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“ D id you come here to try again at talking me out of this?”

Lulu kept her gaze straight ahead, not wanting to look at her father’s disappointed expression. How many times had she seen it in the past? Too many to count. Her youth had been filled with his frustration at her behavior, and she’d been too young to explain it.

It was only now that she was older that she realized that her “zest for life” wasn’t too far from reality. She wanted to experience things - places, people. She wanted to feel the wind on her face, and the sunshine on her skin. She wanted to plunge into life and let it run all over her. Her need to sink ass deep into things wasn’t something she consciously sought out. If she’d had her druthers, she would have been boring like Ben. But she was who she was.

Not a daredevil per se, although she’d done some stupid shit in the past. It was the rush of adrenaline when she’d try to do something that others wouldn’t do whether it was jumping into the pool when she couldn’t yet swim - and she had a little scar on her eyebrow for that one - or going hell-for-leather down the road on a motorcycle screaming at the top of her lungs.

For that one, she’d been grounded for a week. Since she’d only been thirteen, she couldn’t say that she was angry at her mom and dad for that punishment.

She wanted to know about everything and everyone, not the most realistic goal a person could have. Becoming an expert in one thing didn’t hold any lure for her. She wanted to read all the books, see all the world, talk to all the people. Honestly, it was exhausting sometimes.

She’d mellowed as she’d grown up, of course. She still had the energy to try everything, but she was realistic enough to know that it simply wasn’t possible. Especially when she had rent, food, and electricity to pay for. In other words, life had intervened. Just in the nick of time, some might say.

“No, I didn’t,” her dad replied. He held something in his hands, but she couldn’t see what it was. “Lulu, I know I don’t say this nearly enough, but I am so proud of the person that you have become.”

He didn’t say that often, and she immediately felt a touch of fear in her heart.

“Um, you’re not dying or anything are you? Is that why you finally retired?”

Luckily, he laughed and shook his head.

“No, Lulu-bean. I am not dying. What I am is trying to get smarter.”

“I’m trying that, too.”

“It’s hard, isn’t it?” he laughed. “Although your mom doesn’t seem to have any trouble at all.”

“Moms are like that.”

It was quiet again for a long moment, but then he pushed what he’d been holding into her hands.

“I want you to have this. I know they probably ordered you one, but it would mean a lot to me if you wore it.”

Lulu’s eyes filled with hot tears as she saw what he’d given her. In a million years, she’d never expected this.

It was his sheriff’s badge, the gold star still shiny although worn at the edges. He must have cleaned it up.

“They gave this to you in a frame,” she said, her voice choked with emotion as her fingertips ran over the warm metal. “For your retirement. So, you could look at it every day and remember your career.”

Her father Seth Reilly was a legendary lawman. Nothing in the world could take that from him. She’d be lucky to be a fraction of the sheriff he had been.

Tears were sparkling in her dad’s clear blue eyes as well. She reached out instinctively, and he pulled her in for a hug.

“I don’t need something hanging on the wall. I can look at you, Lulu-bean. I love you, and you’re going to make a great sheriff. No one cares more about this town than you do.”

“You do. You care.”

“Yes, I do. And now it’s your turn.”

They were both crying, sitting in the official SUV, like lunatics. Anyone walking by probably thought that they were simply going to miss one another. Silly to cry though, when he and her mom would be back in a few weeks. They wouldn’t be gone forever.

But someday they would. Even Seth Reilly couldn’t live hundreds and thousands of years.

She dashed at her wet cheeks with the back of her hand, shaking her head.

“Sheriffs shouldn’t cry.”

“That’s bullshit,” Seth replied, his voice rough. “We all cried when we thought Tanner wasn’t going to make it last year. It’s okay to cry.”

Uncle Tanner, now retired from being governor, had scared the shit out of all of them by having a “cardiac event” that had put him in the hospital for a few days. It had hit hard to see Aunt Maddie crying in the hallway outside of his room. He was fine now, but they’d all freaked out. Especially, her dad. He’d always said that Tanner was such a mentor to him. They were as close as brothers. All the men were.

“That’s different,” Lulu sniffled. “Of course, we’d cry about Uncle Tanner.”

There was a soft knock on the window, and Lulu turned around to see Chase grinning at them and making funny faces. He was such a goof sometimes, but it was just the thing to make them both laugh.

“I think your brother wants us to get on the road,” her dad said. “We don’t want to keep him waiting.”

