Love's Deception

Chapter 7 - Cat and Boss

When I was 8, I had my first crush on Tyler Rea. We were best friends but then he moved away to LA and we didn't have any form of communication except a landline, so we stopped talking. But before that, we were best friends. He would always be over at my house and I'd be at his. We would play with my stuffed animals, go to pick apples from his apple tree in the backyard and play games. My favorite game to play was cops and Tyler's was American Idol cause he loved to sing and wanted to be famous.

Even though I was only 8 years old, I had the hugest crush on him. I remember that that was the first time I got butterflies in my stomach, and I continued to get butterflies whenever I got a new crush. But I haven't had butterflies since I had my last boyfriend before I joined the police academy. And I don't want to get butterflies, my job is too difficult to be in a relationship. But sometimes you can't help who you get butterflies from, and sometimes they come from people that you don't expect or you can't get butterflies from.

If you're wondering whatever happened to Tyler Rea, well, he's still living in LA. But get this, he's the lead singer of an extremely famous band now. World tours, countless fans, awards won. Isn't it amazing how we both accomplished our dreams?

****

I walk quickly to Jace's office and it's almost like I'm excited to go see him. I don't know why, maybe it's not even excitement, maybe it's me wanting to prove myself as a trustworthy worker. Yeah, right. I'm the last person he should consider trustworthy — but he doesn't know that yet. And for some strange reason, I hope he never does.

I reach his office and I'm about to knock on the door when I hear him talking to someone on the other side. The only word I can make out is the word 'Mother'. I double tap my earpiece to let Paige know that I need her. Within seconds, Paige connects herself to my earpiece.

"What's up?" She asks.

I quietly whisper, "I think Jace is talking to his mom on the phone, listen in. There could be something helpful there."

"Alright. Go talk to Cooper, you need to get close to him too."

Paige disconnects from my earpiece and I walk away from Jace's door and go to Coopers. I softly knock on the door and immediately hear Cooper invite me in. Cooper looks up as I walk in and squints at me. I know he's suspicious of me, but he doesn't know that I know. He pastes a small smile on his face to try and cover up his uneasiness.

"I'm about to go see Mr. Dyer in a moment but I just wanted to thank you for all your help yesterday and today. I would have been completely lost around the office if I didn't have someone as friendly as you showing me around."

"You're welcome." Cooper says as his eyes trail up and down my body, "You look good today."

I pretend to look down and blush, but honestly? This man creeps me out. Yes, he's good looking, not nearly as good looking as Jace. But something about Cooper just gives me the creeps, like something is seriously messed up about him. I feel like I have to keep my guard up whenever I'm around him.

"Go see Jace now," Paige tells me through the earpiece and then immediately disconnects.

I look back up at Cooper, "Bye."

As I walk out of his office I can feel his eyes on me, well not necessarily on me but on my ass. After I close his door I shiver in disgust. How can one man make me feel such different things than Jace can? Jace can make me feel intrigued, excited and like I want to know more about him. Cooper makes me feel disgusted, creepy and like I don't want to know a single thing about him.