Author's Note:

I'm delinquent! I always introduce my story and give a little info and I didn't this time. Yikes! Welcome to this little corner of the JE Tart universe. My amazing beta is always a huge part of my stories, but this one in particular was her brain child. Thank you, Jennifer, for trusting me with your plot and helping me turn it into a fun new Tart story! I wouldn't be the writer I am without you dreaming up plot lines, brainstorming, and editing with me.

To all of my amazing readers, thank you! It's so amazing to create this little world and share it with you all. I love it when you leave reviews or comments. If you have ideas for the story or for a new story, PM me. I love to hear from you! We've already written over 30,000 words of this story, so there's lots more already waiting for me to publish and you to read.

And now, without further ado, a bonus chapter for your Tart enjoyment!

Cal's POV

I pulled into my parents' driveway, put the car in park, and grabbed the flowers and gift from the passenger seat. We were celebrating my mom's birthday tonight with a family dinner at the home I grew up in. My parents had lived here since just before I was born, and walking onto the front porch brought back memories of the last thirty years of my life. I felt my entire body relax as I walked through the front door and smelled the delicious dinner we would soon enjoy and heard my family.

"Happy birthday, Momma," I said with a smile when I walked into the living room. I bent and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek and then handed her birthday present over.

"Calvin, you shouldn't have!" she objected, but I knew she loved it. My sister, Victoria, went to put the flowers in a vase as Mom opened her gift. Her eyes watered when she opened it and I instantly knew I'd gotten it right. "Oh, it's beautiful," she gasped.

I'd gotten her a necklace that had a heart engraved with the word "Grandma" along with the birthstones of my sister's two kids on it. She had a four month old baby girl named Samantha, or Sam for short, and a three-year old son named Eli. She spun to let me fasten the clasp around her neck and then turned back toward me to hug me. "Maybe you'll give me cause to add another stone sometime soon?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye, and I just sighed and ruffled her hair.

"Just enjoy the two that you have," I admonished her. "Speaking of, where are my niece and nephew?" Eli usually ran straight to me when I walked in the door.

"They're both napping upstairs; they should wake anytime now," Victoria answered.

I turned my attention toward my dad and embraced him in a man hug. I was just about to sit down when I heard Sam crying. "I've got them," I said quickly as I walked toward the stairs. Out in the community and at Rangeman I was the big badass security expert. With my family I was just Cal – a son, a grandson, a brother, and an uncle.

I walked in the guest room to find Sam wriggling and crying in her portable crib and Eli stirring awake. I picked Sam up and kissed the top of her head. "Hey there, beautiful. Did you miss Uncle Cal?" I asked. She cooed and grabbed at my large fingers in response. I grabbed a diaper and wipes to change her while Eli opened his eyes. Luckily, I fastened the diaper just before Eli pounced.

"Uncle Cal!" he squealed, launching himself at me like the little daredevil he is.

"Hey there, buddy. I missed you," I said as I caught him. I tickled his belly and enjoyed the sound of his laugh and then stood up. I scooped Eli up with one arm and cradled Sam in the other to head downstairs to join the family. I deposited Sam into Victoria's arms, assuming she would probably be hungry, and sat down on the floor with Eli.

"You know, you look good with kids, Cal," my sister teased, and I stuck my tongue out at her. It was like this every time I came home, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

"Your sister is right, you really do," Momma chimed in. "You should let me set you up with a nice girl so you can start a family. Monica's daughter is still single." Monica was my mom's best friend, and her daughter and I had grown up together. "This is perfect! I'll call her tomorrow!"

"Hold up," I ordered, not wanting this to continue. "I don't need to be set up with anyone." I know she means well, but I'm not interested in my mom meddling in my love life. Or lack of love life.

"There's no reason you two can't go out on a date and see if there's something between you. It's not as though you're seeing someone," she admonished me.

"I met someone," I replied without thinking. Had I been thinking clearly, I would have kept my mouth shut.

"You did?" she squealed excitedly, and Victoria was celebrating right along with her. "Tell us about her!"

Well shit. I did the only thing I could think of. "Her name is Steph. She's beautiful, with curly brown hair and bluest eyes you've ever seen. And that's all I'm telling you." What did I just do?

