Stay with Me [Brook Hollow 2] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Lee Rose

  “I’d better get to studying.” Jessy picked up her coffee and headed for her usual table by the window. Sometimes her fiancé came in and joined her. They seemed like such a happy couple. Mia wondered what it would feel like to have someone love her like that. She always told herself she was fine living a single life, and having no one tell her what to do, but at times it was lonely. Mia didn’t need the kind of drama men brought with them. It didn’t matter how handsome the sheriff was. She got busy with her duties and put Sheriff Hotness out of her head.

  Chapter Four

  “Are you serious, Gwen?” Mia yelped into the phone line. Becky, who had been washing dishes, gave Mia a curious look. Mia spoke for a few more minutes then hung up the phone. She grinned, feeling excited for the first time since coming to Brook Hollow all those weeks ago. She had just finished breakfast at Becky’s house when Gwen had called. Mia still hadn’t replaced her cellphone and didn’t feel the need to rush.

  “Gwen got a plane ticket. She’ll be here in two weeks.” Mia smiled, feeling elated and relieved that her problems were almost over. Not that she didn’t like Brook Hollow, she did, but she also missed New York. A picture of Abel Ramirez flashed in her head but she quickly pushed it away. He was a dangerous temptation she did not need. She had to remind herself of that constantly. “Mitch says Frank must have moved on. He has been spotted with several different women, and goes to the same nightclub all the time. He has not made any attempt to leave the city.”

  “That is awesome news.” Becky dried her hands with a dish towel. She looked just as excited as Mia felt. “I haven’t seen Gwen in ages. Being a nurse keeps her hopping. Is her boyfriend coming with her?”

  Mia shook her head no. “He couldn’t get off work.”

  “Too bad. I’d like to meet him. My brother approves of him,” Becky replied. “I haven’t visited them in a few years. Building up the shop has kept me too busy.”

  “You know what they say, Becky. All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl, or something like that,” Mia teased, feeling joyful.

  Becky chuckled with amusement. Mia was so glad her and Becky got along so well. The woman was full of compassion and treated Mia in a motherly way. Mia really appreciated it. After all, Mia sort of crashed into Becky’s life without much warning. Mia was well adjusted to small town living being here almost two months now. The time had passed quickly.

  “Mitch is a nice guy who adores Gwen. Gwen is a lucky girl.”

  Becky gave Mia a sympathetic look. “Just because Frank turned out to be an asshole doesn’t mean all men are, honey. My marriage may not have worked out because we were both too different, but plenty of marriages do. Donald and I parted without any bad feelings. Look at my brother and his wife. Thirty years and still going strong.”

  “I know.” Mia sighed, feeling a little down despite the good news she had just received. She briefly thought of the town sheriff. He came in periodically for coffee, but he was so polite it broke her heart. Sometimes she would feel his eyes following her around but he never said a word besides discussing the weather. Why was she so attracted to him when obviously he didn’t feel the same? “I am going to give the single life a try for now. I’m only twenty-five. Why rush into settling down?”

  “That’s right.” Becky smiled. “I dated a few men after my divorce and it was nice, but I got used to being my own boss at work and at home.”

  Mia laughed. “See, being single is good. Now let’s go to the park and feed the ducks. The shop is closed and we have the whole day to ourselves.”

  “We can have lunch at Fiona’s Diner after that. They make the best chocolate shakes ever,” Becky said, grabbing her car keys.

  Mia was determined to relax and enjoy her day. The sheriff would be locked away at the back of her brain, she told herself. And there he would stay.

  * * * *

  “So that makes four women mugged so far?” Lincoln asked, looking at the paperwork on Abel’s desk. “Not good. We need to find him before he gets brave and heads into town.”

  “I know,” Abel said with frustration. “All we have is dark clothes, dark hair. Stands about six feet tall and is a white male.”

  “Half the population in Missouri.” Lincoln snorted with a frustrated look. “He could start feeling smug that he is getting away with it and head closer to the businesses here. That would be bad news. Thanksgiving is around the corner, then Christmas, which means people shopping.”

