weeks had brought no valuable information, but the impact to Hazel’s safety had ratcheted up, so they’d relented.

We’d sent out a formal statement to the press and media outlets to make sure that word spread that we were no longer offering a reward for tips.

Now, nine hours later, I was ready for this day to be over.

Hazel was going out with Vivi tonight, so Dougie and I were going to hang out on his porch and shoot the shit.

I had just gotten into my car when my phone buzzed.

Dougie:

Hazel says she and Vivi are going to the Angry Crab Bar tonight, so guys’ night has been moved there too.

Me:

Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of guys’ night?

I was just messing with him, because for a smart man, he couldn’t admit what this was on the surface.

Dougie:

It’s called being inclusive.

Me:

It’s called having a crush on Vivi, but you’re too chickenshit to ask her out.

Dougie:

I liked you better when you were a curmudgeon and never questioned my ideas. Dating Hazel has made you soft.

I knew he was teasing, but he also wasn’t wrong. Being with Hazel had absolutely changed me, but for the better in every way.

Me:

I’m wrapping up now. I’ll meet you there in twenty.

I couldn’t help the smile that was plastered to my face for most of the drive to the bar. If someone had told me six months ago that I would meet someone like her and fall in love again, I would have laughed in their face.

But here I was, not only falling in love again, but contemplating getting married, which was something I had sworn I would never do again.

We weren’t there yet, but I had a feeling we would be before long.

With my ex-wife, it had felt like the right thing to do—the appropriate next step—not something I wanted deeply. Hazel felt like a true partner, someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, growing old together. I’d never felt that with Kenzie.

I’d been too young and dumb and led with my dick in my early twenties when I married her. Pretty soon I would turn forty and had learned over the years how to tell the difference between the good women and bad women to be with.

Hazel was a good one, and I knew that with every fiber of my being.

No sooner had I walked into the bar than my gaze sought her like a life-saving beacon.

She was near the back by the darts and leaning over a pool table. She had on tight jeans that were molded to her body and had heels on that made her legs look even longer.