Something Unexpected

By Morgan Henkelman

Blair thought she was doing her brother-in-law a favor by putting his friend up for a few weeks while he got his apartment situated.

Caleb thought he was doing his friend a favor by keeping an eye on his sister-in-law for a little while, seeing as she was one of New Yorks finest.

They met with indifference. But their friendship grew despite that, Their friendship grew to caring, and then more. But can he accept the idea of her being in constant danger, and can she trust enough to share her heart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491836736

Morgan Henkelman

I haven't always been an avid reader. But one day I picked up a book that hooked me and the love affair began. Writing has always been a hobby of mine but when this story started to unfold for me I thought, alright, let's see where this takes me. I have enjoyed writing this book, I sincerely hope you enjoy reading this purely for pleasure fiction. I currently reside in Maryland, working in Washington DC.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Blair woke up to the sound of the phone ringing shrilly. She lifted a hand out from under the covers, got the phone and took it back under the covers to her ear. Hello? she said groggily.

Hey Peewee. What are you still doing in bed? Bea asked.

My day off. What are you doing calling me at this ungodly hour?

It’s almost nine.

So? I had a late shift last night. Say what you want then go away.

Is that any way to talk to your big sister? Bea asked.

Yes Blair replied.

Ugh, well I just wanted to see how you are. Dad still wants you to come home, Mom misses her baby, and Bianca is still Bianca.

Tell Dad I’ve been here for almost nine years and still love being a cop in New York, tell Mom I’ll call her later, and Bianca will never change. Goodbye.

Wait I have other news.

What?

You remember Caleb right? Bea asked.

Who?

Caleb McKenzie. He’s a friend of Ian’s. Well he’s coming to New York in a couple of weeks, and is thinking about moving there. I thought maybe because you are there and because you love you’re brother-in-law that you may put him up for a couple of days and show him around the city.

I don’t love Ian that much.

Come on Blair.

Ugh fine, if you leave me alone so I can sleep.

Thanks owe you one.

Yeah yeah, kiss the kids for me, and tell Ian that if he isn’t treating you right I’ll shoot him in the ass.

There was a muffled conversation in the background; Bea’s voice came back clear, He says get a new threat, that one’s old. Oh did I tell you, Sophie learned a new word, ‘gimme’, seems apt since her father can’t say no to her. You don’t dear. She said to Ian, and then came back to Blair. Logan is on the little league team, catcher, just like you. Okay well I’ll let you sleep, see ya. When Blair heard the phone go dead in her ear she put it back and her hand disappeared back under the covers.

An hour later Blair pulled the covers from her head and decided to get out of bed so she could do the stuff she knew she needed to do. Like get milk, because she was out, get bread, because she was out, and do laundry, because she had few clean clothes left. After she showered and dressed she went out to get food. She left her curly dark brown hair swinging. The grocery store was just around the corner from her apartment. It made it convenient for her whenever she had to rush in and buy something, which was whenever she looked at herself and decided she needed to get more of a life outside of the job. She’d then call friends over and make dinner and just relax with them. Sometimes a guy would be involved in the dinner arrangements but she recently decided that a lot of guys don’t like the idea that she could most likely kick their butts if she wanted. Though she didn’t look all that tough, being the smallest as well as the youngest in the family. She had a little compact body, topping off at 5'5". Blair still didn’t think it was fair that Bea got the butt of the family, Bianca got the boobs, and she got a little of both by being in the middle as far as body type goes.

She stepped into the grocery store waving at the huge black guy who was behind the deli counter, using a cleaver to slice some ham. Hey Big Mike, how’s it hanging?

Pretty good little girl, you here to restock your empty kitchen again?

Hey, I could just be stopping by to see your handsome face. She grinned cheekily, But as it happens I do need stuff. With this she grabbed a cart and went down each aisle, picking stuff she knew she needed, picking other stuff she thought she’d need, and picking up some more stuff she knew she shouldn’t get but couldn’t resist. Those double stuffed Oreos simply called to her.

She met up with Big Mike’s wife, Mizzie, at the cash register; she was a small woman who makes everyone wonder how Big Mike didn’t squash her years ago. She liked to tell people how they met, Big Mike was walking too fast somewhere and accidentally knocked her down, then he picked her up as if she was nothing and was babbling how sorry he was, she claims she was lost then and there. But she’s alive and fit, being everyone’s mother as always. So how is life sweetie?

Good, closed a case last night, day off today.

Any young men sniffing around you?

Not lately, I’ve found out that men don’t like it when a woman carries a gun and deals with things they are most likely too pansy to look at. Besides the last one I dated didn’t like the fact that I punched a mugger who was trying to take the putz’s wallet. The guy didn’t even stay after I called for a cruiser to pick the mugger up.

Sweetie, even you have to realize that being a homicide detective is not a usual job for a woman such as yourself. You’re a white bread girl too pretty to be hanging with murdering lowlifes all day. She said flatly.

You do have a way with words Mizzie. I love my job. I help people. And if a guy can’t handle that then screw him. She smiled, she took her bags called bye to Big Mike and left.