“Right.” Lulu’s fingers lovingly closed around the badge in her hand. “I’m going to wear it every day. Thank you, Dad.”

He didn’t have a clue as to how much this meant to her. Not a clue.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart. I can’t think of better hands for it to be in. You know, if you ever need any help or advice, I’m there for you. No matter the time of day or night. Your uncles are there for you, too. We wouldn’t have been as successful if we’d worked alone. Teamwork made the difference. I highly recommend it.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

He started to open the door but then hesitated.

“And one more thing. Just some advice from one cop to another. Always trust your gut. It will never steer you wrong.”

“Trust my gut. Got it.”

With her dad behind her, Lulu believed she could do anything.

The three of them - Lulu, Chase, and her best friend Henry - ended up at the sports bar for dinner. Televisions on every wall, and the best cheeseburger in the county. The place was busy, although not packed. Off in the corner, she saw Kai Oliver eating alone at a table and reading a book.

For a moment, she thought about inviting him to sit with them, and then realized that she barely knew the guy. She had a few hazy memories of him from when they were kids, but she didn’t know that much about him other than she liked his grandfather a great deal. She couldn’t say that he was someone she wanted to share a meal with. Besides, he seemed content on his own. She did notice, however, that he’d had the good taste to order the cheeseburger with a side of steak fries.

She and Chase both were ordering the cheeseburger, but Henry was trying to cut down his red meat consumption. She didn’t know why he was doing that, but then Henry often “tried” things. It was one of the reasons she adored him so much. He didn’t think that her penchant for wanting to try new and different things was strange at all. In fact, he wholeheartedly wanted to support it as long as she wasn’t doing anything crazy dangerous.

And even then, he’d go with her so she wouldn’t be doing it alone. She’d just hear about it for a while.

I guess we didn’t get maimed or dead, Lulu, but we could have.

She considered it a massive win that she hadn’t heard that in a long time. Hopefully, she was acquiring a sense of self-preservation.

In other words, she’d realized she wasn’t immortal or indestructible. Dying was always a possibility.

“I’m going to have the chicken sandwich,” Henry pronounced, closing the menu. “Is it good? Do I need to change my mind?”

“It’s good,” Chase replied. “And the fries here are tasty, too. You don’t want to miss them.”

“There goes my girlish figure,” Henry chuckled. “I’m going to gain ten pounds while I’m here.”

Chase glanced at Lulu, a question in his gaze. He had never truly understood her relationship with Henry.

At first, he’d thought they were dating. Nope.

Is he gay? Nope.

But you aren’t a couple? Nope.

Just friends? Yes.

But he’s coming to Harper with you? Yes.

Doesn’t he have his own life? Yes, but it’s complicated.

Besides, Lulu liked having Henry around. He was good company, and he was usually pretty easy to hang out with. He was, however, a complicated person and deeply eccentric. Kidnapped as a child by a family friend, but he’d escaped eventually, he’d never quite recovered his former laidback, free and easy self. He was always well-armed, and often suspicious of new people and places. When he was with Lulu, he could relax a bit if the environment was well-known to her.

Henry trusted her, and he didn’t trust many people. His constantly on-edge behavior made him perfect for his occupation - an ethical hacker. He helped companies find the weaknesses in their online presence. He made a boatload of money from it, too, and he could work from any location. Right now, he was planning to work from Harper while she got settled in her job. She wouldn’t be shocked if he ended up staying a long time. Being in a small town where he could get to know everyone might make him sleep easier.

“We will have to go running more than a few times a week,” Henry said. “Work on our endurance. We should sign up for one of those 10K runs on Thanksgiving.”

“This is surprising talk for a guy that said that if we ever caught him running, we should call the police, because a scary clown was probably chasing him with a knife,” she reminded him.

Henry had only started running because he hadn’t wanted Lulu to be out on the dark streets alone. He’d been almost frantic about it. But she couldn’t complain about him. He always put his money where his mouth was, so to speak. He’d ordered a pair of running shoes online and laced up with her two to three times a week at five in the morning. Bless him, he’d never once bitched about.

He’d lost five pounds, too.

“Let’s just say it’s not the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“I don’t know whether I’m supposed to laugh at that,” Chase admitted. “Is this some sort of gallows humor?”

“Sort of,” Henry replied. “I try to see the strangeness in my life and have a laugh with it. My therapist says it’s healthy.”

“You have a therapist?” Chase asked.

“A couple of them. You don’t? You should try it. They have to listen to you because you pay them.”

