“Are you going to run for sheriff again?” she asked, hoping to change the subject.
“I haven’t made up my mind yet. I love the job, but I’d also like to make the ranch into something again. My parents raised cattle for beef. I’m not interested in that so much but maybe instead, raise and sell horses. I need something to do when I retire someday.”
Tessa let out a relieved breath that he’d gone along with her change of subject. “You need to make a decision soon, Sam. The election is November and you’ll need to campaign.”
“I know. I’ll probably run again. I’m just thinking of what to do. Maybe something will happen and it will make my decision.”
****
A few days later, Sam got what he’d wished for—something that would help him make his decision about running. Sitting at his desk filling out paperwork, he glanced up and saw Rick standing in the doorway looking uneasy. Sam tossed his pen down and leaned back in his chair. When Rick still didn’t say anything, Sam raised an eyebrow at him.
“Problem, Rick?” Sam frowned at the worried expression on his deputy’s face.
Rick moved into the room and took a seat in the chair across from the desk. Sam began to feel uneasy, especially when Rick cleared his throat and glanced around the room then back to Sam.
“I’m going to run for sheriff,” Rick announced without his gaze actually meeting Sam’s eyes.
Sam was stunned. “What did you just say?” He sat forward, laid his arms on the desk, weaving his fingers together, and narrowed his eyes at Rick.
“I’m running for the office, Sam. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
“I thought we were friends, Rick. Other than you being my deputy, and one of my best ones at that, I thought we were friends.”
“We are, Sam. This has nothing to do with friendship. It’s just something I want. I’ve wanted to be sheriff long before you came back. I was going to run against Jefferson but you decided to…and I knew I couldn’t win against you…then.”
Sam sat back, clasped his hands across his stomach, and smirked at Rick. “And you think you can now?”
Rick stood quickly. “Actually, I think I have a hell of a shot at it.”
Rising slowly from his chair, Sam placed his hands on the desk leaning forward, and stared at him. “You’d better hope you win. Otherwise, you’ll be out of a job.” He sat back down, picked his pen up, and went back to his paperwork. “Now get to work. I’m busy.” He didn’t raise his eyes as Rick left the office.
Once Rick left, Sam swore softly. He couldn’t believe Rick was going to run against him in November. Feeling the walls seeming to close in on him, Sam knew he had to get out of the office. He stood, then headed out the door, grabbing his hat along the way.
Betty Lou glanced up at him. “Are you going out, Sam?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I’ll call you if I need you or anyone else does,” she said in a matter of fact tone.
“I’ll be back in a while.” He stepped outside and took a deep breath of fresh crisp fall air.
Son of a bitch! Of all the people he had to worry about running against him, Rick hadn’t been one of them. Sam glanced toward the animal hospital and knew he needed to see Tessa. Crossing the street, he followed the sidewalk without looking up at anyone. When he reached the entrance, he entered the hospital, and ambled up to the counter.
“Hi, Jodi. Is Tessa busy?” He smiled at the teenager and saw a blush darken her cheeks.
“Let me check. I know she just finished a surgery.” Jodi picked up the phone and called Tessa’s office. After hanging up, she gazed up at Sam. “She’ll be right out.”
“Thank you.” Sam moved away from the counter and nodded to the two women sitting together in the waiting room with their pets. He knew they were talking about him since they kept glancing at him, smiling, and whispering. Finally, Tessa came from the back and greeted him with a smile that made his heart skip a beat.
“Hi, Sam…so what are you doing over here this time of day?” Tessa moved to stand in front of him blocking the view of the two women who already had their heads together. He appreciated the move and that she was acting very professional, but he needed the ease of being alone with her right now.
“I-I—” He stopped, glanced over her shoulder at the two women, then Jodi, and then back to Tessa. “Can we go to your office?”
Tessa raised an eyebrow. “Of course.” She looked over to Jodi. “Please hold any calls for me, Jodi.”
Jodi nodded at her and smiled up at Sam. “No problem, Doc Mac.”
