Free After We Fall by Marquita Valentine

vulnerable. You make me feel things I didn’t know were possible. “Yes.”
    “Then by all means, sit.” She scoots to the very edge of the bench, leaving me plenty of room to sit. At six four, I’m a big guy, but I’m not that damn big. She doesn’t want to feel vulnerable, either.
    “Someone blue in your family?” I ask, carefully throwing my leg over the bench.
    Her cheeks become the prettiest shade of pink. “No,” she says, ducking her head. “I like watching cop shows.”
    Opening the container of tacos, I pick up one. “They don’t always get the facts right.”
    “I know, but my brother-in-law produces
Behind the Blue,
and he has consultants. According to him, viewers don’t always want realistic,” she says before taking a bite of taco. Her eyes close in what I hope is pure bliss while my mind sorts through the information she’s giving me. I have no idea who her brother-in-law is, and even if she told me, I wouldn’t have a clue. Hollywood has never come calling on me.
    “I’ve watched that one a few times. Tell him he does a good job.” I manage to eat two tacos while she eats half of hers. “Good?”
    “The best. I’d almost forgotten how they tasted,” she says softly, then resumes eating.
    I swear I could sit here and watch her all night. Her movements are elegant and refined. You can tell that she’s had a different kind of upbringing than mine.
    “When you go for your walk, stay away from Fifth and Trellis. When I was with Forrestville PD, we had a lot of calls from that area.”
    “Duly noted.”
    “And once the time changes, you’ll need to be out of here before five. There aren’t many lights. Developers are trying to keep light pollution at a minimum.” I finish my third taco and start on my fourth. “Where else do you like to go?”
    “I mostly stay in this area. Haven’t ventured any farther since I don’t—well, I
didn’t
know what areas to avoid,” she says.
    “That’s smart.”
    Evangeline gives me a pleased smile and her back straightens. “That’s a nice compliment, especially coming from a policeman.”
    I wonder when the last time was that a man gave her a compliment. In my experience, abusers don’t stay content with verbal or physical abuse for very long. They start to mix things up to see how their target responds.
    Jake leans his head against my thigh and lets out a contented huff.
    “Know how you feel, boy,” I whisper to him.
    “I got a job,” Evangeline says.
    “That’s great.” I mean it. Anything that reeks of normalcy is a plus in my book.
    “Saylor said that you mentioned I might be looking for one.”
    My neck gets hot, but there’s no need to lie to her. “Yeah, she’s been looking for help, and from what I know about you, you’re someone she can trust with animals.”
    She blinks at me. Then that confident smile of hers returns, making me want to be the one behind it. “Thank you.”
    “No problem.” Wiping my hands, I begin to clean up our trash. “Guess I’ll get Jake back home. He has an appointment with Netflix.”
    “You’re leaving already?” she asks, confusion filling her pretty eyes as she starts helping me.
    “Well, yeah, but that doesn’t mean you have to. The park’s a public place.” I throw our trash away. “And you have at least two more hours of sunlight. Next month is a different story.”
    Her forehead wrinkles slightly. “I don’t know,” she says slowly as she looks around. “It’s almost September and the light’s faded a lot since I first got here.”
    I choose my next words carefully. “Would you like to walk home with me…and Jake?”
    Nodding, Evangeline checks the table one last time before joining us. Although she stays on Jake’s side, it feels like I’m back in school, escorting the prom queen.
    I make a noise.
    “Are you okay?” she asks, peering at me.
    “Memories of high school.”
    “Those were the days.”
    “No college?” I ask.
    She shakes her head. “Not really.