Roy barked out a laugh. Danny might have gotten in a chuckle, too. She wasn’t sure, because she left the office without glancing back. Something she should’ve done in the first place. She’d seen Wade’s face flush a dark red, and now she wanted to kick herself. She knew better than to participate in petty stuff like that.
Besides, she still had to work with the guy. And it was possible he’d be named the interim sheriff. If that happened, she’d quit. Find someplace else to lick her wounds.
It was Ben’s fault that she wasn’t herself. He had some nerve asking her to dinner one minute, then taking off with Katy the next. He hadn’t even waited for Grace’s answer. Of course, she hadn’t texted him back after seeing him leave with the brunette. So her dignity remained somewhat intact. But damn it, she’d looked forward to seeing him tonight. Instead, she would end up reading another mystery.
She’d walked the few blocks from The Boarding House to the office, which had been pleasant. The return trip, not so much. She scowled past the bank, the bar and the Salina Gazette office before forcing herself to smile at the next passerby. A minute later, a black truck slowed beside her, the ubiquitous vehicle and color a Blackfoot Falls favorite. She didn’t know who it was until the tinted glass lowered.
“Hey, Hendrix.” Roy hung an arm out the window. “You doing anything later?”
“Why?” She stayed where she was on the opposite sidewalk. “You know it’s a crime to lynch a fellow deputy.”
Roy grinned. “Danny and I are going to The Watering Hole at around six-thirty. Meet us there.”
“What for?”
“A few beers, some pool, whatever. We go twice a month.”
She hesitated, though she didn’t see the harm. Roy hadn’t been a jerk. Wade was on the job, so he wouldn’t be there. She did wonder about Danny but trusted Roy would’ve cleared it with him before asking her.
“Okay,” she said finally. “Six-thirty.”
“Good. I gotta have supper with the wife and kids, but I’ll be there by six forty-five at the latest.”
Grace watched him drive down Main, stopping twice to talk to people on the street before he turned off for the highway. They better not be setting her up for a repeat of last night. Sitting alone and waiting like an idiot wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen...unless Ben showed up with Katy draped over him.
* * *
THE JUKEBOX BLARED extra loud, though the bar wasn’t horribly crowded. Grace liked country music as well as the next person, but she was beginning to wonder if the big antique Wurlitzer had any other selections.
“Hey, Sam!” With his head turned toward the pool players, Roy leaned back and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Sam Miller, get your tail over here and meet the new deputy.”
“Oh, no. Please don’t.” Grace stared at her hands and grabbed her mug. “We’ve already met.”
Roy and Danny exchanged knowing looks and burst out laughing.
“Sam hit on you already?” Roy asked. “I lost count of how many shotguns he’s had pulled on him by pissed-off daddies.”
“Really?” Was he joking? It was hard to tell. “They do that here?”
“Nah, not too often,” Danny said. “I mean, Sam’s had a couple, maybe three run-ins, but that’s it. I had to tell him to stay away from my kid sister.” He shrugged his beefy shoulders and swept back a lock of brown hair that fell across his forehead. “She got mad when she found out. But Lynn’s only nineteen.”
Grace smiled at him. Danny was big and husky, still young himself, maybe twenty-four at the most. And she’d discovered he could be very sweet. “It’s nice that you look out for your sister. I always wished I had a brother.”
“You got only sisters?”
“Nope. Just me.” She saw that Roy was still trying to get Sam’s attention. “If he comes over, I’m leaving,” she warned.
“Ah, he didn’t hear me,” Roy said. “He’s busy shooting pool.”
She sipped her beer and grimaced. It tasted funny. She probably should ask the waitress, Gretchen, for another. But Roy and Danny were drinking the same thing, and they said their beers were fine. Though they’d each downed a shot, too, so maybe their taste buds weren’t so reliable.
Danny motioned for Gretchen to bring another round.
“Not for me,” Grace said. “Two’s enough.”
“Come on...” Danny grinned. “At least do a shot with us.”
She laughed. “Nope. I work tomorrow morning.”
“Just one.” Danny slid Roy a mischievous look.
“No.” She shook her head. “Won’t happen, so forget it.”
A Blake Shelton song ended, followed by another that blasted from the Wurlitzer.
“Where are you going?” Danny asked when she stood.
She suddenly needed to take a moment. It wasn’t that she was dizzy exactly. Or drunk. A tad fuzzy maybe, though she’d eaten dinner before she’d come to the bar. “Does the jukebox take quarters?”
“Yep,” Roy said and reached into his pocket.
“I’ve got it.” Grace gave the table a wide berth. She felt giddy. She never felt giddy. So maybe that was the wrong word. Anyway, she was pleased to be included and was actually having fun.
As a bonus, she’d managed to forget about Ben. Almost. He’d popped into her mind a few times, like now. But she wasn’t pining for him. Figured she’d finally decided to go for it the same time he’d grown impatient and moved on.
A tall, dark-haired cowboy she’d never seen before walked out of the back room and gave her a smile and a once-over. She peeked at his butt as he passed. Not as nice as Ben’s behind, but the guy still looked good.
