“Well.” She let out a loud sigh. “There’s something in there today, dear. I really don’t know how to tell you this, but it’s about Justin.”
Silence followed as what she said sunk in, and every one of my worst nightmares crashed through my vision at the mention of his name. My feet stopped and someone ran into me from behind, but somehow I kept my balance until I was able to collapse on the grass next to the walking path.
When Justin told my grandparents that he was majoring in criminal justice and would then be attending the police academy, I had felt something strange rush through my body. I hadn’t realized at the time, but it had been fear, fear for him and for myself if I were to ever lose him.
And then I had been the one to push him away, pushing him right out of my life, without even a thought that something could happen to him and I would never see him again. That never crossed my mind as a possibility.
“Della, are you still there, honey?”
Some kind of noise came out of my throat, but I couldn’t form any coherent words.
“Dear, oh my goodness. I should’ve explained myself a little bit better. I probably got you all worked up. Justin’s fine, dear. Well, as fine as he can be, but he needs you, Della. He needs you.”
“PARKER, NICE JOB out there today. You might have actually resembled a cop.” Ty Richards, my partner, patted himself on the back and grinned at me. The dude had to be cockier than me, if that was even possible, and I knew whatever kind of job I did, he would take all of the credit for being the one to train me when I joined the force.
“Thanks, bud. I guess I have you to thank for me being awesome.” I opened up the door of my locker, my eyes flicking to the picture tucked in the corner.
Ty punched my shoulder. “Of course you do.” He tapped on the picture. “You ever gonna tell me about that fine piece of ass? Or do I need to take care of that, too?”
I roughly knocked away his hand, which was still lingering on the one picture of Della that I held onto. It was from our trip to the beach. She explained to me that she had to swim in the ocean since we were there and braved the cold weather in this tiny ass bikini for about five minutes before running back into the hotel shivering. I certainly didn’t mind warming her back up.
The image of her naked beneath me flashed into my head, and I slammed the metal door shut.
“She’s none of your business, and that fine ass that you’re so fond of, is off limits.” Though, if Della were to hear me say that, I’m sure I would get bitched at.
Yeah, I dropped the ball with Della, and she probably hated me for it.
That day at Shorty’s I had been fucking miserable without her, and then it was like a dream come true when she walked through the doors, slowly turning into a nightmare when that douchebag Nash followed closely behind, like she was his or something.
I swore to myself that day I was going to get Della back, and she even gave me an inkling of hope that it was a possibility.
But then life happened.
I joined the force and had to get used to having a new job that was exciting but scared the hell out of me at the same time, even though I would never admit that. I knew Della was starting a new school year and working back at Shorty’s, so I figured I could find her once I was settled into my new routine.
Until I ran into Mia.
Mia was Della’s evil stepsister that I first met when we were dating. It was obvious that the chick had a thing for me, and she really didn’t care about flaunting it in Della’s face. I behaved myself, though, and never gave in, even though she had her ass pressed against my junk whenever possible.
Before Della, I would’ve appreciated something like that but all it did then was piss me off. It was cute how Della tried to contain her jealousy, when she was the one who had told me to occupy Mia in the first place.
It didn’t matter. Della was the only girl that I saw.
I literally ran into Mia when I was off one night, and Nate had dragged me to a club that we used to frequent. He was tired of hearing all of my moaning and groaning about Della and wanted to go out. There had been a little inkling of hope in me that Della could possibly be there, and that would be my chance.
On my way to the bar, a tall, slim blonde ran sideways into me, and for just a second I thought it was Della. But then my hands gripped the waist of the person, saving her when she nearly fell over, I think mostly because of the ridiculously tall shoes she wore.
“O-M-G, Justin!” she squealed loudly, and I instantly recognized the voice.
Mia.
It sure wasn’t Della, but in a strange way, she reminded me of her. Even though Della would never be caught dead in the scrap of material that was barely covering Mia.