When she got home the first thing she did was get the laundry basket out of the closet, then she started toward her chair. A big chair with cream colored upholstery, and even with Blair’s best intentions, she always managed to stick all of her articles of clothing on it. Halfway through she remembered that she needed to call her Mom.

Hello?

Hey Mom.

Hey honey, how is everything?

Going great, on my day off, got a phone call from Bea, went to the grocery, and am now cleaning my apartment. How are things at home?

Good, work is still going good, the new place takes some getting used to but it’ll do. In the background Blair could hear an extremely high pitched wussy bark. Sampson was a Samoyed, a huge dog with the bad fortune to have a pitiful bark. Bianca and her family visited yesterday. How are things going with work and everything?

Good, caught a case yesterday, closed it last night.

What happened?

Two guys, one girl, both say she’s his, plus broken bottle.

Ewe, well at least you got him, what did the girl say?

She cried the whole time, saying she was drunk when she slept with the dead guy. It was a bit of a mess.

I’ll say.

Well I got to go take this stuff down to the laundry machines. Love you Mom.

Love you too, talk to you later.

The next day in the homicide division Blair was busy doing reports, sitting at her dingy metal desk, talking with her partner Ted Bartner, who was sitting at an equally dingy desk facing her. So, you do anything exciting yesterday? Bartner asked, not looking at Blair but continuing typing, with his machine gun style.

No, did basic house stuff, get food, clean clothes, that sort of thing. You?

Had fun with the kids, went to the zoo, and then came home to make some loving to my sweet wife.

Hope the kids were asleep for that part.

Tranqed ’em, got it covered.

You’re a sick man Bartner.

At least I’m getting some Galloway.

Don’t remind me. How is Betsy doing anyway, she still able to put up being married to you?

Great, best decision she ever made was marrying me.

You keep telling yourself that.

What happened to that last dude you were seeing?

He ran away, literally. She explained about the mugger.

What the hell? You were wrong to punch the guy but running away just makes him look like chicken shit.

Well he walked away quickly more than ran. But how was I wrong for defending us? she finally looked up, outraged. Bartner looked up as well.

Because Galloway, a guy doesn’t want a woman standing in front of him and making him look like a pussy.

You know what the guy said during dinner? ‘He likes an independent woman’. He likes an independent woman my ass.

Guys are like that Galloway, just gotta deal with them.

Pains in the ass, got it, can we get back to work now?

Twenty minutes later; You almost done your reports? Blair asked.

Yep, you?

Just got done. How long before we’re up for a new case?

Dunno, couple days maybe.

Oh. Wanna look at a cold one?

Why on earth would I want to dump more work on when we are finally caught up on everything?

Civic duty? she said finally looking up at him.

I don’t think so. He hadn’t looked up yet, he didn’t have to; he knew she was continuing to stare at him. Hell. Fine, fine, go get one. She shot up and walked down to get a file that looked interesting. Why do you do this to me? Why can’t you be normal and enjoy a little down time? he said when she came back.

Dunno, but don’t worry if you don’t want to work this with me you don’t have to.

Geez, and have everyone looking at me sitting with nothing, then looking at you hard at work. No way.

Blair grinned. Okay, well the one I picked looked pretty interesting…

Five hours later they sat back down at their desks, just coming back from booking. Why do you do that? Bartner half groaned.

What?

You gotta know you piss some of the other guys off when you close their cold cases like that.

Hey, if Howeritz would have revisited the case he would have realized the friend had done it too.

And what about the last time?

The butler did it! How could Jenkins not get that?

You’re annoying.

"And you’re ugly.

Now that we have that settled can we please do this damn paperwork and go home?

Look on the bright side; we’ll be out of here on time for a change.

So tell me again why you think I should not be in a hotel and stay with your wife’s sister whom I don’t know instead? Caleb asked Ian. They were standing in Ian’s kitchen while a baby was on Ian’s hip gurgling.

Because it will save you money.

Okay, I’m behind that part of it but it’ll be a little weird don’t you think?

No, you guys have met; it was just at my wedding. And it’s not like you are going to be sharing the same room with her. She has an extra room. Besides she already agreed that you could stay.

Okay, but why?

Ian rolled his eyes, put down the baby and put his hands on his hips. To tell you the truth her family is worried about her being alone up there in a big city. If you went and made sure everything was fine with her it would put everyone’s minds at ease down here.

Isn’t she a cop?

Yeah, so?

Well if she’s a cop then why do you guys think she needs protecting, she can probably kick my ass. Ian couldn’t help but picture Blair trying to take Caleb down, that would be a sight. Caleb topped at six feet, was lean with wiry muscles, broad shoulders, narrow hips. He had dark blonde hair cut short, one thing he brought with him from his stint with the navy. He had a jaw that dared to be punched, a straight nose, and sea green eyes.

That worries them even more. She was hurt in the line of duty, what’s to say the same thing doesn’t happen again but worse? She’s only a little thing after all. Ian concentrated on not smiling; Blair would have punched him if she heard that.

I understand the worry but how the hell is me being there for a couple days going to change her profession and the risks that that entails?

Because you will also be moving there. Besides, you’ll like her.

