A Time For Love (A Time For Love Series-Book 1)

The Cop's Life

STEF POV

The chilly April air felt nice on my skin as I decided to head out onto the fire escape to clear my mind a bit. Tonight had been nice for my friends had thrown me a little surprise get together for my birthday which was in a few days.

I never expected a thing, and I should be pissed at them for it, considering both Mike and Tess knew I hated parties of any kind. But, it really was nice of them, and I couldn't really be mad for they meant well and knew I never in my life had a party, much less a birthday party. Ever.

I wasn't really one to mark my years go by but turning 37 felt a tad different for every year that I got older in some sense I felt I needed to make decisions about my life and what I wanted.

Yes, I had the career I wanted considering being a cop was something I had dreamed about being, even if it seemed rather unattainable back when I was kid in the 50s and 60s. At that time, there were barely any female police but thankfully, things had changed in some sense.

Hell, it had not been easy to get this job because it was still heavily geared toward men down to the way the uniform fit. The belts were not made for our bodies at all, and Tess and I had to go out and get custom bullet-proof vests along with the other female officers in our department. Not to mention the physical requirements, but we both passed and worked our asses off. Unfortunately, we women were still considered undesirable partners and not seen as equals to our male counterparts.

"What you doing out here?" I hear Tess ask as I turn around and half smile at her. She is dressed in a long black dress that hugs her curves as she wears her long black hair past her shoulders, and just the site of her gives me chills, for she is that beautiful. She really is as she walks over to me and leans against the metal fire escape. Glancing into her dark brown eyes, she stares into my hazel ones as I all I want to do is kiss her, but right now, I can't as sad as that is.

"Ahh, you know I don't like a big fuss made over me love." I lean over the rusted fire escape as she lights a smoke and passes it to me as I wink at her, and she softly smiles. "Everyone left?"

"Of course not! We didn't even do your cake, silly!" She says as I smile at her. "But listen, I know tonight made you uncomfortable, and you know I don't like to do things that make you feel awkward. But Stef, for as long as I've known you, you have never, ever had one single party. And I've known you how long now?? Let's see, you will turn 37, so that's what 30 years! Old fart!"

She playfully slaps me as I laugh now and hand the smoke back. Shaking my head, it is true the years had flown by, and I really couldn't believe just how fast.

"Yeah, an old fart is right. Do you ever think we would be this old? I mean, it's not like we are elderly but when we were kids, 37 sounded like 100. Honestly, it feels like just yesterday we were playing cops and robbers outside your grandmother's building on Essex."

"Yup, and she'd take us to Katz after. Remember we could live off those sandwiches for damm days! Back when I didn't gain a pound!" She says as I smile at the memory and bashfully scan her body as I move a tad closer to her.

"Even if you do gain a pound, you gain them in the right places, Tess." She turns to smile at me as I return the smile right back at her, and I clear my throat. "How about when you told her we were gonna become cops?"

"Good lord. I think I gave the woman two strokes!" We both laugh as she hands the smoke back to me, and I take a quick puff looking down on Christopher Street.

"Sweet times, right?"

"Yeah. Bless her soul, though. She still supported me even if she hated every damm minute of it. I mean, I don't know what she expected because I made it pretty damm obvious that I wanted to be like my father in every way possible. Including being a cop even if he wasn't well, you know the most kosher."