Sam looked at Jodi and smiled then followed Tessa to her office. Once inside, he wrapped his hand around her arm and turned her to face him then pulled her into his arms to hold her.
Tessa pulled back from him and gazed up at him. “What’s wrong, Sam?”
Taking his hat off, he ran his fingers through his hair then resettled his hat and huffed out a frustrated breath. “Rick just told me he’s going to run against me in the election.”
Tessa gasped with wide eyes. “Why would he do that?”
“He said it’s something he’s always wanted. I have to admit that I’m in shock. I’m sorry to bother you but I just needed to get out of there. I was standing outside when I looked down this way and knew I had to see you.” He pulled her back to him and held her tight. Her arms wrapped around his waist.
“I’m sorry, Sam. I know you and Rick are friends, and this has to hurt. So…I guess this means you are definitely running again.”
“Yeah, I guess I am. I hadn’t realized how much I still want the job until Rick said he did. I just can’t get over it. Of all the people to worry about running against me, I didn’t expect him. I can’t help but feel betrayed. I thought he was a friend.” Sam shook his head but when he felt Tessa tense in his arms, he tried to read her expression. She gave him a quick kiss.
“You’ll win, Sam. You’re a great sheriff. Clifton loves you,” Tessa told him with a nod and a smile.
Sam shook his head. “I hope so. You know what, I really like the job, but if I lose then I’ll run the ranch instead.”
“Could you go back to the Marshals?” Tessa tilted her head back to look up at him.
“Not if it means not seeing you,” Sam whispered.
Tessa’s eyes widened then she stood on her toes and kissed him. “You’re a wonderful man, Sam Garrett.”
Sam leaned down and put his lips close to hers. “Sheriff Sam Garrett.” He captured Tessa’s laughter with his mouth. Her arms circled around his neck and he lifted his lips from hers.
“Are you going to be able to come out to the ranch after work? We can stargaze some more—or make-out.” He winked at her.
She laughed. “I can’t. I’ll need to check on the dog I just did surgery on. I had to amputate her front leg, and she’ll be in pain when she wakes from the anesthesia. She should sleep most of the night but I want to make sure everything’s all right.”
“I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand.” Sam sighed. “I need to get back to the office. I just needed to hold you for a minute.”
“I got it. You needed a hug, Sam.” Tessa laughed.
Sam muttered under his breath. “If you say so.” He kissed her quickly and left her office.
When Sam strolled back through the doors of the sheriff’s department, he felt better. Just being near Tessa did it for him every time. Anytime he was feeling bad, all he had to do was be close to her and it went away.
“Nothing happened while you were gone,” Betty Lou told him glancing up at him.
Sam halted and stared at her. “I figured that out when you didn’t call me.”
“Don’t take that attitude with me, Sam Garrett.” Betty Lou huffed, and then frowned at him. “What’s got your panties in a wad?”
“Did you seriously just ask me that?” Sam narrowed his eyes.
“I did.” She stood. “You were fine earlier, then Rick comes out of your office like he’s ma
d at the world and you ain’t far behind him. He storms to his desk and you storm out the door.”
“I did not storm out the door.” Sam rolled his shoulders. “I went to see Tessa for a moment.”
“That’s nice. She obviously put you in a better mood.”
“Betty Lou…” Sam started.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ll mind my own business. But there’s a reason you went to see her in the middle of the day. None of us are blind, Sam.”
“I have work to do,” Sam mumbled and strode back to his office to take a seat at his desk. Once there, he leaned back and stared at the wall.
What would he do if he lost the election? Could he actually make the ranch profitable again? His parents had raised cattle for beef and even though the ranch wasn’t quite as large as the Morgan ranch, it had done all right.
Sam shook his head. He couldn’t think like that. There was no way he’d let Rick beat him in the election. He hadn’t realized how much he wanted to remain sheriff until Rick told him he was running against him. Sam was the Sheriff of Clifton County and he intended to stay that way. He mentally groaned when he looked up to find Betty Lou standing in the doorway. Sam leaned back in his chair.
