Sweet Hill Homecoming

by Ryan, Joya

  “Thanks.”

  “Hey, Jen.” Kyle glanced at Jen, then at the floor, then at Jen again and blushed a little.

  “Hey, great game last night.”

  “Thanks.”

  Mia had to fold her lips to keep the smile at bay. Her sweet baby brother had a crush on Jen. It was cute. Granted he wasn’t so much a baby as a full grown man. Still, she would always see him as a five year old getting into her makeup.

  “I’m sorry I was so late last night, Kyle, I wanted to be there,” Mia said.

  “I know. It’s cool. I am actually heading to the weight room.”

  Mia grabbed a muffin, stuck it in a little brown paper bag and handed it to him. “But it’s Saturday.”

  Kyle smiled. “Coach said I played well last night. I’m officially first string receiver.”

  “Kyle that’s amazing!” Mia said and hugged him across the counter.

  She wished she could have seen him play. Since they just moved back, he started a little late in the school year and had to catch up with both studies and football, but so far, he was doing great.

  “Yeah, even though I joined the team late in the season, he said I have been working hard and am the best receiver on the team. We’re looking good for playoffs and there will be a few college scouts if we make it. Coach thinks I have a real shot at getting a scholarship.”

  Mia’s chest stilled, a gust of air caught in her windpipe. Kyle was smiling from ear to ear and looking so happy. So healthy and hopeful, he made her want to hug him for an eternity.

  Water lined Mia’s eyes and she knew right then this moment was the reason she came back to Sweet Hill. For Kyle. There was a light in his eyes she hadn’t seen since their mom died. He had always been good, exceptionally good at football, but here he was finally thriving.

  “I’m so proud of you, Kyle.” Mia said and the color on his cheeks just turned deeper red when he glanced at Jen then back at Mia.

  For a seventeen-year-old that was six-foot and about twice Mia’s weight, he did blush easily. They also looked nothing alike. Being that they had different fathers, Mia tended to look like hers and Kyle looked like his. Light brown hair, tall, dimples and very much the boy next door.

  Their mom had divorced Randy, when Kyle was three and he never bothered to show up since. After that, Tammy Blake went through men like candy. Thanks to her, Mia learned young how to flirt and get what you want from men. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until she was a little older she realized that while she thought she was using men to get what she wanted, it was her being used. Which was why, outside of her former job, she had stayed away from them for the past couple years.

  “I better get going,” Kyle said. “Got to go bench. Got up to two hundred pounds.” He glanced at Jen and Mia was pretty sure he was flexing.

  “I’ll be off at three,” Mia said quickly, before she giggled a little at her brother’s not too subtle hints.

  “Okay, see you at home.” He left the café and Jen smiled at Mia.

  “He’s a good kid,” Jen said and took a sip of coffee.

  “Yeah, he is.”

  “And I think he likes me. I don’t know, I can’t tell though,” Jen joked. Mia laughed.

  “He’s sweet. Don’t break his heart okay?”

  “I would never. In ten years, he’s all mine.”

  Okay, that made Mia roll her eyes again but Jen changed the subject.

  “Well, since Annie is working the later shift, we were talking about going out tonight. It’s Saturday after all. Want to hit The Dusk Bucket?”

  Mia smiled. The Dusk Bucket was a sport slash karaoke bar that apparently got taken over by the Everson brothers. Two guys Mia went to school with.

  “I don’t know. Kyle will be home and—”

  “And he’s a seventeen-year-old boy. You really think he wants to spend his Saturday night with his sister? Come on, you haven’t been out since you moved back. It will be good for you to integrate.”

  “Honestly, Jen, I can’t afford it.” It hurt to say it out loud, but that was the case.

  “That’s totally fine. Cam Everson is one of the bar owners. He accidentally left his wallet at the bank and I’m bringing it back to him tonight. He said the first two rounds are on him.”

  Mia bit her lip. The idea of getting out and de-stressing was appealing. Dressing in something besides ripped jeans and tee-shirts also sounded nice.

