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i.
Angela likes to think she knows her best friend pretty well.
Twelve years working on the job together, first as rookies and now as Training Officers she likes to think she knows Tim the best—Tim may argue differently.
It was not an easy road to getting to be Tim’s best friend. No one has ever resisted a friendship with her more than Tim Bradford and in the beginning she had to fight tooth and nail for every sliver of information he offered her.
But Angela grew up with four brothers and loves nothing more than a challenge and Tim Bradford certainly was a challenge.
She knew for a fact that Tim enjoyed her company—even if he would have venomously denied this for years.
So, she continued to weasel her way into his life until he started coming to her.
It all truly started when Isabel transferred to the 55th in their third year as P2s when Detective Wilson, a narcotics detective, told her she would make a great undercover cop.
Tim was more hung up on the fact that he wouldn’t see her as much anymore. This being the first time the two weren’t working together since the academy.
Angela personally never cared for the woman and she knows Isabel never cared for her. Their only interaction was either due to work or Tim, despite being recruits and then rookies together. Once Isabel transferred stations, Tim and Angela got closer, and Angela suspects the other woman hated her even more.
Not that Angela cared one way or the other, she was Tim's friend first and foremost.It only truly became an issue when Isabel told her point blank she did not want Angela at the wedding. To this day despite everything that has happened Angela has never told Tim why she didn’t make it to his wedding, he still thinks it was because she had to fly out to New York for her youngest brother Bruno.
Isabel’s hostility towards Angela only got worse and Angela only dug her heels in it more. If anyone tried to tell Angela who she could be friends with, it only made Angela fight back more
And boy did Isabel hate her for that.
To this day it still surprises Angela that the other woman never said anything to Tim. Not that Angela thought Tim would let Isabel dictate what he did, or who he hung out with, but he would have taken her concerns into consideration.
Angela suspects Isabel was so consumed with undercover work and becoming the best, Isabel barely had time to focus on her marriage much less her husband’s friendships.
Then it became less of an issue once Isabel made detective and she was deep undercover for months at end.
Angela and Tim got closer because of that.
The night Isabel left came as no surprise to Angela, and she knows deep down Tim knew it was coming too.
But expecting it and living it was two very different things.
Angela had never quite seen Tim like the night Isabel left.
For weeks she noticed something was off with Tim and she poked and prodded until he finally told her his suspicions about Isabel using.
They argued back and forth about reporting her, staging an intervention to get her help, but Tim refused.
Tim refused to look at the facts in front of him. For a man who prided himself in being practical, he was being the most impractical she's ever seen him. But, the harder she pushed, the harder he resisted.
And Angela was forced to wipe her hands of the issue.
But then came the call, and those two words “she left.”
When she showed up at Tim’s house he was nursing a bottom of rum and it was the first time she ever saw Tim Bradford drunk.
Now fast forward to almost two years later she gets another call but this time Tim is at the bar and asks her to meet him for drinks.
She heads into the bar with trepidation unsure what she will encounter. She does suspect it has to do with his impromptu day off he took on Valentines Day off a few days ago.
She really hopes he did not spend it with Isabel and his good mood is because they worked things out.
Angela is certain she will never forgive the woman for the state she left Tim that night.
When she walks into the noisy bar she spots Tim immediately he’s sitting on a bar stool nursing a beer looking far happier than she expected to see him.
She makes her way over and when he sees her his smile widens and he gets to his feet, ever the gentleman.
He slides an ice cold beer towards her and gestures to the seat.
“Are we celebrating?” Angela asks curiously, they hardly ever come to bars anymore to begin with.
“You probably would,” Tim remarks with a shrug of his shoulders but despite his words he doesn’t seem too upset. But Tim is hard to read on a good day, she's unsure what to make of his mood as she takes a seat on the bar stool.
“Am I finally gonna learn why you took Valentine’s Day last week?” Angela asks intrigued as she takes a sip of her drink briefly wondering if Tim actually met someone new.
“Met up with Isabel,” Tim explains somberly. “She’s doing well. Gave me divorce papers.”
“Oh,” Angela replies, looking at him closely trying to gauge his mood. “I’m sorry.”
She's not, but she is sorry he's upset.
“You’re not,” Tim says with a short laugh, “but it was time.”
So maybe she was not as transparent as she thought.
“It was.” Angela nods in agreement, her eyes still trained on him. “I know you had hoped that things would work out. You don’t quit on anyone.”
“No, but Isabel and I are different people now,” Tim says sadly, he takes a sip of his beer and sighs.“I was naive to think our marriage could have been salvaged after all this time.”
“You were. You’re more practical than that,” Angela points out teasingly and then laughs at the glare Tim sends her. She then sobers, “you okay?”
Tim sighs as he takes a sip of his own beer, “yea I knew it was coming. It’s fine.”
Angela nods, not bothering to push further knowing that’s far more than she could expect from Tim in the first place. She holds out her beer to him, “to new beginnings?”
“That’s cheesy Lopez even for you.” Tim remarks, but knocks his beer against her beer bottle before he takes another sip.
“Oh fuck off,” Angela grumbles taking back her beer as Tim laughs. She reaches out and kicks him in the shin and he only laughs harder, it’s been awhile since she’s seen him laugh this much. “I try and do a nice thing.”
Tim shakes his head, his eyes suddenly catching something in the distance and his smile widens even more than before and Angela is immediately intrigued, before she can turn around to see what has Tim smiling that he spins around to look at her and smirks, “Wanna earn a few free drinks?”
Angela frowns not understand and spins on her stool to see their rookies setting up a pool table to begin a game. “I’m not seeing Nolan.”
“Probably past his bedtime,” Tim remarks as he slides off his stool and slaps his empty beer bottle on the counter. “C’mon, us against our rookies.”
She watches in amazement as he slides off his stool and struts across to their rookies. Tim's gaze zeroing in on Lucy. Angela watches on intrigued as he approaches their rookies who are mid laugh and they both stand straight on seeing them.
“Chen. West.” Tim greets his eyes still trained on Lucy as his smile widens even further and Angela continues to silently observe them, her interest peaked for another reason. “How about a friendly game T.Os vs rookies? Rookies pay?”
She watches as Lucy turns to face Tim and places her hand on her hip matching Tim's playful smirk, “don’t you mean losers pay?”
Interesting.
“If the boot fits,” Tim’s volley back easily as Lucy gasps clearly offended as she folds her arms matching his pose.
Angela looks across at Jackson to see if he is also seeing what she's seeing, but he only looks away, clearly hiding something and Angela begins to wonder if Tim is in over his head.
