ivebeattheoddsbefore

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[I gave a nod and a reassuring smile in response] Agreed. No pressure for either one of us. We'll both just go with the flow. [I added in agreement to our arrangement. We'd go on our date if our schedules allowed for it, and if we needed to reschedule to accommodate her schedule or mine, we would. Simple and far from complicated. This was already going well between us so far, since most women and I wouldn't have even made it to this point. I silently reminded myself as a light laugh followed] If they look like you, yes. I imagine any guy would welcome that. [I humorously clarified before a nod of understanding followed] Okay. Well, feel free to stop by anytime your schedule allows. I'll make sure to keep coffee and breakfast assortments on hand for when you do. [I said with a warm smile before realizing I also needed to get ready to go. If I was late for shift, Grey would probably put me on toilet cleaning duty or something] See you soon, Bailey. [I aired out warmly as I walked her to the door and opened it. The smile resting on my lips as I waited for her to leave before I closed the door behind me so I could head to my bedroom to get ready for my upcoming shift]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

Good. Then it's agreed. Our dinner date will be contingent on neither one of us getting called into work. [I said in agreement as a smile traced across the corners of my lips. This was one plus to going out on a date with another first responder. Most women couldn't understand this line of work. Especially if it involved dates being unexpectedly canceled, or plans constantly being changed. With another first responder though, they'd certainly understand the compromises and crazy schedules that goes into our line of work] Hey, I enjoyed it. You showing up in that towel dress certainly livened up my morning. [I added in a teasing manner before I continued on more of a serious, genuine note] All joking aside though, I really enjoyed your company, Bailey, and hey, if you find yourself itching for more pastries and coffee tomorrow morning, consider the invitation indefinitely open to you. [I added with a smile. It felt strange to be spending time with a woman since I haven't really had much experience with this since my divorce, but there was something refreshing about Bailey. At least refreshing and pleasant enough that I'd hope I get a chance to get to know her better over time]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

Dinner next weekend sounds great to me. [One thing that was nice is the fact that Bailey would completely understand if by chance I had to cancel because I got called into work unexpectedly or vice versa. This is something that most women wouldn't understand, which is why it wouldn't really work out with women outside of the first responder life] Of course this will be on the assumption that neither one of us gets called into work unexpectedly. If that happens though, we will reschedule. [My way of reassuring Bailey that I want to go out with her and our crazy and unexpected schedules won't drive a wedge between us] And, Bailey, to be clear, I definitely don't see you as a total mess. Not even close. [I flashed her a charming grin. Truth was, I was attracted to her. She was beautiful, fun, easy to hold a conversation with, and she had a great personality too. As far as I was concerned, Bailey was the whole package] I actually find it pretty perfect how we met. I mean, it's definitely not a story or moment either one of us would ever forget, and they say moments like that tend to make for the greatest stories over time. [Optimism was in my voice as I spoke. Grant it, I had no way of knowing if anything would come between Bailey and I, but if nothing else, I was confident the moment we met which led us to having pastries and coffee together now, was one I would never forget]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

Of course you haven’t scared me off yet… I mean, if the towel dress, brought about by the dog plotting against you, situation didn’t scare me off, you having a controlling ex wouldn’t either. [I said with a slight grin before adding] Hey, we all have things and people in our lives that don’t necessarily make life ideal at times, but we still do the best we can do. [I explained. My way of reassuring Bailey that I liked her, so I wouldn’t be scared away easily. In fact, a relieved grin followed when I heard her confirm that she did want to see me again] Tell you what, how about instead of coffee and doughnuts the next time, we take it up a notch… [I started to say, but paused for a second; knowing I was about to take a risk now so I needed to choose my words carefully] Like… dinner, maybe? [I suggested. My way of casually and slightly awkwardly asking Bailey out on a date. I was definitely taking a shot here so I hope I didn’t end up crashing and burning, as a result. Or for that matter, I hoped I didn’t put Bailey on the spot, which promptly me to give out an alternate idea if she’d feel more comfortable with that] Or, you know, lunch if that’s more your thing. [Yes, I knew she was still married, so I probably shouldn’t be asking her out at all. I wasn’t the kind of guy who dated married women. Even in knowing that, though, I found myself reminded that she wasn’t married by choice. No, she was married to a controlling jerk who refused to sign the divorce papers. Why should Bailey be penalized for that? Why should I avoid her based on a choice she herself has no control over? Maybe I was setting myself up for a fall, but I had nothing if I didn’t have hope and optimism]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