  “Luckily Mia wasn’t successfully robbed. She screamed and caught the attention of others. That saved her,” he said, wishing he could see her. He had purposely avoided going into the coffee shop to see her for the last week or two and now he missed her. Wild horses wouldn’t drag that confession out of him though. “The other women weren’t so successful and got their purses and phones taken. They were frightened but unharmed.”

  “We need to catch him before he uses violence,” Lincoln stated. “Kramer agreed to put one of his bouncers outside with one of our men. We can bring Kyle back here to patrol town.”

  Abel leaned back in his chair, liking the good news. He needed to occupy his mind on something else besides a curly-haired witch. “That’s good. Mayor Young finally gave me the approval to hire three more officers. I had Linda put the want ads out this morning for the national paper. Keep your fingers crossed, bro. I want some good dependable men or women.”

  “Will do.” Lincoln set the file down and grinned with joy. He looked so relaxed these days and Abel was happy for him, but it made him more aware of his own loneliness. “A few more weeks and I will be a married man lying on the beach with my beautiful wife.”

  “Lucky dog.” Abel smiled feeling, happy for his brother. Jessy was a good-hearted and beautiful woman who loved Lincoln with honesty. It made Abel think of Lydia and his broken dreams. He had a lucky break discovering what a liar she was before the marriage took place, but it didn’t diminish the pain he felt by her betrayal and lies. Although he had not been in love with her when she announced her pregnancy, he had been thrilled with the idea of being a father and offered her marriage. No one in his family had liked her, but Abel had ignored all their protests. He longed to be a father, and if he had to take Lydia, too, so be it. She was a wild cat in bed. All of his dreams had blown up in his face when her former boyfriend waltzed into town and told him Lydia was lying. She wasn’t six weeks pregnant like she claimed. She was ten weeks along and the baby was his. She wanted Abel because he had a good job and let her run all over him. He had felt devastated and ashamed. Lydia had thrown temper tantrums, but he let her get away with it because she was pregnant. After that debacle, he vowed to stay alone. Women were liars and he didn’t need that chaos in his life. Mia was just a passing fancy, he told himself. Maybe if he dated her and slept with her, his obsession would end.

  “You’ll meet the right woman, Abel,” his brother stated with optimism, interrupting Abel’s cynical thoughts. “Mom is trying to throw you together with Jane. She is attractive and young.”

  “And a gossiper, and vain and—”

  Lincoln laughed and held his hand up, cutting Abel’s complaints off. “Okay, maybe she is. Jessy doesn’t like her and she likes everyone. Hey, how about Mia, Becky’s niece? Jessy loves her. I met her twice and she is shy but seems really sweet.”

  Abel was caught off guard. Had his brother read his mind? “Um she’s cute, but I hardly know her, besides the fact that she was almost mugged.”

  “You checked Jessy out before I even started dating her. Check Mia out and see what she is all about.” Lincoln shrugged, not seeing the problem. Why did men settle down and suddenly want those around them in the same position? Some were just unlucky in love, and Abel was one of those people.

  Abel still felt guilty about getting Jessy in trouble. A loan shark had been after her and her little sister because of a loan their dad had left behind. Abel’s search had alerted the criminals who had almost killed Jessy. “Um no, that’s okay. I will not use my powers for ev
il, remember?”

  “I am sure Becky’s niece has no criminal record or dangerous loan sharks after her.” Lincoln chuckled. He checked his cellphone before looking at Abel. “Well I promised Jessy we’d go out for dinner. Go home early, Abel. You might as well bring a pillow and blanket and sleep here.”

  “Don’t give me any ideas,” Abel muttered, looking at his dark leather love seat against the wall. He stood up and stretched. “But I have to feed Roscoe. He’s waiting for me and he is loyal.”

  “Pathetic.” Lincoln gave him a mournful look, making Abel laugh. Roscoe was all the responsibility he needed.

  Chapter Five

  Mia held up a rust colored dress against her body and looked in the long mirror. “You sure it’s not too dark for my pale complexion?”

  Melanie Ramirez, the store clerk, smiled at Mia and shook her dark head. “I like it, Mia. The material is so soft and will mold to your thin frame perfectly.”

