Page 28 of Seducing the Sheriff (Charming Butte #2)

Chapter Fourteen

Cash

“Sheriff, are you all right?”

I started at Rosie’s concerned question.

Did she have to catch me with my forehead on my desk.

Had I dozed off? To be honest, I wasn’t sure.

Earlier in the day, I’d caught myself falling asleep standing in the line at Bobcat Stump.

If it hadn’t been for young Wildie running into me and jerking me awake, it could have been embarrassing.

“Sheriff?”

I sighed and raised my head. She held a cup of coffee in her hand. Please God, that was for me. “I’m fine, Rosie. A little tired, is all.”

Her concern cleared and instead I saw an expression I recognized instantly. It was one my mom had perfected. I was going to receive a lecture; I just knew it.

And there it was, aimed at me…the wagging finger. Did moms practice wagging fingers?

“It’s barely five in the afternoon,” she said, her tone disapproving, “and you’re asleep at your desk. When was the last time you had a day off?”

“Uh…” I had to think about that.

When was my last day off?

Rosie huffed, one hand on her hip and the cup clutched to her chest. I looked at it hopefully, but it didn’t come any closer to me.

“When you took Greg to Santa Maria, that’s when. No wonder you’re exhausted.”

Really? That was…I had to count. A month ago? That couldn’t be right. I had to have had time out. Well, yes, in theory. Only every time I booked a day off, something happened and I ended up working.

“It’s been busy,” I managed.

She rolled her eyes, like I’d said something stupid. “You’re right. It’s been too busy and you’re tearing all over the county. When are you going to let your deputies do their job? You don’t have to personally guide every cow home or deliver every baby.”

“But—”

“And I swear—” She plowed on, ignoring my interruption. “—you don’t have to deliver Charming’s own shoplifter home just because you promised his mom you’d keep an eye on him. She’s got a car. She’s more than capable of collecting him from lockup.”

I knuckled my eyes. I did do that, didn’t I? And taking home the livestock, and there had been one more baby over-anxious to come into the world.

“Honest to Betsy, Sheriff, you’ll drive yourself into an early grave, and then how will young Greg feel?”

I glared at her. “That’s a low blow.”

Especially as I hadn’t seen Greg for four days because I’d been working stupid hours and had wanted to crash into bed for the few hours of the night that was left.

The fact I was so exhausted that I’d gone beyond wanting to snuggle up to my gorgeous boyfriend, was more than wrong.

He deserved better. And I needed a cuddle.

Rosie returned my scowl with interest, clearly unrepentant. “What is it with you men. You think you’re invincible or immortal.”

“My mom says the same thing,” I admitted.

“Well, you should listen to her. Moms know these things.” She looked down at the cup, blinking as she seemed to realize what she held. “Here.”

Oh, thank God. I thought I was going to have to fight her to get the precious liquid.

I took the cup and chugged it down. Normally, I’d wait until she left, but I needed the caffeine so freakin’ hard. Rosie stood there, eyes like a hawk fixed on me. I guess she still had something to say. I waited.

“I used to have the same talks with Chief Wally when he was the sheriff,” she said finally.

“You did?”

I couldn’t imagine her lecturing him. I thought she worshiped the ground the old man walked on.

“He was just like you when he was a young man,” she said.

I blinked a little because Chief Wally was older than dirt and Rosie was substantially younger than him. “How long have you worked here?”

She gave me a surprisingly impish grin. “Longer than you’ve been alive, Sheriff. But my point stands. Men like you, good men, run yourself ragged.”

That made me blink even harder. She thought I was a good man.

I’d always assumed Rosie didn’t have a high opinion of me.

Maybe I should make more of an effort with her.

MindMom sighed in my head. I could hear her “Ya think?” all the way from home.

I’d buy Rosie a whole store of peonies tomorrow, no, the day after.

Tomorrow I was going to spend the day with Greg, and hopefully, after a night’s sleep, I’d show my boyfriend how much I loved him.

“You don’t have any meetings left today and I’m going to clear your diary for tomorrow.”

“I’ve got a meeting with Mayor Sandell.”

“The mayor can wait,” she said, her tone firm.

I had no doubt she’d be on the phone to the mayor’s office the second I walked out the door. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the orders to go home came from Liam. He was like that.

“Give me your cup.”

I handed it to her.

“I expect you gone in five minutes or I’ll get Officer Malloy to drive you home.”

I nodded, because seriously, she was right, and I was burning the candle at both ends.

I would end up having a heart attack at forty if I didn’t calm down.