I look forward to that. [Referring to Bailey's offer for the coffee and doughnuts the next time we do this. It felt good to know she actually wanted to see me again. Sure, I knew it was probably just a neighborly thing, but regardless, I couldn't help but to feel hopeful that maybe there could be something between us down the line. My head nodded and surprise crossed my face as I heard her confession about still being married. Okay, so I couldn't fault her on it. It's not like she was married by choice. She was just dealing with a jerk who wouldn't sign the papers] Ahhh, he's one of those, huh? [My head giving a shake. Reminding myself that although this news is disappointing since I didn't know if I could pursue a woman who was technically still married, this wasn't Bailey's fault. She would be divorced from him if he'd just sign the papers] Has he said why he won't sign the papers? Is this a control thing on his part or is it because he's still in love with you? [Felt like a fair question since I knew if he was still in love with her, that could cause a wrench between Bailey and I should I decide to officially ask her out. A thought I'd keep to myself for now as the conversation shifted to our jobs] Yes, I noticed that. Glad I'm not alone in that impulse that tends to get people like us in trouble for running toward the danger instead of away from it. [Chuckles] Maybe we can plan our next coffee and doughnut date for sometime after this next shift of yours... If you want, that is. For all I know, you might be sick of me already. [I aired out with another light chuckle. It was no secret that I was incredibly awkward when it came to pursuing a woman I was interested in]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

You can stop by anytime. I happen to like your company. [I said with a slight grin pulling at the corners of my lips. Was I flirting? Hell, I was so out of practice with the whole dating and flirting scene that I don't know if I'd even know if I was flirting or not. I silently thought to myself as the conversation shifted to me] Yes, I was married... We were married for a long time and then we just few apart, you know? We have a son together. Henry. I might be a bit biased, but he really is the best. I couldn't ask for a better son... His mom, my ex-wife is remarried now, and they seem really happy together, which is great. [I briefly explained. Definitely no ill-will or hard feelings between us. We parted amicably, as the saying goes] What about you? Previously married or have any kids of your own? [I asked as a means of getting to know Bailey a bit better. I chuckled though when I heard her confession about her time as a rookie] Oh yeah? So you're saying you were a bit of a rebel and a rule-breaker too, then? All in the name of passion and instinct for the job. [I chuckled lightly as I poured Bailey another cup of coffee and then did the same for myself before bringing it to my lips to take a sip of it] Are you on shift today? [I wasn't until a bit later, but a part of me wondered if she was, and with that, if there would be a chance that she and I might end up on the same scene again. Not likely, I know, but still, there's always a chance, right?]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

