30. Jimmy
Jimmy
“ Y ou haven’t been around much the last two weeks.”
Gram’s observance made my face grow hot, and I glanced around her consignment shop that hadn’t changed much in my long absence.
Because of her declining health, she’d shortened the hours of operation and rarely went in to oversee it herself, leaving one of the two high school seniors who came in after school and for the weekend hours in charge.
I’d swung by a few times since my return, but she was right.
For almost two weeks, I’d been living in absolute bliss in a haze of orgasms, snuggles, and candlelit dinners where Sutton showed off yet another thing he excelled at—cooking.
If he hadn’t already owned every inch of me, I’d have fallen in love with him for his ability in the kitchen alone. I was all heart eyes and butterflies.
This man took care of me, and I couldn’t get enough of him.
“You’re digging, Gram,” I said, “but there isn’t much to tell.”
“Liar. You and Sutton are the talk of the town right now. We all know you’re shacking up with that man.” Zero trace of judgment laced her tone, and I grinned, my chest swelling. “Mmm hmm,” she hummed with a smile. “I see what you think about the gossip.”
“It’s nice that everyone is aware he’s no longer on the market,” I stated, wishing I had more evidence of that truth than us just fucking like a couple of sex-craved teenagers.
“But for how long?”
My smile faded, and Gram eyed me for a few brief moments from where she rested on an armchair behind the counter I leaned on.
“Has the chief made his intentions known?”
“We haven’t labeled what we are, but both of us have kinda dropped hints about wanting this for the long run.” At least, I’d thought so. Was I reading into our conversations? Wishful thinking again?
Hell, every other topic other than what we were had been covered at length over the dinner table, while snuggled on the couch, or in bed after we wore each other out.
From our favorite bands to bucket lists to the one place we could vacation given the chance.
Both of us had suggested a tropical island full of sun and sand, but he’d imagined a beer in hand while I envisioned a fruity drink with a cute, little umbrella.
Sutton had to put in quite a few hours at the station but enjoyed a few personal days to lounge around naked with me, answering whatever questions I had for him and vice versa. I learned about his upbringing here in Pippen Creek, his time away from his wife and child while at the police academy.
The day after Jamie and Chaz’s visit, he told me all of the details about his ex-wife, who’d cleaned him out and almost ruined his name. While zero hint of bitterness laced his tone while speaking of her, I held enough jealousy and anger in my heart toward her for the both of us.
Thank fuck for the forgiving people of Pippen Creek, who adored their chief regardless of the money she’d stolen from the town.
“So you’re sticking around, I take it,” Gram stated rather than question.
“Until he no longer wants me.”
Gram huffed, tapping her cane on the floor twice. “That man hasn’t dated since Darla left, which says a lot. He chose you after over a decade of being single, Jimmy. If anyone changes their mind in this relationship, it won’t be him.”
“ I certainly won’t..” I frowned as goose bumps rose along my arms, causing the hairs on my nape to stand on end.
“You’re well aware I’ve had my heart set on him since before I was too young to even know what people got up to in a bedroom.
Once I figured that out, I was even more determined to get him right where I wanted him. ”
She smiled.
Arms slid around my waist, tugging me against a hard chest and loaded police belt, and I melted, glaring at Gram. She’d set me up in the hopes I would make a declaration he would overhear.
The front door had been propped open this afternoon because of the abnormally warm October afternoon after a weeklong cold snap, so the bell announcing customers hadn’t alerted me to Sutton’s arrival.
So that was what had shifted awareness over my skin—I’d thought it was annoyance over her suggestion that I’d end whatever was going on with me and the chief.
“You did that on purpose,” I accused her as Sutton kissed my neck.
Gram chuckled and didn’t bother arguing. She was almost as bad as Babs at playing matchmaker.
“How’s Kurt?” Sutton asked her while holding me tight. I clasped my hands over his atop my stomach and tipped my head back onto his shoulder.
“I think he’s depressed, Chief.” Mary’s eyes flooded with concern. “He’s lost weight and has been isolating himself lately.”
“How’s the drinking?”
“He’s attempting to get sober but is fighting me on seeing a therapist. Says it’s too late for him.”
Sutton made a noise beneath his breath. “And DJ?”
“That boy is doing okay, but he misses his friend.” Gram’s lips pursed for a moment before she continued, her eyes troubled.
