Chapter Fifteen – Slow Dance
Chapter Fifteen
Andie
SLOW DANCE
Performed by Kelly Clarkson
As I stood off to the side, holding Akela’s leash, I found my eyes drawn to Cooper’s face. It was awash with emotions he was usually good at hiding. Pride. Love. Determination. I wished I could read the thoughts that went along with them.
When Mrs. Wylee hugged Luca, squeezed his cheek, and repeated, “You did real good, kiddo,” I felt the pride deep in my soul, almost as if she’d given me the compliment.
Cooper leaned over and ruffled his son’s hair, adding, “Gram’s right. You handled everything perfectly.”
Bashful pleasure coated Luca’s face as he shuffled his sneakers along the planks outside Jack’s.
An overwhelming sense of happiness for the teenager nearly stole my breath, returning that ache I’d had lately for things that had never been mine.
Not once growing up had anyone looked at me with such admiration and adoration.
All I’d ever known was all the ways I’d fallen short.
And that was before I’d actively tried to fail, rebelling against every single thing Belinda and Dick wanted me to do.
The older Sheriff Wylee tapped the pink box he was holding. “I think this calls for a reward. I’ll let you share my blue elderberry jam tarts with me.”
Mrs. Wylee snorted, and Cooper hid a smile.
I suddenly felt like a peeping Tom, looking in on an intimate moment I had no right to observe and certainly no right to be a part of, no matter how much I longed for it.
Akela shifted next to me. He hadn’t budged or barked or tried to scurry away in the chaos of the crowds and tension. I ran a hand over his head.
“I’m just going to walk Akela home,” I said.
I’d already turned and started toward the crosswalk when Mrs. Wylee’s voice halted me. “Wait up, Andie. We’ll all walk back to Cooper’s with you. This way I can ensure any leftover tarts remain at Cooper’s. Otherwise, my stubborn husband will eat more than the half of one he’s allowed.”
“Now, darlin’, the doctor said I could have a treat now and then. I’ve lost nearly twenty pounds, love.”
A man walked up to one of the cars Cooper’s pickup was blocking and glanced over. “Sorry. Any way I can get out now?”
Cooper looked from his parents and Luca to me.
“The back seats are small, but we can all fit if we put the behemoth in the back.”
I shook my head. “No, you all go. It’s good for Akela to get the exercise.”
I was sure the dog had already had plenty with Luca’s and Wysteria’s adventures, but there was no way I was piling into Cooper’s truck as if we were all one big happy family. It would be too painful.
Mrs. Wylee took the bakery box from her husband and shoved it at Cooper. “You go ahead. Take this and dish it up, but only a half for your father. The four of us will walk back because Dale needs his exercise too.”
When she included me in that grouping, my heart continued to leap and fall.
Cooper’s eyes lingered on me, and the guy at his car cleared his throat expectantly. Cooper finally took the box his mom had offered and jogged over to his truck.
He’d barely pulled away when Mrs. Wylee shocked me by sliding her arm through mine and propelling me down the sidewalk. Akela kept pace with us on the opposite side, tongue lolling in that way that made him look like he was smiling at me.
“Let me take him, Andie,” Luca said, and before I could stop him, he’d taken the leash and bounded ahead of us. Cooper’s dad took the dog’s place, putting me in the middle of the Wylees.
“Luca sure is happy to have that dog around,” the ex-sheriff said. “Coop told me he sent it to the shelter after the couch incident. How’d you end up with it?”
“I’ve been wanting a dog.” I gave them the same line I’d given Cooper.
Mrs. Wylee laughed. “And Luca convinced you that the beast was the perfect dog for a first-time owner?”
I couldn’t help the small smile that crept over my face, because that was exactly what Teddy had said.
He never would have recommended the Samoyed and central Asian Shepherd mix for a first-time dog owner, but he’d promised me I could handle it.
The truth was, Akela would never be doing as well as he was if Teddy hadn’t been taking the dog with him during the day and Luca wasn’t helping in the evenings.
I shrugged. “He’s a really sweet dog.”
“He’s much better behaved than I’d expected after he ate Coop’s couch,” Mrs. Wylee said, watching Akela stay right at Luca’s side as we rounded the Emporium parking lot and headed down the side street toward Meadow Lane.
“According to Teddy, Akela destroyed the sofa because he was stressed and underexercised. With structure and routine, he’s come a long way in a very short time.”
“That’s a man who understands dogs,” the sheriff said, nodding his head in obvious approval of Teddy. “If he’s helping you, it’s no wonder Akela is so well behaved.”
