As Emily and Liam walked into the precinct, they were greeted by the usual hum of chatter and the occasional sound of slamming lockers and rustling papers. But today, there was a noticeable shift in the air—a different kind of buzz, one that had nothing to do with police work and everything to do with Liam's appearance.
"Oh my God, have you seen those eyes?" Officer Carla whispered loudly enough for half the room to hear. "They're like frozen lakes. You could just drown in them."
Emily snorted under her breath, trying not to roll her eyes so hard they stuck in the back of her head. "Frozen lakes? Please. What is this, a romance novel?" she muttered.
Another officer chimed in, giggling like a teenager. "I swear, he's like a Calvin Klein model who accidentally wandered into a police academy."
Emily bit down on the inside of her cheek. It wasn't jealousy. It wasn't. It was just—well, annoying. She couldn't understand why everyone was acting like Liam was the second coming of Chris Hemsworth. Sure, he was tall, lean, and had a jawline that could cut glass, but so what?
"Wow," Emily said loudly, setting her coffee on her desk with a dramatic clink. "You guys are really drooling over him, huh? I mean, I've seen more exciting things in my fridge. Like the week-old pizza I keep forgetting to throw out."
The room went quiet for a beat, and Liam, who had just walked in behind her, turned his head slightly. His lips twitched—barely—but Emily saw it. A micro-expression. She counted that as a win.
Carla gave Emily a pointed look. "Jealous, Carter?"
Emily raised a brow. "Of what, exactly? I've got my own Calvin Klein model, thanks. Better cheekbones, too."
That brought on a few chuckles, and the tension broke. Liam took his place beside her, silent but attentive, his usual unreadable expression firmly in place. She could feel his presence like static in the air—quiet, steady, but impossible to ignore.
"Come on, people," Sergeant Peterson said as he entered the room. "Time to focus. I know Officer 'Blue Eyes' is a distraction, but let's not forget we're here to do a job."
More laughter. Emily leaned over to Liam and whispered, "You should probably start wearing sunglasses inside. You're apparently a safety hazard."
Liam looked at her, his voice low. "Noted."
They headed out for patrol, walking side by side toward the squad car. The station doors closed behind them, and Emily instantly felt like she could breathe again.
"You know," Liam said after a long pause, "You have a very unique way of… diffusing situations."
Emily gave him a side glance. "You mean making sarcastic comments until everyone forgets why they were annoyed in the first place? Yeah, it's a gift."
"I can see that."
She grinned and hopped into the passenger seat. "So, Officer Blue Eyes, you enjoying the fan club?"
He started the engine. "It's… unexpected."
"Get used to it," she said. "They're relentless. And you? You're like catnip."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You should. It's the highest praise we give around here, next to someone sharing their snacks."
They cruised through their usual route, the hum of the engine and the quiet buzz of the radio filling the silence between their conversations. Emily's phone buzzed in her pocket. She glanced at the screen—Alex.
She smiled to herself and texted back quickly: Hey, babe. Morning's been wild. Miss you already. What are you up to?
His reply came almost instantly: Just heading into a meeting. Call me on lunch? Love you.
Emily's heart warmed. She still got butterflies with Alex, even after two years together. She tucked her phone away and leaned back, content.
"So," Liam said, glancing at her as he turned a corner, "You mentioned earlier that your fridge is more interesting than me. That true?"
Emily chuckled. "Don't take it personally. That pizza has character. And fungus."
"Noted again."
They pulled into a small local café for their mid-morning break. It was a quiet place, one they often went to when they wanted to avoid the nosy chatter at the precinct. Inside, the smell of fresh espresso and baked goods wrapped around them like a hug.
As they waited in line, Emily studied him. "So, Liam. What's your story? You've got the whole broody, mysterious vibe down, but there's got to be more under that iceberg exterior."
Liam turned slightly, one brow raised. "Iceberg exterior?"
"Yeah. You know. All serious and stoic. Like a superhero who doesn't know how to smile."
"I smile."
"Uh-huh. When?"
He didn't answer, but there was something in his eyes again—an amused glint. She was getting to him, slowly but surely.
"I'll get us coffees," he said. "You like yours with too much sugar, right?"
She blinked. "You remembered that?"
"I listen."
Emily didn't quite know how to respond to that, so she shoved her hands in her pockets and looked away. Moments later, he handed her a steaming cup with two sugars and a splash of cream. Just the way she liked it.
They sat outside on a small bench. The day was crisp, and a soft breeze blew past, rustling the newspaper someone had left behind. Emily took a long sip and sighed.
"So," Liam said, breaking the comfortable silence. "What makes you tick, Carter?"
She glanced sideways at him. "Tick, as in 'go off' or 'what drives me'?"
"Both."
"Well," she said slowly, "I'm a cop because my dad was a cop. I grew up listening to his stories. He died in the line of duty when I was ten, so… I guess I've always wanted to carry on what he started. And yeah, I've got a fiancé. Alex. He's a financial analyst. Total heartthrob, if you ask me."
"I see," Liam said. "Sounds like he's lucky."
Emily laughed. "You're the second person to say that today. I should probably remind Alex of that later."
They finished their coffees in silence, but it wasn't awkward. It felt natural, like a rhythm they were slowly falling into. As they walked back to the patrol car, Liam opened the door for her without a word. She looked at him, suspicious.
"What was that?"
"Just being polite."
"Are you sure? Because it felt like chivalry, and I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of emotional whiplash from you."
Liam didn't respond, but this time, he did smile. Just a little. Just enough.
And Emily, surprised by how satisfying that was, got into the car with a grin of her own.
As the day went on, they responded to a few minor incidents—a fender bender, a shoplifting report, a call about a suspicious person lurking near a playground. Nothing intense, but enough to keep them moving.
Between calls, Emily found herself glancing at Liam more often than she cared to admit. She'd expected to be annoyed by the attention he was getting, but instead, she was curious. There was something about him she couldn't quite put her finger on.
She was still in love with Alex. Of that, she had no doubt. But something about Liam's quiet steadiness—his calm, observant nature—was starting to make her wonder.
Not about her feelings.
But about his story.
And she had a feeling it was one worth uncovering.