Beautiful Things - Evan Buckley

Four

"You were right, the chocolate milkshake is killer."

Riley and Buck had been at the milkshake shop for a couple of minutes, their orders just arriving and Buck almost demanding Riley immediately take a sip to prove he was right.

"Also," Riley removed the jacket from her lap and hands it to him. "Thanks for letting me borrow it."

Buck shrugs, placing the jacket on the empty seat beside him. "Okay, so you know I'm a firefighter. What about you? Do you work?"

"Well, I just finished my junior year of college. And I'm a 911 dispatcher."

Buck narrows his eyes at her. "Wait, spike?"

Riley gapes at him. "How do you know that?" There's only two people that call her by that name.

"My sister, Maddie, she just started working there."

The pair talk for almost an hour before Buck has to leave for his shift.

"Would it be crazy if I asked for your number?" Buck asks as he walks Riley to her car.

Riley pauses. She's never given a guy her number. She's never been one for that - talking to a guy more than once. It's always been a one time thing.

But there's something about Buck. His smile? His humor? That's got her questioning herself.

"Yeah, it might be crazy." And she gives him her number.

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The summer sun was beating on Riley's skin, the heat making her wish she was able to wear shorts. Or that she was back at her apartment, swimming in the pool with Loren. But she had to work today, while Loren was texting her pictures of the diving board.

Typically in the first couple weeks of being a dispatcher, they require employees to go on a ride-along with the LAPD. Get some in field experience. Riley was supposed to have hers months ago, but the officer assigned to her didn't bother to show up. So they rescheduled it to today, with the new hire Maddie joining as well.

Riley wasn't sure how that was going to work. What if their officer needed to arrest somebody? Would one of them be forced to sit beside the criminal? She knew if it came down to it, she'd be the one stuck in the back. Downsides of being the youngest coworker. Josh used that excuse to always get Riley to be the coffee runner.

Currently, Riley and Maddie are looking for their officer. Athena Grant. Riley has heard of the woman, but never had the chance to actually meet her in person.

"Maddie Kendall and Riley Nash." The pair smile at the woman walking up to them. "Athena Grant. One of you requested me."

Riley steps back after shaking her hand to let Maddie do the same. "I did." Maddie informs. "We have someone in common. Kendall's my married name. I actually used to be Maddie Buckley." She pauses. "I am Maddie Buckley."

Athena nods in recognition. "Oh, you're Buck's sister." She turns to Riley. "Which must make you spike."

Riley tries not to choke. How does Athena know her? And not just that, but know her nickname only Maddie and Josh call her? There's no way-

"Buck talks about you to his team." Riley slowly nods but is still very confused. "His boss is my boo."

Why does he talk about her? They met once last week for milkshakes. Sure, they've texted a lot since then. But why would he talk about her? And to his team? She hadn't even told Loren about him.

"Wait, you know my brother?"

Riley ignores Maddie's stare. "Let's go!" She wraps her arm through Athena's and hauls her out the door.