When the realization hit Beau that he was no longer in love with his ex-wife and in fact had feelings for someone else - Jenny, specifically - he stopped dead in his tracks. "Fuck," he muttered to himself.
"Everything alright?" asked Poppernak as he walked past.
"Uh, yeah. Nothing to worry about, Pop and Lock," Beau assured the other officer.
Poppernak didn't look too convinced but he shrugged. "I'm here if you need me!" he called as he made his way to the other side of the station.
"Thanks, really appreciate it!" Beau called back. He had no idea what the fuck he was going to do - he couldn't do anything inappropriate with Jenny - he didn't want to jeopardize her career or ruin their burgeoning friendship. He bolted towards his office and locked the door, lightly slamming his head on the desk upon sitting down. He knew he was out of it the rest of the day - something Jenny called him on - but he couldn't focus. He was only a little relieved when they got to go home, and the girls stopped by his Airstream for a movie night.
"Is something wrong with Emily or Carla?" a concerned Jenny pressed.
He shook his head. "Nah, nothing to do with them. But depending on how you look at it, I have some good news - I realized earlier today that I'm no longer in love with Carla. It threw me off." Only partially the truth but they didn't need to know he wasn't telling them the full story.
Cassie side-eyed him and he cringed. "Oh shit," she muttered, her eyes widening.
"Oh shit what?" Now Jenny was side-eying her.
Beau wanted off this ride, thank you very much, but he had a feeling he couldn't be excluded from this oncoming disaster.
"Uh, nothing to worry about."
"Cassie Dewell!" Jenny could only sigh in frustration. "What aren't you telling me?"
"Absolutely nothing. Think she's just upset about our movie choice," Beau tried, wincing at his shitty effort to deflect.
The look on Cassie's face said it all. "I'm going inside to see if there's any snacks we forgot to bring out." Then she turned around and fled back inside, probably trying to think of ways to stall and give them some privacy.
Beau wanted to flee with her, try to think of a way out of this, but he completely blanked. "Weird, right?"
"Beau, why are you both acting so weird? And don't you even think of lying to me." Jenny folded her arms and waited expectantly. "Are you two together?" she guessed.
The look on Jenny's face broke his heart. "No!" he rushed to reassure her. Cassie had become one of his best friends but he didn't feel that way about her.
Jenny looked into his eyes, clearly searching for something, and he panicked, squirming at her gaze. And then a flip switched - her breath caught in her throat and that's when he knew she iknew/i. She had figured him out in an instant. "Holy shit. You're in love with me!" she gasped.
"Fuck me," he muttered to himself. And he buckled up, preparing to lie, before deflating because he had only just figured this out and couldn't lie to her anymore. "Yes, but this doesn't have to change anything - it shouldn't. Your friendship means more to me than anything, and we need to be professional."
"That's sweet, Beau. And fuck being professiona or whatever else you're worried aboutl. Took you long enough, you idiot," she teased.
Cassie cheered and squealed from inside the AIrstream. "Sorry!" she apologized.
"Yeah, we'll get to later, you matchmaking meddler!" Jenny quickly glanced inside with fond amusement however.
"Nice," Beau acknowledged.
"I like to think so." Jenny got off her chair and then sat down on Beau's lap before kissing him. "Hi."
"Hello back."
"Well, I guess it's time to tell you that I'm in love with you, Sheriff Beau Arlen."
"Is that right?" he asked, his heart seizing in his chest.
"Damn straight.'
"For fucks sake, you two. Kiss again!" Cassie ordered as she stopped eavesdropping and came back outside.
Jenny and Beau both laughed. "You heard the lady," Beau drawled. "And I love you too, Jenny Hoyt."
She beamed at him and the two of them kissed once more before settling in for the night to relax and actually watch a movie (Cassie wanted to leave to let them talk but they refused to let her go). This was the start of something new and exciting for Jenny and Beau - they both deserved happiness, which this relationship would bring to them both.