He stopped and turned. “Do you play pool?”
“No,” she said, hoping he hadn’t caught her checking him out. “Never tried.”
“I can teach you.”
Grace laughed. “Okay.” She remembered Roy and Danny. “But I can’t tonight.”
“No problem. I’m Jay.”
“Grace.”
“I know.” He had quite a nice smile and a firm handshake. “Why don’t you give me your number and we can set something up?”
It slowly registered that he already knew her name. So of course he knew she was a deputy. He was also holding on to her hand too long. “I come in a couple times a week,” she said, and drew back. “We’ll see each other again.”
He cocked his head and studied her a moment. “You giving me the brush-off, Grace?”
“No. I’m here with people.” She started to look over at Roy and Danny, but couldn’t stand to see if they were watching.
“All right then,” Jay said. “Until next time.”
Surprised at herself, she hurried to the jukebox. She hadn’t actually flirted, but she had shown interest. That wasn’t something she normally did, much less in front of her coworkers. While her personal life was her own business, she wasn’t about to give Roy and Danny ammunition to get under her skin. The tension had finally started to ease. And she wanted to keep it that way.
* * *
BEN LEANED AGAINST the bar, watching Grace while he waited for his drink. Fine, she had plans, but she could’ve at least texted him back. He’d just come from an unsettling conversation with his mother. This time, she’d sat with him. Touched him a lot. Teared up a couple times. Hadn’t avoided his eyes too much, even when he asked about her family, so that was progress. Though she might’ve been lying about having no siblings or contact with her parents. Oddly, he didn’t think so.
Talking about Claudia had been easier. His mom was excited about going to help with her new grandbaby for a month. Most of his visit with her had gone well. Right up until the last five minutes. And then something she’d said jarred him. About when his father had died. Ben had held his tongue, though, not ready to a
ccuse her of contradicting herself when he could be the one confused.
But right now he focused his attention on the two guys sitting with Grace. His first thought was that they must be deputies, but man, they were too out of shape for that. The heavier one looked vaguely familiar.
“Jack Daniel’s. Neat.” Sadie set the glass in front of him. “I assume you want to run a tab.”
Nodding absently, he saw Grace get to her feet. Something was off with the way she moved. He didn’t think she was drunk, but she might’ve lost her footing. She gripped the edge of the table for a moment before walking toward the jukebox.
“So how long are you here for?” Sadie asked as she wiped down the place next to him.
“A couple more days.”
“Quick trip.”
“I’ve got business back in California.” Last night he’d recognized Sadie right away, but he didn’t really know her. She’d owned the bar for as long as he could remember, and any underage kid with half a brain knew to stay clear. If Sadie caught you sneaking a drink, you prayed she’d call the sheriff. “You still keep a bat behind there?”
“Damn right. And a shotgun.”
“Loaded?”
“None of your business.”
Ben smiled. “The two guys sitting with Grace, are they deputies?”
Sadie glanced at the table and nodded. “You should know Roy Tisdale. Probably not Danny. He’s too young. I’m kinda surprised she’s socializing with them. Those boys have been giving her nothing but grief.”
“Grace told you?”
“Nah, she’s not the type to complain. I heard tales from Abe over at the variety store, and I believe him. I get the feeling she’s smarter than all of them put together. They gotta be worried none of them will have a shot at being elected sheriff.”
Sadie moved down to the other end of the bar to refill mugs. Ben turned back to Grace. He’d looked away for only a minute, but that’s all it had taken for some guy to hit on her. For a woman concerned about her image, she didn’t seem too put off.
He glanced at her fellow deputies to see how they were reacting. The waitress had just delivered a round of shots and beer. The second she left, the younger one—Danny—dumped a shot into Grace’s mug. Roy shook his head, but he was just as guilty. He’d kept an eye out to make sure Grace didn’t catch them, and now he was laughing along with his coconspirator.
Stupid bastards. Spiking her beer.
No wonder Grace was so relaxed.
Ben grabbed his drink and joined her at the jukebox. She nibbled at her lower lip, concentrating hard on the song selections. His arm brushed hers and she looked up, startled. When she saw that it was him, her lips lifted in a dazzling smile, and he felt an odd thump in his chest.
“Hi,” she said. “You’re here.”
“I am.” He studied her slightly flushed face. She wasn’t drunk, but she was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol. He wondered how many shots they’d slipped her. “Where am I supposed to be?”
She blinked. “You left with Katy.”
“Katy?”
“You know, Rachel’s friend.”
“Yeah, I know who she is.” As far as Ben knew, Katy and her two friends had left for the Kalispell airport hours ago.
“This morning,” Grace said. “At the Sundance.”
“Ah, okay. Her rental car had a flat tire. I went with her to change it.”
“Oh. I thought—” Grace shrugged. “It’s not important.”
Ben noticed a couple hovering behind them. “Are you finished choosing a song? We got people waiting.”
“Oh, God.” She leaned close enough for him to breathe in the soft scent of her skin. “They’ll probably play more country music.”
“Which you obviously don’t like.”
“I like it fine, but you can overdo anything.”
“Not entirely true.”