Which means she could very well be paying for their rookies drinks by the end of the night.
Tim, the idiot, seems completely oblivious to Jackson's smug smile.
“Alright, if you’re going to be like that,” Lucy remarks as she walks up to Tim holding out her hand for Tim to shake, her smile widening when Tim takes her hand.
What are they even playing?
“How about we up the stakes? Losers not only buy tonight but also write the reports for a week," Lucy bargains and Angela knows she needs to step in before Tim's dumb competitive blindness has her working overtime and doing rookie grunt work.
“No. Report writing is part of your training and West still sucks at it,” Angela chimes in as she folds her arms, glaring at her own rookie.
“Hey!”
“Alright. Alright. Loser has to set up the shop for a week including the war bags,” Lucy counters, her brown eyes moving from Angela to Tim and she looks at Tim challengingly, “neither of you can say we haven’t perfected that.”
It's not lost to Angela that they are still holding hands…well shaking hands.
What is Tim even playing?
Angela waits for Tim to speak, neither of them want to set up the shop but between the two of them she suspects they have this in the bag.
“Okay, deal. Rookies pay tonight and continue to set up the shop.” Tim counters cockily as they shake hands with far more force than necessary and Lucy's eyes narrow clearly up for the challenge and equally competitive. “I think I’m going to order the steak fajitas for our victory meal.”
Angela immediately notices that neither of them release the hold on their hands. Lucy’s grin widens mischievously as Jackson looks away hiding his own smile.
“I’m not big on their fajitas but there is a nice expensive bottle of wine that has my name on it.” Lucy says breezily. She shakes Tim’s hand again this time more firmly. “Here’s what. I’ll even go easy on you and we can do 2 out of 3.”
Tim freezes and Angela glances from Tim to Lucy dread setting in. Lucy has been far too cocky, “what is that supposed to mean?”
“You’re looking at UCLA three times pool champion,” Lucy says smugly, tightening her grip on Tim’s hand again.
They have been played. Fucking Tim.
“I never play against Lucy. She was going to show me some tricks,” Jackson chimes in for the first time for the night. He smiles brightly, all too happy at the turn of events, and Angela realizes now that is why he avoided making eye contact with her, “I think I’ll get the fajitas.”
“I look forward to you setting up the shop in the morning, sir.” Lucy says cheekily as she drops Tim’s hand and skips back to Jackson, “rack em up.”
“If they win you’re footing the whole damn bill,” Angela grumbles.
Tim only laughs, his eyes still trained on Lucy, “she’s bluffing.”
Turns out Lucy does not bluff about pool.
Despite the colossal loss Tim enjoyed himself the entire night and for the first time in months Angela can see that he really has moved on from Isabel.
Not to mention she's beginning to think this rookie might be different.
ii.
Angela sits on the bench outside the station gym, the constant thuds of fists hitting the boxing bag echoing down the hallway.
Nyla is standing in front of her arms folded as she peaks into the gym as well and sighs. Chen has been at that bag for the last hour and she shows no signs of stopping, and Angela suspects it’s entirely her and Nyla’s fault.
Tim always talked about Lucy’s resilience and stubbornness but Angela is at a loss if Lucy is now approaching self destructive behaviour.
She and Nyla genuinely thought they were helping Lucy the night before at the speed dating event but Angela fears they only made things worse.
Lucy hightailed it out of that bar so quickly the night before. Nyla said their shift went better today than yesterday but Angela is wondering if they should have really let Tim help Lucy. After all, he’s the one that knows her best.
“I do think I got through to her,” Nyla insists.“Chen normally hits the mats pretty frequently, at least I’ve seen her multiple times over the last few months since I joined.”
Despite her words, Angela can tell the other woman is worried. They have only known each other a short few months, and Nyla definitely plays the lone wolf card well, but Angela knows she is genuinely concerned for Lucy's well being, which is why she went to Angela first about convincing Tim she should train Lucy for a few days.
They both know these things take time but they also don’t want to do more harm than good.
Angela is just about to get to her feet to check on Lucy when she hears the sound of boots scrapping against the linoleum floor. She looks up to see Tim dressed in his plain clothes making his way over to them, his frown deepening when he sees both of them.
“What happened to Lucy?” Tim asks immediately, he moves to the gym doors and peaks in to see Lucy going at the punching bag with full force. By the way Tim tenses and his concern increases ten fold Angela knows immediately this is not normal for Lucy.
She braces herself for the inevitable Tim blow up. Tim is short tempered at best, but when it comes to his rookie….to Lucy she can never quite predict how he will react.
Tim spins around and glares at them, his arms folded across his chest, frown deepening “what the hell happened yesterday?”
“I told you it was minor,” Angela insists but at Tim’s annoyed, unimpressed look she sighs knowing she can't leave it at that. “We took her to speed dating.”
“What? Are you two insane? You had her surrounded by a bunch of strange men?” Tim asks incredulously, “and let me guess one guy moved wrong and she freaked out?”
Angela and Nyla exchange surprised looks clearly not expecting Tim to clock Lucy’s exact response. "She attacked him.”
Tim groans in disbelief, and Angela raises her hand to quickly reassure him,“I was able to smooth things over with the guy.”
“I don’t care about the guy,” Tim snaps back angrily. “Blind dates with fucking strangers is not what Lucy needed!”
“We see that now,” Nyla remarks dryly but Tim scowl only deepens and Angela levels him with a pointed glare and he simmers somewhat, but still looks at Nyla accusingly.
“Yesterday, you told me that I wouldn’t understand what Lucy is going through because I’m not a woman. I trusted you to take care of her.” Tim gestures to the gym angrily, “that is not taking care of her! Why would you…”
“Okay. That’s enough, Tim.” Angela says firmly getting between Tim and Nyla as she can see Nyla’s hackles are already raised. These two are far too similar for comfort and neither seem to care that they are standing in the hallway of the station.“We didn’t know. We thought it would be helpful, but clearly it was not. You know better. You know Lucy and what she needs.”
There is no bite in her tone as she says it, she is simply stating facts. Tim recognizes it immediately and his defenses lower, he doesn’t apologize for snapping. Tim Bradford would never but he does look at Nyla much calmer than he did a few seconds prior. “I’ll take back my rookie tomorrow.”
“I figured.” Nyla remarks dryly and Angela rolls her eyes knowing that’s the best these two will see eye to eye without either admitting they were wrong.