  God I miss my stilettos.

  Her head perked up.

  “Can we dress up?”

  Jen smiled. “Well, duh. How else do you troll?”

  “I’m not trolling for men.”

  Jen shrugged. “Maybe you should be. This is a perfect time to get into the dating scene.”

  “What dating scene? The population here is miniscule.”

  “Yeah, but a lot of the men are hot good ol’ boys.”

  Case in point, Deputy Hottie. It just wasn’t fair that he was that good looking, and seemed to have zero interest in being nice to her. Not that she cared…

  “Were the guys in Seattle amazing or something?” Jen asked.

  No actually. They were opposite. Especially the kind that came into the club. Corporate, corrupt and generally plain awful.

  “I wouldn’t really know. I didn’t date much.”

  “Well then, what do you have to lose? I bet a ton of guys would love a couple of dates with you. Maybe some sexy time to get the color back in your cheeks.”

  Oh, Mia had plenty of color, mostly from the left over blush from last night and Deputy West. She was so pissed at him, irritated and yet, he consumed her thoughts. Her whole body was thrumming for some hot, wild, intensity that kept taking the mental fantasy form of Tatum naked and rocking her world. To say she had some pent up aggression and sexual frustration would be an understatement.

  The way he looked at her made her breasts tingle and her thighs ache. She remembered the way his lips turned up at the corner in a show stopping grin and when he hooked his thumbs in his belt…

  Mia wanted to slap herself. It was just the uniform. That’s all. She had a weakness for a man in a uniform and just because Tatum looked good last night, didn’t mean a damn thing. She was hard up and he grabbed her ass—well, it was in the vicinity, but still! That was it. And he probably didn’t even like it seeing as how he issued her a ticket. And she certainly didn’t like him.

  But Jen did have a point. She was here, trying to make this her home again, and it had been a while since her last relationship with a man, “sexy time” or otherwise.

  “Keep things simple. Breezy. I know you can do that.” Jen said.

  Yeah, Mia could. She had her and Kyle’s future set and nothing was going to stop that from happening. Kyle would have a good year and go off to college and Mia would be the kind of woman she wanted. Respected. Valued. Two things she was taught never to want but still did desperately.

  She was tired of being the mistake. Tired of being her mother’s only regret. Tired of being her own regret. No, Mia would do what she wanted, when she wanted. No one had power over her if she didn’t let them.

  People here may not have liked her mother. Hell, they might not have liked Mia in her teen years, but she was back now. And she would be seen for something more than the daughter of the town whore. She would be more than a Blake.

  “Yeah, I think a drink out tonight sounds good,” Mia said. She pulled out her cell phone. “Right after I make a call and schedule a meeting with the council woman.”

  “Good for you!” Jen patted her hand. “I’ll pick you up tonight at nine.”

  Chapter Three

  “I would vote for you to be the next Sheriff,” Abby McAdams, a local accountant who also happened to be the daughter of the Fire Chief, said and leaned into Tate. She ran her finger along her pearl necklace and titled her head to the side as if examining Tate.

  “Well, I appreciate that, Abby.” Tate smiled, wanting to mention for the millionth time that the Sheriff was retiring from his term ea
rly and this election was more a technicality than a “tight race.”

  Tate glanced behind the bar at his buddy Matt who insisted he come out tonight.

  Matt Everson and his brother Cam bought the bar a while back and “re-vamped” it. The brothers were well liked and their bar was where most folks in town came to blow off some steam.

  Tate had a lot of paperwork to get done but after several texts and a few calls from Matt and Luke, saying that he needed to “mingle with the community” more, he abandoned the paperwork and went to The Dust Bucket. Tate was known and liked by the town, but Sheriff Branch had some big shoes to fill and not everyone was excited about Tate stepping up. Mingling wasn’t a bad idea he supposed.

  He glanced around. Country music played on the jukebox and everyone from orchard workers to shopkeepers were flooding in. It was a casual good time with a game on the big screen, loud chatter, and draft beer.

