Always Yesterday (5 page)

Eli did as he was told, heading back to the interrogation room he’d recently vacated. He dumped the contents of the envelope onto the folding table. Several newspaper articles spilled out—every one about Delanie Cooper and her heroic actions in the robbery. She’d received a citation from the department and was labeled a hero.

Great. Not only was she beautiful, appealing, and intelligent; now he also had to recognize her abilities as a cop. He didn’t want to like her or respect her or admire her, but in two days she’d managed to make him guilty of all three.

And tomorrow her presence would wreak havoc on his already confused emotions.

Chapter 4

Shaking with anger, Delanie left Eli to draw his own conclusions. She practically ran to her car—escaping the man who caused her emotions to soar to heights and then drop to valleys she’d never known before. And all in the span of a few short hours.

She hopped into her little car, opened the sunroof, and hoped the wind would carry her woes away. Gulping deep breaths, she wanted to exhale the anger she’d allowed to overcome her. Taking the on-ramp, she shifted into fifth and merged onto I-80.

“I’m sorry, God.” She blew out a noisy breath. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve been that mad.” But somehow she knew that the handful of times she’d been truly livid, work was always at the center. More precisely, someone questioning her ability as a cop. “How long will it take? I’ve been doing the job well for six years, yet no one believes I can.”

Exiting at McCarran Boulevard, she followed a pickup until she hung a left at Mayberry Drive. A couple of blocks later she pulled into Mayberry Townhomes. She’d grown to love living alone. Well—almost alone. Hank, a retired police dog, and Junie B. Jones, a miniature beagle, resided with her. Or perhaps they allowed her to reside with them.

Thinking of her two buddies made her smile, and some of the anger dissipated. Delanie turned into her garage under the two-story town house and heard Junie’s welcoming yelp. Junie and Hank would be waiting impatiently to greet her. She climbed the stairs inside her garage that led to her utility room. True to form, her dogs greeted her with wagging tails and leashes in their mouths as she entered the house. Dropping her purse on the washing machine, she knelt and scratched both dogs behind their ears. Hank rolled over on his back for a belly rub. Delanie grabbed both leashes and flung them over one shoulder.

“How did you two know it’s time for our jog?” Delanie asked, starting toward the bedroom. Both of her furry roommates followed. She quickly changed her clothes, tied the laces of her running shoes, and snapped the two leashes onto the dog collars. Junie always made a game of the task, dancing and dodging her master as if she dreaded the daily jog. Once outside, Delanie did a few stretches, loosening her tight muscles. Today she needed the run more than most days and started at a quick pace, hoping to destress and decompress.

She always ran down South McCarran to Coughlin Ranch. The upscale housing community featured several jogging trails and nature walks, giving the impression of leaving “the biggest little city in the world” a million miles behind. While out there with her dogs and God, she could forget the casinos, the crime, and maybe even Eli. This was her time alone to focus on her Lord and the wonderful world He’d created.

At the end of her jog, Delanie followed her daily ritual of dropping by her parents’ house. Her mom always gave her “granddogs” a biscuit and Delanie a glass of water. They’d visit for fifteen or twenty minutes while Marilyn Cooper started dinner. Some nights Delanie would stay and join them; but Tuesday nights she always ate with a group of her friends, and then they’d all go to the singles’ Bible study together.

Delanie sat at the bar on the edge of her mother’s kitchen, watching her peel carrots. “Mom, what makes one man’s kiss so different from another’s?”

“The shape and skill of his lips.” Her brow was raised, and she wore a deadpan expression.

Delanie rolled her eyes at her mom’s quick wit. “No, I mean the reaction we as women have inside.”

Her mom laid down her peeler. “I’m no expert, but I think it’s that old mystery called chemistry.” She drew her brows together in an attempted stern look. “And whom have you been kissing?”

“Believe me, no one I want to be kissing, at least not the sane, down-to-earth side of me.” Delanie took a sip of water before expounding. She filled her mom in on the events of the past two days. “But when he took me in his arms and his lips met mine, there was no place on earth I’d rather have been.”

