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warmth of Nicole’s place, his was sterile and if he didn’t know he lived here he would have thought it was vacant. True to his word, he pulled his phone out and texted Nicole.
    Hey I’m home safe and sound.
    Good. I was almost tempted to call out the National Guard.
    I didn’t know you had that kind of pull.
    You would be surprised.
    I think there are many things about you Nicole that would surprise me.
    Really? I like that… I liked the kiss too.
    Me too honey, ten times over.
    Goodnight, Tough Cop, sleep well.
    G’night, Nicole.
    He put the phone on his bedside table and got ready to shower and got ready for bed. He pulled on his burgundy sleep pants and nixed the idea of a Jets T-shirt. In bed he stuck one foot out from under the covers and pulled them up around his waist. He rubbed the place over his chest where Nicole’s hand had been, as if he could still feel her skin beneath his fingertips. The realization settled over him as he drifted off to sleep. For the first time in his life he’d fallen in love. The hard lump in his chest he thought only pushed lifeblood through his veins had another use after all. It now belonged to Nicole and Jules. She called him Tough Cop, but for her Max knew he’d be as soft as a pillow just to experience her love.

Chapter Four
    Saturday came and Nicole looked nervously at her watch. Maxwell would be there at noon and she felt like she had morning sickness all over again. Since dinner on Tuesday they’d talked and texted every day. She sent him pictures of Jules and he asked for one of her that she also sent. He returned the favor and sent pictures of him in his uniform and sitting in his car on stake-out. Nicole looked at his pictures tons of times a day since then. It scared her to be attracted to him, terrified her to be thinking about a relationship. She was well on her way to getting her life back. Even in the shelter Nicole had her plans set for the future. Maxwell was an unknown kink in that plan, but a very nice kink nonetheless. She had Jules all dressed in his jumper and was ready to go when the cell phone rang. His name showed up on the screen and she pressed the talk button with a smile on her face.
    “Hey, are you almost here?” Nicole asked.
    “I had to turn around, we got a call and I’m heading in to suit up,” Max’s voice was apologetic. “Mind if we try for tomorrow?”
    Nicole pushed back her irritation and tried to understand that his job always had him on call. But still she was disappointed.
    “Nicole?” He said her name softly.
    “Yes, that will be fine.” Her voice was stiff.
    Max sighed. “Honey, don’t be mad. I wanted to see you and Jules too.”
    “It’s fine, Max, I’ll take Jules to the farmer’s market close by and get some fall fruit and veggies,” Nicole said. “I’ll make us dinner tomorrow.”
    “That sounds great,” Max said. “I’ve got to hang up now but I’ll call or text later.”
    “Okay, be careful.” Nicole pressed the button and tried to push her annoyance aside. She looked down at a very wide-awake Jules and smiled. “Looks like it’s us and the fresh air today sir.”
    Jules blew a spit bubble and she laughed. Nicole took him outside and made sure to lock her doors before heading to her car. As the afternoon went by she forgot her disappointment and went about her day. But when the day passed with no call or text from Max, she sent him a few. No answer. She started to worry when Sunday went by with no word from him, and by Sunday night she was practically frantic. Jules also became more colicky and that entire night she walked the hallway and living room with the crying baby. She could’ve called Karen, she knew that, but Karen lived in Manhattan as well. Nicole didn’t want to depend on anyone when it came to Jules. Since she was a single parent, she had no break and exhaustion mixing with her fear that Max was hurt made it worse.
    Of course Nicole began to think this was his way of ditching her