  “You’re so polite and nice,” Abby said and brushed his chest a little, her other hand closed around her white wine spritzer. “And don’t worry, I’ve been telling all the boys at the fire house that you’re the guy to vote for.”

  Tate let out a breath. “I appreciate that.”

  “The Santa Sleigh Drive this year is going to be great,” Abby said. “I’m heading up the coat drive for the fire department. You and I always make a good team.”

  Tate nodded. The event was a big deal for the town since the anticipated event and all the donations were something that both involved and benefited the town. A lot of local businesses chipped in but the three key players were the fire station, sheriff’s department, and the hospital.

  A lot of people turned out in support and looking for a fun time, so this event had potential exposure for Tate. It could be a platform for him to show the town he was ready to take over as Sheriff. The fire chief had the ear of the community—and if he endorsed Tate for Sheriff? That would be huge in making this transition run smoothly. Though Tate currently sat in close proximity to the chief’s ear, AKA his daughter, it didn’t appear that they were interested in talking about the same things. Since her hand was still planted on his chest.

  “You can buy me a drink and we can talk more about it,” Abby said.

  She was attractive, smart, and driven but she was looking for something Tate wasn’t offering. And she had called him polite and nice. Not that that was a bad thing. Women tended to treat him like husband material first and a man second.

  Being respected was a good thing. Especially since he was running for a major position. It kind of came with the territory. It was all about perception, and Tate had a good reputation for being a mild-mannered, fair man. And that was something. But for some reason, he couldn’t get interested in Abby.

  He’d been thinking about a curvy, golden haired pain in the ass—who actually had a world class ass herself—for the past twenty-four hours straight. And no matter how many times he kept replaying their interaction, he couldn’t move on.

  Mia had wanted a favor? He didn’t even mention that her tags were going to expire this month. There. Favor. So why couldn’t he stop thinking about her smart little mouth and sexy as hell glare that made him want to tap into his primal side.

  Because she’s the kind of woman he would never pursue. If she was in a league, Tate would be in fucking T-ball.

  He was a public figure. She was a wild card. Didn’t mesh and didn’t look well. Especially to a big chunk of the town that had Tate under a magnifying glass, watching and waiting to see if he was half the man Branch was. Tate should be more into the Abby McAdams types, with her perfectly curled bob and pearls. The kind that was sweet. That kind that didn’t challenge him…

  Yeah, Mia Blake was all wrong.

  Then stop fucking thinking about her idiot.

  “Tate?” Abby said and he realized he had zoned her out. “A drink?”

  Tate cleared his throat, trying his damndest to dislodge the Mia thoughts. “Why don’t we chat some other time? I’m sorry, I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

  She nodded and smiled. “Oh, yeah, of course. A man like you must be so busy.”

  “Have a good night, Abby.”

  “You too!” She waved a little as he walked over to the bar counter where his friend Luke Jacobs sat. On his way he got a few pats on the back and howdies from a few supporters. When Tate finally reached the bar, Matt slid him a long neck and Tate leaned against edge of the counter.

  “Please don’t tell me she’s still trying to get you to marry her?” Luke said.

  Tate shook his head. “Not that kind of night.”

  “You realize you’re the most eligible bachelor who all the ladies are trying to land right?” Luke nudged his shoulder.

  “Since when do you talk like a sorority girl?”

  “Since my fiancée told me that she spends most of her days at the café listening to women ramble on about you. Everyone is trying to be the next Mrs. Sheriff.”

  Great. Just great. Since Tate announced his candidacy, things had been a little weird. At least it explained the casseroles showing up on his doorstep.

  “I’m trying to just deal with one thing at a time. Focus on the election, not a woman.”

  Luke raised a brow and took a swig of his long neck. “Gotta say, man, since you’ve been campaigning, you’ve been kind of…”

  “Stressed?” Tate offered.

  “I was going to say stick up your ass-ish, but yeah, we can go with stressed.”

  Tate scoffed. “I just want this to go well. Branch has been running this place for decades. Not everyone is thrilled he’s leaving.” And that included Branch.

