Page 25 of Want You Back (Second Chance Ranch #1)
Chapter 25
Colt
“Hey, Sheriff!”
Everywhere I went at the county fair, locals greeted me. I was purposefully in uniform to represent the department. Like it or not, I was a public figure in the county, and this was the sort of event where I was expected to make an appearance and shake some hands.
“Hey, Sheriff!” An older woman with white hair and a gleam in her eye caught my sleeve. “I’ve been meaning to call about my neighbor’s pool. Kids all hours of the day and night. Loud as anything.”
“It’ll be fall soon enough,” I said mildly. She didn’t drop my sleeve, so I added, “But feel free to call our non-emergency line.”
I fielded several other complaints as Willow and I wove our way through the county fairgrounds. The annual fair featured not only the rodeo events but also rides, games, food, and exhibits for things like quilts and canning demos. The main thoroughfare swarmed with people for Willow and me to dodge. Tinny music from the rides carried along with distant shouts from the games on the midway.
“We need to find Hannah.” Willow had a determined stride. She had been ready since six this morning in her best wranglers and fancy pink western shirt with pearl snaps. The junior division barrel racing wasn’t until early evening, but she was a ball of excitement and none too patient about all the folks stopping us to say hello. “And Maverick. He’s bringing someone.”
“Bringing someone?” I pulled up short. This was news to me. We’d both been slammed all week, barely enough time for some texting let alone a decent conversation.
“A friend. I think.” Willow waved her hand like she was bored of this gossip. “From California. Hannah said he’s nice.”
“Ah.” I took a deep breath. I was not jealous. I had no claim on Maverick or his time, and there was no evidence that this mystery person was anything other than a friend. No reason at all for my skin to heat and my pulse to race. “How…nice for them.”
“You like him, don’t you?” Narrowing her eyes, Willow peered up at me.
“Maverick is my friend.” I hedged. The middle of the fairgrounds was not the place for this conversation.
“That’s not what I meant.” Willow dug her boot heel into the dusty dirt. Apparently, we were indeed going to have this talk here.
“Would it be bad if I did like him?” I asked softly. Ever since the movie date, I’d wondered if or how to broach the subject with Willow. I didn’t want to lie to her, but I was still figuring out for myself what Maverick and I were.
“Dunno.” Willow shrugged, but her stormy eyes told a different story. However, before I could reply, she brightened. “There’s Grandma!”
“Hey, Sheriff!” My mother was accompanied by my younger sister, and they appeared to be in playful moods with wide, teasing grins. Both shared my dark hair and height genes and walked with the sort of purpose that also seemed to be genetic.
“Hey, Mama. Tiffany.” I handed out hugs.
“You ready to ride, Willow?” my mom asked Willow as they also hugged.
“Yes, ma’am.” Willow gazed up at her, all smiles, earlier storm clouds replaced by her usual sunny demeanor. “I’m gonna win all the ribbons.”
I wished I could change direction as fast as my little barrel racer and carry as much certainty through life. I felt more clueless than ever—parenting, Maverick, all of it.
“Tiffany, tell Colt the good news,” my mother prodded Tiffany.
“I’m pregnant!” Tiffany crowed with the news I’d been expecting to hear for a few weeks. “It’s still early, but now we have reason to finish that addition in a hurry.”
What limited free time I had sizzled away in the August sun. Family first, always. “Tell Jamie to let me know when he needs help.”
“We’re off to see the quilts.” Mom gestured toward the low building housing the exhibits. “I need ideas for the new baby’s blanket.”
“See you tonight, Willow. Kick butt!” Tiffany advised before following my mom. Willow and I continued our walk toward the midway with the games and rides. Most of the rides were for smaller kids, and I had a brief pang of missing a tiny and easy-to-please Willow. Back then, making her happy had been as simple as letting her ride one of the little cars around in a circle until we were out of tokens.
“Willow!” Hannah rushed up. Like Willow, she wore boot-cut jeans and a lavender western shirt. “You look amazing.”
