Behind the Pines (The Gass County Series Book 3) (18 page)

Wendy smiled at Sunshine from behind the counter as Sunshine walked through the door to the station and greeted her happily. Sunshine’s eyes fell on the door to Brody’s office. It was open, the room dark.

“Hard to believe, but he’s off today, the bastard,” said Wendy, answering her thoughts. “He’s not the only one in need of time off. We got Melanie Orchard as second deputy and we’re mighty happy to see the police force growing.”

Work was an endless day of packing flour sacks and hoisting the heavy load on trucks for local deliveries and hooking cows up for milking. For a fun change of pace, Farmer Gert’s sensitive stomach had given her an opportunity to smile as they witnessed the wonder of a calf being born before their afternoon coffee break. After that she went across the field, a path well traveled under her boots and Brutus’s paws as, morning, lunch, and dinner, they tread through the dirt and hay. Mud its entirety, tall grass along its sides until she reached the white cobblestone walls of the cottage now in her name and the two planters of pink Azaleas framing the green front door. She fed Brutus, a dog with a surprisingly bottomless stomach, then grabbed a glass of cold white wine from the door of the fridge and sat on her sofa, determined to do nothing but read through the newest
Bark
magazine that had arrived in the mail.

Until three taps rapped on the front door. She looked out the window of the living room to see who was out there, then smiled and went to open the door.

“Hey, Hayley. What are you doing here? Your salon doesn’t close until six.”

“Nah, my last customer of the day bailed for a dinner date at the senior center, so here I am. Wine bottle and all.” She held up a bottle, shaking it lightly.

“Well, I’m ahead of you, but please come in and fill yours up.”

Another glass later, Brutus deep asleep and running in his dream where he was in his dog bed, Sunshine sighed and gave in to Hayley yakking around the poorly hidden subject, Brody. 

“Fine, I’m in love with him, the jackass.”

“Ohhh,” Hayley smiled. “This comes as a complete surprise to the world.” Something that made Sunshine slap her hand hard on Hayley’s shoulder, but Hayley kept going. “So, the light dawns, not for me, but for you. You love him, and that scares you. You think he is going to turn into Anthony because they both carried those shiny stars on their chests and bulletproof vests. But his heart isn’t completely bulletproof from what I’ve heard. He was married once. Plant a love bullet in his heart and you have him around your finger. Brody isn’t just some guy.”

Tears pricked Sunshine’s eyes. “You get me too well sometimes, you know. And, for love, he’s seen me naked, touched me in places only . . . well, you have.”

“Oh, shut up, Sunshine. He is probably even more confused than you are. He’s a man for god’s sake. Not much up there,” Hayley pointed at her head.

“Don’t think too highly of men?”

“Women are better in every aspect.”

Sunshine sighed and smiled at Hayley sitting next to her of the sofa. “I wish I was a lesbian because then I would love you.”

“Me too, but don’t worry about me. I’ll find someone.”

“You know,” Sunshine said, starting to feel rather smug, “rumor is the new second deputy, Orchard, likes girls.”

Hayley refilled her wine glass and with a smile tugging at her lips leaned back in the sofa. “That information might have caught my attention recently, too.”

Ah, a friend like Hayley was every woman’s dream: honest, slightly vulgar, and someone with whom you didn’t have to compete with around men. Because if that were true, Sunshine knew she couldn’t stand a chance against Hayley’s long white-blonde hair always in at thick bun on top of her head, showcasing a slender tanned neck made for kissing and touching, and no way she stood a chance against Hayley’s chest, an amazing set of breasts that bounced playfully every time her body moved. Yes, if anything, Hayley’s name could be Barbie.

*              *              *

Sunshine might have been right calling him a jackass idiot. You could throw a dart at every word between arrogant and bastard and it would fit him like a glove. Twice he’d repeated the offense, leaving her in the middle of sex. Who did that? Yep, Sunshine was right, he was a complete jackass, yet he couldn’t help himself wanting her all to himself, to do with her as he pleased, and he now found himself wishing he’d run into her by chance. Sometimes even more so when driving the extended route around town between calls, knowing he’d see the side of Sunshine’s new white stone cottage among the trees from the road.

It looked peaceful, and at times he’d been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her now short hair while she stood in the kitchen. “I’m not a stalker,” he’d mumbled to himself numerous times when the urge to repeat the route seemed too strong to resist. “I’m only watching over Gass County’s finest.” Brody grabbed the steering wheel, twisting his fingers around it tightly and watched his knuckles turn white under the burning anxiety of thinking what he would do if he saw another man in the window next to Sunshine. Another man tracing his hand across Sunshine’s skin, kissing her soft lips, tasting her body. A heated memory of his mouth between her legs crossed his mind and he planned a return trip to that sweet spot. Soon. Wouldn’t sit well to have murder on your record, and for nothing but petty jealousy.

Since there’d been no major incidents for the past week, and Melanie Orchard had taken the proposed position as assistant deputy, Brody could get in some gym time. He needed the stress release from the last few weeks’ intense extraordinary events, and he felt wound too tight.

“Hey, sweetie. As I’ve said before, you’re already there, no need to push for more muscle.” Jefferson opened the garage door and walked into the space Brody had transformed into Primrose Valley’s fitness heaven. Brody let out a snort.

“How’s it going with your girl?” Jefferson asked while pulling on a pair of black boxing gloves to beat the crap out of the large sack of sand hanging by a thick chain from the ceiling.

Brody continued his bench press. “It’s not.”

“I thought you rescued her like the town hero you now are? Women should fall head over heels for that.”

“Not Sunshine,” Brody puffed and let the weight stay above his chest for a second before pushing it back up.

“She found someone else? The town thought you guys were the new power couple.”