“So, Luca had Akela with him and Wysteria tonight, and you were keeping Cooper company?” Mrs. Wylee’s tone was casual, but I knew the question was anything but.
The sheriff snickered. “She’s been waiting to ask you that since you jumped out of Coop’s rig.”
She reached around me to hit her husband on the shoulder. “A mother has a right to be curious about a woman her son is dating.”
I choked. “Oh, no, Mrs. Wylee. We aren’t dating.”
“It’s Lydia, dear. I may be older than she was when she passed, but you say Mrs. Wylee and I still look for Dale’s mama.” She patted my arm. “But you were at Coop’s place when Luca called?”
I looked from her to the sheriff, who only grinned. “Might as well give it up, Andie. She’ll badger you until she gets the whole story. I always told my deputies that if we needed to put pressure on a suspect, we could use Lydia. She can get an entire novel out of a cricket.”
“Really, Dale, you’re going to scare the poor woman off.” Then, she looked at me expectantly, and I felt my lips twitch, a lightness filling in over the aches.
“It’s really not all that interesting. Cooper had come over to talk about how Luca is helping me with Akela.
” I swallowed hard, pushing back the memory of the spilled cereal box before it could take hold.
“And we got to talking about the trick-or-treaters showing up. When he realized I’d only bought a single bag of candy, he suggested I bring it to his house and help him hand out candy there. ”
Luca and Akela were well ahead of us, almost to Cooper’s house by the time we turned the corner onto our block.
“Did the boy at least offer you dinner?” the sheriff asked.
“They’d already eaten, but he was gracious enough to fix me a bowl of his carne asada soup.”
The two of them exchanged a knowing glance, and my stomach fell.
They really didn’t get it. Attraction might zing between Cooper and me, and he might have nearly kissed me if a round of trick-or-treaters hadn’t interrupted us, but he also hated the entire idea of me.
And I couldn’t blame him. My life was one huge, dangerous secret that could put everyone I knew at risk.
Maybe Dawson was right. Maybe it was time to move on. To move away. To start over.
The simple idea of it wiped all my humor away and made my heart feel like it was bleeding.
“That’s my recipe,” Lydia said. “I’ve won five times at the Fourth of July cook-off at the Harrington Ranch with that soup.”
“It was absolutely delicious. I was going to ask him for the recipe because I need more meals I can prep in the slow cooker. I’m so tired when I get home most days, that I end up eating a bowl of cereal rather than anything healthy.”
“Oh, I have a bunch of easy recipes I can share, but most of them make too much food for a single person. You’ll have to share with Cooper and Luca, or you’ll be eating them for days.”
I realized it was going to be impossible to change her opinion of the relationship I’d formed with her son, so I said nothing as we arrived at Cooper’s place. Lydia dropped my arm, hurrying up the steps.
“I’ll just make sure Cooper has only given Dale half.”
Luca was still on the porch, petting the dog and giving him a treat. As he went to unclip Akela’s leash, I stopped him. “Hold up, Luca. I’ll just take Akela home for the night.”
Luca’s face fell, and the sheriff leaned in to whisper, “You bail out now, and Lydia will only come knocking and drag you back. She won’t be satisfied until she gets a good look at all of you together.”
I looked up to find him smiling. He didn’t seem worried about me inserting myself into his family’s life, but that was because he didn’t really know me.
Didn’t know my criminal past and the darkness that would always surround me.
When he looked at me, he saw Andie, Fallon’s hotel manager and Maisey’s friend.
He saw the professional woman who made sure all the events at the ranch ran smoothly.
“Sheriff Wylee, whatever she thinks—”
“It’s Dale. I turned in my badge and gun, remember? And whatever Lydia thinks will only be amplified if you go running. The best way to put her straight is to walk into that house and prove her wrong.”
I gave up. Partly because I didn’t know how to continue to object without making everyone suspicious, and partly because the idea of being around this lovely family was too much of a temptation.
“Okay. I’ll come in for a few minutes.”
“Come on, Akela,” Luca said, opening the door and running inside with the dog on his heels.
The sheriff—Dale—winked and held the door for me.
Inside, Lydia and Cooper were at the dining room table. She told Luca to wash his hands and for the dog to lie down, and they both obeyed without hesitation.
As Dale and I joined them, Cooper studied me carefully, as if he could ascertain from just looking at me what the conversation had been on the walk home.
“Everything okay?”
Lydia literally rolled her eyes and shoved his shoulder. “Of course. What did you think we’d do, waterboard her for information?”
Dale chuckled, and Cooper frowned. His father patted him on the back. “Lighten up, son. No one’s trying to mess with your mojo.”