All three of them turn back to the gym and watch as Lucy picks up her speed and hits the punching bag in rapid progression.
“Do you want me to talk to her?” Nyla offers, despite their disagreements they are all here for the same thing.
“No.” Tim raises his hand stopping her, his voice firm as he speaks, “you two did enough damage. I’ll handle my rookie how I see fit. I know what’s best for her.”
Despite his tone, Angela can see the genuine concern pooling behind his eyes and realizes now she should have never let Nyla convince her that they would know how to help Lucy, when Tim is the one that knows her best.
With those words he walks off and into the gym and Angela can see his entire demeanour changing the moment he enters.
Nyla and Angela peek through the small window, they can’t hear what they are saying but she can see the way Lucy’s defenses raise and she snaps back at Tim. But as Tim continues to talk Angela can see the fight leave her and her eyes fill with tears as she looks at Tim in a new light and understanding.
Angela does not know what Tim is saying but it’s clear whatever he said is getting through to her so much so that Lucy smiles halfheartedly at something he says.
He turns around to leave and Nyla ducks before he sees them but Angela watches as Tim stops then pulls something out from his pocket and tosses it to Lucy.
The ring.
She can see the moment of a realization hits Lucy’s face.
Tim was the one that found her, all this time Angela assumed Lucy knew. She wonders if Lucy knows the lengths Tim went to find her, the rules he broke to save her.
iii.
Angela leans against the door of Tim’s truck grinning when she sees him approaching, even more so when his step falters as he sees her, his heckles already raised. He makes it far too easy for her to get under his skin.
“What do you want?”
“Wow, that’s how you greet your BFF, who came to take you out for celebratory dinner?” Angela teases.
Tim’s defenses immediately lowers, she would take offense to his first thought was that she came to fuck with him. But that’s typically how she rolls, and she likes annoying him before she gets to her point.
“Who told you?” Tim asks suspiciously.
“Grey mentioned it to me yesterday but with Wesley’s mother getting arrested, I got busy.” At Tim’s wide eye surprised expression she waves him off, that's a story for another time. “I’ll tell you about it later. Why aren’t you more excited? Eighth place? And the promotion? That’s a big deal!”
“Grey told you about that too?” Tim asks with a sigh, and Angela is still at a loss as to why he seems so disappointed at his achievements. He can't be that attached to Mid-Wilshire.
“Yea, I know North Hollywood is a bit of a commute for you but it’s an amazing opportunity. What am I missing?” Angela asks in confusion.
“People in North Hollywood are wasps.”
He’s deflecting, which means there is more into it like she suspected.
Angela only laughs in return, “we’ve worked with them before they are pretty competent. Hell you would fit right in.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Tim asks incredulously, clearly affronted.
“You’re pretty just like they are,” Angela teases. She then slaps him lightly on the shoulder, “seriously, why are you bugging out?”
“Bugging out? God you’re spending way too much time with your rookie you’re starting to sound like a twenty five year old.” Tim quips, still deflecting which rude she does not sound anything like her rookie.
If anything, between the two of them he is the one that's closest to their rookie.
Then it hits her.
His rookie.
Of course it’s about his rookie.
It's always about her.
Angela folds her arms and looks at him closely, her narrowing in suspicion, “you don’t want to give up training Chen.”
It's not a question, it's a statement and they both know it.
“I don’t quit.” Tim says stubbornly as he folds his arms and huffs in frustration.“My rookies quit. But I don’t quit on them. I never have.”
By the look in his eyes they both know it’s not about his work etiquette or his commitment to the FTO program. It’s his commitment to this rookie.
His commitment to Lucy.
“You know it’s okay to admit you enjoy teaching Chen and wanna see her through the end. Especially at that she’s been thorough…what you have both been through together.” Angela points out gently.
She knows it's more than that, but she wouldn't daer bring that up yet. Tim is not ready to hear her thoughts on that particular subject.
Tim huffs, “it’s not about Chen.”
That’s a lie. It's always about Chen.
“Isn’t it? It’s okay to admit you enjoy working with her and teaching her,” Angela teases lightly.
Tim rolls his eyes and huffs, “just don’t tell her that, no need for her to get a complex.”
Angela only laughs in return, mostly surprised he did not deny things further. “So you’re really gonna turn the position down? You know another spot might not open up for months.”
“I already told Grey I can’t take it,” Tim admits, surprising Angela to say the least. She really expected him to sit on it for at least a day. “I took that exam knowing I would have the time to finish Chen’s training. Grey blindsided me with the offer and I kinda want to try and get a spot here in Mid-Wilshire.”
What surprises Angela the most is the fact that he openly admitted to her that he didn’t take the job for Lucy. Her eyes widen and she now wonders if she can prod him further about Lucy. More importantly, his feelings for Lucy.
Tim raises his hand before she can talk. She hates when he does that thing like he's reading her mind. “Don’t make it a thing.”
“Okay. But we still have to celebrate! You aced the exam!” Angela insists.
“I can’t tonight. I meeting Lucy at Nevin’s.” Tim apologizes. “What are you giving me that look for?”
“You have a date with your rookie?” Angela teases in delight, not expecting Tim to give her the perfect opening.
Tim frowns at her words and points a warning finger at her. “No. I am meeting up with her about a solution to our case. Stop looking at me like that! It’s not a date! I have a girlfriend. Rachel? Remember her? Lucy’s friend?”
“Okay I’ll leave you to your date,” Angela teases, laughing as Tim shoves her from his truck. “I can’t meet up tonight anyway. I have dinner with Wesley and Patrice, but later this week?”
“Yes,” Tim concedes glad for the change of topic, “you have to tell me about how Wesley’s mom got arrested.”
“And you can tell me about your date with Lucy.”
“Oh fuck off,” Tim scowls shoving her out of the way so he can open the front door to his truck.
She grabs the door preventing him from closing it and Tim sighs dramatically, “what now?”
“You should tell Lucy why you didn’t take the job,” Angela says seriously.
“That I don’t want to move to North Hollywood?" Tim counters, purposely being obtuse, despite the fact that they both know exactly why he won't transfer.
“The truth,” Angela insists, not letting him off the hook that easily. “She would appreciate it.”
Tim only grunts and pulls the door shut, “good night Angela.”
Angela only laughs and waves as he drives off.
iv.
“You know I’m surprised you dived into being man of honour so easily,” Angela quips as she waits for Tim to open the passenger door for her.
“Did you really give me a choice?” Tim retorts with a shake of his head as he holds out his hand and helps her out of the truck. Angela sends him a warning look to not make fun of her waddling form.