  Branch was two years into his four year term and set to retire early. A special election was set for December. Problem was, the sheriff’s early retirement steamed from reasons that made Tate’s stomach churn.

  The Sheriff was getting older and his attention to detail wasn’t what it used to be. In and out of uniform. Last week he forgot where he parked his cruiser downtown.

  Sheriff Branch served with Tate’s father. He’d looked up to him since he was a kid. Tate knew he always wanted to be a deputy and follow in his father’s footsteps, serving the town and community he loved. And when his dad died in the line of duty, Tate never was the same. He was eight years old and Sheriff Branch was the only father figure he had.

  So when Tate started noticing that Branch was slipping, both in his mind and job, Tate felt like he was once again losing a man he looked up to. And the past year his memory had gotten worse. Branch couldn’t remember certain things, didn’t take time to look into issues or concerns. Wasn’t filling out accurate reports. He was the one who taught Tate to treat every call seriously and responsibly, but now the Sheriff just seemed tired and mentally unable to perform his duties the way he used to.

  A fact only Tate and the Sheriff’s wife knew about.

  Retirement was the easiest way out of this, but it tore at Tate’s chest watching Branch struggle.

  “I’m sure it’s hard on you that Branch is retiring, but it’s not like you’re running against him or pushing him out,” Luke said.

  Tate closed his eyes for a moment, because that’s exactly what he felt like he was doing.

  When the Sheriff’s wife came to Tate and told him about Branch’s deteriorating mental health, Tate shared her concerns. His wife asked Tate to talk him into early retirement. It seemed best. Dignified. Because if Branch kept going the way he was, someone was bound to notice. And if Branch had to be “removed” due to inability to perform his job, it would break his heart.

  So while Tate was ready to take on the role of Sheriff, a role he’d been working toward his whole life, this wasn’t how he’d wanted to achieve it.

  “I just didn’t think it would happen like this…” Tate said, not meaning for it to be out loud.

  Luke just gave a reassuring slap of the shoulder. “It will be a transition, but you’re going for it and you’re the right man for the job.” Luke shrugged. “That’
s my opinion anyway.”

  And Luke’s opinion mattered. He was one of Tate’s best friends and his family owned all the orchards in Sweet Hill. A business that brought jobs and money to the community. Tate trusted him with his life, which was why it was hard keeping this secret about the Sheriff from him. But Tate couldn’t break Branch’s trust like that.

  “In the meantime,” Luke said, “loosen up and try to enjoy yourself, huh? For god sakes this is the first time I’ve seen you out of uniform in a damn month.”

  Tate took a swig of beer. It had been busy. And he was working a lot. With the holidays coming and the Sheriff’s Department hosting the toy drive, it was getting crazy.

  “I know all the lifers are looking your way and even though you’ll likely end up with one of them doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the ride.” Luke smiled.

  Lifer was someone who was set to stay in Sweet Hill and yes, Tate was looking for that. The kind of marriage and love his parents had. The kids and the dog in the front yard. Not that he talked about it much. Mostly because while he did want all those things, the kind of woman that came with that picture didn’t thrill him. He wanted someone with drive and intensity.

  And once the election was over, he’d settle down and finally give in to one of the casserole leaving ladies. It wasn’t a bad thing, but for some reason, when women looked at him, all they saw was stable and reliable. He should be proud of that. Yet there he was, wondering if there was more.

  Of course the opposite was someone like Mia. Women who were all flash and trampled over other people to get a step ahead. He learned the hard way that Sweet Hill wasn’t for everyone, but it was for him. And he wasn’t going to chase a woman that had no desire to be caught. Not to mention long term capability.

  The only thing he needed to worry about now was keeping everything in place and his reputation spotless until the election. Which shouldn’t be difficult since he’d never stepped out of line.

  “Speaking of lifer,” Tate said, trying to change the subject away from him. “Where’s your fiancée this evening?”

  The biggest smile that could only be given by a man totally smitten by a woman crossed Luke’s face.