Soon after, her momma had asked her, “Dinah, did you cut your hand on that broken teapot?”
There was only one answer. “Yes, ma’am.”
“And how did it break? Do you know?”
That’s when Dinah had an epiphany of sorts. Her mother truly had no idea how the teapot had gotten from the top shelf of her china cabinet to lying in pieces on the kitchen counter.
Therefore, Dinah wasn’t about to be punished. Unless she told the truth.
So she shrugged her shoulders.
Her mother narrowed her eyes. “Truly? You have no idea?”
“No, ma’am,” she’d said in a rush. “When I came in here to get something to eat, I saw your teapot sitting on the counter all broken up.” Figuring she might as well go whole hog, Dinah started the tears running. “Momma, I was just looking at the pieces and hurt my hand.”
“I see.”
“You know I can’t reach the door to the china cabinet, Momma.” Not without a chair under her. “Maybe one of the boys did it.”
As she’d hoped, her mother took the bait.
Dinah had gotten cookies. Her brothers? A lecture.
Yep, sometimes it just didn’t pay to fess up to the truth.
That had been a real good thing when it came to being caught following her brothers around in the barn, drinking beer when she was underage…or waking up in the shelter of Austin’s very warm, very strong arms that morning.
Yep, sometimes a person shouldn’t question how things came to be. Sometimes all she needed to do was simply accept what was what.
As a ray of sunlight shone through her bedroom window, landing square in her eyes as if she was fixin’ to be interrogated, Dinah wondered how she was going to find a way to talk her way out of this one.
Because it was going to be difficult.
She’d lured Austin into her bed last night. If she hadn’t pressed him, he would have walked away. If she hadn’t kissed him with so much enthusiasm, he would have closed the door behind him instead of carrying her to bed.
No, he’d been the cautious gentleman last night, full of good intent. She? She’d played the part of the overeager, somewhat desperate hussy.
Thank you very much.
As she edged cautiously to the side of the bed, hoping she’d be able to somehow slide out and escape into the bathroom without him seeing, Austin’s eyes popped open. They fixated on her like bright blue laser beams, practically daring her to go anywhere. She couldn’t do it.
“Hi,” she said. “I guess it’s morning.”
She could almost read his mind as he stared at her and began to review their past few hours together. For a split second, his eyes softened on her, taking in her bare shoulders as well as the rest of her that was trying like hell to keep covered by a thin white sheet. Then he smiled. “Whew. For a minute there, I thought I’d dreamed you up.”
Oh, it certainly hadn’t been a dream. “I did the same thing.” Well, not really, but who was to know? “This kind of took me off guard. And we can’t even blame it on alcohol.”
“No, ma’am, we cannot.” He smiled, looking extremely pleased about that. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I do believe this is the first time in a long while I’ve woken up with a woman when I’ve remembered every single second of the evening before.”
Every second? That kind of made her nervous. “Hmm.”
He continued talking, because, well, he was Austin. “Dinah, shoot, you were something else.”
Something else? “I don’t know how to reply to that.”
“You don’t need to, sugar.”
That sounded like a good thing, but it was also kind of worrisome. “I remember everything, too. I suppose I need to remind you that I don’t usually do things like that.”
“What don’t you do, Dinah?” he drawled. Teasing her terribly. “I mean usually?”
Oh! If she wasn’t three shades of red and sitting under a sheet, she would have hit him. “Stop.”
“Honey, don’t be embarrassed. When I said ‘whew,’ I was simply remembering that trek from the floor to this bed. And the way you wrapped your legs around my waist and held on tight.” He waggled his eyebrows. “It was impressive, Dinah.”
It had been something, all right. She’d been clasped to him tighter than a cheap polyester suit.
She cleared her throat. “Listen, Duke has the day off, so I’d better get on my way. I’ve got to get in the shower and go to work.”
“Okay.”
“So…that means I’m going to need to get out of bed now.” That, of course, was his cue to say adios. And maybe not look at her too closely in the morning light.
But instead of attempting to give her privacy, he folded his arms behind his head and smiled sleepily. “I hear you. You go do what you need to do. I’m just gonna lie here a minute.”
Doing her best to pretend that she had nothing to be ashamed of, she walked to the bathroom. Trying to act as if she sauntered around naked all the time.
From the bed, Austin chuckled.
“Why are you laughing?” She turned to frown at him.
“No reason. I was just lying here admiring you. And thinking that for once I’m waking up happy.”
“Oh.” She hastily retreated to the bathroom and started working on her teeth.
After she’d gotten into the shower and closed the curtain, she heard Austin stroll in and say, “Dinah, after work, let’s go over to Angie’s.”
She stuck her head out the opening and gave him a closer look. He had his jeans back on, but hanging low on his hips. “Why do you want to do that?”
