Dr. Redheaded Neighbor - Will Halstead

Enjoyable Reunion

"Will, I am really sorry about him." I finally broke myself from the daze he had managed to put me in. I wasn't expecting to meet him until very late tonight as a surprised outside his apartment door considering we were right across from the other.

Tugging Maxon off of him by his collar it gave Will the chance to move onto his knees opening his arms for my doggy. "Come here, Max. How's my favorite doggy been huh?" He ran his fingers through his fur causing his tail to wag happily.

"I'm guessing he thought you were following me or something. Given the fact that he was trained to always be aware of everything around us in the field." I shrugged my shoulders at him.

Will paused his attention on Maxon looking up at me. "Don't worry about it, Mal. Now come here and let me give ya a welcome home hug." He opened his arms wide out for me.

"I've missed you, Halstead." I giggled flinging my arms around his neck and he buried his face into my hair holding me against his chest for a few seconds.

Maxon barked feelings left out causing us to separate from one another when Will ruffled a hand through his fur for a second time. "Since you guys just got in. How about I take you out for dinner?"

"Awe, Will. That's awful nice of you." I replied missing his kind gestures like this reminding me of the night we first met at the apartment building.

He eyed my bag sitting at my boots. "We could drop your stuff off and then head out. I'm not sure Molly's will let Maxon inside but there should be some other places."

"Hang on a sec. I have to ask how you ended up getting here at the same time as us. I mean I didn't text or call you before we landed that would have given you enough time."

He explained. "We had a patient call in to 911 and said they couldn't make it to the hospital without help. I was just about to head back actually before I got tackled by your dog."

"I am really sorry about that."

He raised his hands up in front of his chest. "Stop apologizing, Mallory."

"But if he had done that to someone else, they would have been really pissed. So, I just feel bad."

He sent me a bright smile. "Good thing you know me. Now are we getting dinner, or would you rather knock off those heavy boots on a couch and I'll see you when I get done with my shift."

"Hmm both options sound good to me. How about this we flip a coin and that decides what we do." I suggested figuring the waiting would kill him. He was very smart, but I always kept him on his toes.

Will rolled his eyes reaching into his wallet taking out a coin. "Call it."

"Heads." I cheered watching him flick it off his thumb and into the air.

Will caught it in his other open palm. "Okay it's head. So which option did you choose?"

"You get to take us out for dinner." I sent him a cheecky grin with my hands behind my back leaning back and forth on my tippy toes.

He nodded reaching down at the same time as me grabbing the straps of the duffel bag that had my gear in. Along with my backpack that I was carrying on my shoulders until I caught up with Maxon. "Ah ah. Let me get this. And I'm paying for dinner no exceptions."

"Alright Halstead." I held my hands up in surrender watching him start walking forward and I followed him. Maxon barked getting up and following my hip on the other side of me.

By the time we had taken my stuff up and I had changed out of my clothes it was getting late in the evening. Will had called his boss and saying he had a family matter come up so he couldn't come work in the ED tonight. Will decided to hang out on the couch with Maxon until I got changed. Opening the door I wissled making my dog lift his head up from his paws and peeking his head over the edge of the furniture. "Does this seem okay for tonight?"

"You look great to me." Will shifts in his spot on the coach looking back at me.

I had switched into a tan tea shirt that had sleeves that went down to my elbows. Leaving my hair loose compared to normally having it up in a ponytail. "Awe thanks. Would you hate me if I said let's go walk around and maybe get some food truck tacos." I had kept my cameo pants on since I still had some bandages underneath the metal brace I had on my leg.

"Tacos don't sound too bad to me." Will got off the couch and Maxon jumped off the furniture heading to the door with him. The three of us made our way down to the pear and began our walk through the clear boardwalk.

I pause our walk leaning my elbows on the wooden railing my hair was somewhat blowing in my face. "So do you have any special gal in your life?"

"Nah. I've made a rule to not date my coworkers." He put his hands together. "Although I do have this one named Natalie that I'm pretty close with. So what about you?"

I snorted out a laugh. "You think I've got time for a relationship when I'm looking for explosives Halstead?"

"I guess that's a bad assumption on my part." He chuckled.

"You think."

He ran a hand through his auburn curls. "So how did you get the brace on your leg then?"

"So bout that. I don't know how exactly. I've got some memory loss from our last mission according to one of the doctors."

Will touched my hand closet to his. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay. Hopefully I'll have my answer someday."

He turns to face me reaching his hand up brushing hair out of my eyes and his palm touches my cheek. "Knowing you you'll figure it out. You're pretty smart in my opinion."

"Thanks, Will." I replied feeling his gaze focus on mine and my face turned slightly red. We remained standing like that for a few minutes. I definitely had missed seeing him more than I thought I would have, maybe more than friends but I'd never tell him that until I was certain.

Maxon suddenly barked causing us to break away from our current state. "Sorry Maxon. You must be hungry bud." Will chuckled down at my furry pal.

"Onward to tacos!" I cheered throwing a fist into the air and Will draped an arm over my shoulder tugging me closer heading to the nearest taco truck.

Comments really appreciated ❤️