Joe got the call while he was on his way to Johnny's. He answered on his hands-free device and said, "Hello?"

"Hey, boy, it's me."

"Hey, Johnny, I'm just on my way."

"About that. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to cancel tonight. We had to take Callie to the vet."

"Oh, no, is she okay?"

"She snarfed some grapes while we were looking the other way, and those are toxic for dogs, so we rushed her to get her stomach pumped. We're actually at the vet now."

"All of you?"

"Vic and Tilly love her, and Val wasn't going to stay at home worrying while the rest of us were here."

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry about Callie. I hope she pulls through."

"Me too, it wasn't that long since Charlie... well, you know."

"Oh, I know," Joe said pointedly. "The months following that event are burned in my memory."

"Sorry for not getting to you before you set out, it was kind of a whirlwind this last hour."

"I understand completely. Hey, if you need to take tomorrow off, I'll understand."

"I don't know. Depends on how tonight goes."

"Oh, hey, about tomorrow. I don't know if Tilly told you, but Logan won't be there."

"He didn't. What's up?"

"Well, he's in jail."

"What the fuck?"

"Look, something happened last night, we don't have all the details, but Logan got caught up in some serious business. There's a homicide and--"

"What?!" Johnny squawked.

"We don't think he did it, but the police want to talk to him, and he hasn't been cooperative. They're giving him a psychological evaluation."

"Jesus," Johnny breathed. "We let him on our site on Friday."

"Don't freak out. I think it was a case of wrong place, wrong time."

"If you say so. Anyway, I'll let you go."

"I'll call tomorrow about the week's work assignments."

"Okay. Goodnight."

When Joe hung up, he found himself in a situation. He was still heading in the direction of Johnny's house, but Johnny was not at his house. He was also a hop, skip and a jump from Highway One, which he could take to get to Joanie's house.

The correct thing to do was turn at the next light, swing around, head back home, explain his early return to Lauren by informing her of the unfortunate consumption of grapes that had sent Callie to the vet, comfort her when she became hysterical over the dog she loved so much, and turn in early to face the day tomorrow, probably without Johnny to share the load of planning and assigning work to the subcontractors and work crews at all the various sites they had going.

Here was the thing about the correct thing. He and his family had already had an intense day today, a day that should have been a relaxing day off. Lauren and the kids were getting ready for the week, winding down so they could turn in early. Lauren would have to work this Saturday because the partners alternated weekends, so she'd want to have as normal a routine as she could get to keep from burning out. The last thing Joe wanted to do was cause her unnecessary stress right before she had to go to bed; she'd be up all night worrying about that damned dog, and have a lethargic morning when she'd need to be alert.

But here was another thing that would cause Lauren unnecessary stress: going to see Joanie when he already told her he wouldn't. 

He wasn't even sure Joanie would want to see him after he'd turned her down today, and he didn't want to impose after she'd already given up some of her free day to help find a boy she didn't even know, who'd turned out not to be missing at all.

What was he going to do, though, park the Highlander somewhere and just sit by himself, run down the clock until he could return home without raising eyebrows?

He dialled the number from the hands-free. It rang twice before it was picked up. "Hey!" Joanie's voice sounded pleasantly surprised. "I didn't think I'd hear from you again today."

Joe's spirits lifted at the sound of her voice. "Well, there's been a development. Johnny's busy tonight so he can't have me over. His dog's at the vet."

"Oh! I'm sorry to hear his dog's sick. So, where are you right now?"

"I'm still on the road. I don't know what to do."

"Because Lauren still thinks you're going to your brother's?"

"Yeah."

"Hm. That is a quandary."

"I should probably go home. You're probably sick of me anyway."

"Um, don't you remember earlier today, when I was eating your face? Didn't I ask you to come tonight? The invitation still stands."

He felt himself swelling and chuckled. "Well, okay, then. If I call Lauren, though, I'm going to have to tell her why my plans have changed, and I don't want to stress her out, because she loves that dog."

"Ah. I understand your hesitation. The rules stipulate that she has to know, though."

"Yeah." He sighed.

"Then again..."

"Yes?" he asked hopefully.

"If it's just this once, and she doesn't find out..."

"Right, because this is a unique situation."

"Exactly. You're flying under the radar."

"Okay. I'll be there soon."

"Can't wait."

"Want me to bring anything?"

"Just condoms."

"Luckily I have a couple in my wallet for an emergency."

"Classy. See you soon."

She hung up, and Joe sped a little in his hurry to get there. She lived in Coquitlam, so it was about a half hour drive, and the whole way there he tapped his steering wheel in an attempt to occupy himself and keep one thought at bay.

He was officially cheating now.

It seemed ludicrous to split hairs like this. Lauren had already opened the door for them in order to make what she and Rachel were doing palatable to him. She'd sanctioned every single encounter he'd had with Joanie. So why did this particular evening feel wrong? And if he enjoyed it anyway, would it make him a bad person?

