“No. Just an amorous couple,” Harry said, looking away from her.
“Oh.”
Just then Harry noticed that Dale had arrived. Melissa turned around to discover the new deputy escorting Betsy into the restaurant.
Melissa smiled. Then she asked, “Are we going to dance this time, Harry?”
Harry looked at Mike and received a nod of approval. “We’ll try, Melissa, but I’m not very good.”
“I know. You told me. Go ask them to play a slow song, why don’t you?”
“Okay.”
Harry crossed the room to where the band was playing. When they finished their song, he offered some money to the band leader and whispered in his ear. Then he came back to Melissa’s side. “Ready?”
“Oh, yes,” she assured him, following him to the dance floor. When he put his arms around her, he didn’t pull her close. That was too dangerous. She slipped her arms around his neck and whispered, “Just sway back and forth, Harry. That will be enough.”
But it wasn’t. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and never let her go. But he had to. She was going back to France.
A sudden tap on his shoulder, followed by a French accent, disrupted their dance. “It is my turn, Harry.”
Harry backed away from Melissa, ignoring her gaze. “Bring her back to our table when the dance ends,” he told Pierre, then he stalked away.
Mike and Caro were dancing, too, so he sat at the table alone. When the waitress served their meals, he started on his.
The music ended then, and Mike and Caroline came back to the table. “Where’s Melissa?” Mike asked.
“With Pierre.”
After a sharp look at Harry, Mike scanned the dance floor until he found her. She was arguing with Pierre on the other side of the room.
“Stay here with Harry, Caro. I’ll go talk to Pierre.”
Caroline reached a hand out to touch Harry’s arm. “Don’t worry. Mike will calm things down.”
“Yeah.” Harry nodded. “Think he can make Pierre disappear?”
“He can if anyone can,” Caroline said with a sympathetic smile. “It doesn’t look like Melissa is any happier about Pierre’s appearance than you are.”
“Maybe.” He wasn’t going to let his feelings show.
“Looks like all three of them are coming over here,” Caroline whispered.
Harry pressed his lips tightly together.
“Pierre asked to join us,” Mike said as the trio reached the table. Without saying anything, Pierre pulled up an extra chair between Melissa and Caroline.
Mike elbowed Harry, and he was reminded of their reason for being there. A young couple was leaving. He got to his feet and followed them out. In the floodlights of the parking lot he recognized a cowboy who worked on Griff’s ranch. Harry had known him for several years. He returned to the table and shook his head at Mike.
“I’m glad you’re back,” Melissa whispered.
“You have Pierre to entertain you.”
“I don’t want Pierre to entertain me!” Melissa retorted, anger building in her voice. “And I’ve told him that!”
“Yeah, it looks like he’s shaking in his boots,” Harry drawled.
After the main course Caroline announced she wanted dessert, and Melissa agreed with her.
“Of course you do. You have such a sweet tooth,” Pierre teased.
His teasing depressed Harry. He hadn’t known Melissa had a sweet tooth. Obviously Pierre knew her better than he did.
After the waitress brought the desserts they’d ordered, Harry sipped his coffee, trying not to show how closely he was watching Melissa and the Frenchman.
Pierre whispered something in her ear, but she shook her head. Finally he got up and asked a young lady to dance with him. Harry let out the breath he’d been holding.
“How long do we have to stay?” Melissa asked him in a whisper.
Harry finally looked at her. “You’re ready to leave?”
“Yes. I don’t want to spend any more time with Pierre.”
After a moment, Harry said, “Mike, do you need us any longer? Melissa wants to go home. Can I escort her to her vehicle and return?”
“Yeah, why don’t you do that.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
Harry pulled Melissa’s chair from the table and she got up.
“Thanks for the evening,” she said to Mike. “I’ll see you soon, Caro.”
Once they were outside, Melissa slipped her hand through Harry’s arm. “Harry, I didn’t tell Pierre where I’d be tonight.”
“I know. Mike said he’d called the office.”
“I just didn’t want you to think I invited him there.”
“I know.”
“So why are you acting like I did something wrong?”
“I’m not—” A woman’s shrill scream split the night and Harry’s demeanor suddenly turned serious, professional.
“Go get Mike,” he told Melissa. “Tell him to come to the alley beside the restaurant.” And he ran in that direction.
Melissa did as he asked, sending Mike outside. Dale accompanied him. Betsy and Caroline joined Melissa at the table to await the men’s return.
“What’s going on?” the nurse asked.
Caroline explained, “They were here on surveillance. There’s reason to believe a rapist who’s been striking in Buffalo has moved here.”
“And they found him?” Betsy asked.
“We don’t know,” Melissa said. “Harry and I were outside when we heard a woman’s scream. He sent me in to get Mike. And then Dale joined them, thank God.”
Betsy bobbed her head. “Three on one. Better odds to ensure your guys will be safe.”
“Exactly!” Caroline said without hesitation.
Melissa wasn’t so sure Harry was “her guy” but she did want him safe.
“I don’t blame you,” Betsy said, her expression grim. “The other morning at the hospital was scary. I’m glad I’m not taking part in it tonight.”