“Honey.” Her mom’s tone rang with parental concern. “Be careful. You’re skating on thin ice.”

Delanie nodded—that much she’d already figured out.

Her mother continued. “I don’t believe in ‘missionary dating,’ going out with a guy to ‘save his soul.’ Only once in my life have I ever seen it work out. Most of the time it ends in heartache and sometimes disaster.”

“I know.” Delanie glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to run, Mom. I’m supposed to meet the girls in barely an hour.” She jumped up, opened the sliding glass door, and whistled for her dogs. They’d been out back, playing with her parents’ black lab, Rambo.

She kissed her mom’s cheek and headed for the entry hall. “I’ll be praying, honey!” her mom hollered as Delanie shut the front door.

An hour later, after taking a quick shower and feeding her dogs, Delanie pulled into Mayberry Landing—a casual galleria filled with boutiques. Because of its name, the place always reminded her of the Andy Griffith reruns she’d watched with her grandparents as a child, though much more upscale than his town had been. She parked in front of Walden’s Coffeehouse. The quaint mini-mall also carried her far away from her job and downtown Reno.

Entering the wood-planked coffeehouse, she saw Jodi, Kristen, and Courtney already seated at their usual corner spot with their dinners in front of them. On her way to the table, she stopped at the counter and ordered a hot veggie wrap and a mocha ole to drink.

As she approached the table, she heard Courtney say, “He kissed me.”

“Not you, too.” Delanie sat in the last remaining chair. “Who kissed you?”

“Dr. Gorgeous,” Kristen interjected. She shoved a long strand of chestnut hair behind her ear.

“Wait.” Jodi pointed at Delanie. “You said, ‘Not you, too.’ Does that mean you were kissed today, as well?” She scrunched her forehead, her dark brows pulling together. “Spill.”

Delanie decided to dodge the moment as long as possible, not even sure why she’d said anything. “Sounds like I arrived right in the middle of a kiss between Courtney and Dr. Gorgeous. Let her finish, and then I’ll tell you my saga about me and Detective Dangerous.”

“Detective Dangerous sounds simply dreamy, dahling.” Courtney winked at Delanie. “But I’m certain he can’t compete with my gorgeous doctor whose kiss sends me into orbit.” Courtney used a corny accent, and they all laughed at her antics.

“Do tell us the tale of the gorgeous doctor and the nurse who’s been swept off her feet by a single heart-stopping kiss.” Kristen was always the romantic.

Courtney blushed. “Who said anything about a
single
kiss?”

“You kissed him more than once?” Amazement tinged Jodi’s question. “How well do you know this guy?”

Kristen cocked her head. “Better than she did yesterday.”

“Let’s rewind,” Delanie said. “I missed the beginning of this story, and I’m going to need a recap. So please, nobody say a word until I get back with my dinner.” The guy who took her order had just called her name, and her food waited on the edge of the counter.

Delanie returned to the table and took a sip of her hot mocha, loving the soothing feel of the liquid sliding down her throat. Between her fast but hot shower and the warmth of her beverage, she’d finally relaxed some after her exchange with Eli a few hours prior.

“Do tell, Courtney, and start at the beginning.” Courtney reminded Delanie of a model—tall, long, and lean. Her blond hair was always perfect, never a strand out of place, and her blue eyes resembled the sky on a clear day. Courtney never lacked for male attention.

“We have a new doc who just transferred into intensive care. He is such a hunk, and he’s into me!” She made the statement as if it were a big surprise.

“Duh! They’re always into you, Courtney,” Jodi reminded her, shaking her shoulder-length brunette hair in exasperation.

Courtney daintily ran her hand over her sunshine-hued locks, and her beguiling smile showcased perfect teeth. “That is
so
not true. I’ve been trying for months to get Pastor Paul’s attention. He never even notices me, so I’m moving on.” It was an honest assessment. He seemed to be the one man on earth who was unaware of her, and his indifference made Courtney want him all the more.

Delanie asked, “How long has Dr. Gorgeous been on staff at St. Mary’s?”

