Pathetic. She swallowed down a sour taste. She’d been so pathetic.
His smile was more like a smirk as he glanced over at Addison, taking in Colton and Trent. “I guess you guys heard the news, right?” He threw his arms out wide. “You guys are looking at your new sheriff.”
Vanessa blinked in confusion and looked over to see Colton frowning and Trent looking…well, less nice than she’d ever seen him look before. He wasn’t glowering at Chip or anything, but his eyes had narrowed slightly and she knew she hadn’t missed a quick flare of his nostrils before he steeled his expression to that calm, unflappable mask he wore so well.
“New sheriff?” Vanessa repeated under her breath.
Chip turned to her. “You heard about my dad, right?”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Your dad…your dad was the sheriff?”
Chip nodded. “Yeah, right up until his heart gave out.”
Her head jerked back in surprise at the casual way he’d said it. “Oh, Chip, I’m so sorry.”
“Nah, nah,” he said with a shake of his head. “The old man will be just fine. In fact, he’s looking forward to retiring early.”
“So I take it you’re running for sheriff?” she asked, glancing over at Trent, although she wasn’t entirely sure what she expected to see there.
A clenched jaw was what she found. His response was subtle but telling. He hated the idea of this guy being his boss.
Interesting.
She turned back to Chip who didn’t seem to notice the tension around him as he expounded upon all the reasons it was common sense that he’d take over his father’s position.
“I didn’t realize you’d gone into law enforcement,” she said.
“He didn’t.” Colton muttered it behind her.
Chip’s smile grew. “I got a degree in criminal justice…” He moved in slightly. “Before going on to get my law degree.”
“Oh, that’s—” His proximity was unnerving, and brought with it too many memories. He still smelled the same—like stale cigarettes and cheap aftershave. “That’s nice.” She moved back a step and stumbled. She would have lost her balance if Trent hadn’t shot out a hand to steady her.
His hand gripped her elbow and she should have pulled away. She wanted to pull away.
But she couldn’t quite bring herself to move away from his steadiness. His whole bearing was so calm, so…grounded. She found herself staying put. She was glad she had when Chip moved in even closer, his voice lowering and his eyes growing warm with affection. “It really is good to see you again, Nessie.”
“It’s V-Vanessa.” Heat shot up into her cheeks and she bit back a groan. Did she really just stumble over her own name?
Yes. Yes, she had.
“We should get together again soon.” Chip continued like she hadn’t spoken. “We can catch up on old times.” His gaze dropped down, taking in her tank top and skinny jeans that had felt entirely appropriate just a moment ago, and now…?
She had the urge to wrap herself in one of Addison’s giant cardigans.
“We can get to know each other again.” Chip smirked and somehow ‘get to know each other’ made her feel filthy. “What do you say, Nessie?”
Trent squeezed her elbow. Was that intentional or was he just annoyed and taking it out in his grip?
Didn’t matter. It gave her a burst of courage that she sorely needed. Her smile was cool and collected even if her insides weren’t. “That sounds great, Chip.”
She felt Trent tense beside her as Chip’s smile grew smug.
“But…” She allowed herself just the briefest pause to revel in this moment—the moment she finally rejected him. “I’m afraid I’ll be busy with work for the next…oh, thirty days or so.”
She risked a sidelong look in Trent’s direction and saw him watching her with that intimidatingly direct stare of his. A look that saw everything.
When her gaze met his, his brows hitched up ever so slightly in question.
“Isn’t that right, Trent?” She wouldn’t say it for him, much as she might have wanted to. This was his decision, and one he had to own. But she hoped he heard her wishing and hoping and praying—
“I’m running for sheriff, too,” Trent said, his gaze finally releasing hers to look over at a comically stunned Chip.
Vanessa felt a surge of triumph at Trent’s announcement. She turned back to Chip. “And I’ve offered my services for his campaign.”
Chip blinked. “You’re helping him?”
“Mmm,” she said, peeking up at a clearly amused Trent as she reveled in Chip’s shock. “It would seem that way.”
5
Trent had to bite his tongue for another few seconds as Chip said goodbye to everyone and headed over to the counter to meet up with his friends in line and place his order. Once he was firmly out of earshot, he turned to Vanessa. “What. Was. That?”
He hadn’t believed that the cool, confident, icy goddess he’d known mere minutes ago could blush. But she did.
He shouldn’t have been surprised after watching her stammer and blush and… Oh holy crap. It clicked all at once.
She had a thing for him. For Chip Rodman.
The thought was abhorrent for so many reasons. This was Chip they were talking about. A rotten apple who’d fallen way too close to his father’s corrupt tree. And this was Vanessa—a woman who could have any man she wanted with a crook of her finger.
He stared at her aghast and then the question just sort of slipped out. “Do you like that guy?”
“Shh.” She clamped a hand over his mouth and he didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. No, she couldn’t possibly like Chip Rodman. If she did, why on earth would she have agreed to help him beat the guy?
Her eyes still had a tinge of panic about them as she glanced over at the line. “Not so loud,” she hissed.
“Oh my,” Addison said from the other side of the table. “So…that was Chip.”
