“Don’t look at me. I tried to pay for a trip to the Caribbean; you know how stubborn she is.”
“Hey! I’m right here. And we are going to wait until the season slows so that Cliff can close his shop.”
“And what if you’re already pregnant,” Dylan asked, the same question on Preston’s lips.
“Oh,” she exclaimed, looking at her husband. “I hadn’t thought about that.”
“It’s fine. We’ll stay close by,” Cliff told her, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her lips.
Preston would never lead on that watching his friends fall in love had been like a knife thrusting in his chest repeatedly. He thought one day he’d have that, but that dream was washed away by his own doing.
Finishing their lunches, his friends at the table dispersed, leaving him to catch up on the national news with the paper. Though Alexis’ case had been closed, he kept a close eye on any missing girl and drug trafficking cases. The FBI hadn’t been able to take out her father’s sector in the cartel, just put a kink in it.
“Cassidy!” Sydney shouted as the bell above the door chimed. “I thought you were on tour with Harlan?”
“I am. We’re just passing through. But guess who finally decided to pack her bags and move here?”
“Who?”
Yes, who? Preston wondered, his attention pulled away from the paper and now focused on Cassidy. As Sheriff, he made it a point to know who every person was that step foot in his town.
“Shelly. Can you believe it? I need help finding her a place to stay. She’s showing up tomorrow.”
Oh no. If there was one woman capable of unraveling him, it was that woman. She was smart, beautiful, and had a mouth like a sailor. He had been drawn to her the few times that she had visited even from the shadows. No one seemed to realize that he had kept his distance for a reason. It was a secret he hoped he would take to his grave.
Despite his reservations, he couldn’t stop the words before they rolled out of his mouth.
“I can help.”
“Really?” Cassidy cried out, her head whipping toward him. The long blonde waves smacking her in the face. Preston noticed that Sydney’s eyes were just as wide in surprise.
He was the Sheriff, after all, it’s not like he wasn’t usually the first one to jump up and help someone in need. Truthfully, it kind of irked him that the two women seemed so surprised to hear his offer.
“Yes, really.” Now that he had a moment to think about the situation, Preston realized how good of an idea it really was. Except for the fact that Shelly would be closer than ever before.
Cassidy approached his table and leaned over so that she could read him. “What suggestion do you have, Sheriff?” she said snidely. He and Sydney may have formed a friendship, but he knew that many of her siblings like Cassidy were less-than-thrilled that he had infiltrated their town.
“I have a small cabin on my property that she is welcome to stay in. It has two-bedrooms and I recently updated the plumbing and electrical.”
Cassidy seemed taken aback as he described the cabin he had found two summers ago tucked just on the outskirts of the property that he had purchased just weeks earlier. The realtor seemed just as surprised.
“Really?” she questioned, more sincerely.
“Yeah, it won’t be a problem. I have some time this weekend I can paint and add some furnishings if that would help.” So he’d have to cancel his date tonight and his solo fishing trip tomorrow, but doing something for Shelly was nowhere close to what she deserved from him.
“Why are you doing this?”
Ah, there was the skepticism. He should have known she wouldn’t believe he was being altruistic. To Cassidy and most of her family, Preston was a less-than-noble scumbag that had almost killed their sister. Of course, if Sydney could move past it, he didn’t know why her siblings had such a tough time. It’s not like he had intended his undercover work to affect anyone the way it had.
“Because you asked for help and I took that to mean any of the people in this fine establishment could assist. I just happen to have property available and thought to offer it up.” He knew he was giving a bit of attitude with his reply, but it couldn’t be helped. Apparently, Cassidy noticed as well as the corner of her mouth tilted upward. He had almost earned a smile.
“Well, I will take you up on the offer. Do you have a rent amount in mind?”
“I have no idea; whatever she thinks is reasonable is fine. The cabin is just sitting there. But I’ll clean it up this weekend.”
From around the corner, Sydney offered hers and Dylan’s assistance, which seemed to appease her sister. And as the forceful woman nodded, leaving him alone at the bistro table, he was shocked that within the span of five minutes, he was now not only the Sheriff of Carson but also a landlord.
It seemed that he had one more pitstop to make before heading back to the office. He needed to stop by the hardware store and grab a few cans of paint. If only he could throw a few fresh coats on this mess of his life.