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Tim’s house became the natural gathering place for their weekly Saturday night cookouts. It all started after the second attempt and first successful wedding ceremony for Wesley and Angela. His backyard was the perfect oasis for the special event, intimate yet large enough for Wesley and Angela’s close family and their closest friend’s from the station. It was Lucy that gave Tim the idea to add the elegant white lights throughout the space to which he suggested she should help setup the whole event—especially since she missed out on the fun the first time around because of her UC assignment.
Tim and Lucy were partnered together quite often since that fateful day Angela and Jackson were kidnapped—after providing the assist to Nolan and Nyla and finally taking down La Fiera once and for all. Grey was impressed by their quick thinking and noticed how they synced so well together—even more-so since Lucy became P2. He was so proud, except for a shift or so a week when Tim would take Nolan out to prepare him further in his training to hone his skills for TO work(and to give Nyla a break)—they would typically work together. Those random days, Lucy would ride with Jackson—usually he would ride alone, which he loved—but he also looked forward to his weekly shift with his best friend. Nolan usually rotated between Nyla and Smitty, depending on which days Nyla was pulled into detective duty due to Angela’s maternity leave.
Saturday night’s were usually the day their whole group of friends managed to have off—so what started as one cookout turned into a weekly event quite quickly. Families were invited, Grey brought his wife and Nyla would bring Lilah unless she was with her dad, on those nights Alonzo would come with her as her date. Nolan always brought Bailey. Smitty and his girlfriend of the week would come more often than not. Recently, Jackson brought Issac—they connected pretty quickly after Jackson’s rescue. His life being in danger was just the right push Issac needed to ask Jackson out. Tamara and Silas would start their night there before meeting up with friends, most Saturday nights. Since Angela and Wesley’s son, Alejandro was born their family has also been part of the weekly festivities. To outsiders looking in, as the final two of the group, Tim and Lucy appeared to be a couple as well. In fact, Lilah once called Tim Lucy’s boyfriend one night. Lucy was secretly glad they were outside in the dark because her cheeks were warm with a shade of pinkish/red. She wasn’t the only one, Issac thought so, Alonzo, Bailey, even the pizza guy (a night they ordered in because of rain).
Maybe it was the cookouts or perhaps this new partnership between them, they naturally—maybe without realizing it—started making plans together beyond these group cookouts. Sunday afternoons were almost always long walks together with Kojo on his favorite trail, which led to an ice cream treat for all three of them after. It didn’t stop there, there were movie nights usually once a week. Lucy was also always the first to arrive for cookout nights and the last to leave—it was second nature to host the event with him since that wedding night.
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That wedding night, the night they danced not only under the stars & under lights Lucy picked out—but also in front of everyone. The way Tim held one hand around her waist holding her close to him, the other holding her hand close to their chests—there was quite a breeze that night. So much so that a little strand of Lucy’s loosely curled hair kept falling covering her left eye. Tim thought it was kind of adorable how it fell a few times—yet he wanted to look in her gorgeous eyes, so he would let go of her hand for just a few seconds to secure it gently behind her ear. He could have sworn it made her blush, the way she looked at him and the way her body felt against his every time he did it made him think she was feeling the same connection he was. After this happened a few times, he decided to pull her closer and on cue Lucy’s head rested against his chest. When they pulled away from each other after a few songs—there was a moment when they just stood there with the most intense eye contact and Lucy swore Tim was going to pull her in and kiss her. Maybe the way they were dancing that night was the reason so many were confused at the realization that they weren’t a couple. Nothing more was said that night about their almost kiss even when Lucy stayed at his house helping him clean up from the party until 2:30 in the morning. Nothing more was said after either—they just started these new traditions with their walks, movies and cookouts with their friends.
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So on this Saturday night six weeks after the wedding, everyone has left Tim’s house with exception of Lucy. Tim was taking out the last of the trash and Lucy had a few shot glasses along with a few other dishes that were used that evening—in the sink and she was washing them by hand.
Tim comes in from taking out the trash and slides up on the counter sitting next to where Lucy is standing. He looks up at her and says, “Are we on for our walk with Kojo tomorrow? I think after all of those grilled potatoes tonight, we should walk the longer trail.”
Lucy looks over at him and smiles sheepishly. “I’m not sure I can go tomorrow, Tim.”
Since this little dance between them began, she has only missed one Sunday and that was only because she was sick.
“Are you saying that you have something more important than your bonding time with YOUR dog, Luce?” Tim was trying to joke his way around being shocked that she is cancelling. He tries to smile and push her arm playfully to show he isn’t mad, just curious. A thought comes to his mind to get her to maybe let him in on her little secret.
“Not exactly, just a promise I made to Jackson.”
Tim thought, maybe this isn’t so bad, she was going to be having a day with her best friend. Tim, knowing he couldn’t just ask her what her plans were without sounding jealous, jumps off of the counter and grabs a bottle of tequila sitting on the island in his kitchen. “You care to play a little game?” Tim’s eyes get flirty and daring making Lucy a little nervous and excited all at the same time.
“Game?” She laughs as she looks over at Tim seeing his eyes light up. “Sure, why not?” She smiles at him with and asks, “What kind of game did you have in mind?”
“To start, we each take two shots…well just because.” He smiles when she starts to shake her head knowing she may be in over her head.”
“What then, Tim?” She asks curiously.