Vanessa turned to her with a wince. “That was Chip.”
“It wasn’t so bad,” Addison said, her tone earnest but not even remotely convincing.
Vanessa fell into the seat beside her. “It was awful. I was awful.”
“No, you weren’t—”
“I stumbled over my own name,” Vanessa said, her voice hushed but intense.
Trent made eye contact with Colton and saw that he was struggling not to laugh.
Vanessa noticed too. Her finger swung back and forth between Trent and Colton. “I swear, if one of you so much as cracks a—”
Too late.
Colton burst out in a gut laugh that had half the people around them staring. “I’m sorry,” he said when Addison smacked him. “But what was that just now?”
“Shut up,” Vanessa muttered.
Trent wanted to laugh. It was actually painful to hold it in, but sympathy won out over humor and he managed to squelch it and echo Addison’s words. “It wasn’t that bad.”
She arched a cynical brow in his direction, making him smile. “Don’t become a liar on me now, Arnolds,” she said in a haughty tone that had everyone grinning. “Honesty is one of your best traits, and I plan to sell that to the public.”
“So you’re really going to do it then?” Addison asked.
“Of course,” she said, her gaze not quite meeting his when she turned in his direction. “I said I would, didn’t I?”
“Are you doing this to help me or to get back at Chip?” he asked.
“Does it matter?” She didn’t seem to require an answer because she turned her focus to closing up her laptop and packing up her things.
And suddenly he had a desperate need to know what Chip had done to her. Whatever it was that had made her duck when she saw him and that had made her lose the confidence that was so incredibly…sexy. Her looks were incredible, but it was the way she walked, talked, and acted—the confidence she wore like a second skin… That was what made her so striking.
And seeing Chip had undone that somehow
. But not for long. “For what it’s worth, you recovered quickly,” he said.
She sniffed, all but ignoring his comment. Maybe she’d thought he was teasing.
He wasn’t.
He tried again. “Vanessa, could we—”
“I really should get going,” she interrupted. “I’ll see you at my office tomorrow when you get off duty. We have a lot of work to do.”
She was already walking away when he called out. “Where’s your office?”
Addison answered because either Vanessa hadn’t heard or she was too eager to get out of there to answer. “I think she meant her apartment.”
He turned to the shy blonde who was currently cuddling up against Colton. The two of them really were disgustingly cute together. He was happy for them and all, but he couldn’t deny the fact that every time he witnessed their happiness he felt a stab of envy as well.
“Her apartment?” he repeated. He wasn’t sure why but he’d been picturing Vanessa staying at the lodge up on Redhook mountain.
Addison nodded. “She owns one of the spaces in the Murry building.”
He arched his brows in surprise. The Murry building was the only upscale apartment building in town but it didn’t cater to short-term rentals or tourists. “I thought she just got back to town.”
“She did, but she bought the place a while ago.”
Her answer was frustratingly short on details, though Trent couldn’t quite explain even to himself why he cared so much about why Vanessa owned a place here in town or what significance it held.
Sure, he’d been attracted to her from the get-go, but it was equally obvious that she was less than thrilled by him. In fact, if he didn’t know any better, he’d think she outright hated him.
Probably because he hadn’t remembered her.
He winced at the memory of her cool disdain when he’d pieced it together. Although, to be fair, she didn’t look anything like she had in high school. Surely he wasn’t the only person who hadn’t made the connection...right?
He ran a hand through his hair with a regretful sigh.
He was a jerk.
No wonder she’d been so cold to him. But now…well, now she’d offered to help him with this campaign.
That had to mean something, right?
And she had an apartment here, which meant her stay wasn’t just temporary.
Hope flared up so hot and fierce, it left him stunned. The woman barely spoke to him so why on earth was he excited that she was back in town? Or that she’d offered to help him?
And, more importantly…had he really just agreed to run for sheriff?
The thought of all that would entail, the level of commitment—not for the first time, he felt a twinge of guilt. “Colton, are you sure you’re all right with me running for sheriff?”
His friend rolled his eyes with a groan. “Would you stop asking me that already? Of course I’m sure. If you’ll recall, it was my idea.”
“Yeah, I know, but you don’t always think things through and—”
“And you worry too much,” Colton shot back.
“But our private security business—”
“Can’t get underway until we save up some more money anyway,” Colton replied, his tone bored as he twirled Addison’s hair.
She was giving Trent a little smile of understanding. She was quite possibly the only person in this town who knew that Colton wasn’t nearly the bad boy everyone thought he was. Sure, he’d had some commitment issues, but as a partner and a friend, he’d make any sacrifice. And right now, that was what worried Trent. He didn’t want to let his friend down, or their dream, and—
“There he goes again,” Colton said, making Addison giggle.
She leaned forward and placed a hand on his. “Colton is right. You do worry too much.”
“I just want to be sure,” he started.
“You have nothing to worry about,” Addison said quickly. “Colton can’t wait to watch you win, and—” She held out a hand to cut him off when he was about to protest that he might not win. “And your win is a given if you’ve got Vanessa on your side.”