I know exactly what you mean. Or even worse, you're out at dinner on a date, and you get called into work. It's near impossible to convince them it wasn't just a ploy to get out of the date, and that it was a real and viable call. [I shrugged nonchalantly before adding] You know, assuming they even show up in the first place. [I shook my head lightly as a dry laugh followed] Dating is tough these days. [I admitted as I took another sip of my coffee] I hope you will. The invitation stands. You're welcome anytime. I'd love the company. [I reassured her as we continued to enjoy coffee and doughnuts together] And as far as me "Pulling a John Nolan," I appreciate the vote of confidence. Sometimes my instincts pan out, and other times... Well, let's just say it ends in disciplinary measures. [I aired out in a joking manner, even though I meant every word of that] I'm relieved to know that my instincts have played out as I hoped more than the latter though. [I said with a grin as I finished off my cup of coffee then continued to nurse my remaining doughnut] Need more coffee or anything? [Wanting Bailey to know I was happy to have her company here for as long as she'd honor me with it. She was easy to talk to. Not to mention, incredibly beautiful too. It was also refreshing to have someone who understood how challenging this job could be at times too]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[I nodded in agreement with Bailey. If there was one thing one first responder could sympathize with another on, it was how difficult it was to date. Few people could understand how demanding, unpredictable, and time-consuming our jobs were, which left little time for dating. And hey, go figure, the first date I've had since I got divorced stood me up, so I never actually had the date. Probably a sign that I should just put dating on the backburner a bit longer] Yeah, our demanding schedules leave little time for dating. Few people outside of our lines of work would understand that. [I said in agreement as I continued working on my cup of coffee] Need a refill? [I asked as I gave a nod toward Bailey's coffee cup. I didn't know how much coffee she still had in her cup, but I figured maybe she'd want it warmed up a bit, at the very least. I justified as I gave her a smile in response to her comment about me being one hell of a rookie] Thanks... You might be the only person in the city of Los Angeles who thinks so. [I joked in reply] Most of the people I work with hold their breath that I'm going to "Pull a John Nolan," as they put it, and get myself shot by impulsively trying to talk the criminals down. I tend to act on instinct, which makes the people I work alongside of nervous. [I chuckled lightly before adding] In my defense, I really do try to follow the rules. At times, I get caught up in the moment and act on my instincts instead though. [I said as I added a bit more coffee to my cup to heat it up]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[My brows furrowed slightly and I could feel my cheeks warming at Bailey's comment about me asking her on a second date during the first. Although I hadn't realized I was doing that, she was right... I was unofficially asking her out for dinner while we were sitting here having coffee and donuts together. Trying to play it off with a bit of humor, a quiet chuckle left my lips as I parted my lips to reply] Well, I figured since this first one already seemed to be going pretty good, I should just dive in and ask for the second. [I aired out in a teasing tone before adding] All joking aside, I haven't been on a date in... Well, a /really/ long time, let's say, so I'm a bit out of practice. That said, I apologize if I overstepped. [I said in a more sincere tone. Definitely not wanting to come on too strongly, and run the risk of scaring her away completely] My lasagna is worth the date though. [I added through a joking chuckle. Liking how easy it was to joke and banter with Bailey. She was great, so I'd be an idiot not to try for a dinner date. I silently justified as I took a sip of my coffee] Ahhh, no, I don't mind you asking... [A hint of amusement creasing my lips as I started in reply] Well, it actually depends on who you ask. If you ask my ex-wife, my son, or one of my closest friends, they'd tell you it's a mid-life crisis that pushed me into the career, but it was more to it than that. [I said with a playful tone as I continued to explain] I had been stuck in a rut back in Pennsylvania. The same mundane routine day in and day out, which left me feeling like I was making no difference at all in the world. Then I was involved in a bank robbery, I managed to talk down the robber before he had a chance to shoot the bank manager, and it gave the police enough time to arrive and stop them. Anyway, it gave me a rush initially, but more than that, it gave me a sense of purpose. I knew after that situation that I wanted a career where I could help people. So before long, I found myself selling my house in Pennsylvania, relocating to LA to crash with my best friend, and I joined the police academy. Turns out what started out as a midlife crisis as some put it, ended up being the best decision I'd ever made. [I explained with a casual, sheepish sort of shrug before a smile followed] I know I'm really old to be a rookie, but honestly, if I wasn't going into this career change with so much... Let's call it, "life experience," I probably wouldn't have stuck with it. I don't think I would have been ready for it, back in my younger years, and you know, at that point in my life. [I explained as I took another sip of my coffee]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