“No. But taking me to pick flowers and at a mom and pop shop too?” Angela teases as she looks up at the small flower shop intrigued. “What woman are you dating that you even know about this place? It’s not even in your neighborhood or your route for work.”
“I’m not dating anyone,” Tim remarks with a shake of his head as he walks ahead of her to hold the door open for her. “Lucy mentioned this place has a huge selection of flowers, and Michelle the owner loves to do weddings too.”
“Lucy did, did she?” Angela teases. She loves that she does not even need to bring up the other woman that Tim does that all on his own. He is still completely oblivious about how smitten he is, “and why are you two talking about weddings?”
“Whatever you’re insinuating don’t.” Tim grumbles halfheartedly. His lack of firm protest is new, and Angela is never one to let an opportunity go. Not when Tim offers it up so willingly.
“I’m just saying that’s an interesting topic to talk about with your former rookie.”
“Oh hello!” A new voice calls out brightly pulling them from conversation much to Tim's relief but he has another thing coming if he thinks Angela will let this go. A short and stout older woman with white curly hair approaches them with a bright smile, clearly the owner from her outfit. On seeing Angela’s pregnant belly her smile widens, “oh congratulations! Are we here for gender reveal flowers?”
“Oh no! We’re not!” Tim protests and Angela rolls her eyes, this is not the first time this has happened and it won’t be the last either. Tim needs to chill, he always gets squirreling about this, but he suddenly sends the older woman a charming smile and continues “She wishes.”
The ass.
“Rude!” Angela huffs, slapping Tim on the shoulder. She places her hand on her stomach and glares at him as the older woman laughs wholeheartedly at their exchange.
Another thing that always happens when Angela is with him, is women and men alike are always flirting with him.
“Michelle! I found the perfect bouquet!” A new familiar voice calls out.
This idiot did not just drag her across town to this specific flower shop in the chance he could run into his damn former rookie.
Angela notices Tim turns on his heel immediately towards the voice and sure enough there is Lucy dressed in a long flowy white skirt and warm yellow tank top, sunglasses perched on her head and in her hand is a small bouquet of white flowers. Angela can see the tips of her toes barely peaking out painted the same colour as her top.
Angela misses when she used to see her own toes.
She looks across at Tim and can’t help but smirk at the way Tim’s eyes slowly trail up Lucy’s body and Lucy is completely oblivious as she admires the small bouquet in her hand. Angela would bet Wesley’s trust fund if she asked Tim the colour of Lucy’s nail polish on her toes he could tell her the exact shade.
The idiot.
“Oh hey!” Lucy says brightly in seeing them, her eyes lingering on Tim before she glances at Angela and grins in greeting. “Are you doing gender reveal flowers? Michelle has the most brilliantly blue hydrangeas! You gotta get those.”
“Gender reveals are so tacky,” Tim grumbles.
“They are not!” Lucy protests at his pointed looks she sighs, “obviously I mean the low key ones, and not the ones that involve pyrotechnics or helium balloons.”
“Gotta protect the animals,” Tim chimes in teasingly.
Lucy narrows her eyes and glares, “I know you’re making fun of me but it’s a valid point and you know it!”
Tim only raises a hand in defense, “I’m sure the animals thank you for your service.”
“Oh shut up,” Lucy grumbles lightly. She then focuses on Angela again pointedly ignoring Tim who Angela notices is now grinning widely clearly proud of himself for annoying Lucy. Like a god damn kindergarten on the playground with a school crush. “You should do the flowers. Michelle has the best options.”
“No gender reveal. We already know it’s a boy,” Angela explains with a laugh, “kid couldn’t help but show off in the last ultrasound. Wesley loved that.”
Lucy laughs in delight, “oh that’s so cute. Congratulations!”
“Just wait till he’s five and running naked down the neighborhood,” Tim points out, “you could have a future streaker on your hands.”
“Of course you would say that,” Lucy remarks dryly with a roll of her eyes. She then grins at Tim mischievously, “wait are you talking from experience?”
Tim huffs clearly not expecting her to turn things on him and Angela laughs wholeheartedly, “I’m betting Tim Bradford used to run down the street butt naked little Timmy giving everyone a show.”
“I did not,” Tim grumbles while Lucy breaks out into giggles.
“Alright, I know when to stop,” Lucy quips, sending Tim another teasing grin.
These two are absolutely ridiculous, Angela needs to talk to Jackson and increase her wager for their bet.
“No you don’t,” Tim retorts back at which Lucy only laughs not denying it
“True. But I have some groceries in my car and I need to go before all the ice cream melts,” Lucy concedes, sending Tim one more smile, which is not lost to Anglea before she turns her focus back to Michelle. “Just this today Michelle.”
“The Lily of the Valley always sells out this time of the year,” Michelle says happily as she rings up Lucy’s order.
“I know that’s why I wanted to come as early as possible,” Lucy says pleasantly as she picks up the small flower pot shaped like the sun and grins. “I love the little pots you put them in too!”
“They reminded me of you. You always brighten up my shop when you visit,” Michelle says brightly, “I put a few extra nutrient packets for you and I’ll see you next time Lucy.”
“Aw thank you Michelle I’ll see you in two weeks!” Lucy remarks before she turns back to Tim and Angela. “Have fun picking flowers. Bye!”
Angela waves after her but watches in amusement as Tim watches her go, his gaze lingering on Lucy once again. Angela looks across at Michelle to see the older woman is watching him equally intrigued and amused, it seems like she also read Tim and Lucy like a book.
“Tim! It’s nice to finally put a face to the name,” Michelle says happily to a surprised Tim “and what a handsome face it is too.”
Angela snorts, cause of course Tim’s got the older woman flirting with him.
“What?” Tim asks, slightly confused.
“Lucy, she has been coming here for the past five months,” Michelle explains warmly, “she said the flowers brighten up her space even on the darkest of days.”
Both Angela and Tim exchange looks 5 months ago, they know exactly what Lucy had been through and it seems like Michelle does too. Not that Angela is surprised it did make the news.
“Lucy mentioned a Tim quite frequently,” Michelle continues brightly, “she did not mention how handsome you were.”
Tim coughs uncomfortably and Angela laughs, taking a step forward to save him. She would like to prod the older woman more but she has enough intel to get under Tim’s skin. Today provided her with so much information, she turns to the older woman and smiles, “He gets that all the time. I’m actually looking for flowers for my wedding.”
