Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Wes
Playing the Fool
Wes didn’t hear from Shelby that night, but figured she was still probably dealing with her grandfather and likely had to go see her family.
But by the next day he still hadn’t heard from her and wondered if he had imagined how reactive she was to his touch.
Was he reading all the signs wrong? Maybe she wasn’t interested in seeing him again.
So when he stopped into May’s coffee garden for a late afternoon cup of coffee and spotted Shelby chatting with Miles Banks he got instantly annoyed.
And he could tell the second she noticed him when her eyes went big and then her cheeks turned bright pink.
“Afternoon, Sheriff,” Miles said, always friendly and polite. But now Wes couldn’t stand the sight of him. Which was probably because he was only standing about a foot away from Shelby and she’d been smiling up at Miles as if he were the funniest man in the world.
“Miles. Shelby, funny seeing you here. I thought you’d be too busy out at Zeke’s,” he said, looking at Shelby.
She fiddled with her bag. “Oh, yeah, I have been. But he takes long naps in the afternoons, and I needed to get out of the house for a bit.”
He just nodded, unable to say what he really wanted to say. Then May was handing Shelby her order forcing them to break eye contact.
“One matcha coconut latte. You want to try one too, Sheriff?” May said.
The green concoction was not in his wheelhouse, but he couldn’t help noticing how enthusiastically Shelby took her first sip. He watched her lips form into a pert pucker to blow on the heat of the drink before she took a sip and her shoulders shimmied.
“It’s delicious,” Shelby said.
“Looks like it,” Wes said, and he was rewarded with another blush spreading over her cheeks, but then she walked away fast.
“So I hear you had to fish a few trucks out of the trenches during that storm,” Miles said.
Wes realized the other man had likely noticed him noticing Shelby but appreciated him not pointing that out.
“Beach towns and blizzards don’t really mix.”
“Good thing you created a crew to plow the roads. It’s almost like you’re the head of the sheriff’s department,” Miles said.
“Cut to the chase, Miles,” May said, butting in and handing Miles a cup of coffee in a mug.
“Wes, can we start your official campaign for sheriff or what?” May wasn’t just the town barista with her quaint little secret-garden-themed coffee shop, she was the town oracle. If there was anything to know about the people in this town, May knew it. Sometimes before they did.
Wes’s shoulders grew tight at the mention again of him running for sheriff. Something about it made him feel antsy, like it was a trap.
“I’m not sure running for public office is really in my DNA,” he said picking up the coffee May set down in front of him.
“You won’t really need to make any speeches or campaign—everyone in this town already thinks of you as the sheriff,” May said.
“But he’s right, it is a political position with law enforcement powers. It’s unique, powerful, but not without its burdens,” Miles said. “When it runs properly.”
Wes looked at Miles. “You sound like you might want that job. I could handle that, Miles, even though you are a Banks.”
Miles laughed. “Thank you for your vote of confidence. But I don’t have any intention of taking that on.”
“Maybe I should run for sheriff. I wouldn’t mind bossing you around, Wesley Hart,” May teased.
He noticed Shelby took a seat as far away as possible at one of the tables near the window, but suspected she could still hear everything they said.
“If you don’t run, we could get stuck with someone unsavory in the position—that could be really bad for the people of Sandy Point,” Miles warned.
As if on cue, Samuel Shepherd opened the door with too much force and walked up to the counter like he owned the place.
“Afternoon, May, can I get a venti coffee, black?”
“We just call them large around here, Sam. Coming right up,” May said and stepped away.
Sam shook his head but continued to ignore Miles and Wes, at the other end of the counter.
“We could end up with someone like him if you don’t run,” Miles said, in a softer tone.
Wes took a deep breath and a big gulp of his piping-hot coffee. He couldn’t work for a Shepherd, so that would solidify his departure from the sheriff’s department, and from Sandy Point. Without his job, he’d have to leave. He’d be forced to find something else to do.
“Afternoon, Sam,” Miles said after he paid for his coffee and turned toward them.
Sam just gave Miles a blank stare and then walked toward Shelby where he opted to stand like a domineering creep instead of sitting down. Shelby stayed seated and spoke in a hushed tone, but Wes could tell she was annoyed with whatever Sam said to her.
