Author’s Note: I’m loving Naomi and Marin these days, I can’t help it! This is a follow up to Numb and it closely follows chapter 11 with my own angst-filled twists. I hope you enjoy these as I’m sure I’ll be writing more of these two! 💕
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The sunlight tickled Marin’s eyelids, a bright and annoying tickle that caused them to flutter open despite her grogginess. She groaned as she shifted in bed, pushing the matted hair from her face before diving headfirst back into the pillow. She sought the comforting oblivion that sleep would bring her. Glimpses of the night before flickered through her mind … blurry images of tangled limbs and hot kisses, moonlight flickering off the ocean waves … Flynn lying asleep beneath a blanket on the boat’s wooden deck as she slipped away into the night.
The sound of buzzing startled her, jolting her upright as she searched for the culprit. She sat half-asleep and confused, still in her clothes from the night before on top of the covers of her cozy bed at the B&B. She heard the buzzing again coming from the floor where her purse lay discarded by the door. She moaned as she eased herself to the floor to search her bag for the vibrating phone, only to finally find it after she had missed the call.
Marin shuffled back to the bed, phone in tow, throwing the covers over her as she started scrolling. Unidentified caller, 7:53am. Just as she unlocked the screen, she received an alert for a new voicemail. She clicked the message and pressed the phone to her ear.
It was Chief Walsh, rambling incoherently in his gruff voice … something about tampering with evidence, better get down to the station, you’re not going to get away with this … Fuck.
Marin fell back to the bed, rubbing her temples and thinking over her limited options. If she went down the station, not only was she going to have to face Walsh and face the consequences of retrieving the remnant of burnt firework … she would also have to face Naomi. Would she be able to read the guilt written all over her face? Marin knew she needed to come clean about last night, about Flynn … but that was only 8 restless hours ago and she had not yet had time to formulate what she was going to say. She lay there pondering her predicament a while longer, and, not coming up with any better alternatives, resigned herself to get in the shower and start getting ready. If she was off to face the music, at least she could clean the stench of last night off her exhausted body and put on some fresh clothes.
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Marin exited the police station and stumbled down the quaint main street of Birchport, still a little stunned at the conversation she’d just had with Chief Walsh. He had been his usual unpleasant self, throwing accusations at her left and right … accurate accusations, but still condescending and vicious nonetheless. Of course, he had no real proof that she or her friends had anything to do with the evidence tampering … so he was forced to let her go. But not before making a snide remark about Naomi when Marin had asked to see her, replying that he’d fired “her subordinate ass.” Marin wasn’t sure if she should feel bad for Naomi losing her job or relieved that she was finally done with that jackass of a boss.
She stepped inside the cafe on the corner picking up a much-needed cup of dark roast coffee. As she paid the attendant behind the counter, she felt the familiar buzzing of her phone in her purse. Pulling it out of her bag while pushing the door open, she read the new text message while standing on the sidewalk. Shit, Flynn.
Flynn: Where are you? Are you okay?
Damnit. Of course he was worried about her instead of mad that she’d snuck off in the middle of the night. He was so caring and loyal, which made breaking his heart even more bittersweet.
Marin: I’m fine, sorry to alarm you. I just couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to wake you.
Flynn: Good I was worried.
Flynn: Can I meet you somewhere for breakfast to talk?
Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Thinking fast, she typed out a reply.
Marin: Sorry I can’t. Just got a call from Walsh and I have to go down to the station.
Flynn: Oh shit. That doesn’t sound good. Let me know how that goes. I’m here if you need me.
Marin: Thanks Flynn. Will do.
Well that settles it, I’m a horrible person.
Marin stared down at the blank screen of her phone, unsure what to do. She was worried about Naomi, she had to be upset after the whole Walsh firing incident. But then last night … she didn’t want to upset her by confessing about spending the night with Flynn. So she resigned herself to keep her mouth shut and just be a friend to Naomi, an ear to listen. That couldn’t hurt, could it? She unlocked her phone and inhaled a deep nervous breath, then pressed the dial button.
“Hello?” Naomi’s voice was hoarse, tinged with defeat and anger.
“Hey, Naomi … it’s Marin. I just came from the station, I heard the news.” She paused, trying to still her nerves and focus on Naomi. “Are you okay?”
Naomi’s end of the line was silent for a good twenty seconds before she exhaled audibly. “I’ll be okay, I think I’m just still in shock.”
