Highland County Heroes Collection

Chapter 6

Hayley walked into the station house Wednesday morning, her last day before her days off, half expecting some smart ass — half way inappropriate — comment from Hathaway since this was the one overlapping day they had in between their days off. But he didn’t seem to be around. A little odd for the start of a shift, but not unheard of. Sometimes things came up. She made her way to her office to catch up on a few things before the shift change briefing.

Thirty minutes later, she stepped into the briefing room ready to take on the day. Scanning the room while she waited for the men and women seated and standing along the edges of the room to quiet down, she once more noticed Hathaway’s absence, though this time she’d expected it. On her desk had been a memo letting her know one of the detectives had asked for his assistance with a homicide investigation.

Fine by her. She wouldn’t mind a few extra days without the man around. She mentally kicked herself for even looking for him now. He was a pain in the ass, but she had to admit, at least to herself, he was a good officer. Hathaway hadn’t done anything inappropriate, but he’d let her know he was open to more than just a professional relationship. Hayley had said no, and he’d let it go, but she was intensely aware of the heated looks he sometimes sent her way when he thought no one would notice. She could only hope no one else had. She’d worked hard to earn respect as a female officer and harder to make Sergeant. She wasn’t willing to give up that for a man.

Even one as sexy and tempting as Hathaway.

Hayley had a policy about dating men from work — she didn’t do it. It was a policy she might have been willing to bend for Hathaway, if she wasn’t his supervisor. But she was, so it could never happen.

After she handed out assignments, including giving Hathaway’s partner, Johnny Reed, a temporary partner, she headed back to her office. Experience had taught her if she didn’t take care of everything on her desk now, at the end of two days off it would take her three to catch up.

Hayley was on her way out to her car at the end of her shift when she passed him coming in. He smiled and nodded, she did the same, but kept going without a word. There was no reason, besides that she wanted to, to stop and talk to him. Someone might notice. He might take it as encouragement. Which she definitely didn’t want. Why torture yourself with something you can’t have? With a shake of her head she slid behind the wheel of her car and shut the door.

“You need to get laid.” Her voice echoed around her in the empty car as she watched him walk away in the driver’s side mirror, unable to keep from noticing the way the denim of his jeans cupped his ass to perfection.

Hayley shook her head and started the car. He disappeared into the station house and she put the car in gear. No point in lingering any longer. She was tired and despite not having done much more than sitting at her desk shuffling paperwork all day, she ached all over. She couldn’t wait to get home and relax in a tub full of hot water. Once more she wished for a jacuzzi, not that she needed the bubbles, but she loved soaking in hot water and a hot tub would make it so much easier. She pushed the wishful thinking out of her mind and turned her attention to the road. For some reason traffic seemed heavier tonight than usual and it took her almost twice as long as her usual fifteen minutes to get home. By the time she pulled into the driveway, she was gritting her teeth to keep from screaming at the i***t drivers around her. She parked the car, gathered her things and went inside, where she hoped she’d be able to relax. Usually she started unwinding on the drive, but it was as if something was acting against her today and she’d only been wound tighter and tighter until, as she unlocked her front door, she felt like she was ready to snap.

Hayley hated losing her temper, partly because she nearly always said something she didn’t mean and made the situation, no matter what it was, worse. No. She wouldn’t do that. Not today. She let herself inside and set the paperwork she’d brought home on the table beside the door then headed for the bedroom, starting to peel out of her uniform along the way.

Thirty minutes later, her hair piled and pinned on top of her head, she sank to her chin in bubbles. The huge tub in the bathroom was a big part of why she’d chosen this house. If she couldn’t have a jacuzzi, and there was no way she could afford one, then she would have a tub big enough to cover all of her but her head in hot, steaming water. Denni thought she was strange. She lived in the desert, and it got hot, how could she possibly stand to sit in water hot enough to turn her skin pink? At least that was what Denni kept asking her. Hayley wasn’t sure. All she knew was that the hot water calmed her, soothed her in ways that nothing else she’d found could. Hayley suspected that living in the desert was part of it. Not that she needed more heat but her body wanted more moisture. Yes, she knew hot water took moisture from the skin, not the other way around, but on days like today, she didn’t care.

By the time that horrible tension inside her started to loosen the water was starting too cool and the bubbles were gone. She didn’t care so much about the bubbles, other than they smelled nice, but she needed more heat so she drained a couple inches of water and turned on the hot tap. Hayley swished her hands and legs through the water to help distribute the added water so there wasn’t a hot spot in a cool tub, shut the water off when it was full again and sat back. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back against the rim as she tried to clear her mind of all the stupid crap that had been piling up all day. Reports that should have been turned in days ago had appeared on her desk today, and the officers responsible swore they’d turned them in on time. Hayley knew the reports hadn’t been there the day before, but how could she prove it? And her lunch had disappeared again. She hadn’t had time to go out this time and she was too tired of the game to bother ordering delivery again, so she’d skipped lunch.

As if thinking about it reminded her stomach it was empty, it rumbled and rolled, making its dissatisfaction audible.

Crap, she needed to eat, but nothing in the house sounded good, or at least nothing that wouldn’t take at least forty-five minutes prep and cook time, and while the time didn’t really bother her, she didn’t feel like cooking tonight, not for just her. The longer she thought about it, the more she dreaded the idea of finding something to eat. When she realized she was only stressing herself out again, she decided she was done. Delivery it would be, but that somewhat limited her options. There weren’t that many places that would deliver here.

Decision made, she pulled the plug and stood, stepping out of the tub without waiting for the water to drain, and grabbed a towel. After wrapping it around her body, she stepped into the bedroom where she’d left her phone. She’d briefly considered taking it in the bathroom with her, then decided she’d relax better without it. Now she wanted it. She called and placed her order from Rocky’s, her favorite pizza joint, then turned to the closet. She had about forty minutes until her dinner was delivered and as tempting as it was to just stay in the towel, it wouldn’t look good for a BPD Sergeant to answer her door mostly naked.