“You too!” The friends hugged as Maverick ambled up behind Hannah, followed closely by a redheaded stranger.
“Hey, Colt. This is my friend, Adler.” Maverick made introductions. Adler was younger than us but not a kid. Likely in his early thirties. Gawky with long limbs, angular features, and a riot of curly red hair. He wore jeans so tight one might fear for his future fertility and a plaid shirt with garishly bright colors. “He’s visiting the ranch.”
“Pleased to meet you,” I lied, not liking how the guy looked at Maverick like he’d just scored the winning touchdown at the state championship. “We should find some food.”
I led the way toward the food carts, but predictably, the games along the midway distracted the girls.
“I want to win a unicorn.” Hannah sighed in front of one of those hard-to-win baseball toss games with a row of giant stuffed rainbow unicorns on display.
“Me too.” Willow was only too quick to agree.
“The games are a waste of money,” I groaned, the wisdom of my teen years making me reluctant to part with my cash now.
“I want to try.” Willow took on an unusually stubborn expression. Before I could give in, Adler bellied up to the booth.
“Here, let me.” Adler proceeded to get balls for both girls to try to win the prize. Predictably, their attempts came nowhere near toppling the pyramid of milk bottles. Adler, however, wasn’t done showing off as he took a turn. He smashed one of the pyramids on the first try. “There you go.”
“Lucky shot,” I muttered as Adler handed Willow one of the unicorns before doing the same for Hannah.
“He’s good.” Maverick whistled appreciatively, and I disliked Adler that much more.
“Thanks.” I managed the barest of manners as Adler returned to Maverick’s side.
“No problem.” Adler offered a toothy grin. “Growing up in Jersey City should be worth something.”
“I’ll say.” Maverick laughed. “Let’s get you some food.”
“Oh my goodness, Maverick, they have funnel cakes!” Adler had the same enthusiasm for the fair food offerings as the girls. “And deep-fried Twinkies.”
Adler almost tripped over himself hurrying toward one of the bright-yellow food carts with the girls following close behind.
“He’s a character.” I tried for something charitable to say, falling back on a favorite line of Aunt Georgia’s.
“He is. And he’s a friend .” Maverick put extra emphasis on “friend.” “Adler is at loose ends career-wise, and he’s also helping me figure out what to do about Faith.”
“Did you settle the school question, at least?” I asked as I watched the girls bounce around in line for food. Willow needed Hannah in her life, and that was a fact.
“Faith told me to fill out the paperwork.” Maverick slumped onto a nearby bench at an empty picnic table. “Which, I suppose is progress, but it would be nice if she’d resume parenting.”
“Hannah’s lucky to have you in the meantime.”
“I’m lucky to have her.” Maverick’s gaze was also locked on the girls, a new softness there. Faith could so easily wound them all if she yanked Hannah away. There might come a time when I’d have to draw on my law enforcement experience to help Maverick, explain custody laws and options, but I dearly hoped Faith didn’t force him or Hannah into that corner. “Hannah is so excited to see Willow ride. Says next year she wants to compete too.”
“A Lovelorn who loves horses. Imagine that,” I teased. The fair swirled around us, and with plenty more “Hey, Sheriff” greetings lobbed my way, the grounds were far too crowded to do anything other than merely enjoy Maverick’s nearness. Over by the food truck, the girls squealed as they purchased giant ears of buttery corn and a funnel cake bigger than Hannah’s head.
For a second, I let myself pretend this was real. Maverick and Hannah were staying at least a little longer. Only too easy to pretend it was forever, pretend we might be the kind of partners who made it last, raised the girls together, built a life. What would it be like to be publicly out? Would I still hear the chorus of “Hey, Sheriff” echoing everywhere I went? Even that question wasn’t enough to dim the want that bloomed in my chest.
I wanted this to be real so badly my toes curled inside my boots, whole body tensed with the craving. Yet, I also knew way down deep that I’d never find the courage to ask Maverick to stay.