If I remember your wedding correctly, isn’t she the one that almost punched your one friend at your wedding?

Ian grinned, Geez I almost forgot about that.

Why the hell do I want to stay with a hellcat? Alright, alright. He said when Ian gave him a look. She’s already agreed and it would be discourteous of me to back out.

That’s a pal. So how is that one lady friend of yours, Carmen?

Camille. Stopped seeing her about a month ago, she left for Spain but I still had business in Paris so I stayed.

What happened between you two?

She got it into her head we should get married and let others handle the sticky details of business and we should travel. I told her she was nuts and that was pretty much the end of that.

Later that night Ian and Bea were in bed, So did he buy it? Bea asked.

Yeah, he’s going to stay there for a couple of days. Why are we meddling again?

We are not meddling or scheming or interfering. We are simply opening my sister’s home to one of your friends whom we think they will get along well with each other. That’s my story and I will not change it.

Whatever. With that he rolled over and went to sleep.

Chapter 2

A week later Blair was at work when she picked up the phone.

Hey Peewee.

Hey, Bea, what’s up?

I just wanted to remind you that Caleb’s flight is coming in two hours. There was a long pause. You forgot didn’t you?

No I didn’t. I just didn’t realize the date. She said hastily.

Ahunh. Okay well I’m going to give you his flight information and where you can pick him up. Blair reached for a legal pad and wrote quickly as Bea was reciting all of the information. Do you have it?

Yeah, I’m going to have to go straight from work, I’m not off shift for another hour.

That should be perfect though; you get off shift, drive there, get him, drive back, then spend the evening with him.

Oh joy. Blair could practically hear what Bea was thinking. Alright, alright, but how long will it take for him to get an apartment. I don’t want to babysit him for an indefinite amount of time; you know, career and all that.

He already has a couple of apartments in mind; it should only be a couple of days. Thanks again. She hung up before Blair could say anything else. Blair simply sat back, muttering an oath.

After shift and after she wrangled the car from Bartner, she was waiting at the baggage claim for Caleb to arrive. Since she didn’t remember what he looked like she made a sign with his name on it. I better not look like a limo driver or anything, she thought, scowling. Caleb first saw the sign, and then he saw the woman with the scowl. Please let this not be Blair Galloway, he thought. But he walked to her anyway. Blair Galloway?

Yeah, you must be Caleb McKenzie. He’s hot, probably a jerk. But she immediately felt guilty for that quick judgment. Her recent experience with men was having a negative effect on her.

Right the first time. He said, Why are you armed? referring to her gun that was still holstered on her side which peaked out from under her blazer.

I came straight from work. She immediately found a trashcan and threw the sign away. Come on, I’m parked this way. With that she hauled one of his bags onto her shoulder. He quirked a brow but said nothing as he lifted the bigger bag himself.

When they got into the car and were on their way back to the city the silence in the car was deafening. So…how was your flight?

It was good, not too long since your sister is only in D.C.

Yeah, I usually take the bus but a plane would be much faster. Silence again.

So, you like being a cop?

Yeah, it has its ups and downs, but I love it. What made you want to move to New York?

Work, plus I’ve always liked this city. He looked out of the corner of his eye to size her up, since he hadn’t had a chance yet. Nice body, small, probably couldn’t handle much as far as brawn goes, pretty when she’s not scowling or anything, not my type though.

What do you do?

I own a few companies, decided to move my base to New York.

Only a few? She gave him a side glance.

At the moment. He gave an appreciative smile.

What are they?

I have a shipping company, and one company that deals with contracts for the government, among other things. He said vaguely without a hitch.

Nice. Again silence descended. So, I hear that you already have some apartments in mind.

Yeah, I will only be in your hair a couple of days.

It’s no trouble. Lying without a hitch, she parked and popped the trunk. She got the smaller bag again, leaving him to get the other bag. When he got to her at the top of the stairs, she opened the door and started towards the stairs. When they got to the second floor she opened to her apartment 2A. When she opened the door Caleb was surprised, she had taste. He looked at the colors of rust red and dull gold. Some things that shouldn’t have gone together seemed to mesh perfectly there. On one wall was a little replica of a city street done in stone. On another wall was a painting of poppies.

This is the living room obviously. The kitchen is right there. She pointed to the little kitchen to the right of the living room. My room is to the left, and my office, which will be your room for the next couple of days, is to the right. The bathroom is next to my room. And that’s it. You allergic to anything?

No, why?

Because I’m going to cook and I don’t want to have to take you to the hospital because you didn’t tell me you were allergic to onions or something.

He laughed a little. No, I’m not allergic to anything. What are you going to make?

I don’t know, I just restocked my kitchen so we have some choices. I’m in the mood for beef stroganoff though.

Beef stroganoff it is. I’ll just unpack. When he came back she was in jeans and a t-shirt and had the sauce already simmering.

Would you like some wine? she asked, not looking around.

Sure, what kind do you have?

Cabernet red. She put a pot of water on to boil for the noodles.

You sure do cook fast; I don’t think I was unpacking for that long.

"I had the meat already prepared in the freezer, that’s really what takes the longest, but if you do a big batch of ground beef together it speeds things up. So