Melissa nodded, and Caroline said, “Yes, definitely.”
Suddenly Dale appeared in the doorway and hurried over. “Caroline, Mike wants you to take the woman to the clinic and do a rape kit.”
“Oh, the poor thing. Yes, of course.” Caroline stood at once.
“I’ll go with you,” Betsy and Melissa said in unison.
“Good. I think it’ll make her feel better.”
Melissa couldn’t repress her revulsion. “Did you get the bastard?”
Dale nodded. “We’ll take the perp over to the jail now to process him.” He looked at Betsy. “It’ll take about an hour. Will you be at the clinic?”
“Yes. I’ll stay there until I hear from you,” she said with a blush.
“I’ll get there as soon as I can.” He dashed out the door again.
Melissa went with Caroline and Betsy to the hospital, accompanying the victim. Then she came back to the restaurant to find the woman’s friend and tell her where she was.
After that Melissa returned to the Sheriff’s Office to find Harry. There were a number of people milling around, so she moved silently to his side.
“How much longer will you have to work?” she asked him softly.
“I’m not sure.”
“Shall I wait?” Melissa asked, hoping for the same enthusiasm that Dale exhibited toward his date.
But Harry barely looked up from his desk. “No, I don’t think so. I’ll see you soon.”
She waited a moment, hoping against hope that he’d change his mind. Then, feeling as if her heart was breaking, she turned and walked out into the cold dark night.
Numbness was her only companion on the ride home. When she entered the house, she found her father waiting up for her.
“You got back early, didn’t you?” he asked bluntly.
“So.”
“So I expected you to stay until the place closed.”
“Harry was busy capturing a rapist,” she said, as if that were a no
rmal, everyday occurrence.
“What?” Griff exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I wasn’t involved. I merely assisted Caroline in taking care of the victim.”
“Tell me what happened. Did Harry put you in danger?”
“Of course not.” She told her father about the evening, up until the victim was taken to the hospital.
“The poor thing was shaking, so I held her hand during the examination. After that, I went to find her friend, and took her to the Sheriff’s Office to give some information to Mike. An exciting evening, huh?”
Griff stood and pulled her into a hug. “That’s why dads get old fast. They worry about things happening to their daughters.”
“Thanks, Daddy,” Melissa said, kissing him on the cheek and feeling guilty about the things she excluded from her tale. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed now.”
“Okay, no need to get up for breakfast. John and I can manage. You sleep until your mother wakes up.” He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You did a good thing tonight, honey. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Now she felt doubly guilty. She hadn’t come home early because she was a good person, but because Harry didn’t want her. Of course, he’d said it was because he was busy, but she knew better. He’d scarcely looked at her all evening. And definitely not since Pierre had joined them. It was as if he’d conceded to Pierre.
But she was not Pierre’s for the choosing. Hadn’t she made that clear? All she knew was how much she’d wanted to be in Harry’s arms tonight.
But now she lay in her bed, alone.
HARRY STARED AFTER Melissa, long after she’d left the Sheriff’s Office. He couldn’t allow himself even a kiss. Not anymore.
“Harry?” Mike called.
He spun around, hoping no one had noticed his distraction. He spent another half hour discussing the case with his boss, finishing his work. Then he trudged up the stairs to his apartment.
His empty apartment.
Harry decided he’d been a fool to ever kiss Melissa. He hadn’t known anything about her, except that he was drawn to her pouty lips. Now he was paying for his lack of resistance. She was going away in a few weeks, returning to France…and probably to Pierre. She must’ve been laughing at Harry even as she curled into his arms and lifted her lips to his.
His fingers tightened into fists as he realized how badly he wanted to hold her, to taste her. But he couldn’t. He slammed his fist into the sofa.
Finally, he stood and went to his bedroom. He was going to have to find a new girlfriend or go crazy. But he hadn’t seen anyone who could compare to Melissa. Maybe he never would.
Chapter Thirteen
“Melissa,” a soft voice called.
Melissa jerked to a sitting position, ready to sprint to her mother’s room to see what she wanted. Instead, when she opened her eyes, her mother was there in her room.
“Mom! What are you doing up?”
“I got up and fixed breakfast this morning for John and your dad.”
“But Dad said he and John would manage on their own,” she protested.
“Yes, and then it would’ve taken all morning to clean up the mess. I’ve had your father’s help before. Besides, he said you needed to sleep in.”
“But I should’ve gotten up.”
“Good heavens, child, I’ve been up and around for several days now. I admit I take a nap sometimes, but there’s no reason I can’t get up and fix breakfast. I won’t break.”
“Mom, you’re making me feel guilty.”
“Nonsense. Come eat your breakfast.”
Melissa grabbed her robe and then stepped into the bathroom. When she saw her reflection in the mirror, she stared in horror. Streaks of tears stained her face, and her eyes were red, swollen. With one glance her mother had surely known she’d been crying. Melissa hurriedly rinsed her face and practiced a happy smile in the mirror. Not quite as believable as it needed to be, but it was the best she could do.
