“Hi, I’m Kiesha.” The other woman stepped up to her, holding her hand out.
Marisol shook it. “Marisol. Nice to meet you.”
“Get you a drink or anything?” Kiesha asked. “Got a stash of cookies I keep hidden from the boys. Working with five guys, you learn to hide food quick.”
“You work at that new spa in town, huh?”
“Oh. Yes.” How did she know that?
“Gossip runs rampant in this town,” Kiesha told her. “Not much happens that I don’t know about.”
“You know how I feel about gossip, Kiesha,” Ed told her sternly as he returned.
Kiesha rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, boss man. Heard it all before. Nice to meet you, Marisol. I’ll come get my nails done on my next day off and we can have a proper chat without the boss man listening in.”
Marisol watched her saunter away, confidence in her every step. What it must be like to be so sure of yourself, to not be afraid or measure each word. “Wow, she’s . . .”
“A brat,” Ed told her.
“Um, are you allowed to say that about an employee?”
He snorted. “I’ve known her for years. Our mothers were friends. She’s never forgiven me for spanking her when she was sixteen and I caught her at a party, drinking.”
“You . . . you spanked her?”
“Sure did. She deserved it. She was hanging with the wrong crowd, getting into trouble, worrying her parents. So I stepped in and got her attention. Unfortunately, she’s been pissed at me ever since.”
Marisol took a step back, away from the sheriff. Just when she was starting to let her guard down with him, he went and said something like that.
Ed narrowed his gaze and held up his hands. “Whoa, sweetheart. Don’t give me that look. I’m not about to start accosting you. Or anyone else for that matter. I apologize for scaring you. I’ve known Kiesha a long time and people around here know that the two of us can be like oil and water. I would never hit her or abuse her. This happened a long time ago, remember.”
She swallowed heavily. “So you wouldn’t spank her now?”
“No, I wouldn’t.” He eyed her curiously. “Being with Linc, I didn’t think hearing about a spanking would worry you.”
“What does that mean?” she asked, confused.
He ran his hand over his face. “I’m talking out of turn and you’ve been through enough tonight. Why don’t you come sit down in my office and you can tell me what happened tonight to send you running in the dark and cold?”
She shook her head. “I want to go.”
“And where are you gonna go?”
“I don’t know. To the motel, I guess.”
He glanced over at the clock. “The reception desk closed an hour ago, sweetheart.”
What? Seriously? Damn it.
“I’ll call a friend, get them to come get me,” she lied.
He crossed his arms over his wide chest and gave her a rather formidable look as he leaned back against one of the desks. “Oh yeah? What friend is that?”
“Nobody you know,” she snapped.
“Sweetheart, I know everyone in this town. And you would do well not to lie to me. Until you have somewhere safe to go, I can’t let you leave.” His voice was gentle but firm.
“You can’t just keep me here!” He couldn’t, right?
He gave her a look that wasn’t unsympathetic. “Come into my office. My deputies headed in and had a chat with your aunt. She was co-operative and turned the music down. But I’ve told them to wait on stand-by. I don’t like this situation. However, I’d really like to know what happened tonight. The full truth.”
She walked behind him in a daze. So many things had happened tonight and she wasn’t certain how much more she could take. Where that point would be where it all became too much. “Your ride should be here soon, anyway.”
“My . . . my ride?” What was he talking about? “You just said you wouldn’t let me leave.” Why was he contradicting himself? And who was her ride?
He pulled out a chair for her and she sat. Her legs were trembling so badly she didn’t think they could hold her up anyway.
“I said you couldn’t leave if you didn’t have anywhere to go,” he explained.
“Why do you care?”
“You live in my town. I look after the people who live here. And you’re in my care right now. I couldn’t let you leave without knowing you were going to be all right.” He sat on the desk. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight from worrying about you.”
“You’re a strange man,” she muttered. “Most men wouldn’t care.”
“Sweetheart, I think that the men you have known aren’t the best examples of how a real man looks after those he cares about.”
Maybe he was right. After all, she hadn’t had the best role models when it came to men. Other than Harry. And she could barely remember him now. All she felt was this warmth in her tummy when she thought of him.
“Who is my ride then?” she asked, although she figured she knew. There could only be one man he would call.
Ed gave her a look. “Linc, of course. Did you really think I wouldn’t call him?”
“I wish you hadn’t. He’s too busy at work to be bothered about this.” She frowned up at Ed.
“I’m never too busy to be bothered by anything to do with you, Mari-girl,” the deep voice came from the doorway.
She turned with a gasp. She hadn’t even heard him enter the building, never mind walk up behind her. She must be more out of it than she’d realized.
Being attacked and having to jump off a balcony and run for your life will do that for you.
He was wearing a plaid shirt and dark blue jeans with a black jacket. There was a slight scruff on his cheeks as though he hadn’t shaved for a day or so. It only added to his appeal. His gaze looked tired as he ran it over her, as though checking her for any harm.
“I’m so sorry you came all the way in, Linc.” She glared up at Ed. “I had no idea that the sheriff called you.”
Ed whistled. “Back to sheriff. Ouch.”
Linc stared down at her with an unreadable look on his face. What was he thinking? That he couldn’t believe how troublesome she was? That he wished he’d never met her?
He strode over to where she was still sitting, then he drew her up and straight into his arms.
“I’ll give you two a minute,” Ed said.
She didn’t even notice the sheriff leaving. She was too engrossed in the feel of Linc holding her tight. He rocked her gently.
“Jesus, teeny. You scared the shit out of me.”
Her eyebrows rose. It was unlike Linc to swear in front of her. But she could hear the fear in his voice. Now she felt even worse.
“You okay? Please tell me you’re okay?”
She was glad for her high-necked sweater. She hadn’t had time to check if there was any evidence of Tiger choking her.
“I’m fine. I promise.”
You should tell him the truth.
“Mostly.”
He growled, tightening his arms around her. “Damn it. Damn it.” He gently let go of her then he arranged the chairs so they faced each other.