“He started yesterday.” Courtney studied her napkin as she rolled it up into a tiny wad and avoided eye contact with any of her friends. She surely knew they’d disapprove. They’d been down this road with her before—numerous times. Men were Courtney’s weakness, and no matter how many times she tried, she couldn’t seem to remain objective or Christ-centered when a new guy strolled into her life.

Delanie held her tongue. How could she say a word about kissing a man she barely knew when she’d done that very thing earlier today? But honestly, she would have loved to give Courtney a good shake.

Jodi, however, had no qualms. “You made out with a man you’ve only known two days! What happened to the commitment we each made at the singles’ conference last month? We all agreed to get to know men as friends
before
we let the physical aspect get in the way and confuse the issue.” Jodi’s brown eyes held a challenge as she glanced from Courtney to Delanie.

Delanie knew Jodi’s message was directed at both her and Courtney. Guilt stabbed at Delanie’s heart. She released a long, slow, audible breath. Eyeing each of her friends around the table, she knew they’d be disappointed in her, as well.

“And who kissed you?” Jodi’s expression was confused. “I didn’t even know you were dating.”

“I’m not,” Delanie mumbled, mentally preparing for her turn at the stake.

Kristen chimed in, “I just saw you at church on Sunday. You also met someone in two days?” She played with her large hoop earring.

“It was work—part of an undercover assignment.” Delanie knew her justification sounded weak and pathetic.

Courtney said nothing. She’d spent an inordinate amount of time stirring her soup, not even glancing up. Her feelings were probably hurt; but truth be told, if this wasn’t a repeated pattern, they’d all have been more supportive and less judgmental.

Two curious friends tossing out questions a mile a minute brought Delanie back to the present. She briefly gave them an overview of the past two days.

“So the kiss meant nothing to you—just an unpleasant job assignment?” Kristen raised her brows.

Delanie felt her face grow warm. “Therein lies the problem—it wasn’t as unpleasant as I wish it had been.”

Courtney made eye contact and smiled. “Boy, girlfriend, do I know what you mean. Heart-stopping, orbit-sending, incredible. I couldn’t stop at just one—didn’t even want to.” Her face flushed with her excitement, and her gaze rested on Jodi, daring her to say another word.

Delanie shrugged. “Eli’s kiss was amazing, but I don’t want to kiss him, not ever again. He’s not a Christian, and I can’t risk falling for him. The attraction is already there, but I know I’ve got to be firm in my resolve. The pleasure of his kiss isn’t worth risking my future. I want a husband like my dad—a guy sold out to the Lord—and I want a father like that for my kids.”

Both Jodi and Kristen nodded in agreement.

Courtney spoke up. “But if he has feelings for you, maybe he’ll start going to church, hear about God, and give his life to Jesus.”

Delanie wondered at that moment if Dr. Gorgeous didn’t follow Christ and Courtney was only justifying her own relationship.

“That never works.” Jodi’s statement was filled with certainty. “Look at all the kids from our days in the college group who made that decision. Many of them ended up compromising their beliefs and their convictions.”

Courtney glared at Jodi. “You’re always so sure of your walk, but maybe this time you’re wrong.” She raised her chin, daring any of them to question her wisdom. “He told me if I’d go out with him tonight, he’d come to church with me on Sunday.”

Delanie’s heart sank, and she had to speak up. “You know it’s a risk at best. Don’t you think Dr. Gorgeous is used to sleeping with his dates?”

“No. And you should know I won’t do that!” Courtney’s glare shifted to Delanie.

“Courtney,” Kristen said, “he’s a thirty-something-year-old man who lives in our modern world. In today’s society it’s more accepted and even expected by many. You know that—we all know that.”

“Court.” Jodi’s sad eyes pleaded with Courtney to listen. “You’ve already come close a few times with Christian guys. If you’re attracted to this doctor fellow, and he has the experience we suspect, how will you resist? He’ll probably know just what he’s doing and how to make a girl putty in his hands. I know you get mad at me for always telling it like it is, but I don’t want you to fall. I don’t want you to settle. I care about you.”