Joanie's house was a little rancher with a big yard. She met him at the door in a robe that she quickly removed when she pulled him inside, revealing nothing underneath. All thoughts of right and wrong went out the window as she kissed him and tugged at his clothes. Her flaming red hair was down, cascading down her sculpted shoulders. He buried his face in it as he kissed her neck.

"Help me get your clothes off," she said. "I want to use all the condoms you have tonight, and we don't have a lot of time."

He obliged and left a trail of them on the way to her bedroom, and was naked by the time he lay back on her bed. She whipped out the condoms from his wallet and dangled them over him as she climbed on him, then sat on his face while opening the first one for him.

He didn't know women tasted differently until Joanie had given him his first taste of her. Lauren had been the only woman he'd ever gone down on. Even that one time with Rachel, when they'd been alone and in the cold, he'd never had the chance because she hadn't offered it to him; she'd been finishing her period and hadn't felt clean enough down there to be comfortable with the idea. They hadn't even gotten naked enough for what they'd done to feel comfortable because it had been so cold and they'd needed to conserve body heat. 

Joanie mashed herself into his mouth and moaned as he pleasured her. It wasn't long, though, before she moved off him and put his condom on. She seemed to prefer the main event. That was another difference between her and Lauren; Lauren liked to be seen to for longer before she put him inside her. He didn't mind either way, since he liked pleasuring both of them as long as they wished, but he just noticed the difference.

"I can't believe my man has to use magnums," she said rather proudly, groaning in pleasure as she slid him into her, rocking back and forth. Joanie's thatch of pubic hair was red, too, and he found it wildly erotic for some reason. Lauren shaved herself, preferring the feel, or so she claimed. Joanie had a nice little landing strip, and he couldn't stop staring at it whenever she displayed herself to him.

He reached to grab her breasts, which were slightly larger than Lauren's but still small because she worked out a lot for her job and had little body fat. She grabbed his hands and smiled that smile that always got him going, that closed-eyed, self-satisfied, getting what she wanted smile. The sex smile. That was how he thought of it.

"So deep," she breathed. "Jesus, you're so deep."

He thrust upwards to push it even deeper, and she cried out in ecstasy. Then suddenly she was bucking and grinding, and in moments she was shuddering with her climax. Joe couldn't take it anymore, and he brought her down to him and thrust rapidly until he exploded. 

She kissed him hard and said, "I love being on top of you and feeling your cock pistoning inside me."

"Is this your favourite position, simple cowgirl?"

She shrugged. "I like anything, really, but I come easiest when I can grind on top of you."

"Remember when we tried that position I found on the Internet? I think it was called the Amazon?" He knew very well what it was called but didn't want to seem too eager about it.

"Oh, yeah, that was... interesting."

"I liked how it looked like you were fucking me missionary style."

"Really?" She squinted at him. "You like me dominant?"

He shrugged, although he liked it very much. "Sometimes."

"It just looked kind of weird with your legs in the air. Weren't you uncomfortable?"

"It was okay. I wouldn't mind trying it again."

"We'll see. Maybe if you last longer the second time we can do it as one of a couple of positions. I want you on top before the end of the night, though."

"Deal."

She rose up, slid his condom off and handed him some tissues to clean himself. She lay on top of him and said, "I love putting my head on your big chest. You're so cozy."

He put an arm around her sweaty back. "I like feeling your weight on me. Lauren's so small I can barely feel her when she lies on me."

"Um, would it be okay if you didn't compare me with your wife after we've had sex?"

"Sorry."

"It's okay, I just think it's more a disservice to her than to me."

"Fair enough."

She rested her chin on top of her hands on his chest and looked at him. "So, how did the rest of the day go, you know, with Logan?"

"Well, they sent him to get a psychological evaluation."

"Called it."

"But later, we found some things in Logan's drawers and under his mattress that suggest he was involved in something that might have led to his arrest last night."

Her eyes widened. "Really? What did you find?"

"There was a memory card with pictures on it of a drug smuggling operation using a fishing trawler."

"Seriously?!" Now she looked impressed. "Huh. I know this was in Burnaby so I can't be in on the investigation, but I wish I was there when you found that memory card."

"Me too. Even Lauren wished we didn't send you home."

"Really?!" she said, surprised. "Why?"

"She said she would have liked having an inside view of the investigation."

"Well, I don't know how much I could have told her. I'm not a detective."

"Still, I wouldn't have minded having you there. You're a very calming presence."

"Uh, my presence only seemed to make people nervous today."

"Well, okay, yeah, at first, but I think they warmed to you. Maybe we can make you an honourary member of the Lawrence Street Detective Club."

"Ha! Really? Do you guys still consider yourselves a club? Looking for lost dogs and stuff?"

"Well, not as serious as when we were kids. It's more a nostalgic thing. We did do some of our own investigating last year, though, after Rachel and I got beat up and abandoned on the side of the road. We actually found enough to get the cops on the actual culprits."

