“Hey, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you trick her into renting a place to Charlie and leave me out of it?”
“No way. Rayleen’s my boss. She can fire me. She can’t fire you.” Jenny nudged his half-empty beer. “That beer’s on the house if you do it.”
“One beer? I haven’t been out of work that long. I’m not desperate.”
“One beer and the gratitude of Deputy Nate Hendricks. That could come in handy. A cop on your side. And think of your old friend Charlie!”
Yeah. Cute little Charlie. She needed a place to stay. And the Stud Farm was one of the few cheap, nice options in this tourist town. “Shit,” he muttered.
“Yea!” Jenny cried, confident she’d won him over.
Walker shook his head and scrubbed a hand through his hair. It was too long and starting to curl over his collar. He’d meant to shave his beard and get a cut weeks ago, but now it was turning cold and he couldn’t bring himself to shear any of it. Still, it would’ve given Nicole less of a hold if he’d gotten rid of it.
He downed the rest of his beer. “I’m not going to lie to an old lady. But I’ll do what I can, all right?”
“All right. Thanks. You’re the best, Walker.”
“That’s what they say.”
“You’re also incorrigible. Good thing, because here comes Rayleen.”
He grimaced and nudged his glass toward Jenny. “Free refill?”
“I thought you weren’t desperate.”
“I’m not. I’m scared.”
“All right,” she laughed. “Free refill. After you pull it off.”
Walker took a deep breath and turned with a grin to meet the harmless-looking white-haired woman. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite landlord. Hey there, Miss Rayleen.”
“Turn back around, Walker,” she snapped. “I wasn’t finished looking at your ass.”
“I’d think you’d have it all mapped out by now. You look often enough.”
“There’s no such thing as enough when it comes to a fine piece of tush, fool.”
“Why, thank you, ma’am.” His smile came more easily now. He really did love this menace of a woman. “I was just asking Jenny here where you were hiding.”
Rayleen raised a silver eyebrow and settled into her normal seat at a table at the corner of the bar. “You finally decided to up your cougar game? Ten-year age difference no longer a challenge?”
Walker felt his cheeks heat a little at that. Was she talking about Nicole? Did everyone know? But he shook it off. She was kidding, and if he didn’t want to own up to his actions, then he’d do better to behave well in the first place. “Nope. I wanted to ask about the apartment across from mine. Is it still vacant?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe. Why?”
“My old friend Charlie is looking for a place.”
“Hmph. Just how old a friend is Charlie? Some dried-up cowhand?”
“Nope. My age, give or take.”
Her eyes sparked with more interest now. “Yeah? Is he a cowboy?”
“No. More of a security expert, I believe. Works at a resort.”
She stuck a cigarette between her lips and let it dangle there. He’d never actually seen her smoke one. She just liked having them on hand, apparently. Her gaze darted down his body and then back up. “How tall is he?” The cigarette bobbed.
Walker cleared his throat and shifted. “Aw, hell, Rayleen. I don’t know. Shorter than I am.”