“’Cause she’s still got that litter of puppies, the ones that were dropped off at their barn door in the middle of the night. Isn’t that something, the way people just turn things over to her?”
“It is a shame. How are they doing?”
“I didn’t ask, but I imagine they’re just fine. Angie has a way with animals. But listen, she told me about all them. They’re brown and chubby, with floppy ears and stubby tails.” His voice warmed. “Angie said they’re as cute as all get-out.”
“I was only kidding about getting a dog.”
“I heard you had a good time with the puppies you took to the high school.”
“Everyone loves puppies.”
“Let’s go see them. At the very least, it will make you happy.”
“That’s true.” She turned off the water and hardly felt awkward at all when he handed a towel over the bar to her. “Thanks.”
“How about I pick you up about seven?”
She wrapped the towel tight around her body, just over the curve of her breasts. “Seven tonight?”
“Well, yeah. Unless you want to spend the night together again.”
So…were they a couple now? “Okay.”
Next thing she knew, he’d pushed aside the shower curtain and had pressed his lips on her brow. “Thank you. I’m glad you’re letting me do this.”
She barely had time to respond before she heard her door open and shut, followed by the low growl of his truck reversing.
Too confused to figure out what in the world she was going to do, Dinah tossed off the towel, turned the water on hotter and stood directly under the showerhead, letting the hot bursts of water soak her shoulder blades.
What she should have done was thank him. Thank him for reminding her that while she was a tough and capable sheriff, she was also still Dinah Hart. A girl.
* * *
SHE HAD A STEADY STREAM of emails and voice messages waiting for her when she got to the office. Luckily, no robberies, but enough other work to occupy her that she didn’t take time for lunch.
In fact, she’d only just decided to go for a walk down to the Number 1 Diner to grab a cup of coffee and see if Sierra had any fresh pie, when her cell phone rang.
“Dinah, tell me that wasn’t Austin Wright’s truck in your parking lot last night.”
“Ace, what the heck?”
“Just answer the question.”
She’d played this game with him for most of her life. Ace loved to play big brother and seemed to think that part of the game meant he could be as bullheaded as he wanted to be.
She, on the other hand, had never cared for being either bullied or coddled. Adding a little extra sugar to her voice, she said, “Which parking lot are you referring to?”
“You know which one. Your parking lot. Your apartment’s parking lot.”
If Ace had his way, she’d still be having tea parties at home in her pink bedroom. “I see. So, is that what you’re doing for fun now? Going out and doing surveillance in Roundup? Do I need to put you on the payroll?”
“Don’t be a smart-ass.”
She could almost see his teeth grinding. “If you don’t want to talk to a smart-ass, don’t call me up and start barking questions at me. I’m working.” She bit her lip at the fib.
“I didn’t know you and Austin were an item now.”
Of course, it hadn’t been something she’d really planned on, either. What had happened the night before had had a lot to do with an attraction that had been brewing between the two of them for practically a decade.
And though she’d enjoyed herself very much, she was mature enough to know that there was a big difference between enjoying a man’s attentions for the night and wanting to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with him for the rest of her life. “We’re just feeling things out.”
“Feeling things out?” he scoffed. “I bet. I hope you’re on your way to go get checked for disease. That man’s catted around more than most.”
Standing outside the diner, she wrinkled her nose at Ace’s words. And because she didn’t like the inference that she wasn’t smart enough to take care of herself, she inhaled and spat back a reply. “Ace, even though this is none of your business, I’ll have you know—”
And just like that, she shut her mouth in midprotest. Because…oops. They hadn’t used birth control. At all.
Standing there on the sidewalk, with half the town walking by and eyeing her curiously, she let her jaw drop.
Since when did she do things like that?
On the other side of the line, Ace’s voice turned grumpier. “You’ll have me know what, Dinah?”
She’d left him hanging, thinking the worst. And if she didn’t finish up that thought real quick, he was going to march over here and get the full story.
But…shoot! What to tell him?
What if she told him the terribly awkward truth? That there hadn’t been a prophylactic in sight? He was liable to beat up Austin ten ways to Tuesday. And then she was going to be manhandled all the way to the urgent care and be forced to get examined or something.
So she played it cool and resorted to that old lesson learned back when she was seven. Don’t admit anything.
“Ace, I can’t talk any longer. I’m just about to go get a piece of pie at the diner. But if you don’t settle down, I’m going to tell Flynn on you.”
“Wait a minute… What?”
“You heard me. Now leave me be. After I eat, I’ve got a ton of work to do. Roundup doesn’t stay safe and orderly without me, you know. Bye.” She clicked off. Feeling kind of proud of herself.
But a whole lot more foolish. Because Ace was definitely right. Austin Wright didn’t have the best of reputations when it came to relationships.
She was still musing on that one as she went inside, nodded at Irene, one of Sierra’s full-time waitresses, then sat in a back booth.