Joanie nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess you did. You also, if I remember correctly, got one of your friends arrested for speeding and fleeing the police; my colleague, Constable Fatima al-Rashad, the only other female officer at the detachment as it happens, was in on that arrest. It was the night we were first together, and I was gobsmacked to find out Lauren and Al were out in my patch causing an incident when I read the reports the next morning."

Joe chuckled. "Yeah. Al. He was rushing to help Lauren, which was actually a good thing, because it brought you guys right to where Lauren was struggling with one of the culprits, trying to get her sword back."

"Oh, yeah, right. You actually brought the sword to the meeting with those guys, just in case they tried something. That didn't work too well, though, did it."

"It did not. They had me disarmed in seconds."

She shook her head and quickly wiped a tear from her eye, which surprised him. "You and Rachel really could have died that night. When I think that I'd only just reunited with you at the time... if I'd lost you... what possessed you to meet those people in the middle of the night?"

He'd never thought of how scared she must have been knowing he was injured and in the elements, and not able to share her fear with anyone because Lauren hadn't known about her yet. It made him feel like a heel, and he chuckled sheepishly. "In retrospect, it was really stupid. I think part of it was Rachel and I wanted to get out of that apartment because we were pissed at Al and Lauren for making out in front of everyone."

Joanie rose up on her arms and looked harder at him. Her elbows digging into his chest were a little painful, but he liked it. "Lauren and Al?" she asked, confused.

"Didn't I tell you they were drugged?"

"Oh... yeah. Weird, though. Why would she make out with Al? I thought she only had eyes for Rachel, you know, aside from you."

"Well, to be honest, I think she was just looking for the first guy who was willing. I hadn't been giving her much attention lately because, well, you and I had just started exchanging texts, and I'd begun fantasizing about you and didn't have much left for her."

She smiled that self-satisfied smile again. "Uh-oh, I led you astray. Still, it's weird. Al? He seems so... mild-mannered, from what I saw. Then again, Rachel married him, so he must have some appeal."

"I don't know what to tell you. I would have been angrier about it if I felt threatened by him in any way."

"Huh."

She seemed pensive, more so than she needed to be. "What's up?"

"Nothing."

"No, really. I always want to know what you're thinking."

She sighed. "Okay. Earlier today, when I drove Rachel to the detachment, we talked, you know, about us, and about her and Lauren."

"Yikes. That must have been awkward."

"It was, but I think Rachel and I made a connection, which is necessary, I think, if your friends know about us and we want them to be okay with it."

"Yeah, you're right. Just for your information, though, my friend Sunny and his wife Tej don't know, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell them. I don't think they'd be as open-minded about it."

"Okay. Anyway, Rachel told me about what she and you did while you were out there that night."

He gulped hard. "She did?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'm not judging. It was an extreme situation, and we hadn't even really started yet."

"Okay."

"Anyway, while we were talking about our... affairs, for lack of a better word... I asked her how Al could be okay with her and Lauren. She said something interesting."

Joe blinked in surprise. "What's that?"

"She said something like, Al does all right for himself."

"I wonder what that means."

"I don't know, but when you said Lauren and Al made out that night..."

He sat up suddenly, nearly throwing her off. He stared straight ahead, thinking furiously. Al did all right for himself. Al admitted Lauren was his angel.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "It couldn't be. Why? Why would Lauren... no. She couldn't."

"Maybe Al has someone else he's seeing," Joanie offered, a little desperately. She seemed scared by what she saw on his face.

"Someone else?" he asked, as desperate for another explanation as she was. "Yes. That has to be it. Lauren told me I'm the only man she's ever loved."

"Yes! Of course! And why wouldn't you be? You're enough man for two women. She doesn't need another man, it was Rachel she had that first experience with when they were thirteen, right? Rachel was the itch she needed to scratch."

He nodded, feeling numb in his head. "Who would Al be seeing, though? He was so smitten with Rachel, I couldn't imagine him having someone on the side. Who else does he see, though, in day-to-day life? Someone from work, maybe?"

Joanie shrugged, her breasts rising in a way that made him start getting hard again. "Maybe," she said. "I think it's best if we don't speculate about that. I doubt either Rachel or Al would tell you anyway. Why don't we concentrate on us? We have another condom to use."

He took her face in his hands and said, "You're right. Sorry I scared you like that."

"It's okay. If you'd gotten physical, my gun's in the nightstand."

He chuckled in surprise. "Really?"

"No, it's locked away as per regulations. But I can handle myself."

"I bet you could. You could probably pin me in some sexy police choke hold, or something."

She burst out laughing. "You're so weird! You really like me dominant, don't you."

"I kind of do."

She kissed him, hard, and forced him back down on the bed, pinning his wrists beneath her hands. "Then you have the right to remain silent while I ravish you."

"Yes! That's it!"

"Silence!" Her mock anger was even more arousing than her desire for him.

He chuckled but said nothing as she kissed her way down to his building erection. Once she had him in her mouth, though, he couldn't stay silent any longer. 

Thanks for reading this far! If you liked what you read, hit "Vote" and leave a comment. To flashback to the day Joe moved away from Queensborough, click on "Continue reading."