“Don’t you think it’s a bit fast, getting this serious about her already?”
“If you want to call a year fast.” Only Kade knew about his night with Skye, and that was only because Kade was both a nosy bastard and astute.
Since his middle brother never slept, he’d caught Tristan doing the walk of shame the next morning. Under interrogation by a highly trained Delta Force operator, Tristan had let Skye’s name slip. When she’d arrived, the new sheriff in town, Kade had put the pieces of the puzzle together. Thus began Kade’s game to amuse himself by flirting with Skye, then standing back to watch Tristan go a little crazy. His brother’s years in Special Ops had apparently given him a wacked sense of humor.
Parker shut off the blender, then turned to him with a frown. “You’ve been seeing her for a year?”
“I wish, but no. I spent a night with her when she came for the sheriff’s job interview. Not that I knew that. I thought she was just passing through.”
“And you’d never see her again.”
Tristan nodded.
“But then she shows up as the new sheriff, so why haven’t the two of you been together all this time?”
“Her choice, not mine. And before you ask, the reason is not my story to tell.”
“What’s your plan then?” He brought his smoothie to the island.
“Romance her. I’m just going to have to do it slowly. Listen, whatever you do, don’t talk about us being a couple to her or that you’ve heard anyone gossiping about us.”
“Gotcha.”
It was probably good Kade wasn’t around. He wouldn’t be able to resist playing matchmaker and meddling. Parker was the quiet brother, especially since returning from Paris. He was the one who didn’t bother anyone and didn’t want anyone to bother him. Well, the artist brother was like that. In his fire chief role, he was a different person. But Tristan trusted him to stay out of whatever was going on between him and Skye.
“Are you still investigating Skye’s apartment fire?” Tristan asked.
“No. I gave my report to Bentley last evening. Our arsonist used gasoline in two different places to start the fire. That’s the most commonly used accelerant by arsonists, next to impossible to know where it came from.”
“I’ll have Bentley check the security cameras at the gas stations around the area. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find someone buying a container of gas that matches the man on the video. By the way, Skye’s going to be staying in the guest room next to Everly until she finds a new place to live.”
“Why not just stay upstairs with you?”
“That would be my preference, but she doesn’t want anyone to know we’re seeing each other, and she doesn’t want Everly to slip up and say something. Like Miss Skylar is sleeping in Uncle Tris’s bed. Just so you know, I plan to sneak her upstairs as often as she’ll let me.”
Every night if he had his way.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Skye found Tristan in the kitchen. “I just talked to DeAnna.”
“Nope. That’s not how we start our day.” He dropped the spatula he was holding on a paper towel. “This is the way we do it.” He walked to her and cupped her face with his hands. After kissing her senseless, he grinned. “Good morning.”
“Okay. Yeah. Good morning.” Wow! She’d never started a morning with a kiss that turned her brain to mush. She could get used to it. But no, that was dangerous thinking. This thing with him was temporary, and she couldn’t go falling in love with him.
He was a favored son. The people of Marsville loved him. If they were a couple and then at some point broke up, those people would blame her, not him. As soon as she found a place to live, she’d put distance between them. Until then, she’d let herself enjoy her time with him.
Just don’t fall in love, Skye. I mean it.
“What did your friend have to say?”
She blinked, realizing she’d zoned out. “Oh, right. She said Danny’s been at work every day. If he did set the fire, he drove straight back to Florida. She never really liked him, so she’s all over spying on him. She said if he’s the one who burned my apartment up, that she’ll make his life miserable.” The next time one of her friends said they didn’t like a man, she was going to listen.
“So we don’t focus on him, but we don’t rule him out either.”
“I guess that leaves Mason.”
“Or someone we’re not aware of.” He’d been busy at the stove while they talked, and he brought a plate over and set it in front of her. “I know you love omelets, but how do you feel about French toast?”