“Oh I have just the selection!” The older woman says happily as she gestures for them to follow her into another room, it is a long walk-in fridge, the change in temperature has Angela immediately shivering as they step in. “These are some of my most popular ones! Let me know if you need any help.”
Angela and Tim start walking down the aisle of flowers, Angela’s nose already begins to tickle. “So, do you have a date for the wedding?”
Tim frowns, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at her line of thinking. He’s so damn paranoid. He’s right but still so paranoid. “No, and I’m not interested in a blind date with your cousins either.”
“Oh god no,” Angela remarks with a shake of her head. “Marisol, still bitches about that date I set you two up on. She told all our cousins and almost all of them have written you off.”
“Good.” Tim grunts in satisfaction. “I told you I wasn’t ready to date back then.”
Angela only waves off his words not wanting to get into that again. He was fresh off the divorce from Isabel and he needed to go on a date or two. She never expected him to hit it off with her cousins, anyway.
“Why don’t you take Lucy as your plus one?” Angela asks casually, her eyes trained on Tim to see his reaction.
“What?Why? She doesn’t need an in. She already got an invitation and RSVP.” Tim asks in confusion.
Angela rolls her eyes; she’s unsure if he is being deliberately obtuse or genuinely does not know what she’s insinuating. She would not at all be surprised if Tim does not see what’s in front of him.
“Well you’re riding solo. And she is going solo…” she trails off hoping he catches on, but when he blanches at the thought she holds back a sigh.
He is a clueless idiot as always.
“Lucy is my rookie.”
“She was,” Angela corrects, raising her hand in defense at his annoyed look. She’s not, wrong she’s stating facts. “Nothing wrong with you taking her. Dance…”
“I don’t dance.” Tim remarks stubbornly
“Drink a little wine.” Angela continues as if he didn’t speak.
“I am not taking my former rookie as a date,” Tim says firmly, he then points at one of the flowers, white carnations, clearly looking for anything to change the topic, “what about those flowers?”
“That’s the most popular flower for funerals,” Angela remarks dryly but knowing the conversation is over for now. “I’m planning my wedding, not a funeral. C’mon the yellow peonies are beautiful.”
v.
Tim and Lucy jump into their shop just as his phone begins to ring. He sees Angela’s contact on the screen and frowns knowing she wouldn’t call during the day unless there was a reason.
“Hey what’s up? I’m now heading out on the street,”
“So I’ve been told that I am not nice enough to your lady friend,” Angela says without a greeting.
Tim can hear the pinched tone in her voice and he knows immediately this is Wesley’s doing. The funny thing is Tim really doesn’t care if Angela likes Ashley or not. He has zero interest in introducing the two anyway.
Hell, Ashley hasn’t met Genny and the boys either, that is also not high on his list.
He should really stop and think why that’s the case but he doesn’t have time for that.
“Ashley,” he corrects. He can see Lucy’s interest in the conversation has suddenly peaked and knows she’s listening in, not that she’s hiding it either.
“Yea her,” Angela remarks acknowledging his comment. “Anyway, Wesley thought we should go out for dinner and I should get to know this girl you’re been seeing. He made reservations for Gyu Katsuya Sushi on Thursday at 6.”
“Is Wesley standing over you as you make this call?” Tim asks in amusement at the way she prattles off the information.
“Yes, he is using Jack’s whiteboard—that’s supposed to have his feeding schedule on it—I’m not allowed to hang up till you say yes. Apparently I was not allowed to say that either.”
Tim barks out a laugh at her words, and while he does appreciate the effort, he really would not care. “Sure Thursday at 6.”
They both hang up without saying goodbye which is the norm for them and he shakes his head in amusement. He just knows Angela and she was probably bitching to Wesley too much hence the olive branch. Tim should care more what she thinks or why she’s so against the relationship in the first place. But he can’t seem to bother.
He puts his phone on the holder and turns on the shop glancing at Lucy who is looking at him curiously. He chuckles lightly knowing she listened to one side of the conversation as he expected her too, “ever heard of Gyu Katsuya?”
Lucy’s eyes widen and she spins in the seat to face him, slapping him on the arm eagerly, “it’s this new place in Century City. The waiting list is like 6 months long. Not to mention it’s like $150 per person. I’ve been dying to go. I kinda need a date first and Tamara doesn’t even like sushi. Who doesn’t like Sushi?
Tim chuckles of course she would know about it, she’s always talking about new places she tried or wants to try. The woman’s palate is endless. “You free on Thursday?”
“Wait really?” Lucy perks up immediately. She then pauses, “but what about Ashley that place is definitely more double date territory.”
“You just said you would have taken Tamara,” Tim points out rationally. At her look he shrugs his shoulders, “Ashley doesn’t like sushi, either.”
He has no clue if this is true or not but the eagerness at which Lucy agrees makes him forget why Angela wanted the double date in the first place.
“Oh! Okay! Yes!” Lucy pulls out her phone and immediately begins swiping, “I need to see the dress code and ooh the menu!”
“Chen. Work,” Tim calls out sternly. She holds up two fingers and shows him a picture, “look at this seaweed salad it looks glorious.”
“Seaweed salad really? Of all the things…oh okay what’s that?” Tim glances at phone longer than needed before focusing on her phone screen
“It’s a volcano roll. Fried rice topped with spicy salmon and…oh now I want sushi.”
Tim rolls his eyes as she goes through the entire menu making a mental list of all the things she needs to try including the dessert.
It’s no surprise that they end up picking poké bowls at the end of shift, before they part ways.
0ooooooooooo0
“Now remember you promised you would be nice and not make fun of her job,” Wesley warns as he and Angela enter the fancy restaurant.
The entrance is a rich gold and red wooden door that opens to a hallway lined by aquariums of various fish and shellfish.
“Think she will be offended that we came to eat her co-workers?” Angela quips clearly disregarding everything Wesley said.
“Angela.”
“Oh, relax. I was just getting it out of my system,” Angela insists. “I don’t even think he likes this girl. So I don’t get why I should.”
“Maybe he hasn’t been open about her because you’ve been so resistant,” Wesley points out calmly, rationally.
She hates when he makes a valid point. Angela sighs, “fine. I’ll be nice. But I can’t promise I will keep all my comments to myself.”
Wesley mutters, “at least you’re honest.”
“It’s why you love me,” Angela replies cheekily.
“Among other reasons,” Wesley grins but then pauses as he looks behind her, “uh. Guess you don’t have to play nice after all.”
“What?” Angela asks spinning around and if it’s possible her grin only widens when she sees Tim and Lucy enter the restaurant. Angela slaps Wesley on the forearms in excitement, “things just got interesting.”