“I’m so sorry … I can’t help but feel that this is partially my fault for getting you involved with the whole Kate / Sterling family investigation.”
“Marin, stop … just because it’s this situation that triggered Walsh firing me doesn’t mean it’s your fault. I obviously don’t agree with his methods and I’m definitely not quiet about it, so it was really only a matter of time …” Her voice trailed off, resigning herself to the inevitable. “Besides, that is not the kind of law enforcement I want to be in, so he really did me a favor. And it felt really good to finally tell him off when he did fire me!” Naomi chuckled mischievously.
“You didn’t?!?” Marin gasped, a proud smile spreading across her lips.
“Oh, but I did!” Naomi laughed out loud. “Hey, it would be good to see a friendly face. Why don’t you come by and I’ll tell you all about it?” Marin hesitated, fighting the urge to forget about last night and just spend more time getting to know Naomi … “Well? How ‘bout it?” Naomi quipped playfully in her ear.
“Sure, that sounds great.” Marin gave into her heart’s whim and hushed her internal conscience.
“Great!” Naomi’s voice sounded cheerful and upbeat, completely opposite of when she’d first answered the line. “I’ll text you the address. See you soon!”
Marin hung up the phone, a text with Naomi’s address immediately flashing across her screen. Well, here goes nothing …
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Marin approached the front door of Naomi’s ranch house and was about to knock when she saw Naomi sitting at the kitchen table through the window. Her hands cradled her forehead as she leaned on the table, shoulders slumped forward. Marin hesitated, rethinking her decision to come over and taking one step back. Just then Naomi lifted her head and caught a glimpse of Marin standing at the door, her face breaking out into a warm smile as she stood up and made her way over.
Naomi pulled the door open, the air of sadness that had engulfed her just moments before quickly evaporating. “Marin!” She pulled her friend into a cordial embrace, lingering in her arms for a few moments longer than could be considered friendly. Marin couldn’t resist the urge to melt into the hug, pressing her cheek against Naomi’s shoulder and inhaling her scent of worn leather and vanilla. When they separated, Naomi beamed as she tucked a stray lock of Marin’s hair behind her ear. “Thank you for coming over. I think I could definitely use he distraction right now. Come in, I’ll show you around.”
Naomi led Marin through each of the rooms in her cozy house, completing the tour in the kitchen where they had started. Marin admired how every room was simply decorated yet inviting, open yet comforting … just like the homeowner herself. Naomi poured them both a glass of iced tea and leaned against the kitchen counter, taking a long sip of her tea while Marin watched quietly, unsure of what to say. “So, I take it Walsh called you in?”
Marin chuckled softly, shaking her head as she turned the glass in circles on the counter in front of her nervously. “Hmmmph, yes … that man is a piece of work. He basically threatened me to get out of town-“
“What? Why?” Naomi interrupted.
“It’s fine, I’m calling his bluff … I’m not going anywhere until we’ve cleared Kate’s name.” Marin met her gaze, noticing the sigh of relief from Naomi when she responded. She took another gulp of the cold refreshing drink to cool herself down, suddenly feeling warmer from the smoldering glare.
“Good, I’m glad … I was just starting to get used to having you around.” Naomi’s eyes twinkled as she spoke.
Marin choked a bit as she swallowed her tea, coughing into her hand as she slammed the glass down on the counter. “Naomi, I can’t … I’ve got to tell you something …”
Naomi had already set her own glass down and stepped directly in front of Marin, grasping her small hand in her own. “Marin, it’s okay … I know you’re nervous about this. You don’t need to overanalyze this or keep apologizing. I’m just happy you’re here.” Naomi looked down at Marin’s fingers, stroking her thumb along her skin and eliciting shivers from her companion. “You know, I don’t really get close to too many people. I’ve been burned -a lot. But I trust you, Marin. I see how you are with Kate … you’re a good person.”
Marin stared at Naomi as she lectured her, so calm and eloquent as she sung her praises. If she only knew the truth … “I’m not a good person, trust me.” She swallowed hard as she met Naomi’s gaze, her eyes crinkling at the sides with affection. “Naomi, I really need to talk to you about something.”
“You know what always clears my mind? A horseback ride in the forest. Why don’t we go out for a ride and we can talk in the fresh air instead of this stuffy kitchen? I swear it will make you feel better.”