Vanessa. Just the mention of her brought a wave of…something. Longing, maybe. He wasn’t quite sure, but it was the sweet sort of ache that came with wanting something so badly it hurt.
But beneath that was a nagging doubt. Maybe because now that he’d pieced it together, he could remember the girl with the glasses who’d seemed so sad all the time even though she covered it with a smile that seemed to encompass everyone without discrimination. She’d barely spoken to him, though, unless they were studying together. But even then, she’d kept it strictly business…and that was back before he’d unintentionally insulted her.
He stifled a groan as he realized that he was longing for something he couldn’t have because now he remembered the girl she was, and that girl…?
She wasn’t about to give him a second chance.
6
The next day his suspicions were confirmed.
It was a Friday evening but Vanessa was all business. Surrounded by a stack of papers, her laptop open on the coffee table before her, she was sitting cross-legged on her couch and scowling down at the notepaper in her hand.
Between the scowl and the glasses, he couldn’t stop grinning at her. She looked up and widened her eyes. “What are you smiling at?”
“You,” he said. “It’s easier to recognize the old you when you have the glasses on.”
Her lips twitched a bit and her gaze shifted away uncomfortably. “My contacts were irritating me.”
“You look cute in glasses.”
That had her gaze darting back to his and her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
“You do,” he said. “You look more like you did as a kid.”
She scoffed. “Like you remember.”
He just barely stopped himself from wincing. “I do now. I’m sorry I didn’t before.”
She tilted her chin up as she studied him. “Tell me, Arnolds, what exactly do you remember about me?”
He met her gaze evenly. “Why do I get the feeling I’m being tested right now?”
Her lips twitched again and this time he suspected it was the start of a smile. “Probably because you are being tested.”
“Okay,” he said, coming off the seat he’d been perched on for the past few minutes to join her on the couch, watching with amusement as she shifted away from him. He had to admit, he wasn’t used to women being quite so enthusiastically not into him. “Challenge accepted. What do I remember about Nessie Shea?”
He didn’t miss the way she flinched.
“Sorry, Vanessa Shea.”
She arched a brow, clearly unimpressed and waiting for him to fail.
“I remember that you were kind to everyone.”
She blinked in surprise and he felt a flicker of satisfaction.
“Even that transfer student who was only here for one semester,” he said. “What was his name?”
He thought she might not answer. “George,” she muttered.
“That’s right, George.” He smiled at her, loving the way he could see it now. He’d known she was pretty from the day he spotted her at Java Lava’s, but seeing the girl she’d been…that made her so much more beautiful. Like not only seeing a masterpiece, but how it was created and all the intricacies that had gone into it. “I remember that no one sat with him at lunch…except for you.”
She shifted, looking away. “I wonder what ever happened to him.”
She was trying to distract him, that much was clear, but he refused to be sidetracked. He still felt guilty over not recognizing her, for not remembering even after he’d heard her name. It wasn’t until just now, seeing her in the glasses that memories came flooding back. “I remember that you made me laugh.”
Her brows shot up and for a second he caught a flicker of something in her eyes—so surprisingly vulnerable, so at odds with this elegant put-together woman she was so intent on the world seeing…
&nb
sp; It made his heart do something funny and his chest seemed to tighten. “I don’t remember what the topic was that you were tutoring me on, but I do remember that I enjoyed our sessions because your explanations and ways of remembering things made me laugh. You made learning fun.”
“So you remember the tutoring now, huh?”
He shrugged. “About as well as I remember anything from those days.”
She sighed. “It has been a while, huh?”
“A lot has changed,” he agreed.
She stiffened slightly and he knew instantly that she’d taken that the wrong way. “That’s true,” she said, her tone back to being polite, distant. “Which brings me to a point I want to talk to you about.”
“What’s that?”
“You need a girlfriend.”
He stared at her for a moment, certain that he’d heard her wrong. “Excuse me?”
She shrugged. “I’d prefer a wife and kids, but since it’s a little short notice for all that—so I’ll settle for a girlfriend.”
“Uh…” He scratched the back of his head as he studied her to see if she was serious.
She definitely was. Her steady gaze on him told him she was deadly serious.
“I, uh…I’m sorry, but why exactly do I need a girlfriend?”
She held up the notebook she’d been holding. “Because of this.”
“What’s this?”
“Polling responses.” She looked down and started rattling off numbers. “That’s how many people said they’d definitely vote for you. You have a good lead among the lower middle classes and the blue-collar workers, thanks to your interactions in town over the years—”
“Wait, you conducted a poll?” he asked.
She blinked. “An informal one, yes. Getting a lay of the land was the obvious first step. I can’t fix your image if I don’t know how people see you. Try to keep up, Arnolds.”
He frowned at her as he shook his head in confusion. “I wasn’t aware that I needed you to fix my image.” He shrugged. “My image is just fine…isn’t it?”
Tilting her head to the side, the look she gave him could only be described as patronizing. “People like you, if that’s what you mean.”
Fake Dating the Hometown Deputy: A Sweet Standalone Romance (Fake Dates Book 2) Page 4