“You can’t let someone like him run this town,” Miles said. “I’ll have to run, if you don’t.”
Wes shook his head. “That might not be so bad. You’d probably love it.”
“Except I don’t think I’m quite as likable as you in this town, and I could lose. What’s really holding you back from running?”
“I just never planned to stay here forever, but if I run for sheriff, that’s it.”
Miles nodded. “I guess you’re at a fork in the road. But if you do decide to run, you’ll have my support and financial backing to beat anyone who may try to run against you.”
“Thanks, I’ll let you know what I decide.”
“You better decide soon, because if people hear you’re not running it’ll be like a pool of sharks with blood in the water,” Miles said. Then he walked back to the counter to say goodbye to May and head out.
Wes needed to get back to the office but decided to wait until Samuel left to make sure he didn’t cause any trouble for Shelby. Before he could sit down, she was standing up and grabbing her things. It wasn’t until Samuel put his hand on her arm that Wes reacted.
“Get your hand off me. I don’t know why you think you were made the boss of this family. But you don’t get to decide anything for Pops or me,” Shelby said, her voice rising as she tried to pull her arm out of Sam’s grip.
“Would you stop being such a—”
“Let go or I’ll make you,” Wes said. He was one second away from putting Samuel Shepherd down and then he wouldn’t think about touching his sister again.
“Why do you suddenly have so much interest in my family affairs, Hart?”
“Since I’m the law, and you always seem to be overstepping boundaries,” Wes growled.
“I’ll see Mom and Dad when I’m ready. It’s none of your business how long I’m staying with Pops. You all left him alone in that big house and have ignored him for years. There’s no sense in pretending you care now,” Shelby said to Sam, zipped her coat and picked up her drink.
“We can see through your little act, but you’re not going to get Pops’s money. He’s not capable of deciding what is best for him anymore. So you may as well run back to your sad life in Atlanta,” Sam said.
“I don’t need his money. I have my own. But if you plan to challenge Pops’s sound mind, you’ll be in for a fight. He could run circles around you.”
“What’s wrong, sick of that waitressing job? Now you need a sugar daddy?” Sam said, then pointed his finger at Shelby, getting too close for Wes’s liking.
So he stepped in front of Sam. “It’s time for you to go.”
“You can’t kick me out of a coffee shop, or maybe you don’t really know the law,” Sam said.
“Oh, but I can. Get out of my coffee shop and you’re not welcome back. I have the right to refuse anyone access or service to my business,” May said.
Sam turned his ire on May next. “It’s a big mistake to side with these losers, May Garcia.” Then he left.
“Dang, why is your brother such a jerk?” May asked.
But Wes could see Shelby’s eyes swell with tears and every ounce of him wanted to envelop her in a big hug. The only reason he held back was because May beat him to it.
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I’m sure it can be worked out.”
Shelby quickly swiped at her eyes and shook her head. “It’s fine, he just gets defensive when he feels challenged. You really need to stop pushing his buttons,” she said pointing to Wes. “I don’t need you to rescue me all the time. It’s not actually helpful.”
May looked between them. “Well, you may not want Wes’s help, but your brother was being too aggressive, Shelby. You don’t have to take that from him or anyone.”
Shelby let out a big breath. “I know. He’s part of the reason I haven’t come back home. My family is too dysfunctional.”
Wes thought she was going to share more but then she shook off whatever she was going to say.
“Anyway, thank you for the most delicious matcha I’ve ever had.
” She painted on a smile for May. Then she finally looked up at him.
“Thanks, again,” she said begrudgingly before she made a beeline to the door.
He was getting ready to go after her, but May stopped him.
“I think she needs some space, Wes. That was a lot to happen all in one trip to the coffee shop. Poor girl just wanted a matcha,” May said, wiping down the tables and walking away.
He sat back down with a thump. May was right even if he didn’t like it.
And since Shelby wasn’t calling him, he had to assume she didn’t want to spend more time with him.
So he shouldn’t be worried about her, or trying to see her again, but for some reason he couldn’t resist thinking of excuses to head out to Old Man Shepherd’s place again.