Well, thanks. If you like my coffee, you've got to try my homemade lasagna and garlic bread, at some point. I'm not a great cook, but those are two things I'm not so bad at. [I joked. I was being modest now. No, I was no Emeril Lagasse, but I did know my way around the kitchen. Especially more so after getting divorced, since I had to no choice but to fend for myself in the kitchen. Over time it got easier. Guess it goes to the whole, "practice makes perfect" concept. I did chuckle though when I heard Bailey's joke about the coffee date] Well, what can I say, if a beautiful woman shows up at your door in just a towel because a dog locked her out of the house, I figure that's a sign that I'm at least supposed to invite her in for coffee and donuts. [I teased in response while a light chuckle followed. Placing some napkins down in front of us as I poured myself a cup of coffee and then once Bailey made her donut selection first, I put one of the chocolate ones on my plate] Breakfast of champions. [I aired out in a teasing tone as a means of keeping up with our light and airy banter now]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[If I didn't know any better, I got the impression that Bailey was nervous being here with me now. In a way, I hoped that she was, since I too was admittedly nervous. I hadn't been on anything, even remotely, resembling a date in a years, and even though I continuously reminded myself that this wasn't a date... Just two people innocently having some coffee together, I was still nervous. How could I not be though? Bailey was beautiful. She was beautiful, funny, spunky, and a real-life hero. I had the pleasure of seeing her first-hand in action at the scene of that house explosion. Watching as she risked her life to save the remaining people in the house that Harper and I were unable to save, given we were ordered to leave before the impending explosion. All that aside, it was nice to see Bailey again. This time in a calmer and more carefree setting. Grant it, I could see she was still embarrassed about getting locked out of the house this morning, and showing up at my door in nothing but a towel, but hey, those things happen. I thought with an amused smile as I heard her retort to my response about Ripley] Eh, he's harmless. You just have to show him you're in charge... If he senses any weakness, he'll use it against you. He's sneaky like that. [I teased as I gave her some advice about the dog. By now I had poured us two cups of coffee; sliding one over toward you as well as the cream and sugar, so you could add whatever you wanted to your coffee. As I did so, my mind returned to the "advice" I gave to Bailey about Ripley. Mind you, I didn't actually know Ripley all that well, but in my defense, that tended to be the case when it came to most dogs... They just needed to know who their master was. Once they knew who was in charge, usually they got in line. You know, unless you're dealing with a poodle. In that case, the poodle will always think they're in charge. I thought with lingering amusement as I grabbed a couple of plates, then passed the assortment of donuts and pastries I bought earlier this morning closer to Bailey, so she could help herself] And trust me, rescuing you was my pleasure. More fun to drink coffee with nice company than by myself. [I added with a charming grin. Was I flirting with Bailey now? Well, to be honest, I was trying to, but I was so far out of practice that for all I knew, I just sounded like an idiot now]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[For all I knew, Bailey wouldn't return after our unexpected connection this morning at my front door. If she didn't, it was okay. I'd understand. She had a busy life and career, and I did too, so maybe opening the door to even something as small as a "coffee date" wasn't the best idea; especially given that both of us had careers that left very little time open for a social life. Either way though, and on the off chance that Bailey may return for coffee, I did make the preparations to start brewing a fresh pot. Even going as far as putting out a plate with some doughnuts and breakfast pastries, as well as a couple of coffee mugs too. I no sooner grabbed the container with the packets of sweeteners and set it down onto the counter when I heard the knock on my front door. A smile pulled at my lips as I briefly left my kitchen counter and made my way toward the front door to answer it. Opening the door and greeting Bailey with a warm smile before stepping out of the way for her to step inside the house] Glad to see Ripley didn't get another one over on you this time. [I lightly teased and flashed her a playful grin as I closed the door behind her, so we could start toward the kitchen] I've heard he can be a real handful. It's the ones with the cutest, most innocent looking faces that tend to be the most trouble. [I joked about the dog]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[I flashed Bailey a gracious smile and nodded in response as she took the offered sweatshirt from my grasp, and then put it on. Figuring she'd be more comfortable in that than in just that towel. I could see from the redness that had since filled her cheeks, as well as her current expression that she was embarrassed. I couldn't blame her. I would be too if the situation was reversed. Regardless though, she was a fellow first responder, seemed genuinely nice, and not to mention, incredibly attractive, so I wanted to make this situation as carefree and comfortable as possible. Hence my attempt to make light of the situation in hopes of easing Bailey's mind now. Ultimately I offered coffee as a means of extending an olive branch, of sorts. One that she had the right to decline if she so desired to. The last thing I wanted to do was to make her uncomfortable. To my relief and surprise, she agreed to return for coffee; prompting a nod and a light chuckle from me in response to her comment about Ripley] Fair enough. If Ripley gives you any problems, yell loudly and I'll come running to your aid. [I joked in response as I watched her leave my house. In the meantime prompting me to grab a couple of coffee mugs from the cupboard; quickly washing them up to ensure they weren't dusty or anything before setting them down onto the counter. I didn't have much in the fridge to offer, but I did set the box of fresh doughnuts I had picked up from the local bakery this morning onto the counter beside the coffee cups. Figuring if Bailey actually did return for the promised coffee, I'd offer her doughnuts to go with her coffee, and if she didn't, it was okay. I silently justified as I finished preparing the coffee pot with the necessary contents, and then turned it on; listening as it heated up and then started to brew into the pot]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