“What now?”
Betty Lou moved into the room and closed the door then she took a seat in the chair across from him. “What’s wrong Sam? I’ve known you since you were in diapers and I know when you’re mad or upset about something.”
Sam ran his hand around the back of his neck because he could feel the muscles tensing up there. “I suppose you’ll find out soon enough. Rick’s running against me for sheriff.”
Betty Lou stared at him. “Why? Why would he do that?”
Sam shrugged. “He has the right to run. I hate that we’re going against each other but there will be others too.”
“You’ll win, Sam. There’s no one who could run against you and win.” Betty Lou stood. “You’ll see.” She opened the door and walked out.
Sam hoped she was right. This town was his home, and it was his job to protect it and the people in it. As long as he was sheriff, Clifton would be safe. He’d stake his life on it.
****
Tessa hated sleeping at the hospital but she wanted to be close to her patient, a dog who had to have emergency surgery. The sofa in the back office was the only place to sleep unless she slept on the floor. Tessa sighed. The floor was not an option so the sofa it would be.
Before closing up tonight, she retrieved a blanket and pillow from her apartment and upon returning to the hospital that evening, she’d tossed them onto the sofa. Now that everyone had left, she made sure the doors were secure. Although she’d done this plenty of times, she really despised it. Even with several animals there, it was eerily quiet. She knew she could have asked one of her techs to do it, but if something went wrong Tessa needed to be here and she’d never ask anyone else to do it anyway. She enjoyed taking care of the animals but wasn’t thrilled about spending the night here.
After making sure everything was secure, she headed down the hall to check on Sheena, the dog with the amputated leg. Silently, she pushed the door open to the recovery room and stepped in, then squatted down and peered into the cage. Sheena gazed up at her with sad eyes.
“Hello, pretty girl. I just want to make sure you’re feeling all right,” Tessa said softly as she opened the door to examine the dog. Sheena whimpered and licked her hand. “Aww, girl, I’m so sorry. I’ll get you some pain meds.”
Tessa retrieved the medication and administered it through the IV. As she watched, Sheena closed her eyes and slept. As Tessa quietly left the room, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket.
Oh, please no emergency calls tonight.
“Doctor McGuire,” she said when the call connected.
“Hello, Doctor McGuire. Sheriff Sam Garrett here.”
Tessa bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Just what can I do for you…Sheriff?” she asked in a sultry voice but ruined it by laughing when Sam groaned.
“Damn it, Tessa. Don’t ask me something like that when you’re there and I’m here,” Sam muttered.
“When the sheriff calls, it usually means he, uh…wants something.”
Sam’s chuckle came over the line. “Oh, I want something all right. I want you.”
Now it was Tessa’s turn to groan. “Sam…”
“And that right there is what gets me,” Sam whispered. “I’m going to hang up now, Tessa. I just wanted to tell you if you need me, call me.” He hung up without giving her a chance to answer that she’d always need him.
You are playing with fire, Tessa. You are in so deep and he’s going to hate you when he finds out that you’ve done nothing but lie to him. You have to tell him!
She stared at the phone. She’d fallen in love with this man and it was all built on a lie. Then again, she could only hope that if he loved her the way she did him that he would understand.
She hoped. The alternative—losing him forever—was what terrified her.
****
By the end of October, Sam was so tired of campaigning, he wanted to say the hell with it all and let someone else be sheriff. It had started with three other men running against him. Now it was down to him and Rick. Sam swore, picked up his coat, and strode from his office. Betty Lou gazed up at him as he entered the lobby.
“You all right, Sam?” she asked him with a worried furrow of her brow.
“Yes. Just restless, I suppose,” he told her knowing she meant well with her concern.
“You’ll win, Sam.”
Sam turned to look at her. “You think so?”
“Not a doubt in my mind. You made Rick look like he didn’t know what he was doing at the town meeting last night.”
