I couldn’t help but chuckle. She was right. While it was humiliating at the time, it had turned into a pretty damned good story after a while.
“How were we supposed to know Pastor Carlisle had a whole big baptism thing going on that morning at the waterfront?” I asked through my tears.
I heard a woman’s voice behind me. “You talking about that time my brother begged God to save his ass, and not in the salvation kind of way?”
I turned around and saw the almost grown up version of a young woman I hadn’t seen in years. “Sassy Wilde? That you?”
She held out her hands and twirled. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her dimpled face was covered in a light smattering of Wilde freckles. She wore faded blue jeans, a hot pink hoodie, and worn-down cowboy boots. “The one and only,” she said.
“Holy crap,” I said before I could stop myself. “When the hell did you grow up? Jesus, woman.” I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. “God, it’s good to see you. You were tiny when I saw you last, all chicken legs and buck teeth.”
“Gee, thanks, sweet-talker,” she replied with a laugh. “Here I thought you’d turned into someone mature enough to be our new sheriff. Must be mistaken, right, Luanne?”
Lu shot Sassy a wink. “He’s doing okay despite being a newborn baby. How’re you, sweetheart? How are things at the doctor’s office? Goldie said you’d been helping out manning the reception area for West.”
“Yeah, fine. Not super-thrilling, but it’s just temporary anyway. Enough about me. Walker, when are you going to come by the ranch for family dinner? I know everyone’s dying to see you. Your dad’s been about to bust a gut ever since you took the job and moved back.”
“Um, your brothers back yet? I heard they got out of the navy,” I said, trying to be cool.
Sassy narrowed her eyes at me. “Otto got in last night, and you’d better go see him soon before he whips himself into a frenzy.”
My stomach churned with nerves. “What do you mean?”
She rolled her eyes. “Soon as he found out who the new sheriff was in town, his eyes just about bugged out of their sockets. My brother plays his shit pretty close to the vest, as you know, but damned if he didn’t blush the color of Miss Luanne’s eyeglasses at the mention of your name and Hobie in the same sentence.”
I closed my eyes for a second and breathed. Otto Wilde was somewhere nearby waiting for me. My hands shook so violently I prayed I wouldn’t have to show them to anyone anytime soon.
I opened my eyes again and looked at Luanne. “What time did you say I have that youth club thing?”
I wasn’t sure I’d ever been so terrified of seeing someone in my entire life.
He was going to hate me. And rightly so.
Chapter 2
Otto
Wilde Man,
It’s only October and I think I might freeze to death. You ever had to wear a parka? They suck. There’s nowhere to put the damned things. And everyone is stupid friendly here—it’s annoying as hell. Everywhere we go, someone’s mom is serving something called Hot Dish. It’s basically tater tots mixed with whatever the fuck. Gross.
You know how I always loved my brother Ross and looked up to him? Well, I hate him now. Mom and Dad said we moved up here to stay close to Ross while he was in school. Can you believe the reason for the move is my fucking brother? I hate him.
Okay, fine. I still love him. But he’s an ass.
Some girl named Mo keeps making flirty eyes at me, and every time I come around her and her friends, there’s this big giggle fest. I’m biding my time before making The Big Gay Announcement. Wonder what poor Mo will think when I tell her the only tits I like sucking on are yours?
Miss you, fuckface.
Walker
It hit me completely out of the blue. After returning to Hobie, I’d expected to see the same old faces—mostly my crazy family. But then someone mentioned the new sheriff, and I almost dropped my beer all over Doc and Grandpa’s kitchen floor.
“Say what now?” I croaked, barely escaping falling on my ass when I whipped my head around to find out who’d said it.
It was Christmas night, and Saint and I had gotten into Hobie too late to join in on the presents and the big meal. We were all sitting and standing around the huge open kitchen and family room picking at leftovers and dessert.
My brother Hudson repeated himself. “Yep, Sheriff Walker. And don’t think we haven’t already made all kinds of jokes about Texas Rangers.”
Everyone laughed about it while my entire fucking world lurched.
“He… what? When? Walker? Seth Walker?” I’d stammered. “My Seth? Here in Hobie? Right now?”