I’d seen too many other cops do the same thing, only to attend their funerals and comfort their grieving widows.

No, I needed to listen to the voice of reason, whoever was saying it.

As Rosie turned, I said, “Thanks, Rosie, and apologize to the mayor for me.”

She grunted. “You’re welcome. The clock is ticking.”

Wearily, I collected my wallet and keys, and stowed my laptop, locking my drawer.

Rosie glanced over to me as I left. “Greg says he’ll have dinner waiting for you and porch time, whatever that is.”

I was conscious of everyone listening into this conversation. Then her words sunk in. “You called Greg?”

“I did.”

She called my boyfriend? I’d never live it down.

“You know I have a mom,” I said, as evenly as possible.

She narrowed her eyes. “And I’m here. Your mom would expect me to take care of you.”

I sighed. I understood. I had to do as I was told. “I’m never introducing you to her,” I muttered.

“I’ve already spoken to her. She agrees with me too. Now get!”

I got.

I took my time getting to Greg’s. I drove home to lock up my weapon, shower and change into the grey/mauve plaid shirt and jeans I wore on our first date together, and then into town in my own truck to pick up a bottle of wine I knew Greg liked because he’d told me.

Usually, I picked up a six-pack of beer, but this time I wanted to bring him something special.

I caught the twinkle in Mary-Beth’s eyes as she scanned the bottle of wine, and I waited for her to make some comment about a night in with my girl—I’d had that conversation before—instead, it was worse.

“Greg loves that wine,” she assured me, her smile bright.

I wasn’t sure whether to smile, hyperventilate, or run. The whole of Charming was about to know what I was doing tonight.

“Yup,” MindMom said. “Do you care?”

And right at the checkout, in the middle of my freak-out, I had a revelation. I didn’t care. They didn’t care and nor did I. I was going to apologize to my man for ignoring him, and if he liked the wine, even better.

I beamed at Mary-Beth. “Good to know.”

Lights twinkled from the old ranch house as I turned from the road, a welcoming sight.

What was even better was seeing Greg waiting for me as he sat on the stoop, dressed in the almost identical plaid shirt that he wore on our first date and I swear, the same jeans.

His lazy smile as I parked up made my heart flutter like it always did.

He put the book he’d been reading by the door, loped down the stoop and stopped in front of me as I got out of the truck.

But he didn’t haul me into his arms as I expected.

“You look so tired, sweetheart,” he murmured as he cupped my jaw, his touch gentle.

I leaned into his palm. “I am.”

“You’re gonna have a beard like Santa Claus soon.”

“I can’t remember the last time I shaved,” I admitted. I didn’t admit that some days I didn’t get home to clean up. It had to have been a while since I shaved, because it wasn’t itchy now.

He frowned and I guessed that was the wrong answer. “You’re doing too much, Cash. You need to delegate.”

I slumped against him. “Rosie did that lecture already. You don’t need to join in.”

“Suck it up, sheriff. You get one from your boyfriend. I’m allowed.”

“I guess you are,” I agreed. My boyfriend could be the first in line to scold me.

Greg slid his hands down my sides. “But not tonight. Ready for a hot meal and time out on the porch?”

“I’ve thought of nothing else,” I confessed and loved his bright smile.

I ducked into the truck and pulled out the bottle. “We could drink this with dinner.”

His look of delight as he took the wine made my embarrassment at the store worthwhile.

“You remembered.”

“I did. And if I hadn’t, Mary-Beth would have told me,” I assured him.

Greg chuckled as he slung an arm over my shoulders and guided me around the ranch to the porch. “Steak with all the trimmings. I just need to cook the steaks.”

I moaned in appreciation. “Sounds perfect.”

I couldn’t think of anything better, except maybe twelve hours sleep.

“Rosie says you’ve got tomorrow off and if you even think about coming into work, I’m to tie you to the bed.”

My cheeks flamed. “She didn’t.”

“She did. She was most insistent that you didn’t go anywhere near work tomorrow and she would hunt me down and use my skin for a rug, if I failed in my task.”

“She did not say that.”

“I’m paraphrasing,” Greg said, with a smirk. “But that was the gist.”

“I’m never going to live this down.”

“You’re lucky to have an assistant who cares about you.”

“I am,” I agreed. “Although I’m not sure how I feel about her being in cahoots with my boyfriend.”

“Small-town life, sweetheart. It’ll never change.”

Greg pushed me down onto a seat, handed me two wineglasses, and turned to the grill.

I eyed the glasses suspiciously. “Wait. How did you know I was bringing wine? Don’t tell me Mary-Beth called you.”