“Now I feel like I need to warn you to be nice for a whole other reason,” Wesley quips as they both get to their feet.
“Sorry, you pulled that card already. The agreement was that I would play nice with Tim and Ashley. I am under no obligation to follow that for another circumstance, counselor,” Angela retorts in delight.
Her eyes are trained on Tim and Lucy. She watches the way Lucy stops to look at the fish in delight and Tim makes a comment and Lucy gasps in horror, slapping Tim on the shoulder.
She can see the way Tim’s smile stretches across his face as he watches Lucy and she only shakes her head, “Goddamn Idiot.”
“Angela,” Wesley warns, his hand pressing into her side just as Tim and Lucy approach.
“Hi!” Lucy greets happily, “Sorry for crashing your double date.”
“You’re not crashing anything,” Tim insists and he places his hand on her lower back. He looks at Angela and Wesley, “Ashley couldn’t make it.”
“Wait. I thought you said she didn’t like sushi?” Lucy asks with a frown, “you could have rescheduled Tim!”
Angela can see the way Tim panics but Angela rolls her eyes and steps on, “sure she just didn’t want to eat her co-workers?”
Tim narrows his eyes at her while Lucy gasps trying to hold back her smile, “seriously?”
“I mean most people don’t want to feast on their co-workers, now do they Tim?” Angela continues without missing a beat.
Serves him right, she was only trying to help his dumb ass.
Lucy practically trips on her feet and Tim places a hand on her back to stable, sending Angela a warning glare that only has Angela’s smile widening in delight.
Tonight is going to be so much fun.
Turns out the night was both fun and absolutely maddening.
In all the time she’s known Lucy she’s never actually spent that much time with her in an unprofessional way. Usually, it was a few nights at the bar when she was a rookie and the TOs and rookies shared a few drinks.
Or she sees Lucy through Tim’s eyes, but tonight is the first night she sees Tim and Lucy together in a casual setting and it’s the most eye opening thing she’s experienced.
They are seated almost immediately, Tim ever the gentleman lets Lucy slide into their booth seat and doesn't sit until she does.
It’s nothing new for Tim so Angela doesn’t even bat an eyelash. But when they get the iPad with their menu she watches in fascination as Lucy orders for both Tim and herself first, then drinks without asking
In fact she only asks Angela and Wesley about three rolls if they would like to try as well.
It’s Tim that’s the most fascinating thing to watch.
Right now he’s sitting comfortably in the booth, his arm across the back of the seat behind Lucy and his body is practically facing her.
He addressed both Wesley and herself enough but it’s clear his attention is mostly focused on Lucy as she talks animatedly about one thing or the other.
Lucy is chatty, which is something Angela has deduced from the early days of Lucy’s rookie year when Tim used to bitch about the chatter.
Now, Tim is grinning like an idiot and hanging onto everything Lucy says and chiming in whenever appropriate.
Their drinks are the first to arrive, the waiter places a glass of red wine in front of Angela, a simple coke for Wesley and then a beer for Tim and a fruity cocktail for Lucy.
Angela watches intrigued as Lucy reaches over Tim to grab his beer and takes a sip of it. She shakes her head then grabs the lemon on the rim of her cup and squeezes some of it into Tim’s beer and then sips it again.
Angela waits for Tim to comment but he only grabs his beer and nods in approval.
Angela glances at Wesley and she can see he’s locked in like she is and watching the two with intrigue.
When the appetizers arrive Angela doesn’t help herself to the food but instead watches Tim and Lucy.
“Oh! I’ve been wanting to try the seaweed salad for ages.” Lucy says in delight as she takes one of the four small bowls and places it on her empty plate.
Tim then picks up a takoyaki ball with his chopsticks and places one in Lucy’s plate and then one on his. He looks at the beef rolls and frowns, “what’s this one again?”
“Oh! No this Enoki, mushrooms, you won’t like this!” Lucy says, reaching over to take the rolls from Tim’s plate.
“Yea take it,” Tim says with a grimace.
“You still won’t have mushrooms?” Angela asks with a laugh as she and Wesley begin to plate their own appetizers.
“It’s a fungus.” Tim remarks stubbornly.
Angela and Lucy exchange amused grins as Lucy takes a bite of one of her pieces of fried tofu Lucy gasps and grabs another from the centre plate and to Angela surprise Lucy holds up the fried tofu in her chopsticks and offers it to Tim. “I know you don’t like tofu, but taste this it’s amazing. You will love it.”
Tim eyes the food with trepidation and to Angela’s immense surprise Tim not only sighs in defeat but he leans forward to allow Lucy to feed him the fried tofu.
Angela reaches over and slaps Wesley on the thighs who looks across at her concern and she nods at the pair in front of them and Wesley eyes bug open on seeing the intimate way they are seated.
There is room for god damn Jesus himself between her and Wesley, but Angela is certain if she saw Tim and Lucy’s legs would be touching.
They are complete idiots.
“Not bad,” Tim concedes.
Angela can see a small bit of sauce is on the corner of his mouth and she can see the way Lucy’s eyes trace the sauce but Lucy quickly pulls back and slaps Tim lightly on the shoulder as he grabs a napkin to wipe the corner of his mouth, his smile widening at Lucy’s gesture.
“Not bad? Don’t be like that! You know you loved it. Admit it!” Lucy insists as she nudges him again.
“Okay, it was better that I expected.”
Lucy grins happily as she tucks into her own rolls and she turns to Angela with a bright smile, completely unaware of how Angela and Wesley are looking at them, “how’s baby Jack? Tim says he’s crawling now?”
Angela nods and they get sucked into talking about Jack and she almost forgets her observations of Tim and Lucy until she catches sight of Tim who is now blatantly gazing at Lucy as she talks animatedly about a case she and Nolan dealt with recently.
Tim is leaning against the booth, his entire body still facing Lucy and she takes in everything she says, his food forgotten as she talks. When Lucy says something particularly funny and she sends Tim a grin, Angela can practically see the way Tim melts at the look.
Jesus, she always knew he had it bad but never this bad.
By the time their rolls arrive, Lucy has finished her drink and currently sipping Tim’s beer.
Tim hates sharing beverages with anyone, claiming he doesn’t want anyone backwash and how unsanitary it is but here he is basically sharing his beer with Lucy.
Tim is the first to grab the plates and once again he starts placing the rolls on Lucy’s plates and at one point Angela thought for sure he was about to feed Lucy and she so much as held her breath and leaned forward to watch, her fingers curling into Wesley’s pants leg in anticipation.