“Henry’s just giving you a hard time,” Lulu sighed. “He only has one therapist. Henry, play nice with my baby brother. He has a different sense of humor than we do.”

“That’s because he’s normal,” Henry said, his expression serious.

Chase was simply one of those people who was happy most of the time. His life - so far anyway - had turned out exactly as he’d wanted it to. He’d known what he wanted, and he’d made it happen. Lulu hoped that it would always be the case.

Their server Lisa came to their table to get their order. She was young and pretty with auburn hair and bright green eyes, and she clearly liked what she was seeing with Henry. She flirted with him quite openly, lingering until another table called her over.

“I think she likes you,” Chase said. “She’s a sweet girl. I went to high school with her. She’s into art and music.”

Henry dragged his gaze from the woman and shook his head.

“She probably just wants a bigger tip. I doubt it has anything to do with me.”

“I tip pretty well, and she’s never acted like that with me,” Chase declared. “Seriously, I think she likes you. I’ve never seen her act like that. You should talk to her. Ask for her number. Unless you have a reason not to…”

Chase was looking at Lulu, and now she wanted to stab her brother with a fork.

“For the millionth time, it’s not like that,” Lulu said. “Henry, tell him.”

“It’s not like that,” Henry repeated with an eye roll for good measure. “I don’t find your sister attractive in the least. As in…not at all. Ick. It would be like french kissing my sister, dude. Do you french kiss your sister?”

“Of course not,” Chase protested. “That would be gross.”

“My point exactly. Trust me, men and women can be just friends. This isn’t some romantic movie where we’re suddenly going to realize that we love each other. I’m not even sure I could ever love someone besides myself, of course. I make it a point to be extremely self-involved. I’d probably be the worst romantic partner in the history of the world.”

The fact was they’d tried to kiss once a long time ago when they’d first met - as an experiment. And it had been like kissing a brother. Awful. Terrible. Awkward as hell. Zero stars. Do not recommend.

“Henry is the brother I always wanted but never had,” Lulu teased.

“I can understand what you’re saying about Ben at least,” Chase said, a muscle ticking in his jaw. He was angry at their older brother. Really mad. His mood had gone from happy to pissed off in seconds. “Where the hell is he anyway? The retirement ceremony was an important moment, and guess who wasn’t there? Ben. He’s never here. When Uncle Tanner was in the hospital, where was Ben? I think he had his assistant send flowers or some lame bullshit like that. And I don’t think he even called Mom and Dad this week. Did I miss that?”

“He did reach out,” Lulu replied softly. “He sent a card to Dad.”

“He signed it, but I’d bet cash money that his assistant picked it out. One of the biggest days in Dad’s life and big brother Ben couldn’t be fucking bothered. What an asshole. A complete and total jerk. And what about today? This was your first day on the job. Have you heard from him? Let me guess…no.”

“I haven’t,” Lulu admitted. “But to be fair, he may not even know. You only found out yesterday.”

“I sent him a text right after you told us,” Chase replied between gritted teeth. “Letting him know and reminding him that he’s missing out on our parents’ retirement. So far? No reply. He left me on read.”

“It sounds like you have issues with your brother,” Henry observed. “You should talk to someone about them.”

“I don’t have issues. My brother is just a selfish dipshit who needs a kick in the ass.”

“That sounds like issues to me.”

Lisa brought out their food and the conversation slowed down as they ate. The cheeseburger was as good as it had been in the past and soon, she had an almost clean plate with only a few fries remaining.

Chase’s hand hovered about her plate.

“Do you mind?—”

“Do that and you’ll get a fork in the hand,” she warned. “I’m eating those fries.”

“I’m glad I’m an only child,” Henry said. “You both have issues. You can order more fries, you know. I bet the kitchen has a bunch of them. You can order all you want.”

She and Chase didn’t have a chance to reply. Glen Fellows had ambled up to the table, his usual smug smile in place. Lulu had gone to high school with him, and he’d worn that same expression for four years thinking he was a total badass. Or something like that. His entire friend group had thought they were something special, and for no particular reason, either.

“Heard you’re the new sheriff, Lulu,” Glen said, leaning down so he was far too close. His breath smelled like beer and garlic. She’d have to keep an eye on him tonight in case he decided to get behind the wheel. “I think we’ll miss your daddy around here. Not sure you’re going to be up for the job.”