  Mia sighed. She hated making decisions when it came to fashion. She liked being comfortable. Gwen usually helped her shop for clothes, which wasn’t often. Mia wasn’t much into shopping.

  “Plus, this color is all the rage this autumn season,” Melanie added with confidence. She was wearing a gold sweater and brown dress pants. She looked well put together and confident.

  “Okay, I am trusting your opinion, Mel.” Mia headed for the cash register and laid the dress down on the glass counter. She was off today and decided to buy a new dress for Jessy’s bridal shower party next weekend. “I am going to Jessy’s bridal party. If I look silly, I am pointing the finger at you.”

  Melanie rang her up with a laugh and placed the dress in a shopping bag. Mia had come in here a few times and had gotten to know Melanie and Jessy’s younger sister Lily. Mia looked around the quiet store. “Where is Lily?”

  “Off today,” Melanie answered. “She is looking into taking some online classes like Jessy is doing. She really likes fashion design.”

  “Good for her,” Mia stated, wishing she had gone for a career. She had hated being stuck in school, though, and just went out in to the work field.

  The bell over the door rang, indicating a new customer had come in. Melanie’s smile brightened. “Hey, brother. Coming to check up on me?”

  Mia turned her head expecting to see Lincoln. Instead, Abel was walking through the door looking good in his khaki uniform molding his thick muscled frame. Mia’s body started feeling warm and she could feel the pulse in her neck start throbbing. Shit, what rotten luck she had not left before he came in. Not that she didn’t enjoy drooling over him, but she knew she was the only one feeling the attraction. She was afraid he would notice her drooling.

  “Yes, brat.” His voice was amused, even though his expression was stern. “Momma made me see if you’re still alive. Apparently, you haven’t checked in enough to satisfy her.”

  Melanie rolled her eyes. “I called Daddy two days ago. Momma was at her book club. We’re shorthanded. Amy quit on us. She is moving to Saint Louis with her boyfriend.”

  “I guess you can’t go to lunch with me then.” He pouted. Mia fiddled with her wallet and put it back in her purse, giving him a polite nod as a greeting.

  “I can’t, but you can bring me something back.” Melanie sighed. She handed Mia her bag. Mia put her purse on her shoulder, ready to head back to her small house. She had plenty of cleaning chores to occupy her day.

  “Hey.” Melanie smiled at them both as if she had gotten a sudden thought. She looked at Abel. “Why don’t you take Mia to lunch at the diner? She is new in town and hasn’t made many friends yet.”

  “Oh no, that’s okay. Becky took me to the diner already.” Mia was totally embarrassed. She felt her cheeks heat up and probably turned red. “I’m sure your brother has plenty of people to want to hang out with.”

  “Not so,” he spoke up, giving her a friendly smile. She wore faded jeans and a loose beige sweater. Why hadn’t she dressed up more, added makeup or jewelry? “I’d love to have lunch with you, Mia, if you can spare the time.”

  “I am off today,” Mia whispered, letting her lashes sweep down and tightening her grip on the shopping bag. She should have said no and left the store. Why was she so weak? “Only if you’re sure.”

  Abel nodded and put his hand on her lower back, moving her toward the front door. “See you later, sis.”

  “Don’t forget to bring me lunch.” Melanie waved with a giggle.

  Mia’s eyes squinted with the bright sunlight. The day was cool but not too cold yet. Abel pointed to his car parked by the front of the store. “Let’s put your bag in there for now. We can walk the three blocks, if that’s okay with you.”

  Mia nodded and handed him the bag. “Sure. It’s such a cool, beautiful day. I can’t wait to see the businesses decorate for Christmas. Becky told me all about it.”

  He put her bag in his trunk and closed it. “It’s something. I think a lot of them like to compete and show off. Plus, we have a parade, too.” They headed for the diner.

  “I love the pretty colors of the trees.” Mia sighed. “I think autumn is my favorite season.”

  “I agree,” Abel replied, walking with her down the sidewalk. “Do you miss New York? Brook Hollow is a drastic change.”

