The Pros of Cons

12 | I Don't Belong in a Place Like This

TONI

"Did you eat?"

"Hm?" I looked over at Cons. He was asking me about food? "Uh, no, but I can get something when I'm home," I assured him.

Cons had a new look going on. He was wearing a suit. I wasn't sure how normal it was for cops to wear 3-piece formal attire but let me tell you, it was giving me major mixed feelings about everything. Cons was handsome on a normal day. But this day? He was oozing rugged, tired, haven't-shaved-in-a-while... man. What was happening to me? Why was I having sudden impure thoughts of my case officer? Oh... it's been way too long... since... you know.

"Toni?"

"Hm?" Shit. Pull it together! This man is most likely a criminal! A very, very bad person!

"Did you want something? I'm going to stop at a drive-thru and get something to eat."

"You... are getting food?"

A noise came from Cons just then that sounded like a snort. "Believe it or not."

Cons' mood swings were giving me whiplash. He was almost pleasant to be around. He was being... kind. What was he up to... was he on to me? No, he couldn't be. How would that be possible? Maybe he followed me to Carlotta's.

"Oh. Um... I'm okay. I mean, I'm good. I don't have any cash with me anyways."

"Don't worry about that," he said. Cons looked over at me and I immediately darted my eyes away from him. I was being weird. Too weird.

"Are you okay?" he asked after a few seconds.

"Hm?" I looked over at him briefly before looking away again. We were pulling into a Shake Shack drive-thru. I couldn't help but picture Cons inside Shake Shack eating a burger and milkshake — especially with the outfit he had on. It just didn't work. It was almost laughable. "Sorry. I'm okay. Just... tired."

There was a rather long lineup, and my stomach was knotting knowing we had to wait in it.

"Are you coming back from an event?" I asked him after a moment.

"What?"

"Your suit. I haven't seen you in anything but a uniform."

He looked down at himself as if he forgot what he was wearing. "Oh, yeah. I have to stop by an event." 

I just nodded, waiting for him to elaborate but he never did. We found ourselves settling into a rather uncomfortable silence until he spoke again. 

"I wanted to apologize for the other night."

Now I was looking at him.

"I'm sorry for coming off aggressive. I shouldn't have handled the situation like I did, and I definitely shouldn't have gone into your apartment without your permission. That was completely inappropriate... I'm sorry I made you feel unsafe. It's the last thing I want as an officer."

Woah... How was I supposed to react to this? Being caught off guard was an understatement. I was touched. I didn't know it was in him.

"I... I wasn't expecting that, I'm sorry," I said, shaking my head. "You didn't, by the way. Make me feel unsafe." I shrugged, pondering my next words. "Quite the opposite, actually." I could see Cons raise his eyebrows at me from the corner of my eye. "You saved my life. I'm not about to forget something like that. If you... if you didn't care about what happened to me in this. I don't think you would have risked your life for some... whiny, dishevelled girl."