Laughing, she wagged a finger at him. “I know what you’re implying.”
Ben smiled. Oh yeah, she was a little tipsy. “How about we move out of the way,” he said, touching her lower back and urging her to the side.
“I’m here with Roy and Danny. They actually invited me. At first, I thought they were mad because Rachel told me about...” Grace glanced around and lowered her voice “...the party for Noah.” Leaning closer, she placed a palm on his chest, proof she was feeling the booze. “Maybe they’ve decided to give me a chance since I’ve met with the McAllisters’ approval.”
“You know what I think?”
She gave him that smile again. “What?”
“They’re a couple of losers who are just bright enough to be nervous about you running circles around them.”
“Don’t say that.” She glanced over at the two men, their gazes glued to her and Ben. “It was thoughtful of them to include me tonight.”
It took all of Ben’s willpower not to yank the jerks out of their chairs and punch their lights out. What stopped him was Grace. She looked so happy. She thought they’d finally accepted her. He didn’t want to burst her bubble. Later, though, he’d make damn sure they never pulled this stunt again.
“How about I walk you back to The Boarding House?”
“I can’t leave. That would be rude. Come join us,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “Though I’m not staying much longer. I work tomorrow.” Blinking at the hand she’d placed on his chest, she slowly lowered it.
“How much have you had to drink?”
“Two beers.” She sounded insulted. “Why?”
Ben shrugged and glanced at the table. Roy and Danny stared at them as if they were watching a damn reality TV show. “I noticed you guys were doing shots.”
“Not me.” Grace shook her head. “Those two are,” she said, looking over her shoulder. “Oh, no, I told them I didn’t want another beer.”
“You don’t have to drink it.”
“No. I won’t.” She turned back to him, worrying her bottom lip, then smiled. “Let’s go.”
She let him take her arm, though she was perfectly fine to walk. In fact, the only sign she was slightly tipsy was that she was relaxed with him. Just the way he wanted her. But even a bastard like him wouldn’t take advantage of her like this.
8
GRACE SHIVERED IN the brisk air and moved closer to Ben. “When do the nights start warming up?”
“I don’t remember. I’d guess by June. You cold?”
“Just a little.” She rubbed her bare forearms and picked up the pace. “You don’t have to walk me back. It’s perfectly safe. I am a deputy, after all.”
“Soon to be sheriff.”
She smiled at him. “I’m an outsider. The odds are against me.”
“But you’re smarter and more experienced than those other guys.”
“You don’t know that.” It was sweet of him to say, though. “I’m also a woman.”
“Huh.” His lips twitched. “I hadn’t noticed.”
Grace laughed and looked up at the dark, overcast sky. Clouds hid half the moon, but she could still see a handful of stars. The stores on this end of Main Street closed by 6:00 p.m. and the only establishment open was the gas station close to The Boarding House. And while the streetlights were few, the lighting was decent.
As they crossed the street and passed the Cut and Curl, she caught her toe on the buckling sidewalk. She righted herself, and didn’t mind that Ben cupped her elbow.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Fine.” Something in his voice made her give him a long, assessing look, but he wasn’t giving away his thoughts. “You don’t think I’m drunk, do you? Because I’m not.” She paused, waiting for a confirmation or denial. “The sidewalk is uneven. It needs to be repaired.”
“Watch out. Here comes ano
ther dip,” he said, tightening his hold of her arm.
“See?” she said smugly. “I hope you showed Katy how to change her own tire.”
Ben looked at Grace and laughed. “Where did that come from?”
“I was thinking about earlier, at the Sundance, when I went to call you for lunch. Your mom had made tacos. I saw Katy get in your Porsche...” Huh. She’d been about to make a point and now it was gone. Poof. She’d lost it.
They reached The Boarding House, and Ben stopped at the porch steps. “Is that why you didn’t answer my text?”
“I was going to after I finished chopping tomatoes. Then I saw you with Katy and I figured dinner was out.” She started up the steps then turned when she realized he hadn’t moved. “Aren’t you—?” She cleared her throat. He’d seemed a bit preoccupied on their walk. Probably had other plans. “Okay,” she said, trying to hide her disappointment. “I guess this is good-night.”
He looked torn. And maybe a little irritable. “I’ll walk you to your door.”
She waved her hand. “Forget it. I’m fine.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t barge my way into your room.”
She didn’t like his defensive tone. Was this about last night? She waited until they entered the small lobby and faced him. “What if I invite you in?”
Ben simply stared at her. No smile, his expression blank, his gaze locked on her face. “Come on.” He slipped a loose arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the hall.
Annoyed and humiliated by his aloofness, she shook free. “Look, if you don’t want to come in, then—”
“Good evening,” he said quietly, and he wasn’t looking at her.
She followed his gaze to a tiny white-haired lady sitting on a wing chair in the corner, who’d glanced up from her knitting. “Don’t mind me,” she said. “I’m just waiting on my husband.”
Grace managed to smile and didn’t object when Ben took her hand. “Just shoot me,” she murmured once they were out of earshot.
Ben chuckled. “She didn’t hear you.”
Anywhere with You Page 8
