CHAPTER SIX

I shoved the reports away and fell back against my chair with a grunt. My concentration had never been so lacking. There was only one person to blame for this: Zoe. Since I’d run into her earlier in the day, I’d been unable to shake her from my thoughts.

That damned kiss, stuck on replay, wasn’t helping matters much either.

Then there was the situation with her gallery. I’d spoken to a buddy of mine on the force in TC; it was still early in the investigation, but they suspected arson. That had my mind going in an entirely different direction; if — that’s a big if — Zoe wasn’t responsible for setting the fire, who was?

Dragging my hands through my hair, I let out a breath. I only hoped this wasn’t Harper all over again. Not just the danger that followed her to town, my gross misjudgment too. I knew I had to, but keeping an open mind — especially when it came to women — was difficult.

My musings were interrupted by a knock on my door. Turning my attention in that direction, I saw Liam filling my doorway. I grinned at him. “How was your first day of doing nothing?” Well, almost nothing. The old ladies at the salon had claimed that someone had broken in. When we arrived, nothing was taken, and no doors or windows were broken.

Knowing them, they merely wanted to get a good look at the new Deputy. I almost felt sorry for Liam. Almost.

“It was different, that’s for sure.” He checked his watch. “I’m heading out for the day.”

My brows furrowed. Was it end of shift already? Time flies when you’re reliving kisses and thinking of troubled hazel eyes, apparently. I pushed to my feet and rounded the desk. “You got plans tonight?” I asked Liam.

“Nah.”

I locked my service weapon in the safe before grabbing my keys from my desk. “We’re grilling steaks and having a couple of beers at my place. You should come meet the gang.”

Liam nodded tentatively while tapping the frame twice. “Sounds good. Thanks, man.” With that, both of us strolled to the parking lot.

When I slipped behind the wheel of my truck, my thoughts turned to Zoe again. If she was visiting Kenzie, would that mean she’d come too? I didn’t think they would leave her alone at the cabin. How was I going to handle having her in my space?

As I drove down the dirt road that led to my parents’ ranch, I concluded that it would be best if I stopped thinking altogether when it came to Zoe Carlisle. The truck rolled to a stop behind one of the ATVs. Excited to see my baby girl, I jumped out and jogged to the front door.

Just as I lifted my hand to knock on the screen door, Molly came barreling around the corner. “Daddy!” The door flew open, and she launched her tiny body into my arms.

“Hey, baby, how was your day?” Her hands were perched on my shoulders, big sparkling blue eyes staring at me.

“It was Mrs. Johnson’s birthday today, and she brought cake for the whole class.” She then went on to give me all the details of her day at school. The giddiness she exuded was utterly infectious; soon I was grinning and nodding my head with every word she said.

“Daddy,” she paused and took in my shirt. “You weren’t wearing this one this morning.”

I set her on her feet and tapped her nose with my index finger. “Smart girl.” Movement caught my eye. Shifting my gaze, I spotted my dad watching me and Molly, a smile playing on his lips. My attention turned back to my daughter. “My shirt got all dirtied up, so I had to change.” Straightening, I added, “Go get your things while I say hi to Pops.”

Happiness filled my heart as I watched her cheerfully skip away, getting her hair ruffled as she passed Pops, who was walking toward me. “Ain’t nothing can beat that feeling you’re feeling now,” he said when he reached me.

I gripped his hand and pulled him in for a hug. “She’s something special.” Releasing him, I scanned the living room. “Where’s Mama?”

His features turned worried. “Laying down. She had another headache.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I widened my stance. “Pops, I’m worried about the frequency of these headaches. Has she seen the doctor?”

My dad waved me off. “You know your mama. She’s as stubborn as a mule, that woman.” He turned his gaze to a photo resting on the mantel. “She says it will pass, I have to believe she’s right.”

“I’m ready!” Molly came charging into the room.

I gave my dad’s shoulder a squeeze. “Mama is always right.”

 

 

“When are you going to finish that deck?” I joined my younger brother, Logan, at the living room window, where he was eyeing my not-even-close-to-done project.

I brought my beer to my lips and took a long swig before answering him. “When you stop being a lazy ass and come help me.”

He swiped his hand over his beard and laughed heartily. “Did my big brother just ask for help?”

“You’re delusional, I did no such thing.” One side of my mouth lifted into a grin.

He bumped his shoulder against mine. “How ‘bout next weekend?”

“Sounds good.” I took another long swallow from the bottle. “Only us guys tonight, then?”

