Love Simmers

Chapter 10

"I'm so sorry, Logan," Maddie said as she sat beside me in the local police station cell. "Is this going to damage your career?"

I laughed wearily, my head and arm pounding. I was in dire need of another painkiller now.

"Who doesn't want to watch a chef who gets into a bar fight on holiday?" I tried to make her feel better, wondering whether Ollie would make it here soon. I'd called him half an hour ago. He was probably making sure his phone was charged. He'd want pictures.

"Are you going to apologise to me?" Kate asked from the far side of the cell. "I could sue you for like, emotional distress and the cost of my dress."

We'd learnt after getting arrested together that the blonde from the bar was called Kate.

"You paid for that dress?" I asked incredulously, glad to see Maddie smile.

"There are my two little criminals," Ollie said as he, Nate and the female officer who arrested us walked into the room. "Which one of you is Thelma?"

His voice was brimming with laughter. I'd never hear the end of it, the time I came to town, got his business trashed, got attacked and then got thrown in prison for a bar fight. Come to think of it I was on a rampage these days, a crime spree really.

"You shouldn't tease me. I've learnt how to make a shank. Pris has taught me a lot of things," I told him mockingly. He laughed, definitely amused by the situation. If I didn't make a joke of it, I would likely start crying soon.

"I had to come see this for myself." Nate leaned against the cell bars to stare at us like animals in the zoo.

"They were causing quite the public disruption," the officer smiled, standing awfully close to Nate. I tried not to stare. "It seems Logan's brought trouble to town as usual."

I stared at the Officer. Her comment seemed personal.

"Do I know you?" I asked her.

From the familiar body language between her and Nate I was guessing she was an ex.

"Third period English," she offered. Her hint was not in the least bit helpful. My face must have been blank because she turned to Nate and rolled her eyes. He smiled, obviously a private little joke between them. I wanted to chunder.

"Did you bring my pain killers?" I ignored the officer and turned to Ollie, walking over to the cell gate stiffly. I'd be amused about the events of tonight when my arm no longer hurt so much I was tempted to self-amputate.

"Sorry, of course." My brother pulled them from his satchel. Officer Third Period English unlocked the door and let Maddie and me out. I swallowed the pills without water.

"I'm sorry Logan. You're so hurt. I shouldn't have dragged you out tonight." Maddie looked upset at my discomfort. I put a hand on her shoulder.

"You couldn't drag me somewhere if you tried. I wanted to go."

I turned to look at Nate. He was standing talking to the officer, their bodies barely an inch apart. I was over today. Actually, I was over this week.

Charlie walked into the room as we headed to the exit, his face wrought with tension as he caught sight of Maddie.

"You attacked my girlfriend?" He shouted at her.

Ollie wrapped an arm around her shoulder in support.

"Attacks a strong word," I snapped, already angry from sitting in jail for two hours and then seeing Nate interact with a woman who was obviously an ex and had arrested me. "More like, she engaged in a conversation with your girlfriend that took a turn for the worst."

"Shut up, Logan," he growled, staring at Maddie as he waited for an answer.

"Let's go," Maddie said as she and Ollie pushed past Charlie. I followed behind. I turned to tell Nate we were leaving when I saw the officer wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him invitingly on the cheek. I walked out before I could see what his reaction was. What we'd been doing was silly. I was going home next week. He was staying here. It was essentially a fling. And a fling shouldn't make you feel so deeply. It should be fun and light-hearted and not make you want to burst into tears at the sight of that person being kissed by another.

Ollie dropped us both at Maddie's house. I figured she shouldn't be alone after the night's events. I didn't want to be in a house with Nate so it worked out well anyway.

I stepped inside the house while she and Ollie remained on the doorstep. I could hear them from the living room. It was hard not to eavesdrop.

"Thank you for bailing us out," she said to him. She seemed awkward for some reason, her arms folded tightly in front of her.

"Charlie's an idiot if he can't see you're worth a hundred Kate's." I'd never head that tone in my brother's voice before. I'd seen him speak to countless girlfriends but never with that tone. He seemed, uncomfortable.

I couldn't help but spy on them from the window when I could no longer hear them talk.

I watched as Maddie leaned in towards Ollie. I saw him take a step back from her. An uneasy silence settled between them. Neither of them seemed to know what to say now.

I was about to go out there to break up the moment for them when Ollie finally spoke.

"When you're fully sober and no longer hurting or looking to hurt Charlie, I'd like to take you out to dinner," He took control of the situation with a smile. I wanted to squeal. He would treat her much better than Charlie ever had.

"I- I mean I guess if you want," her hesitation wiped the smile off his face. I wanted to go out there and give him a comforting hug. He said a quick goodbye, hurrying to his car without looking back. I left the window before Maddie came in, heading to the kitchen to pull out a tub of ice creams. I figured we both deserved it after the night we'd had. Prison had been rough.

"So, who was the Officer?" I asked as we binged. Maddie seemed unsettled, whether it was over her actions at the bar or Ollie I wasn't sure. I had never seen her behave so aggressively. It was nice that she was willing to stand up for herself, hopefully next time just not to the point that she ended up in jail. As for Ollie, well I don't think she was even nearly ready to handle that.

"Lia Morrison," she said, her mind obviously not focused on the conversation.

The name triggered a hazy memory of a shy, studious girl with a cute face and a bad wardrobe. I was surprised she had become a cop. If she was who I was thinking of, I always remembered her talking about becoming a psychologist. Lia and I had never really been friends. We'd sat together for a term in English and had barely exchanged five sentences. We'd had little in common back then.

"Lia and Nate?" I asked, wondering what they were doing now and then kicking myself for bringing that mental picture into my mind. I lost my appetite.

"They dated for about eight months. Broke up about a year ago. I think Lia's always wanted him back." It finally dawned on her what we were discussing. She gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry but I really don't think he's into her. "

"Stop apologising, you're losing your recently earned street cred." We both laughed. Even a bar fight and two hours in lockdown didn't give Maddie a dangerous vibe.

"We are pathetic. I mean, you're literally bruised and broken and I'm a hot mess," she let out an uneasy breath. It's hard to handle where your life was sometimes. I didn't ask her how she felt about Ollie. I figured she'd confide when she was ready. She needed time to process all the changes in her life.

"Hey, we are both hot messes. Don't hog that title!"

We spent a few more minutes together in the kitchen before we went our separate ways. Her house was a cute one-bedroom cottage so I took the couch much to her objections. If she'd had her way I'd be in her room and she'd have the couch.

My phone rang as I was drifting off to sleep. I saw Nate's name on the screen. I choose not to pick up.