“Take turns asking each other a question, if you answer—the other person takes a shot. If you don’t answer, you take a shot.” Tim’s eyes are fixed on Lucy and she says…”game on, Tim but I ask first.” He rolls his eyes as he grabs a few shot glasses to start this competition. They head to the couch in Tim’s living room as they sit next to each other but yet with enough ‘safe’ space between them.
After their two initial shots each, Lucy looks at Tim and says, “Hmm, I know. Let’s say Angela wasn’t married. Who would you go on a date with between Angela and Nyla?”
Tim stops, drops his head down shaking it. “Not fair, I can’t answer that because Angela is literally like my sister and Nyla, well truth is—if you repeat this to anyone I’ll deny it but she kinda scares me.”
“Take a shot” Lucy chants already feeling her buzz settling in.
Tim slams his shot glass down and says, “You are next—and I’ll throw that back at you. Jackson or Nolan? If Jackson was interested in women, that is.”
Lucy freezes and says…”give me the damn shot, Tim. Jackson is like my brother and Nolan…let’s just say I’m not go down that road again.” The words are out of her mouth before she realizes it. She starts to open her mouth to explain and Tim interrupts, “—I already knew. I just wanted to see if you would actually say it but now I really want to forget about anything to do with Nolan.”
“Yes, let’s please talk about anything else.” Lucy lets out a laugh as Tim encourages her to take her shot.
Lucy looks up and asks, “I know this is an old conversation but why did you say after he broke up with me that Emmet wasn’t the right guy for me?”
Tim, since he already had a few shots with Wesley before he left, is a little tipsy himself and looks at her as he starts to ramble. “He’s an idiot, Luce.” She looks a little surprised.
“Care to elaborate?”
“Nope” Tim says with an extra pppp sound as he shakes his head.
“Come on, that’s not a good enough answer unless you want that shot?” Lucy starts to push Tim playfully as he finishes. “He’s just a little…umm, immature. Plus he is a fireman.” To this Lucy laughs her beyond a little tipsy laugh. Truth is Tim didn’t want to hurt Lucy by telling her how much Emmet was bragging to a couple of the other guys that he got Tim’s hot little boot into bed for some fun. He also gave Tim hell that night asking why he never tried to get a piece. Truth is he wanted to smack him halfway around the world after that comment—he knew Lucy deserved so much better than Emmet. Tim did set him straight that night, only for Emmet to throw it back in Tim’s face that it sounds like he was interested in Lucy. He couldn’t deny it, Emmet just looked at him and said-I knew it.
Lucy relented saying, “Okay, I guess that is a good enough answer, although still vague.” Tim pours her shot and she downs it.
Lucy then looks over at Tim, knowing she needs to work on sobering up soon. “Last question, so I can spend a few sobering up before heading out for the night.”
Tim knew his question that he was saving for the end when he knew she was most likely to talk. “What are your plans tomorrow?”
Lucy starts in without breathing. “One of Isaac’s friends asked me out. Well, kind of…he asked Issac to ask Jackson if I was single and well…it turned into he and I going on one of those dinner cruises late tomorrow afternoon…I’m not even sure I want to go…but Jackson begged me and I hate saying no to him…it’s not like I’m dating anyone else.”
Lucy takes a deep breath and Tim says. “Let’s go outside to sober you up.” Lucy follows him and as they get to the middle of the yard, he reaches out his hand. “May I have this dance?”
“Tim, there is no music.” She smiles and she says softly, surprised in the best kind of way.
Just then he starts a playlist from his phone and he pulls her to him similar to how he held her during that wedding night weeks ago. They dance for a handful of songs, mostly with Lucy’s head resting on Tim’s chest—both of them super relaxed and the buzz leaving them both, being replaced by a different buzz between the two of them, felt just because it was them, together—late at night dancing in the middle of his yard and no place they would rather be.
Lucy is the first to break the silence when that breeze causes that little piece of hair to fall into her eyes and she sees Tim reach to do that same move he did the night of the wedding.
“Can I ask you one last question?” Tim nods because in this moment, he would do anything she asked.
“What would you have done that night if…I would have tried to ki…”
Tim doesn’t even let her finish, he leans down and she, sensing the clue steps up on her toes to reach him, one arm of his wrapped tightly around her as the other is playing with her hair as their lips crash into one another, Lucy nipping at Tim’s lower lip requesting permission for her tongue to enter, as he happily deepens the kiss. Lucy using one hand to grab around his neck and the other she reaches under his shirt feeling his abs—something she had hoped to do one day since the first time she worked out with him. They finally break apart, standing there under the stars, this time he reaches for that strand of hair again, gazing into Lucy’s eyes.
“Who’s going to break it to Jackson, that you aren’t available for that date tomorrow?” He gives a flirty grin as he says it and Lucy answers, “Yeah, Kojo would miss me too much if I bail on him.” As
She laughs and leans into kiss Tim again loving this new chapter in their relationship. After their kiss ends again, they both lean in where their foreheads are touching. It’s Tim’s turn to break the silence yet again.
“Luce, why the hell didn’t we do this over a month ago? Imagine all of the fun dates we could have had.”
“I don’t known, Tim…I’ve been pretty partial to our walks with Kojo, followed by dessert!” She laughs flirty
Tim pulls back and winks at her and leans in to her ear to whisper even though no one was around, “oh, there will be dessert after our walks for sure.”
His line causes them both to laugh at the play on words but also because they both know it’s true!