Ahhh... [I gave a nod of understanding in response. It all making much more sense now] You're the one the Porters told me was housesitting for them. They told me to look out for you and to say hello if I saw you. Wait till I tell them you showed up at my front door in only a towel. [I gently teased. Truth be told, I had no plans at all to tell them anything about this. I assumed Bailey was embarrassed enough, so naturally I wouldn't want to do anything to make that worse for her] I'm just kidding. Your secret's safe with me. [I assured her before quickly adding] Why don't you come inside the house... I need to look for the key, and I wouldn't want you standing outside while I do that. [I offered as I stepped out of the way of the front door; leaving the doorway area open in case Bailey decided she felt comfortable enough to come inside. In the meantime I stepped away to look for the key. I knew I had put it "somewhere safe," but the problem was, I wasn't entirely sure where that "safe" place was this very second. As I trekked into the bedroom to look around the dresser area, I grabbed a clean sweatshirt for Bailey; figuring she'd be more comfortable in that than a towel. I silently justified as I draped the sweatshirt over my arm while looking through the top drawer of my dresser for the key to the Porter's house. A relieved smile filling my lips when I found it, and then I returned to the doorway to pass that and the sweatshirt off to Bailey] One key at your request, ma'am. [I shared with a charming grin before adding] I also brought you a sweatshirt to slip into. Don't worry, it's clean. [I assured her as I held the sweatshirt out for her too] I just made a fresh pot of coffee, so once you make it inside the house, and you are able to get some clothes on, you're welcome to come back and join me for a cup of coffee, if you want. [Was I flirting with Bailey? Well, maybe a bit. Honestly, I was so out of practice with the whole concept of flirting that I probably wouldn't know even if I was. Regardless though, coffee was harmless, so I felt it was an innocent request. One that Bailey could obviously turn down if she decided she didn't want to join me for coffee. I'd understand either way]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[My coffee had just finished brewing in the pot. Not a moment too soon because I needed that kick of energy in my system before I was about to dive into another busy day. No sooner placing a coffee mug on the counter and prepared to pour myself a cup of coffee when I heard a persistent knock coming from my front door. My brows furrowed as I returned the pot to the base unit of the coffee maker before making my way to my front door to see who was seemingly so urgent to speak to me. My eyes widened and a surprised... nope, let's call it a shocked look creased my face as I not only saw it was that beautiful firefighter from the explosion scene, but that she was only wearing a towel currently] Well, hello there. [I aired out in a stunned tone; confused as to why she was standing here only wearing a towel] Can I help you with something? A shower, maybe? [I joked. Giving her the benefit of the doubt that she had a reason for showing up here in a towel, and that she wasn't moon-lighting as someone who goes to random houses to seduce men or something. The John Nolan from years ago wouldn't even believe that people like that existed, but I had seen a lot since becoming a police officer, so nothing would surprise me at this point in time]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Amusement creased my lips and I flashed Bailey a slight grin as I heard her grasping to repay my compliment with one of her own. It was cute, really. She was the hero in this whole situation, but she was trying to compliment me too] Well, thank you, ma'am. I've had a lot of practice with holding back curious civilians. [I aired out a light chuckle in reply] "Boot, let's go! You've got a mountain load of paperwork to do when we get back to the station." [I heard Harper call out, which prompting me to flash Bailey an apologetic smile] That's my cue. [I started to say before I prepared to get back to the shop at Harper's request. Pausing briefly and turning back with a smile though before I added] Oh, and it's John. John Nolan. [I gave her my name in reply before offering her another smile. Without another word then, I returned to Harper's side while we shared what we witnessed inside the house to the detective assigned to the case, and then we prepared to return to headquarters once we finished up here at the scene. I've gotta admit, I was a little disappointed I didn't get more of a chance to talk with Bailey, but I knew we both had jobs to do, so it couldn't be stopped. Maybe some day our paths would cross again. I briefly considered as I continued giving the detective my statement]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]

[ivebeattheoddsbefore]