But then the two idiots argued playfully over spicy tuna vs spicy salmon.
“I’m telling you the tuna is too fishy. Salmon is superior,” Tim insists as he takes a bite of his own roll for emphasis
Lucy laughs wholeheartedly as she holds up her spicy tuna roll to him with her chopsticks, “of course it’s fishy. It’s a fish.”
“You know what I mean!” Tim almost whines as he eyes the tuna roll with disgust.
“C’mon you know you want to,” Lucy teases. “You try this and I’ll let you choose where we have lunch for the rest of the week.”
“Let me?” Tim scoffs his eyes leaving the piece of tuna roll to smirk at Lucy, “are you forgetting who the Sergeant is?”
“Tim.” Lucy whines as she shuffles closer to him.
Angela feels a soft nudge to her thigh and she looks across at Wesley who is now wide eyed and scandalized and Angela has to bite her lip to hold back her snort.
She knows it’s bad when even Wesley is invested, the man insists on always being Switzerland in these cases. Angela raises her eyebrow and sends him a pointed look and Wesley only shakes his head and turns his attention back to the pair, who are now in some kind of weird staring contest one roll between them and Angela actually feels like she’s intruding on a private moment.
Tim finally relents and allows Lucy to feed him the piece of sushi. Lucy watches him in anticipation as he chews.
“You can get mercury poisoning from having too much tuna.” Tim declares when he finishes.
Lucy only barks out a laugh and leans into Tim, her fingers brushing against his shoulder again, “In other words I get to choose lunch for the rest of the month.”
“Month? You said a week!” Tim protests.
“Winner gets to decide,” Lucy declares, she then taps him lightly on the arm again. “I gotta go use the washroom, scoot.”
Tim slides out of the booth but stands directly in front of her his eyes twinkling with mischief, “two weeks, not a month.”
Lucy only hums, gesturing for him to move and when he does and she’s out of her seat she spins around and grins at him, “still a month.”
“That’s cheating!” Tim calls out as she giggles and disappears down the hallway. He then grabs the iPad, mutters something about drinks and orders two more drinks, “you two want more drinks?”
Wesley answers in the negative but when Angela does not respond he looks up at her and his smile falters at the pointed look she is giving him, “what?”
“Tim,” Angela says in exasperation she gestures across the table and then after Lucy. “Tim!”
“What? Why do you keep saying my name like that?” Tim asks, completely clueless, which only annoys Angela more..
“Lucy!” Angela then says in equally exasperation.
Tim looks at Wesley for explanation and Wesley sighs, “Angela seems to think that you have a crush on Lucy.”
Wesley knows damn well she stopped thinking it was a crush months ago. Years if she’s honest.
“What? No! Lucy has a boyfriend!” Tim protests, his eyes scanning the restaurant in the direction Lucy disappeared to no doubt not wanting her to hear this particular conversation.
Angela’s brows raise to her hairline, this is news to her.
“What really? She and Stanford are an actual thing now?” Wesley asks sitting up, now he’s invested in the damn conversation. “I know they went out a few times.”
The fucking traitor. He knew this and didn’t tell her?
Angela slaps Wesley on the arm hard, “you knew this and didn’t tell me? What the hell Wesley?
“Why are you two even discussing Lucy’s dating life?” Tim accuses his eyes narrowing at Angela suspiciously. “Angela.”
But she’s saved from answering when they see Lucy making her way over their table. Tim glares at Angela and points a finger at her. “Don’t say a thing.”
“What did I miss?” Lucy asks happily as Tim slides out of the booth to let her in, she once again brushes her fingers against his arm in thanks as she slides into the booth.
“Ordered you an oolong tea,” Tim tells her.
“Oh great! I need something to help digest all this food!” Lucy says with delight, “oh did you…”
“Asked them to include a little honey on the side.” Tim promises and when Lucy smiles gratefully and Tim practically preens.
Angela snorts, and mutters lowly under her break, “fucking idiot.”
She grunts when Wesley kicks her in the shin, Tim and Lucy are so wrapped up in each other they don’t even notice.
Idiots, the both of them.
vi.
Los Angeles is experiencing one of their worst heatwaves—this year at least, and Angela is at her wits end.
Naturally, their power goes out in their old house and Angela is now driving through Los Angeles trying to entertain a hot and tired 18 month old.
Jack just wants to run around, but it’s far too hot for the parks and she refuses to battle with other kids and moms alike at a public beach or a public pool.
That’s when it hits her Tim.
Tim has a pool. He moved into his new place about two months ago and he gave her a spare key.
She can’t remember if he’s working today or not but she doesn’t care. Don’t give her a spare key if she’s not allowed to use it.
With that thought in mine she packs up Jack and all his swim stuff and makes her way to Tim’s house.
She drives up next to Tim’s truck thinking nothing of it. By the time she’s out of her car she’s got Jack who refuses to walk in one arm, his baby bag, floatie and her own bag in the other.
“C’mon bub give Mommy a hand,” Angela grunts as she shuffles to the door. But he still refused to let her go.
“Tim!” He says enthusiastically. “Mama down.”
“Now, you wanna stand.” Angela mutters as she allows him to slide down her body and he bounces excitedly waiting for Angela to open the door
Once she opens the door he takes off down the hallway yelling out for Tim.
“Sweet relief.” Angela gasps out in delight as she makes her way into the living room.
She tosses their stuff onto the couch, and turns to the left to the kitchen and stops short when she sees Lucy standing in the kitchen looking like a deer caught in the headlights, frozen in her spot.
She’s wearing one of Tim’s army t-shirts that’s practically dwarfing her small frame along with an old pair of Tim’s boxers. Her brown hair is wet and it’s clear she just got out of the shower.
“I knew it!” Angela declares in delight as she claps excitedly. “Thorsen owes me 500 bucks.”
“Five hundred?” Lucy stutters as she finally finds her voice. “Who else made this bet?”
“Mama! Swim!” Jack calls out.
They both turn around to see Tim coming from the bedrooms with Jack in his arms. Tim’s dressed in sweats and a tshirt, his hair equally as damp as Lucy’s and Angela can’t help but smirk.
“They are betting on us,” Lucy chimes in as she folds her arms across her chest, she is unable to keep the frown on her face when Jack waves at her happily.
Angela snorts her kid is the perfect distraction, with his cute face.
“You didn’t know?” Tim asks in surprise, looking at Lucy incredulously all three of them know Lucy loves to keep up with the station gossip.