Steph's POV

I was standing in Pino's waiting for my to-go order of meatball subs on this stormy Thursday night. My mom and grandma were at a baby shower for the daughter of one of my mom's friends – a perfect Burg housewife and soon-to-be-mom, unlike me – and I was bringing dinner over to spend time with my dad. It was rare for me to get a chance to be around him without dealing with my mom's matchmaking attempts and nagging about me settling down. Because that worked so well the first time? I think not!

I was sitting on a stool drinking a Coke when I heard the door open and my body suddenly tingled. I turned my head to the left a minute later as I heard footsteps and looked up into the blue eyes that I'd seen in my dreams every night since I first saw them last week. I pinched myself because I obviously must be dreaming again, but I wasn't. He looked down at me and his face went from hard and serious to smiling in a millisecond.

"Imagine seeing you here, Steph," he said with a smile. "How are you?" I'm pretty sure I lit up when he remembered my name.

"I'm good, Cal. How are you?" I asked as someone slid his pizzas across the bar to him. He handed them some cash and grabbed his receipt.

"I'm great, Angel. Morelli leaving you alone?" he asked. He really remembered me!

"Yeah, I haven't seen him again." His phone rang just as I answered and he looked at it and growled.

"Yo!" he answered, sounding annoyed at the interruption. I tried not to listen, but I couldn't help but hear his side of the conversation. "Where? Now? Shit. There in five."

He dropped his phone in his pocket and reached for his pizzas. "I'm sorry, work emergency. I've gotta run," he explained.

I don't know what overcame me, but I reached into my purse and grabbed one of my business cards. "Call me sometime. I mean, if you want to," I quickly added. I was so bad at this.

"Will do, Angel," he answered with a smile. He pocketed my business card and then leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "Until then." And he was gone.

Cal's POV

Of all the times to get a call about a high-dollar skip whose bond expires tonight! I was shocked when I'd walked in and saw her sitting there. I'd managed to keep my cool and talk to her for a minute. I really wanted to sit down and chat for a bit, maybe ask her out, but luck wasn't on my side. I screeched to a stop at the address I'd been given and strapped on my Kevlar. I did a quick weapons check and then exited the car to meet Tank in front of the residence. I thought about the business card I'd carefully placed in the pocket of my polo, but quickly put it out of my mind. First we'd collar this skip. Then I would head back to my apartment at Rangeman and call Steph.

Tank went around to the back while I knocked on the front door after verifying he was in place. "Bond enforcement! Open up!" I yelled in my don't-fuck-with-me voice.

I bounced on my toes as I heard footsteps approach and readied myself to grab the scumbag. Somewhere between me grabbing him and actually getting the cuffs on him, the fucker managed to get me with a knife to my left bicep and my side. I roared as I twisted his wrist to an unnatural angle and pinned him. Tank ran around from the back just as I slapped the cuffs on him. I dropped him to the ground and put my size 13 boot on his back to hold him there.

"You okay, man?" Tank asked.

"Fine," I replied tersely as Les and Ranger pulled up.

"You're losing a lot of blood there. You need to go to St. Francis."

I could hear in his voice that was an order, not a request. Our company medic was in Boston doing annual evaluations.

"Ranger and I have got him. Go with Santos," he ordered.

"Yes, sir."

I felt weaker with every step I took toward the waiting SUV. I remember sitting down in the seat and the next thing I knew I was waking up in the ER.

"How bad?" I asked when I saw Les standing there.

"You'll live. He nicked an artery and you lost a lot of blood. They knocked you out, stitched you up, and gave you a couple of units of blood. Now that you're awake, they'll release you to our care. Bobby should be back from Boston in a couple of hours," he explained.

"Good. Now get me out of this damn gown!" I growled.

"I can help you take the gown off, but your shirt is trash, man. I'll go grab an extra from the truck while they get your discharge papers ready."

"I need that shirt!" I replied, probably more forcefully than needed.

"It was bloodied and cut up. It's already in the bio waste somewhere," Les explained. "I'll go to the truck now."

"No!" I exclaimed, much to Les's confusion and surprise.

"Not dealing with the drugs well?" he guessed.

"It's not that," I grit out. "I had just run into the girl from the club again right before I got the call and she gave me her card."

Lee's eyes got big and he smiled at me. "Let me see if I can find it." Then he walked out, presumably to try to find my angel's number.