@suchamessiputoutflames

"Boot, get these people back! Now!" [Nyla called out in response as we heard the rumbling coming from the home. Knowing it would only be a matter of seconds, maybe a moment at most, before this whole place went up into flames. While Nyla ordered the crowd nearest to her to move back, I did the same with the crowd on the opposite side. We were all now back a seemingly safe distance as we watched the house closely; anxious to see the firefighter inside make it out of there safely] Come on... Come on... [I mumbled under my breath as I waited for the firefighter to hopefully resurface. Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, she finally merged into sight; watching as she dragged the remaining victim out of the house. Just in time too since she no sooner reached the lawn area and dropped the man safely onto the ground when the house exploded. Even though we were a safe distance away, I turned back to face the crowd; trying to shield them as much as I was able to. By now the rest of the firefighters got the hose out and started spraying down the flames from the roof first and then working their way down. More police had since arrived on the scene and were now working on keeping the crowds back while Nyla gave me a nod; silently gesturing for us to move a bit closer so we can begin to see where we could be most useful in this case] "Lots of paperwork for us with this one, Boot. Well, for you, I should say, since I know how much you like the paperwork." [Nyla said with a smirk as we started toward the firefighter who pulled the man out of the house; watching the EMT's already working to get him treated] That was a little too close for comfort, I'm thinking. [I said to the firefighter as I extended my hand; offering to help her up from the ground if she would allow me to] You were great. Impressive to watch. [I added in a harmless compliment of her skills]

@suchamessiputoutflames

[Ben. He and I had been friends since college. That was the sort of friendship that rarely lasted. Usually once college ends, you gradually lose touch with those people who once meant the world to you. Especially from the guys' perspective of things. Guys were terrible at keeping in touch. Ben though... We couldn't shake each other, and after years continued to pass, we found that we didn't want to. After leaving Pennsylvania for LA in order to join the police academy and ultimately become a police officer, it was Ben who supported me. Don't get me wrong, he told me "I was completely out of my mind, and that midlife crisis' usually look more like a weird hairstyle, an earring, or buying a car I neither need nor want. They usually aren't in the form of a completely ridiculous career change at forty." He was right, but it didn't deter me either. He may not have understood it, but he continued to support me; even letting me crash indefinitely at his pool house, and sometimes the main house too, when he was on his lengthy business trips. He was a great friend. One who's back I would always have, like he's always had mine, which is probably why I reluctantly agreed to this blind date he allegedly set me up on, even though dating was the last thing I had on my mind] "John, you're in a rut. You haven't dated since the divorce. Sarah is already remarried, so if you feel guilty about dating, don't. It's time. Past time, if you ask me. You're not getting any younger, so it's time to find the one." [I didn't necessarily agree, but I respected his perspective on the situation nonetheless] "She's beautiful, seems nice, and when I did a background check on her, she checked out all the important boxes." [I shook my head in response. Leave it to Ben to run a background check on a woman he wants to set me up with. The police officer in me would let that go in one ear and out the other though. Ultimately I agreed. Not because I wanted to go on this blind date, because I didn't, but because I knew if I didn't agree, Ben would never drop it. Ben went out of town for his next business trip, and as promised, I went to this blind date. Found myself at the highly demanded table that Ben requested when he placed the reservation; sipping on a drink while waiting for "Bailey" to arrive. Problem was, she never did. Yes, I waited there an embarrassing and pathetic amount of time before finally throwing in the towel and leaving. Mind you, that wasn't before I heard my waiter, one of the bus boys, and even the restaurant manager asking me if I thought she showed up, saw me, and left. Oh yeah, that's one to wound the pride for sure. It was worse though once Lucy and Jackson found out, since they made a point to tell everyone else; leading them to also tease me that she probably showed up, saw me, and left] Great, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence. [I said flatly and without humor as we proceeded with the morning meeting and would commence with the start of this day. Ben was expected back at some point today from his business trip, so I'd be sure to give him an earful in person once I was home later this evening. Nope. Never again would I let him set me up on a blind date. Rut or not, I'd find my own dates from here on out. I thought to myself as morning meeting ended, and Nyla and I left, so we could get started with what I expected would turn out to be a busy day on patrol]