“Oh- okay …” Marin mumbled. “Fresh air sounds good.”
“Great. Let’s go!”
~~~~~~~~~~~
Naomi wasn’t lying when she said that the outdoors would make a world of difference to Marin’s state of mind. As soon as they had the horses saddled and had climbed on, Marin already felt a sense of peace wash over her as they began their slow ride through the forest and meadows surrounding Naomi’s house. Her nagging thoughts of guilt seemed to subside the farther out they rode, reveling in the warm sunshine and pleasant conversation.
The two women rode at a leisurely pace for about thirty minutes, Naomi telling stories of growing up in Wyoming and Marin recalling how she had met Kate in college. Naomi told a few Chief Walsh stories that had Marin unsure whether to laugh or cry, outlining her unpleasant employment in Birchport over the past six months. “God, he really is a total ass.” Marin blurted out after a particularly incriminating story involving Duffy’s donut-retrieval responsibilities. “So what are you going to do now? Will you stay in Birchport?”
Naomi sighed, her eyes wandering the horizon as her horse trotted slowly. “You know I’m really not sure. Being a police officer was always my dream. But I’m sure whatever I do, I won’t be welcome in Birchport for long.” She glanced over at Marin, studying her expression. “Maybe I’ll move somewhere closer to the city. Find a job with another PD.”
Marin smiled at the thought of having Naomi as part of her life, of continuing to spend time with this spirited woman who had captured her attention. “I hear there’s a lot of really great law enforcement jobs in the suburbs. All those commuters with families need to be safe, you know?” She jested. “And it’s always a lot of fun to visit the city. I’d be happy to show you around.”
“I think I’d like that.” Naomi returned Marin’s shy grin.
Riding along in silence for a few more minutes, they came upon a ramshackle wooden barn. “What’s that?” Marin questioned, observing Naomi as she studied the dilapidated old structure.
“I’m not sure …” she turned to Marin, giving her a mischievous grin. “Are you up for some exploring?” She jumped off her horse and tied him to a tree before assisting Marin with her own. They entered the barn slowly, careful not to disrupt the aging building, but were pleasantly surprised to find that it was surprisingly sturdy despite lying abandoned for years. There were no signs of life in the vacant barn, aside for a few deconstructed crates and several piles of fluffy hay.
“Well, at least they left us the hay.” Naomi stated satisfactorily before falling backwards into one of the piles. She laughed out loud as she made impact in the soft particles, then coughed as years of dust floated around her in the air. She perched herself up on her elbows, cocking her head playfully at Marin. “Well, aren’t you going to try?”
Marin shook her head in astonishment, enjoying this carefree side of Naomi. One look into those sparkling brown eyes and she couldn’t say no. She walked over towards the the hay pile and turned around, relishing the feel of weightlessness as she let herself fall backwards. She couldn’t suppress the childish giggle that burst from her throat as wiggled and squirmed in the soft hay. As the bits of straw and dust circulating around them settled, Marin peered over to find Naomi watching her intently, a tiny smirk tweaking her mouth. “What?” Marin laughed, moving to her side and situating herself on one elbow.
“Thanks for coming out here today to cheer me up. It really means a lot to me.” Naomi admitted, eyes dancing in the dim light. “You said you needed to talk to me about something?”
Marin gulped, suddenly remembering all the feelings of guilt and confusion that she’d pushed aside for the past hour. “Yes … right, I …” her voice dropped, unsure how to begin.
Naomi slid a hand on top of Marin’s and scooted closer, her face now only inches away. “It’s okay, Marin. Whatever it is, I know it will be alright. Let’s just try to have fun and forget our troubles for one day, okay?”
Marin’s lips parted to argue, to blurt out her confession … but nothing came out. As Naomi stared back into her eyes with such affection and understanding, she forgot what it was she wanted to say in the first place. And before she could stop it, before she could say no, Naomi closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against hers.
Unlike the night under the fireworks, this kiss lingered on as they let themselves give in to the moment. Soft and gentle kisses turned hard and hungry quickly, hot breathy moans echoing around them as their hands tangled in each other’s hair. Marin felt Naomi’s hand slip under the hem of her skirt, sliding up her thigh until she found the spot that made Marin pant with anticipation. And just like that, all of their troubles seemed to fade, even if only for the day.
END