Behind the Badge

by Renee Harless

  The sound of a remote control truck came barreling toward her with the giggle of her seven-year-old son in tow. Abel was the light of her life and though there were times when they struggled, he was always happy and well-mannered. Shelly knew she had truly lucked out.

  “Mommy, can we go to the park to play with my truck?” he asked just as she stood from her squat on the floor.

  “Well, I have a few more things to pack up, but how about we stop by the park on the way to grab a pizza for dinner? How does that sound?”

  “Pizza? Mom, you’re the best!” her son shouted before scurrying off in the other direction.

  She was sad to see her things packed up into only a handful of boxes, but she knew from experience that tangible items didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. For her, making memories was far more critical. Shelly learned that at a young age. Her mother had always said that things could come and go, but memories would last a lifetime.

  Not that Shelly didn’t spoil her son a bit when she could, but putting money into savings for a rainy day was at the top of her list. She never wanted to spend another day struggling to live. DeShaun had taken everything from her except her child, and it left her having to leave college just before she graduated to make a new life for herself.

  Her phone rang in the kitchen where she had left it charging and Shelly couldn’t help but smile as she took in the name that flashed across the screen. Cassidy, and her now-husband, Harlan, had changed Shelly’s life. She hadn’t known who the gorgeous blonde had been when she stepped into the dingy bar where Shelly had been waiting tables, but after an altercation with a customer and her boss, Cassidy and Harlan had come to her rescue. That night left her with a new job and a new friend.

  It wasn’t until the next day that Shelly learned the woman had been the creator and CEO of Cassidy Designs. She didn’t know much about fashion, but even Shelly hadn’t been living under a rock. The name Cassidy exuded classic and feminine designs in the fashion world, but Shelly quickly learned they were expanded to international markets with a new line of everyday wear. Cassidy explained that she needed an executive assistant that could help her manage the new branches and help her keep her sanity amidst all of the changes.

  Shelly jumped at the chance and hadn’t regretted it for a single second. Cassidy changed her life for the better and she felt forever grateful toward the woman.

  “Cass, hi,” Shelly said with a smile as she answered the call.

  “Hey, I just wanted to check in and see how the packing was going,” her friend replied.

  “Good, just about finished up. The movers will be here at six tomorrow morning.”

  “Good. I can’t wait for you to get here. We have so much to talk about.”

  That much was true. Cassidy had officially moved her headquarters from New York City to Carson, North Carolina. The small town where Cassidy had grown up was quaint and Shelly had immediately fallen in love with the area the first time she visited. Cassidy had been pushing her to move for the last couple of years, but Shelly had been hesitant. New York was the only place she had ever lived, though since working for Cassidy, Shelly had traveled the world and appreciated the different lands and cultures. But New York was a culture into itself and Shelly had been born into it.

  But with DeShaun’s recent jail stint, Shelly had finally made the decision to move. She hadn’t spoken to her ex since the night she met Cassidy when he had made a call to blame her for his being in jail. There was no reason for Shelly to stay in New York.

  At least for the most part. Because of her precious baby boy, Shelly would always find herself tied to the man that had fallen neck-deep into drugs and weapon trafficking.

  Thinking about her past, Shelly sighed into the phone, alarming her friend.

  “Shel, are you okay?”

  “What? Oh, yeah, definitely. Just going over my mental list of to-dos,” she lied.

  “Okay, if you’re sure. I still can’t believe you finally decided to move here. You never did tell me what changed your mind, and on such short notice too.”

  It was absolutely a spur of the moment decision, not that Cassidy hadn’t been bugging her about it for years, but Shelly finally took a good look at her life and the life she wanted for her son and knew that Carson was a better choice than New York. Small town living wasn’t for everyone, but she knew they would thrive. They always had.

  Of course, Shelly probably could have spilled the beans last week when she hired the movers and had the boxes delivered. No, she waited until yesterday to tell her best friend of their plans. She hadn’t even figured out where they were going to live, not that Cassidy and her family didn’t have room to spare, and the bed and breakfast was always an option until she could find something more permanent.

  “Do you think you could ask around if anyone has a place I can rent?”

  “Of course, but you know that you’re more than welcome to stay with Harlan and me.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to intrude.”

  “I’ll ask around in the morning. Text me when you leave.”

  “Will do. See you tomorrow, Cass,” Shelly said as she ended the call.

  The pizza wasn’t the best that New York had to offer, but it was close by and a block away from the park. Shelly watched her son play with a few other kids before she wrangled him up and they went home.

  Her son was excited about the move, loving the horses and open fields from his last visit. He had chattered on and on about it for weeks. As she opened the door to the now barren apartment, Shelly felt awash with sadness. She had worked tirelessly to give them a good life, a safe life, but nothing was guaranteed.

  Shelly knew things could change in a snap. She had gone from living in a roach-infested apartment to dating one of the world’s most sought-after male models. She knew how to roll with the punches, but it was also why she kept herself guarded. Allowing a man to control her life again was a fear Shelly couldn’t seem to shake free of. Nightmares of the way DeShaun had treated her and how the police initially thought she had been a part of the dealings was enough to keep her up at night. Thank goodness for the few good people who had stood up for her and made sure no charges were pressed after the arrest.