Irene walked over to her almost right away. “What can I get you, Sheriff Dinah?”
“Hi, Irene. How are you?”
“I’m hanging in there. My kids are driving me crazy at home, but that ain’t nothing new.” Pausing for breath, she smiled. “Hey, my Brandy said you and the puppies were a big hit at the high school. I think that was a real good way to chat with everyone. You going to go back anytime soon?”
“I’m going to try to. So, do y’all have any pie today? Please tell me that Sierra’s been baking up a storm.”
Irene warily glanced over to the counter near the cash register. There, Sierra and her aunt Jordan seemed to be having a heck of an argument. That was a surprise, given that Dinah had understood that they’d always gotten along pretty well.
After another moment passed, Irene said, “Sierra brought in apple and chocolate, I think.”
Her eyes still on the two women, Dinah said, “I’ll take a piece of either. And a large cup of coffee.”
“Okay.”
As Irene was about to turn away, Dinah lowered her voice. “Before you leave…what’s going on?”
Irene bit her lip as if she really didn’t want to say, then grudgingly reported, “Um, I’m not sure. Sierra’s been real stressed out lately.”
Dinah wanted to ask more, but Irene’s expression told her that she wasn’t going to get very far. It was obvious Irene didn’t want to talk about her employer.
Well, she couldn’t fault that. Leaning back in her booth, Dinah smiled. “Thanks for filling me in. Just the pie and coffee will be good for now.”
“Okay, you got it.”
While Dinah waited, her troubles surfaced all over again. Before she knew it, she was worrying about babies and venereal diseases. Ugh! The last two things in the world she wanted to be thinking about.
Instead, she subtly watched Sierra and Jordan. Of course, it wasn’t all that hard to do, since their voices were getting louder.
Then, when Sierra was chatting with a newcomer, Dinah watched Jordan set a glass of water next to the cash register.
What happened next was like watching a train wreck. Sierra smiled at the customer, rang up another customer and knocked over the glass of water.
Jordan flinched when the water hit her in the middle of her chest. Their voices lowered, then raised, like waves crashing in the water.
Then Jordan mumbled something that sounded a whole lot like “eye doctor appointment.”
Seconds passed. It seemed to Dinah that the whole restaurant went silent as everyone there waited for Sierra’s response.
“Here, Sheriff,” Irene blurted as she placed a generous slice of apple pie and a mug filled to the brim with coffee.
Dinah forced herself to look away from the two arguing women. “Thanks.”
Warily, Irene glanced behind her before looking Dinah’s way again. “You need anything else?”
Dinah shook her head as Jordan walked out of the restaurant, her Seeing Eye dog by her side…just as an obviously embarrassed Sierra turned around and rushed to the back.
And, Dinah thought with some remorse, Sierra was also a very good reminder that Dinah Hart wasn’t the only person in Roundup, Montana, with problems.
She needed to remember that.
Chapter Sixteen
“Hey, Brother,” Cheyenne said as she sauntered into the front door of Wright’s Western Wear and Tack with
a smile. “Look what I’ve got—two girls who are dying to see you.”
Austin had been oiling a new King show saddle that had just come in, but dropped the rag and came over as soon as Sammie and Sadie appeared by their mother’s side.
Slowly, he opened his arms for a hug. One by one, the girls hugged him. Austin counted their hugs as a huge milestone in his life. When they’d first arrived in Roundup, they’d hardly even look him in the eye; now their quick, gentle hugs reminded him that while a lot of things in his life were on the rails, his relationship with his nieces was improving.
He planted a noisy kiss on the top of each of their heads. While they giggled, he crouched down on one knee so he was eye level with them. “And how are my two favorite princesses?”
“Uncle Austin, we aren’t princesses,” Sadie said. “Don’tcha see what we’re wearing?”
He tilted his head to one side. “What are you, then? ’Cause you look like princesses, dressed in your red skirts and sweaters. You two are the prettiest girls to have ever set foot in this store.”
Sadie drew herself up to her full three-foot height. “We’re cheerleaders, Uncle Austin! Princesses don’t wear Rs on their sweaters like we’ve got.”
“You sure?” With a wink at his sister, he said, “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen cheerleaders who look like y’all. And no offense, but y’all seem a little short for the job.”
“We’re tall enough.”
“We just got done with their first youth cheerleading class.” Cheyenne rolled her eyes.
“Youth cheerleading, huh?” Little girl cheer programs sounded about as foreign to him as Malaysia.
Cheyenne shrugged. “I know, who would have thought? I did 4-H. But these girls don’t want to have a thing to do with lambs or pigs. Instead, they just want to be decked out in sparkles. And they seem to do okay, as long as I stay in the room.”
“Grandpa said we’d be real good,” Sadie said.
Austin: Second Chance Cowboy Page 13