  “Some. I miss being able to pick up the phone and order dinner, but I also like this town. It’s peaceful.” She sighed. Abel nodded to people as they passed by them. He seemed to be a popular man.

  “Everyone smiles at you with such admiration. You must be a good sheriff,” she remarked casually, wondering what he was like behind the polite sheriff’s mask.

  He seemed to think before he answered. “I do my best. I really care about this town. I grew up here and can’t imagine living anywhere else. I want people to feel safe. Some people are mad we haven’t caught the purse snatcher, so my popularity is going downhill every minute.”

  Mia looked up at him as they walked. Not only did he have good looks, but he was caring to his family and the citizens of this small town she was growing to like. Why hadn’t some woman snatched him up yet? He was in his thirties. “You’ll get him, Sheriff.”

  “Call me Abel,” he corrected, looking down at her with a grin she found contagious.

  Some of her nervousness faded and she returned his smile. She might as well enjoy lunch with him today. After this, she probably wouldn’t see him again for weeks as usual. It was as if he hid from her, or maybe that’s how it felt because she constantly looked for him when she was out somewhere, but he ignored her all the time.

  * * * *

  Abel looked at Mia from across the table. Her curly hair was loose and looked like gold with the sun shining on it through the giant wall of windows by their table. She was beautiful in a natural way. What was more dangerous, in his opinion, was that she was also nice. She had a good sense of humor and kept up a conversation with him. He even liked her laugh.

  The diner was noisy and full of people getting a bite to eat for lunch. Many curious people stared at them and he knew they were wondering what was going on. If he had lunch here, it was with Lincoln or Melanie. His dates in the last two years had been very few.

  She picked up a French fry and dipped it in ketchup, drowned it was a better description. He chuckled feeling lighter than he had all day.

  “What?” She looked confused, popping the fry into her mouth.

  “You can’t taste anything but ketchup,” he observed with a shake of his head.

  Mia’s lips lifted up into a semi-smile. “How else you supposed to eat fries?”

  Abel picked up his fork and picked up a fry with nothing on it. He waved it in front of her. “Plain.”

  “Boring.” She rolled her eyes. “Thanks for bringing me, Abel. I know your sister roped you into it.”

  “Not true. I enjoy your company, Mia,” he said honestly, and he did. He felt desire for the blonde beauty but he also liked getting to know her. She had waitressed back in New York and worked as a bartender. She h
ad even tried driving a cab once but hated dealing with the traffic. He hated knowing his lunch hour was over. He wanted to keep hanging out with her. It was risky but he felt an invisible pull to her that he didn’t like feeling. Yet, he also wanted to explore it. Maybe if he knew her better, had sex with her, he’d get over it. He had liked Lydia a lot, too, but nothing about her had been true. She played a part to rope him into taking care of her and her unborn child. He would have respected her motives more if she had been honest with him about the baby. The lie about the baby had crushed him more than discovering Lydia was a liar with no morals.

  He took a deep breath and decided to take a risk. Keeping his mind from thinking about Mia was impossible. He might as well try something new. “Want to see a movie with me later tonight?”

  She looked surprised and her mouth was in the shape of an O. He had to laugh. “Why so shocked?”

  “I didn’t think you liked me in that way.” She almost choked on her sweet tea.

  It was Abel’s turn to be surprised. He thought his emotions showed on his face. He had done a better job at hiding his feelings than he thought.

  “You are a beautiful woman, Mia. Why wouldn’t I like you?” he asked out of curiosity.

  “You’re very polite, but you don’t flirt with me. I thought you were just being nice to the new girl in town,” she replied calmly.

  “Maybe I am not good at the whole flirting and being charming thing.” He arched his eyebrow, pushing his empty plate away from him.

  “Come on. You’re handsome and popular. Surely you date all the eligible ladies in town,” she challenged him.

  He shook his head in denial. “I work and work. But tonight, I would like to take you to see a movie. What do you say?”

  He was relieved when Mia smiled and said yes. His heart thumped loudly in his chest. He hoped he didn’t live to regret this. If Mia wasn’t what she seemed, he’d be so brokenhearted all over again.