“He doesn’t understand why his dad doesn’t care for him spending time with Jimmy.
What does it matter who a man loves?” Gram shook her head.
“I’m working on him though, and I promise to call you the minute he gets his head screwed on straight. ”
Hearing again that I wasn’t welcome to visit with Gram while DJ was in her care caused my heart to ache.
I missed my little buddy, shooting hoops, playing Xbox, and laughing like I hadn’t done as a kid.
I’d never had such a friend when I was younger, and being with DJ felt like I got to experience the childhood I’d always wanted but was denied, thanks to Dad.
“Let me know if I can do anything to help, Mary,” Sutton said, stepping to my side and taking my hand in his as though he felt my pain.
Gram smiled as our fingers laced together. “I’m happy for you boys. Don’t let anyone steal this from you.”
Conflicting emotions weighed on me as Sutton and I stepped outside beneath the sinking sun. Joy attempted to bubble up inside me over being out with him in public, but disappointment over the entire Kurt/DJ affair kept popping it with a sharp pinprick.
Rather than tuck me into the cruiser parked alongside Gram’s shop, he tugged me toward the grocery store next door.
I’d walked the distance from his house north of town since the day had been so gorgeous. Probably our last taste of summer before the cooler season set in for good. I had told Sutton my plans but had intended to make my way over to the police station once I’d finished my visit with Gram.
“You skipped out early?” I asked, bumping into his shoulder as we ambled along the sidewalk.
“Yes. Thought we could go to The Market and restock the fridge and pantry we’ve emptied. Need another box of Snickers too.”
I grinned, joy winning in that moment. “Our first official outing together, and it’s one of the most mundane, domestic tasks—I love it.”
Love you.
Sutton’s gaze softened as he glanced over at me as though hearing the words I’d left unspoken yet again.
We shared the sentiment in silence, our eyes saying everything we both felt deep in our souls.
I could have sworn he’d held the same emotion in his heart and mind every time he slowed down to make love to me.
No man had done so before.
Every sexual encounter in my twenty-seven years had been nothing but transactional. There had been no sharing of something other than orgasms, no fulfillment emotionally.
With Sutton, a connection had blossomed, and his constant affection and attention was like rainwater and sunlight to the flower of my soul.
My chest lightened, and I snuggled into his side while heading across the parking lot toward The Market’s automatic doors.
Gram thought I might be the one to walk away from this.
I huffed beneath my breath.
No. Way. In. Hell .
Beside Sutton was where I’d always longed to be, and no person, no circumstance, would ever make me run again.
The grocery store’s doors swished open before we got there, Georgie Ellis slipping out with a cart full of stuffed, brown paper bags.
His family owned the only grocery store in town, and according to Gram, he’d been delivering to the elderly and too-busy townsfolk for years.
“Hey, Chief!” he called, his dark eyes bright as always, his grin infectious. “Jimmy.”
“Hi, Georgie,” I returned his greeting with a small wave.
Of course, Sutton paused to help Georgie load up the delivery van. We saw him down the road before our hands came together again like magnets.
“He’s a good kid,” Sutton said, and while I didn’t know Georgie that well, I trusted the chief’s discernment.
Georgie was cute as hell, I’d give him that. Had a great body beneath those snug jeans and form-fitting Henley. I bet he had the single folks in town salivating at his feet, but I had found my prince and didn’t have wandering eyes or a cheating heart.
I hadn’t lied to Gram about my desire for the man ambling along beside me up and down the aisles while pushing a cart and telling me what to retrieve off the shelves.
While The Market was no full-sized store with all the bells and whistles of the bigger shops down in Berlin, they carried most of what the townsfolk needed, and I happily filled Sutton’s cart to overflowing. He hadn’t been lying about the empty fridge and cabinets.
Other than his going to work, we had pretty much been holed up in his house, neither of us wishing to leave the world we’d wrapped ourselves in.
Better than any vacation I’d ever taken—not that I’d gone farther south than Rhode Island before, but I’d driven up to the Maine coast twice on a whim.
None of those excursions had gifted me the possibility of a happily ever after like this trip though.
“Coming back was the best spur-of-the-moment decision I’ve made,” I said while standing in front of the ice cream freezer section instead of doing what Sutton suggested and picking out what flavor I wanted.