“Why?” Chase challenged; his eyes narrowed at the other man. “What stupid shit are you planning to pull?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Glen replied, straightening up. “But others might be. Lot of troublemakers in this town.”

That hadn’t been Lulu’s experience. There were always a few, and they often had followers, but the real troublemakers weren’t plentiful.

“Don’t be one of them,” Chase warned. “Traci probably wouldn’t be happy about that.”

“Traci doesn’t get to tell me what to do,” Glen said indignantly. “I’m not pussywhipped.”

Glen’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he walked away to answer it.

“In my experience, any man that has to declare he’s not pussywhipped usually is,” Henry said. “But I could be wrong.”

Henry wasn’t wrong.

“Ignore Glen,” Chase said. “He’s an idiot.”

“I know that. I went to school with him. He and all his friends are lucky they graduated,” Lulu said.

“They graduated because the principal probably didn’t want them around anymore,” Chase replied.

Lulu finished her fries and pushed her plate away, feeling full and a bit tired. It had been a big day for her, and she needed to get back to the apartment and get to bed. This might be a sleepy little town, but she’d still be on duty.

Henry’s attention had been captured by loud voices several tables away. Scowling, he elbowed Lulu and nodded toward the offenders.

“They’re getting loud,” he said. “And angry.”

One of “them” was Glen, of course. How he managed to be in the middle of everything never ceased to amaze her. The other two were Dana Cartwright - who was a few years older than Lulu - and her ex-husband Jay. Dana and Jay had married right after high school, but they’d divorced a few years ago.

Lulu was half out of her chair when another woman who looked familiar came and dragged Jay away, leaving Dana with Glen, but not before berating Dana and shaking a finger at her. The two of them didn’t look fond of one another, but Glen shrugged and walked away, too, after saying something that Lulu couldn’t hear.

Dana, for her part, looked like she was going to cry. Her cheeks were pale, but her eyes were watery and shiny. She watched Glen walk away for a minute, and then turned on her heel and fled out of the restaurant.

“What was all that about?” Lulu wondered out loud. “They all looked like they hated each other. I know that Jay and Dana divorced, but I didn’t realize that it was such a bitter breakup. And what does Glen have to do with it?”

“I don’t know anything for sure,” Chase replied. “There’s a lot of gossip going around. Some of it is that Jay is still in love with Dana, and his new girlfriend Allie is jealous.”

“That’s Allie Baker? I didn’t recognize her. When did she come back to town?”

Allie had left for college about five years before and had pretty much announced she was never coming back. Something must have changed.

“Six months maybe? Maybe nine or ten.” Chase said. “Not exactly sure. And as for what Glen has to do with it, there was also a story going around that Dana cheated on Jay with Glen. I think she had better taste, but you never know.”

“I think I heard Allie telling Dana to stay away,” Lulu said. “It looked messy, to be honest.”

“Anything with Glen involved usually is,” Chase observed. “He’s walking trouble, is what he is.”

“Small towns,” Henry laughed. “Just like Peyton Place .”

Lulu was confused, and Chase had that expression, too.

“What’s Peyton Place ?” she asked.

Henry was always making bizarre references that no one understood until he explained them. Even then, she didn’t get them half the time. He’d spent a great deal of his youth with his grandparents, listening to sixties and seventies music and hearing stories about a time way before the internet.

“It was a soap opera on television in the sixties,” Henry said with a heavy sigh. “My grandmother told me about it.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Me neither,” Chase replied.

“Okay, how about Melrose Place ? Beverly Hills 90210 ?” Henry shook his head at their blank stares. “ Dallas ? Dynasty ? C’mon, now you’re just yanking my chain. General Hospital ? Days of Our Lives ?”

That one she knew. And he knew it. After all, he’d watched it with her many times.

“Got it. Peyton Place is an ancestor of Salem, John, Marlena, Roman, and Bo and Hope.”

“Exactly.”

“You could have just said that,” she pointed out.

“But then you wouldn’t have learned anything about Peyton Place.”

“To be fair,” Chase said. “We haven’t learned much now. Just that it was a soap opera. Our gran used to watch Guiding Light .”

“Can I just say that I hope my life in Harper is not nearly as exciting as anything on those shows,” Lulu remarked. “Let’s hope for boring and calm.”

Chase lifted his glass with a grin.

“I’ll drink to that.”

“So will I,” Henry said. “Boring and calm. Let’s send that out into the universe.”

Lulu also raised her glass, as well.

Now all they needed was the universe to cooperate.