  “Let’s get you settled for the night, then I can put on a movie,” she exclaimed, quickly followed by cheers from her son. Abel had been on a superhero kick and as she followed him toward his room so found him slipping on a pair of Spider-man pajamas.

  “I’m ready, momma.”

  “Alright, you can pick out the movie while I heat up some popcorn.”

  “Yes!” he shouted triumphantly.

  It wasn’t long before the two of them were cuddled up on the couch that she was leaving in the apartment, mainly because she didn’t want to pay the fee to have it moved. It also allowed them to start fresh in a new place.

  Shelly had worries, lots of them. Uprooting their lives wasn’t the best choice for herself or for her son, but in this case, she knew the grass was greener on the other side. It had to be.

  Leaning toward Abel, Shelly kissed the top of his head. Even though he had been growing like a weed, he was still her precious baby boy. The boy she would give her life for and would protect until her last breath, and she almost had.

  Yes, this move would be good for them; it was going to give them the life Shelly had promised her mother that she would work hard for. Maybe it would even mean that she could slow down a bit and enjoy watching Abel grow up instead of working tirelessly.

  “I love you, sweet boy,” she whispered, and her son tilted his head in her direction. “I love you too.”

  Looking at his serene smile, Shelly had no doubts that she was making the right decision.

  Chapter Two

  Friday’s were always Preston’s favorite day of the week. Not because it was a final work day. No, as Sheriff of the town, he never really had a day off.

  As he stepped out of his truck, he sniffed the air and smiled at the scent of fresh
baked goods coming from Wake and Bake. His ex-girlfriend, Sydney, owned the shop after inheriting it from her mother and turned it into a bakery that drew people from all over North Carolina. Her husband, Dylan, expanded into the adjacent space of the bakery and opened a sandwich shop called The Grill. Preston had worked with Dylan for years and never knew the man had wanted to be an actual chef. Preston had assumed it was part of his undercover work.

  Opening the door to the bakery, the tiny bell dinged above him, and Sydney peeked over the counter before smiling and waving in his direction.

  “Is it noon already?” she asked jokingly. He knew Sydney could give Father Time a run for his money. The woman instinctively knew what time it was – all of the time.

  “Sure is,” he replied, glad that he and Sydney had formed a friendship of sorts. She had married his best friend, after all.

  Without a word, Sydney moved to the kitchen area behind the counter and within seconds, Preston heard the tell-tale sizzle of the homemade donuts hitting the hot oil. Fridays were Preston’s favorite day because that was the one day a week Sydney made her donuts. He didn’t indulge in sweets frequently, but these concoctions were worth the extra trip to the gym.

  He didn’t know how she got the consistency perfect, but somehow Sydney made the most delicious, melt in your mouth donuts he’d ever had.

  And Preston didn’t even like donuts, despite the fact that cops and donuts went together like peanut butter and jelly. They’d never been his thing.

  Taking a seat at a small bistro table, he watched the woman he had planned to spend his life with add more cupcakes to her display as the donuts continued to fry. He screwed that up, just like he had everything else in his life.

  Thankfully his feelings for Sydney waned and he saw her as nothing more than a friend. Otherwise, things would be very awkward as his best friend, and Sydney’s husband, took the seat across from him.

  “Hey, man,” Dylan greeted, his apron with The Grill etched in the center still tied around him. Preston could barely manage to work as the town sheriff and a few missions with his old FBI team when things got slow. He had no idea how Dylan was able to manage his diner, the extra assignments he took, and his family.

  “Hey,” Preston greeted.

  “I asked Alexis and Cliff to join us for lunch, if that’s okay.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  It would mean that no one was taking calls at the station since Jackie had taken the day off, but they’d manage. Since Alexis’ case was closed two months ago, everything had died down some.

  A few minutes later, Cliff and Alexis joined them, their smiles lighting up the room as they stepped inside. Preston was happy for them both; they deserved it about as much as anyone he knew.

  And by the way Alexis kept a firm grip on her husband’s backside, Preston was positive that kids wouldn’t be far behind their wedding.

  Marriage and family didn’t seem to be in the cards for him, but much to his mother’s dismay, he was fine with bachelorhood.

  They ordered lunch, a few sandwiches and chips, and Dylan told them that his “other” boss would like to see if they were interested in working with the local FBI as needed.

  As Preston expected, Cliff and Alexis declined, but he agreed to learn more. It was not that he needed the money, but rather he was interested in finding something to occupy his time.

  “So, when is the big day?” Dylan asked Alexis, though Preston already knew. He was probably one of the few.

  “Well, it already passed. We eloped over the weekend.”

  “What?” Sydney shouted from her seat.

  “I told you,” Preston muttered under his breath to his deputy. He had explained that the Connelly family didn’t take too well to secrets.

  “It was just the right time. And we wanted to get started trying to have a baby.”