“The town,” Brody emphasized, “should leave their noses out of business that doesn’t concern them.”

“Brody and Sunshine, the new Kennedy and Jackie O.”

“Thinking of their relationship, and his end, I think that would be unfortunate.”

Jefferson wiped a shimmer of sweat from his forehead before giving the bag another round. “Yeah, you might be right about that.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Not into talking feelings, okay, but you should know that bitch of an ex-wife you have and what happened to you in service won’t scare a woman like Sunshine away.”

There it was again, that shadow that always seemed to come over his eyes whenever it was mentioned. “Yeah, well . . .”

“What? Because you think she’ll be repelled by an injury?”

Brody was quiet for a while. “People have left me for less.” He pushed his heavy weight into first position and grabbed for a sip of water from the bottle next to him on the floor.

“For someone brazen enough to sit on your lap at the station during work hours, looking hot and ready, Sunshine is the girl for you. She won’t give in easily, and that’s what you need.” Jefferson smiled and placed the sweaty gloves back on the bench behind him.

“How do you know that?”

“Rumors travel fast in a town our size.”

“Sunshine is independent. She doesn’t need anybody.”

“Women are fucking mysteries. Trust me, I’m married to someone who convinced me for months to raise pigs for slaughter on the farm only to name them and now considers them pets we will keep.”

“But know,” Jefferson continued before heading out the door. “It’s not that Sunshine needs you, she wants you. That’s a major difference.”

Tonight the shift was his. Melanie had done an excellent job taking the day shift but he knew nothing less would come from a woman like her. Without much thought he noticed the trees grow taller and the fields opening up, he’d taken the extended route without thinking. Farmer Gert’s tall barn was dusted an orange red in the evening rays and he knew the little white cottage he sought wouldn’t be far off in the distance. He slowed his cruiser to walking speed as two figures walked as dark shadows away from him on the side of the road. When he got closer, he saw his guess had been correct and he rolled down his window.

“Evening.” He tucked his hat and offered a polite smile. “Can’t sleep?”

“Brutus had a sudden urge for squirrel and took off across the field. I’m really just walking him home, but it sure is a nice walk right before the sun dies down.”

He watched Sunshine’s mouth tug a slight smile and he almost died. Why did he have to miss someone who wouldn’t have him?

She held loosely at Brutus’s leash as he sniffed Brody’s hand when he held it out from the window.

“So, what brings you by here? Pretty far from your inner city limits. Checking on me, again?” She smiled.

Since her house wasn’t really on his way home either, he had to admit it. “The body does what the mind wants. Apparently my hands decided to turn the cruiser this way,” he replied. “Again.”

“Well, thanks for that. Not everyone has the chief of police checking in on you personally.”

“You’re welcome.” He wasn’t sure what to do next, and Sunshine lingered with Brutus by the side of the road.

“So, how are things going?” Sunshine asked, looking from him to the setting sun. “Heard you got a new deputy?”

“Things are fine. The department is happy with Melanie, and so am I. It gets me some time off now and then.”

“Good for you. Well, I need to get going. Nice talking with you. Have a great night patrolling.”

For a second he watched her walk away down the road but he knew it would be silly ogling for too long so he pulled away from the side of the road and continued until he watched her walk turn into a jog and she and Brutus took the road down to her cottage and were gone.

Some things required more work and some things were worth it. Sunshine was, and he knew he had to get past his fears of rejection and the awkwardness that had settled between them. After all, he was the awkward one and it was his call.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Sunshine took a shower and regarded the envelope from Farmer Gert on the kitchen table. She had yet to open it and because of the unknown reason he’d delivered it to her mailbox instead of speaking to her face-to-face during the day and now she was pacing the kitchen in her robe, a tall glass of wine in her hand. Brutus studied her continuous moving with slight irritation, before he circled the inside of his dog bed and flopped down, facing away from the racket she was making. “It’s just because I want it to be good, love,” she said to answer his thoughts. He lifted his ears in response and released a deep sigh before turning in for the night.

“Okay, here goes. Whatever it is, I will stay positive. When some doors close, others open . . . unless they’re locked and you don’t have the key.” Brutus whined and scuffed the inside of his bed. “All right, I’ll stop.”

Her hands trembled as she opened the envelope with her name and took out the single sheet of folded paper. She placed the envelope on the table and with one eye closed she unfolded the paper and read in silence. Brutus stood up barking at the shriek Sunshine expelled, jumping high on the spot. “What?” he seemed to say. “What?”

“We’re staying Brutus,
here
. Staying!” She from the table and fell to her knees, hugging the large beast. “We’re getting the freaking farm, Brutus! You and me, we’re getting the entire goddamn farm! Gert is retiring and he’ll be
my
farmhand, teaching me the ropes. Can you believe it? Can you?” she yelled before grabbing the phone charging in the wall and dialed the only number that came to mind.

“Hayley, hey. You won’t believe it,” she shrieked across the line. “Farmer Gert is retiring and he gave me the farm. Me!”

Rick’s Bar was packed as it was every Friday night. Bar stools were taken, boots were occupied, but Hayley had demanded an empty chair for the new head farmer at Gert’s Farm, giving the rest of the bar a reason to applaud her entrance and serve more than a few glasses of wine until she’d tapped Rick on the shoulder and asked for a Coke so she could have a chance to make it home in one piece.

Melanie Orchard had swung by during her shift, as she still rented one of the rooms on top of the bar and offered to drive both her and Hayley to their separate homes.

Sunshine’s sofa had never felt this good. Part soft cotton, part pure happiness and she was glad she’d stopped drinking before she got drunk. This was a night to remember, not to forget, after all. Until she heard a knock from the door and her happiness diminished. Maybe it was Melanie coming back for something she forgot in the car.