“And are those two exes?”
Jade watched as the sheriff sat in the booth, much to Alana’s discontent. The red-headed woman crossed her arms and pursed her lips at the intrusion of the sheriff’s presence.
“Exes?” Jade repeated. “No. I don’t think so. They’re just two people who really don’t get along.”
“Or they get along too well.” Parker wiggled his brows.
Jade shook her head. “No, no. There’s no way those two would ever end up together.”
“You know what they say about that line between love and hate.”
“Enlighten me,” she said.
“It’s very thin. Maybe if they just …” he stopped short. “Nope. You know what? It’s none of my business. I am not gonna get roped into this small-town gossip thing.”
Jade threw her head back with a laugh. “It’s too late. You are in it now, mister.”
“I’m in it because people are talking about us. Not because I am participating.” His eyes cut to a table of high school kids sharing a few orders of fries and milkshakes.
Emily, the young waitress who was taking more and more shifts at the diner now that school was over, was definitely steering clear of her peers. Jade had noticed, but she was surprised that Parker had also noticed.
“You’re a very perceptive man,” she commented. “It’s a nice quality to have.”
He shrugged, but she noticed that there was color on his cheeks. “It comes with the territory of being in security. You gotta get really good at reading people and situations.”
“You said you started in high school, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah. That’s right.”
“Did something happen to make you a bit more interested in how people behaved?”
Parker frowned, and the corner of his eyes dipped every slightly with a heavy sadness.
“Ah, shit,” she said. “Sorry if I stepped in it. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, no. It’s okay. I guess I just didn’t expect you to be that perceptive either.” He gave her a small smile. “Is there something that madeyoumore perceptive?”
“I don’t think so. I think I’ve just always been good at getting a read on people, but my coworker Pippa has one hell of a horror story. She is always drilling into me that I can’t trust people.”
“Pretty cynical, but yeah. I would agree with Pippa.”
“Not many people have been left by their spouses as she has. I don’t know if her ex-husband has ever seen or held their youngest.”
“That’s just terrible. He can’t be any kind of man if he doesn’t take his responsibilities.”
“Pippa would be glad to hear you say so.”
Jade was just about to say that maybe he should ask Pippa out for a coffee, but she didn’t actuallywantto suggest that. If Parker was going to be drinking coffee with anyone, it should be her.
Where the hell isthatcoming from?
Jade didn’t want to wonder too much because then she would have to admit that she was enjoying hanging out with Parker.
And honestly? She wasn’t ready for that …
NINE
PARKER