  “Well, what are you doing still working? Shouldn’t you be on a honeymoon?” Dylan narrowed his gaze toward Preston as if he made that decision. He raised his hands in the air in innocence.

  “Don’t look at me. I tried to pay for a trip to the Caribbean; you know how stubborn she is.”

  “Hey! I’m right here. And we are going to wait until the season slows so that Cliff can close his shop.”

  “And what if you’re already pregnant,” Dylan asked, the same question on Preston’s lips.

  “Oh,” she exclaimed, looking at her husband. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

  “It’s fine. We’ll stay close by,” Cliff told her, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her lips.

  Preston would never lead on that watching his friends fall in love had been like a knife thrusting in his chest repeatedly. He thought one day he’d have that, but that dream was washed away by his own doing.

  Finishing their lunches, his friends at the table dispersed, leaving him to catch up on the national news with the paper. Though Alexis’ case had been closed, he kept a close eye on any missing girl and drug trafficking cases. The FBI hadn’t been able to take out her father’s sector in the cartel, just put a kink in it.

  “Cassidy!” Sydney shouted as the bell above the door chimed. “I thought you were on tour with Harlan?”

  “I am. We’re just passing through. But guess who finally decided to pack her bags and move here?”

  “Who?”

  Yes, who? Preston wondered, his attention pulled away from the paper and now focused on Cassidy. As Sheriff, he made it a point to know who every person was that step foot in his town.

  “Shelly. Can you believe it? I need help finding her a place to stay. She’s showing up tomorrow.”

  Oh no. If there was one woman capable of unraveling him, it was that woman. She was smart, beautiful, and had a mouth like a sailor. He had been drawn to her the few times that she had visited even from the shadows. No one seemed to realize that he had kept his distance for a reason. It was a secret he hoped he would take to his grave.

  Despite his reservations, he couldn’t stop the words before they rolled out of his mouth.

  “I can help.”

  “Really?” Cassidy cried out, her head whipping toward him. The long blonde waves smacking her in the face. Preston noticed that Sydney’s eyes were just as wide in surprise.

  He was the Sheriff, after all, it’s not like he wasn’t usually the first one to jump up and help someone in need. Truthfully, it kind of irked him that the two women seemed so surprised to hear his offer.

  “Yes, really.” Now that he had a moment to think about the situation, Preston realized how good of an idea it really was. Except for the fact that Shelly would be closer than ever before.

  Cassidy approached his table and leaned over so that she could read him. “What suggestion do you have, Sheriff?” she said snidely. He and Sydney may have formed a friendship, but he knew that many of her siblings like Cassidy were less-than-thrilled that he had infiltrated their town.

  “I have a small cabin on my property that she is welcome to stay in. It has two-bedrooms and I recently updated the plumbing and electrical.”

  Cassidy seemed taken aback as he described the cabin he had found two summers ago tucked just on the outskirts of the property that he had purchased just weeks earlier. The realtor seemed just as surprised.

  “Really?” she questioned, more sincerely.

  “Yeah, it won’t be a problem. I have some time this weekend I can paint and add some furnishings if that would help.” So he’d have to cancel his date tonight and his solo fishing trip tomorrow, but doing something for Shelly was nowhere close to what she deserved from him.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  Ah, there was the skepticism. He should have known she wouldn’t believe he was being altruistic. To Cassidy and most of her family, Preston was a less-than-noble scumbag that had almost killed their sister. Of course, if Sydney could move past it, he didn’t know why her siblings had such a tough time. It’s not like he had intended his undercover work to affect anyone the way it had.

 
“Because you asked for help and I took that to mean any of the people in this fine establishment could assist. I just happen to have property available and thought to offer it up.” He knew he was giving a bit of attitude with his reply, but it couldn’t be helped. Apparently, Cassidy noticed as well as the corner of her mouth tilted upward. He had almost earned a smile.

  “Well, I will take you up on the offer. Do you have a rent amount in mind?”

  “I have no idea; whatever she thinks is reasonable is fine. The cabin is just sitting there. But I’ll clean it up this weekend.”

  From around the corner, Sydney offered hers and Dylan’s assistance, which seemed to appease her sister. And as the forceful woman nodded, leaving him alone at the bistro table, he was shocked that within the span of five minutes, he was now not only the Sheriff of Carson but also a landlord.

  It seemed that he had one more pitstop to make before heading back to the office. He needed to stop by the hardware store and grab a few cans of paint. If only he could throw a few fresh coats on this mess of his life.

  ***

  With one last look at the building that had been their home for the last two years, Shelly sighed wistfully as she shut the passenger door to her luxury sedan after making sure that her son was secured with his favorite things in the back seat. They had a long drive ahead of them and Shelly truly hoped they could complete it in a day.

  The movers pulled the truck out from its temporary parking and Shelly knew that it was time to say goodbye to the only place she had ever lived. New York hadn’t been everything she had hoped as a wide-eyed teenager with her mom, but she had done the best that she could.

  Slipping into the driver’s seat, Shelly gave one backward glance into the rearview mirror before pulling out into the early morning traffic.

  “Alright, Abel. Are you ready for our drive?”