He made a humming sound, “Yeah, Harper and Lizzy went over to Kenzie’s to talk wedding dresses.” He side-eyed me, his dark eyes glittering with mischief. “I keep tellin’ her she’ll look good even if she wears a burlap bag, but she ain’t havin’ it.”

“Yeah, how dare she want to look all pretty and stuff on her wedding day, right?”

A loud, robust laugh that came straight from his gut filled the room. “When you put it like that—” The rest of his sentence was lost as he brought his beer to his lips.

I turned my attention back to my backyard — my new backyard. A few months ago I’d decided to purchase this piece of land because it was as close to living on the ranch as I was going to get. As much as I loved living in town, it never gave me the same sense of peace as the trees and foliage surrounding my property did.

There was a lot of work to do, but I looked forward to doing it with my family by my side. Out of nowhere, my mind conjured up an image of Zoe, her big hazel eyes peering at me through her dark lashes.

I would have liked to say that I was relieved to hear the women had decided not to come tonight, but that would have been a lie. I’d wanted to see Zoe again, to check whether that sadness that’d veiled her features was still there.

It bugged me to no end that she refused to vacate my thoughts.

Logan’s shoulder bumping mine stopped me from falling deeper down the Zoe-hole. He gave me a questioning look but voiced nothing.

I was on the verge of telling him about her when Brett, Liam, and our youngest brother, Chase, entered the room beers in hand, sports talk heavy. “Are we grilling steaks or staring at the garden like a bunch of girls?” Chase queried.

“What’s wrong with girls, Uncle Chase?”

I loved how my baby girl could make a grown-ass man’s cheeks go red. My brother dropped to his haunches in front of her. “Absolutely nothing,” he explained. “Especially if that girl is you.”

Molly planted her hands on her hips, giving him her best I-don’t-believe-you glare. “Is that why you don’t have a girlfriend, Uncle Chase? You don’t like girls?”

I almost choked on my beer as I tried to stifle a laugh. Next to me, Logan was having the same problem. “Hey! Your dad doesn’t have a girlfriend either.”

“He doesn’t need one,” was her immediate reply. “He has me.”

Laughter erupted as my brother, clearly defeated, straightened and swallowed down most of his drink. Unfazed by everyone’s amusement, Molly padded to where I was standing to ask whether she and Flynn could watch a Spider-Man movie.

When I got back from putting on the movie for them, the boys had already set up the chairs and the grill on the lawn. I took the open seat next to Chase. Leaning back, I took in the scene in front of me. Logan and Brett were in the middle of discussing how much their lives had changed since their women had moved in.

Logan had gotten an instant family when he’d met Harper, which was the silver lining to his black cloud. They had yet to get married, but that was only because Mama would remove his left nut if they didn’t give her a big wedding.

Beside me, Chase and Liam were chatting as if they’d been friends for years. Starting over in a new town had to be daunting as hell, inviting him into our circle of friends had certainly been the right decision.

My gaze traveled to the house and, not for the first time, I wondered how things would have been if Molly had a mom who could guide her through life. What things was she missing out on? I’d seen the way Flynn had come out of his shell, becoming more confident in himself. There was no doubt in my mind that my brother had a hand in that. It also had me wondering if the life I was giving Molly was enough.

“Yo, you with us man?”

I dragged my fingers through my hair, doing my best to seem convincing. “Yeah, just wondering about Mom and these headaches.”

Chase got out of his seat and pulled another round of beers from the cooler box next to the grill. “She always gets them this time of year.” I took the beer he offered, searching his face for a single ounce of concern. There was none. “I’m more interested in the incident at the diner.”

Unscrewing the cap, I frowned at my little brother. “What are you talking about?”

“Well—” He handed drinks to each of the guys before taking a seat again. “Rumor has it you got baptized in coffee.”

Bringing the bottle to my lips, I took a long swallow to hide my groan. “Did the town’s rumor mill run out of gossip topics?”

“What’s this now?” Logan sat up straighter, his lips lifted into a grin.

Much to my dismay, Chase recited what had happened at the diner that morning, even adding that I’d stormed off. I had a suspicion that Lizzy might have been the one gossiping today. “—apparently, Kenzie’s friend was on the receiving end of Eli’s colorful mood.”

“Who, Zoe?” Brett asked. When Chase nodded, he added, “She didn’t say anything this morning.” He went on to tell us about the fire I already knew about, and that Zoe would be staying for a while. Great. That was exactly what I needed. With Willow Creek being as small it was, chances were that I’d run into her.

Hopefully whatever spell she’d put on me would have worn off by then.