CHAPTER 5
RHODES
I lean back in a booth near the bar at The Goose and take a long pull of my beer. Granger is sitting across from me and giving me the same look he’s given me our entire lives when he’s about to give me shit. The man is predictable when it comes to certain things.
There’s no doubt when he’s lying from the look on his face.
And when he’s going to tease me relentlessly.
“Oh, shit,” Hunter’s voice is filled with amusement from where he’s pulled up a chair at the end of the table.
He can read Granger’s face just as well as I can. Even though Hunter is younger than us, he became part of our group because of his brother, Burke. Burke is serving overseas and has been since he turned 18. We keep hoping he’ll come home to stay.
We’re not the only people who wish Burke would come home, but that’s not my story to tell. I keep hoping Taylor will find someone capable of banishing those ghosts. But it hasn’t happened yet.
Granger, Burke, and I were always together. When Hunter started following us everywhere, it would have been easy to lose him. But Burke wasn’t going to let it happen and we were right there with him.
We might not be able to have a beer with Burke at our table right now, but we sure as fuck will always make sure there is room for him.
“He’s about to rake you over the coals,” Hunter tells me while pointing the neck of his beer bottle in Granger’s direction.
“Yeah, yeah,” I grumble. “I can see his face same as you.”
Hunter chuckles and shakes his head while Granger leans across the table. “I’ve been hearing whispers around town,” he starts.
Even though he’s teasing, I roll my eyes. I know where this is going and he’s about to ham it up for comedic effect. The man might be our mayor, but there are times when he’s still the boy I used to get into trouble with when the mood struck.
It certainly wasn’t something which happened often. But shouldn’t a Sheriff know where all the spots are to party on the weekend because he used to be one of the kids having a few beers when he shouldn’t have been out at all?
“You’ve been spending some time in Dogwood Ridge for some reason,” Granger lays the words out like he just flopped a pair of aces and is holding the other two in his hand.
Hunter lets out a sound of encouragement for Granger’s antics. I shoot him a look, but he doesn’t pay it any mind. The man is lucky I don’t take my badge too seriously.
Our younger best friend leans closer, as if waiting for me to answer such claims, with a giddy as fuck look on his face. With a roll of my eyes, I huff out something that might be a response. It also might be a deflection. It’s not like I owe either of them an explanation of my comings and goings.
Yes, I’ve spent more time in Dogwood Ridge and I sure as fuck am not going to apologize for it.
I lied to Helen when I told her my reappearance in her town was cake related. Sure, it was delicious, but I found myself back in town hoping to get a glimpse of the dark-haired woman I happened to cross paths with at the coffee shop.
From the moment I walked away from her in her father’s office, I knew I wasn’t going to let it go. Or let her go. I was already making plans and excuses for reasons to head back to Dogwood Ridge. And then I immediately put those plans into motion.
Honestly, I thought for sure I was going to have to look harder for her and figured coffee was what I needed to keep my eyes sharp in order to catch a glimpse of her…somewhere. Then I walked into Uncommon Grounds and was met with the shapely ass of the very woman I was on the hunt for.
You could chalk it up to simple serendipity. I think it’s far more than that. I’m going with fate.
My cock was so hard that it felt hazardous and rather noticeable.
With every word she spoke, my dick throbbed behind the fly of my jeans, begging for the chance to fill her and make her cry out with pleasure.
I was sure someone would notice and call Lyons on me for indecent exposure, but it didn’t happen.
Fucking thankfully.
Then that prick walked in and I just knew he was going to give my woman—because that’s what she is even if she doesn’t know it yet—a hard time. I sure as fuck wasn’t going to let it happen and took the opportunity given to me to touch her and lead her out of the coffee shop.
Knowing that asshole, Thad, which is the most appropriate name the guy could have been given, is her ex still feels like fire licking at my skin.
He got to touch her? To kiss her? To steal her laughter and her light?
Yeah, I wanted to beat him until those memories of her vanished under blood and violence.
However, since I took an oath and wear my badge with pride, whether I’m in uniform or not, I held myself back. But you better fucking believe I remembered his name and face. Did I run a background check on that complete dickwad? You better fucking believe it.
Nothing came of it since he only has a few speeding tickets. It’s been bugging me because I wish there was something there to allow me to give him a little bit of a hard time. Even if it meant stepping on another Sheriff’s toes.
It would be worth it.
The dude is fucking slimy as fuck. It’s difficult to imagine him being in a relationship with Helen.
Being around her feels like a breath of fresh air.
I’ve never felt this way around anyone before.
It’s scary as fuck, but I’m used to scary.
If I didn’t feel fear when doing my job, I would stop.
Fear is good, it keeps you sharp even as you face it head on.
I do it to ensure the people I’ve lived with, the people who have created the fabric of my life, remain safe.
It’s the least I can fucking do.
After draining the rest of my drink, I rub a hand over my face.
“So?” In that one word there is a wealth of challenge. Granger can hear it considering the way he arches an eyebrow. Yeah, he’s not going to let this go, no matter what. “What does it matter where I’ve been spending my time,” I grunt the words, my jaw clenched.
I know what will happen the moment I mention Helen. For all I know, Granger has met her before. While they don’t fucking golf together or something ridiculous like that, because Granger isn’t the type of guy to do shady dealings on the back nine, they might know each other.
“You don’t think part of the friendship pact isn’t to keep an eye on you and make sure everything is good? Especially when a new pattern erupts in your life, one which disrupts the status quo?” Granger leans even farther over the table, his eyes lighting up with mischief.