They are both so nonchalant about it and it is driving Angela crazy, “seriously? This has been going since Vegas hasn’t it?”
Tim puts Jack back on his feet and the toddler runs to Kojo who is snoozing in his bed. Tim grins as he watches them and Angela rolls her eyes when she sees Lucy gazing at Tim fondly neither of them paying attention to Angela’s question
For fucks sake. Yes, her kid is cute but these are important questions! How long has this been going on under her nose?
Tim suddenly turns around and smirks at Angela, he folds his arms over his chest. The smug bastard is going to make her beg for this information. After he finally came to her about kissing Lucy a few months ago and then he never told her anything. “Why did you bet on that?”
Angela narrows her eyes, “you told me nothing happened in Vegas.”
“Maybe it did. Maybe it didn’t,” Tim says casually with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders, the asshole knows it is only going to piss Angela off more.
“Tim!” Lucy says with a laugh and they exchange a look Angela cannot decipher.
Damn them.
“Fine, I will give you half of my win,” Angela says with a defeated sigh. The money isn’t much of her concern, she deserves to know when all this took place.
She has not been watching these two fools dance around each other for years for Tim to not tell her when it happened.
“60%” Tim counters.
He is clearly more concerned about the damn money, which to be fair the bet is about his love life and Tim hates that kind of gossip the most.
“Does no one really suspect anything?” Lucy asks intrigued and Tim pauses looking at her curiously, his initial annoyance disappearing.
Of course, cause Lucy is fine with it he no longer cares.
The whipped dumbass.
“They suspected for years, but we are waiting on you two fools to get your shit together so we have a specific date.” Angela explains and to her surprise Lucy’s grin only widens and she sends Tim another pointed look.
Angela is getting tired of the silent conversations having around her. This is why her first bet was since before her damn wedding, she and Jackson and a little one going for months.
Then the idiot had to go and get himself killed.
God she misses him, he would have eaten all this up and been so smug about being right.
He should have been here to see these two idiots finally get a clue.
“Nothing happened in Vegas,” Tim says shortly and Lucy scoffs in disbelief at Tim, who quickly back tracks, sending her a sheepish grin. “I mean officially officially.”
“What the hell does that even mean? Did you two sleep together? Since then?” Angela asks scandalized.
“That’s a whole other bet,” Lucy dismisses easily.
“Lucy.” Tim warns and he sends her a glare and Lucy only folds her arms and looks, him challengingly, daring him to say otherwise and Tim sighs in defeat gesturing for her to continue.
Continue what, Angela is not sure. They are having silent conversations around her and she can’t keep up. Lucy claps in delight and spins to face Angela.
“Oh, am I allowed to be part of the conversation now?” Angela quips dryly.
“Change your date,” Lucy says eagerly. Angela’s initial annoyance as she finally catches on, she knew she liked Lucy for a reason, she grins wickedly, who knew Lucy had an evil streak.
“Lucy! That’s cheating!” Tim protests, of course always the boy scout.
“Who cares! The bet is about us!” Lucy fires back, she turns to Angela and grins mischievously, her mind already, “January 17 and bet an additional 1000.”
“That’s also inaccurate.” Tim chimes in.
Angela glares at him, why is he being so difficult? She shushes him and ignores his affronted expression while Lucy laughs in amusement.
“We can’t give the exact date! They will think she’s cheating!” Lucy points out in exasperation.
“She is cheating.”
“Fuck blondie…well you’re already doing that,” Angela says thoughtfully at which Lucy laughs in agreement while they both ignore Tim’s incredulous protest. “Let’s go 50/50, Chen.”
“She’s getting less that way,” Tim remarks stubbornly, now inserting himself into the conversation and Angela smirks at him.
Doesn’t feel too good does it?
“No she’s not. Your way she was getting 30/30 with you.” Angela points out.
Tim sighs dramatically in defeat he knows there is no arguing with them. To Angela’s horror yet again he only turns to look across at Lucy, a suggestive smirk tugging on the corner of his lips “buy me dinner at least?”
Lucy laughs in delight and makes her way over to him tugging on his t-shirt gently, she raises on her tip toes and lowers her voice suggestively as she speaks, “I’ll make it worth your while.”
Tim grins back in response leaning down his face now inches from Lucy, “of that I have no doubt.”
Lucy giggles and leans up to kiss him softly, both of them once again forgetting Angela’s presence.
“Oh ew. I don’t need to see that!” Angela protests in disgust as she slaps Tim on the shoulder, reminding both of them that yes, she did not just magically disappear.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have invited yourself over,” Tim volleys back his eyes, never leaving Lucy who giggles and presses her head into his chest, clearly she at least is slightly embarrassed at being so forward in front of Angela.
Tim, not so much.
“Don’t give me a key to your place if you didn’t want me to use it.” Angela quips as she moves away from the two to find her toddler who has been far too quiet for her comfort.
“It was for emergencies!” Tim retorts.
“It is an emergency.” Angela insists as she walks into the kitchen, eyes scanning the area for her toddler, she stops when she sees him snoozing on Tim’s dog. If she knew the damn canine was a baby whisperer she would have brought Jack over sooner. “It’s 100 degrees out. I had no power and your godson was driving me up a wall.
When she does not get a smart ass remark, she turns around only to see Tim and Lucy locked in a kiss. Again.
For fuck’s sake.
She eyes her sleeping son and scoops him up, makes her way back to the pair still attached at the lips and shoves Tim’s shoulder. Lucy squeaks out in embarrassment as she wipes her lips, but Angela pays her no mind and instead shoves Jack into Tim’s unsuspected arms.
“Angela, what…”
“Don’t let him sleep too long. I have an extra bottle in his bag if he wants it, but use it as a last resort.” Angela says quickly as she moves a beeline for her handbag ignoring Tim’s soft protest, he is unable to raise his voice as Jack is still sleeping soundly in his arms.
“Angela!” Tim hisses quietly.
Angela turns around and grins impishly at the pair, Lucy unable to hold back her smile and Tim looks at Angela in annoyance, “I’ll be back tonight!”
She waves and quickly heads out the door before Tim can protest further, before she leaves, she peers through the small wooden panel that separates Tim’s foyer from the kitchen and sees Lucy grinning up at Tim with affection. She whispers something to him, and gently rubs his back.
Tim blushes and nods at whatever she says before he leans down and kisses her again.
Angela smiles, she may have given him shit about not telling her, but she could not be happier for them.
Took them long enough.