Sam smiled thinking she was right. “It’s not my fault he didn’t know how to answer about how dangerous Copper Ridge is.”
Betty Lou laughed. “You did, though. I’m proud of you. You’ll win.”
“You just want me to win so you’ll have a job,” he teased.
“There is that.” She laughed and then sobered. “Only a few more days, Sam.”
“I know. I feel confident, but you never know.”
Betty Lou stood. “I know, Sam Garrett. You’re going to win.”
“I hope you’re right, Betty Lou. I’m going to lunch. Do you want anything?”
“No, thank you. Bobbie Jo is bringing me lunch.”
“All right. I’ll be back in an hour. Call me if you need me.”
“Sam?”
“Yeah?” He turned to look at her.
“I’m real happy about you and Tess.”
“So am I, Betty Lou.” He gave her a salute and walked outside.
Damn, it was cold and it seemed like summer had just been here. Had he only been seeing Tessa since July? A little over three months yet it seemed longer. As if she’d always belonged to him. The cold wind blew his coat open as he walked down the street to the diner. Entering the warm aromatic eatery, everyone called out to him. Grinning, he gave a wave and took a seat at the counter.
“Burger and fries, Sam?” Connie asked him with her usual smile.
“Please.”
Setting a glass of water down in front of him, she yelled his order through the window behind the counter to the cook. Sam swiveled around and his eyes scanned the room settling on a stranger in a back booth. It was nothing new for strangers to be here in the summer months since the Clifton Bed and Breakfast had opened, but it was a little unusual to see a stranger this time of the year. Of course, the man could just be passing through. He watched him for a moment or so but the man just seemed to be enjoying his meal. A few minutes later, Sam spun back around on the stool when Connie set his meal down on the counter. He picked up the burger and bit into it. Connie stood at the counter staring at him so he winked at her, making her laugh as she walked away. She always waited to see if he liked his burger. Glancing to the door when the bell above it rang announcing a new customer, he grinned at Wyatt St
one who took the seat beside him.
“Hey, Sam. Ready for election day?”
“No. I hate the waiting.”
Wyatt chuckled. “You got this, no problem. There’s no way Rick’s going to beat you.”
“I hope to hell you’re right, Wyatt.” Sam raised his eyebrow. “Where’s that beautiful wife of yours?”
“Why is it that’s always the first thing people ask me?”
Sam chuckled. “Because we like to give you a rough time. Hell, you know Liv is only interested in you.”
Wyatt grinned. “Damn straight, but she does seem to have a crush on you. What about you? Where’s that beautiful veterinarian of yours?”
Sam chuckled. “Working. I’ll see her later tonight.”
Wyatt glanced up at Connie. “Burger and fries for me, Connie. Olivia wants a fried chicken salad with ranch dressing.”
“So Liv is meeting you here? Is she bringing Caleb?” Sam asked. He had to admit he’d like to see the little fella.
“No, Emma has Caleb. Olivia wanted to do a little shopping. She stopped in Paige’s on the way here.” He wiggled his eyebrows. Paige’s was a lingerie shop known for its racy underwear.
Sam burst out laughing. “Why? It’ll just end up on the floor.”
Wyatt chuckled. “Yeah, but getting it to the floor is the fun part.”
He and Wyatt were still laughing when the door opened and Olivia entered. She narrowed her eyes at them when they stopped laughing and glanced away from her.
“Why do I get the feeling I was the topic of conversation just now?” she asked taking a seat on a stool beside Wyatt.
“Probably because you were, sweetheart,” Wyatt said smiling then nodded at the bag she set down at her feet. “What did you buy me?”
Sam chuckled. “He just wants to see what he’ll be taking off you later.”
“I believe you’re right, Sam,” Olivia said laughing before leaning in to give Wyatt a kiss.
Sam was about to comment further when his cell phone rang. “What’s up Betty Lou?” Sam answered, listened then stood and paid Connie as he held the phone to his ear. He swore, told her he was on the way, and hung up.
Sam Men of Clifton, Montana Book 7 Page 12