I ball up one of the small napkins on the table and toss it at him. As he dodges it and barks out a laugh, I hear, “Hey,” shouted from the bar.
When I glance that way, Maverick, one of the owners, is glaring at me. Like I’m not the sheriff in the room. But he’s right.
“Sorry,” I mouth while holding up my hands.
He only chuckles and shakes his head. But he probably also knows I’ll make sure to pick up the napkin before I leave. If I don’t, it would bother the fuck out of me.
And I swear, somehow, my grandmother would know.
“What are you doing over there?” Granger is eyeing me now, starting to see there is more to this whole thing. My half-hearted deflection doesn’t help matters. “Is there something going on with the dog fighting case?”
I narrow my eyes and remind him, “You know I’d tell you if there was an update on it, but I appreciate that you’re not like Cowell with needing to be more involved.”
His eyebrows pull together and confusion is written all over his face. I let out a sigh.
“Lyons called me because Mayor Cowell was hounding him for more information and asked me to show up for the meeting. He hoped it would show Cowell that we’re working together and devoting resources to the case.
” I grumble, “Even though we haven’t found a damn thing and neither have another few surrounding counties. ”
“There’s no doubt in my mind that you’re doing all you can to find the people responsible and preventing them from finding a foothold in our county,” Granger’s voice is serious as he holds my gaze.
This isn’t about reelection or his name being on the plaque outside the mayor’s office, this is him telling me, one of his oldest friends, that he’s got my back.
I lift my chin in acknowledgement, in gratitude.
“But there’s more,” Hunter’s the one to throw those words out there.
“Fuck,” I grunt under my breath and huff out an annoyed breath. “You two are relentless.”
“We’re the only friends you have,” Granger points out unhelpfully, “it’s our job to be relentless.”
Burke is included, always. Just silently right now. My gut clenches when I think about him, but I push it aside.
I hate it when he’s deployed, but there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. He wouldn’t want me to anyway. I’m not sure if he joined the military because he was running away from something or toward something, but he found the right path for him.
Even if it’s more than a little lonely. And not just for him.
But I can’t make decisions for him. He’s a grown ass man. All I can do is hope he comes to his senses and comes home before it’s too late for him to enjoy something more than his career.
Although, I probably shouldn’t talk considering I work more than I should. I’ve done so shamelessly up to this point.
It’s just because I didn’t have much else going on. Why not dedicate more time and effort into ensuring the trust people have put in me is warranted?
Now that Helen is in my sights? I think something will have to change.
Sooner rather than later.
“I, uh,” I clear my throat even though it doesn’t help, “when the meeting with Cowell was over, his daughter was waiting to have lunch with him.” Granger’s eyebrow is arched, the question clear on his face. “Her name is Helen and she’s mine.”
Granger lets out a sound of surprise which might as well be a gasp as he slumps back in his seat.
Hunter’s eyes are wide as he looks between the two of us, as if he doesn’t understand the words I just said.
Since the man is perfectly capable, I roll my eyes before glaring between two of my best friends.
“I don’t think I heard you correctly,” Granger mumbles.
“You heard me just fine,” I tell him, but I still repeat myself, “Helen Cowell, Edgar’s daughter, is the woman meant to be mine. All it took was one look,” I admit with a shrug.
When another beer lands in front of me, I look up to find Maverick grinning from ear to ear. “Sometimes it hits you just like that, Sheriff,” he tells me.
He looks across The Goose, the bar and restaurant he built from scratch and used to spend all his time at before he met his wife, Lark, but it’s clear he’s not seeing the space in front of him. No, he’s lost in a memory.
When his eyes come back into focus, he looks at me and smirks, “Did you know I first saw Lark in the grocery store looking incredibly forlorn in front of the soy sauce?”
I let out a groan, and I’m not the only one. Everyone knows their story. Everyone.
It’s one for the ages.
The town’s playboy and bar owner takes one look at the single mother of two, who just moved to town after the death of her partner, in the grocery store, and the rest is history.
Although there were more steps than that, the beginning and the ending are the same.
As far as the middle? It’s their story to tell; and they do. Often.
But none of us mind, not really. Even though we give him shit for it.
Seeing Maverick happy and settled while loving his family, which now includes a third kid Lark and Maverick had together, makes it feel like love can happen to anyone at any time.
“Oh, fuck you guys,” Maverick grouses.
I chuckle as I look at him and ask, “Just one look, huh?”
“Yeah,” he nods, reverence written all over his face, “all it took was one look and I knew she was the woman who was sent to turn my life upside down. And she sure as fuck did,” he says the words with a goofy grin on his face.
I chuckle and shrug one shoulder. “I don’t know if it’ll work out with my woman,” I point out.
Maverick levels me with a look which is pure challenge. “Are you going to let her get away or are you going to do whatever it takes to make her yours?” He grimaces slightly and glances around before adding, “Legally, of course.”
Something about the way he says it makes me wonder if legally is really an ‘of course’ in this situation or if he would be willing to push those boundaries in certain situations. Like if said situation had to do with his woman.
Honestly, I’m not sure I can blame him. Not now that Helen has come into my life. I can’t stop thinking about her and feel the need to go and track her down. She’s even found her way into my dreams.
“I’m definitely going to make her mine,” I growl the words.
Maverick grins and nods before giving my shoulder a squeeze and walking away. He throws over his shoulder, “And with that, I’m going to head home to see my wife.”
Hunter, Granger, and I chuckle before sharing a look. “Once you make it all official, I expect to be invited over for dinner,” Granger warns me with a wink.
The way Hunter nods in agreement has me smiling as warmth spreads through my chest. Now I just need to make her mine.
Easy, right?