She rushed to the kitchen and found her mother sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in front of her. At Melissa’s place waited a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon, along with a platter of biscuits.
“I can’t eat that many biscuits, Mom!”
“Good. I’ll have some to keep you company. Bring me a saucer, would you, please?”
Melissa did as she asked and then sat down and started eating.
“So, how was your date last night?”
Melissa kept her gaze on the scrambled eggs as if they were the most important things in the world. “Fine.”
“Uh, I should’ve said I talked to your father this morning.”
“Oh, so he told you about—about the rapist?”
“Yes. Was the victim from Rawhide?”
“No, she was from Buffalo. Can you believe it? The steak house is known in Buffalo as a good place to meet cowboys.”
“The ladies of Rawhide have known that for a long time,” Camille said with a smile.
“That’s not where you met Dad.”
“No. I had an inside track, since I was living at the ranch when Griff arrived,” Camille said with a sweet smile and a faraway look. “You didn’t meet Harry there, either.”
“Actually, I did. Remember? My first Friday night home.”
“That seems like so long ago. It’s only been a week.”
“Yes, I guess so. But a lot has happened in that week.”
Camille nodded. “Harry is still coming for Sunday dinner, isn’t he?”
Damn! Melissa had forgotten she’d invited him. The last thing she wanted now was to face him in front of her parents. “Uh, I forgot to mention it again, what with all the excitement.”
“That’s okay. John is going to the general store to order some special feed he read about. He can stop in and make sure he’s coming. Harry’s such a lovely man. I’ll enjoy visiting with him.”
Her mother had no idea how lovely Harry was. But Melissa knew, every last inch of him. Yet he wasn’t interested. Well, maybe for a roll in the hay, but he wouldn’t ask her to stay. She supposed he had someone else lined up for when she left!
“Dear? Is anything wrong?” her mother asked.
Melissa looked down at her eggs again. “No, why would you think that?”
Camille chuckled and reached out to touch her hand. “Because you’ve got what I call that bulldog look on your face. It’s one you learned from your father. And it usually means trouble for someone, maybe even yourself.”
“I…was just thinking about the ladies I met last night who came into town to catch a cowboy. I don’t think that’s fair.”
“Did Harry flirt with them?”
“Of course not! He was with me.”
“Good. That’s the way it should be.”
WHEN JOHN AND GRIFF CAME in at noon, Melissa had lunch prepared. She hadn’t let her mother raise a hand. They all sat down together, enjoying the rare chance of having the whole family together.
Conversation was lively, but Melissa found herself at times distracted.
“Are you feeling all right, dear?” her mother asked. “You’re not saying much.”
“Oh, yes, Mom. I was just thinking about—about Caroline and Mike’s plan to move into their new home. I haven’t even seen their old one.”
“Oh, it’s a darling little house, very close to the Sheriff’s Office, on the street behind it. We all pitched in and helped B.J. decorate it before Caroline came home, so she’d have her own place to live.”
This week Melissa had learned more about her family then she had in six years. “Oh, really?”
“We completely redid the house. B.J. was emphatic that we put in no girlie frills. From the time she was little, Caroline liked everything classic, with clean lines and bright colors. It was a wonderful house for her.”
“I’d like to see it. They said they would either rent it out or sell it, if they got an offer.”
“Your mom an
d I would buy it for you if you want to stay,” Griff said.
“Griff!” Camille protested.
“Dad!” Melissa exclaimed.
“How’s she going to decide if we don’t make an offer?” Griff asked his wife. “She ought to know that she wouldn’t have to live at home here with us. I mean, we love her, but we understand her need to be independent.”
Camille’s lips twitched and so did Melissa’s. She understood her father was spouting what her mother had told him. She knew her father wasn’t as enlightened as he sounded this morning.
“I appreciate that, Dad. Why don’t I go into town with John and visit Caroline? I’ll give her a call and see if she’s going to be there.”
“Good idea, dear,” Camille said. “I’m sure she’d love for you to visit. And while you’re in town, you can check with Harry about Sunday.”
HARRY GOWAN WAS DEPRESSED.
Things had gone badly at the end of the night and he wasn’t sure he knew why. He wasn’t sure Melissa understood, though. After all, he’d been willing to kiss her whenever she’d mentioned she was leaving.
The only good part of the last twelve-plus hours had been his routine. It comforted him, made him feel his life was normal again.
Normal, but without Melissa.
He missed her. He thought about calling her, but knew that was the wrong thing to do.
Mike came into the office just as Harry sat down at his desk.
“Morning, Harry. That was good work last night,” the sheriff said.
“Thanks, Mike. I got lucky.” He regretted those words immediately. They had another connotation, entirely different. And entirely untrue.
“I talked to the police chief in Buffalo. They’re sending someone over today to interview our prisoner.”
“I doubt they’ll get much out of him. He wasn’t interested in talking last night.”
“We’ll see. By the way, have you had lunch?”
“No, I wasn’t hungry.”
“Good, come join me,” Mike said, waiting for Harry to stand up.
“Mike, I’m on duty. I can’t leave.”
“There are three other deputies here and we’d be two minutes away. Come on.”
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