the decision to leave Miami a few months afterward.”
“But why? And why here?”
There was no way she would tell him the reason. At least, not now. “It’s complicated and I’d rather not get into it. Now if you will excuse me, I’d like to get my desk set up.”
He stared at her for a minute as if he had something else to say, but then turned and walked away. That’s when she remembered what she needed to ask him. “Drew?”
He turned, frowning, but she didn’t care. She refused to call him Detective Logan when she didn’t have to. “What?”
“What happened to Norm?”
She knew all about the guy who’d been his partner for years and how well they’d gotten along. She’d even met Norm when the man had dropped by Drew’s place unexpectedly one time she’d gone to Alexandria to visit Drew. She hoped nothing had happened to him.
“Norm got married and moved to Wisconsin, where his wife’s family lives. He’s working for the police department there.”
“Oh.”
“Anything else you want to know?” he asked in a curt tone.
“No. But I want to let you know I’m looking forward to working with you.”
He held her gaze for a moment before saying, “Too bad I can’t say the same.” Then, he walked off.
Toni released a deep breath. She honestly didn’t understand why he was so upset with her. They had agreed that either one could end things, no questions asked. So, after ten months, she’d done just that. So why, almost five years later, did he still have a chip on his shoulder. Four years and eight months to be exact.
Neither of them had wanted a serious relationship. He’d told her often enough that he was not a forever kind of guy, and she’d assured him she wasn’t looking for forever either. So they’d agreed to be exclusive sex buddies—nothing more. Only after a few months, something had happened on her end that evidently hadn’t happened on his.
She had fallen in love with him.
Breaking up with him had been the only thing she could do, the only thing she could think of to avoid getting her heart broken. She knew what loving someone who didn’t love you back could do to a person. Her mother, Nicole Bellamy, had been the poster child for that life choice. Getting rejected by the man she loved had destroyed Toni’s mom, and Toni had sworn to never let the same thing happen to her. She had not expected to fall in love—with Drew or anyone else—but it happened anyway.
As she began setting up her desk, she couldn’t help thinking back to nearly six years ago, when she had first met Andrew Logan...and her life had changed forever.
Six years ago
ANTONIA OLIVER GLANCED AT Joy Ingram, who was sitting across the table from her. She and Joy had become friends at college—sharing a room and a major at Arizona State University—and they’d been close ever since. After college, they had gone their separate ways, both of them getting hired at the police departments in their hometowns—Toni in Miami and Joy in Baton Rouge. But at least once a year, they planned a girls’ trip as a way to keep in touch.
This second week in June, they were in San Diego, attending a national law enforcement seminar that had been geared toward officers who’d made police detective within the last two years. She and Joy had the same professional goals—both wanted to work their way through the ranks and one day make chief of police.
Their personal goals, on the other hand, were totally different. Toni was into non-committed relationships, while Joy preferred more serious relationships. Six months ago, she had become engaged, but from what Joy had told her friend, Toni had concluded that Joy’s fiancé was a real asshole.
“Tell me again why you’re engaged to this dude?” Toni asked her friend. “Sounds like he’s more trouble than what he’s worth.”
“He’s not so bad.”
Toni rolled her eyes. “If you say so. But it seems to me you’re wearing yourself out trying to please him, while still working hard on your career goals. It doesn’t sound like he’s the least bit understanding about your workload, Joy.”
“He’s promised to try to do better.”
“That’s what you said the last time we talked.” She shook her head and let out a sigh. “Now you can see why I prefer non-committed relationships.”
“That isn’t the reason you prefer non-committed relationships and we both know it, Toni.”
Toni didn’t say anything because Joy was right. “Still, I’d kick