Sweet Hill Homecoming (5 page)

“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.
 

“She’s walking in now,” he said and headed toward the entrance.
 

Annie and her bright red hair were hard to miss and Luke wasted no time wrapping her up and kissing her. Tate tried to remember when he kissed a woman like that and came up empty. A few dates here and there over the years but nothing that didn’t start bland and end amicably.
 

Tate took a drink of his beer and realized he would need another, and maybe one more after that. But when Jen Randall came in, she wasn’t the blonde that caught Tate’s attention. It was the sultry golden-haired wanton behind her that made his jeans suddenly tighter.
 

He’d never seen a woman look more exotic and cute at the same time. It was a mind fuck, which judging by the tight skirt, and low cut sweater paired with a pair of black knee high boots, was Mia Blake’s specialty. Her large almond shaped eyes scanned the room in a way he recognized. She was looking for a good time. Looking for something fun and easy. Two things Tate had never been called in his life.
 

When her gaze landed on him, a fire set and yeah, it burnt him from across the room. He saluted his beer bottle in her direction which only seemed to piss her off more. Stomping over to him, he tried really hard not to notice the way her breasts subtly bounced with every determined stride, exposing just enough creamy cleavage to make his damn mouth itch for a taste.
 

“Surprised to see you here,” she said, not bothering with niceties. “Thought maybe you’d be out ruining someone else’s night.”
 

“Still upset because you didn’t get your way, huh?” he said with a casual smile, and felt anything but.
 

“Let me inform you of something, Deputy, getting my own way is the least of my worries at the moment.”
 

“Obviously.” Everything about this woman screamed high maintenance. From the way she “informed” him of things, to her entitled attitude. He’d seen her kind before. And he should let her be on her way, yet between the smell of her citrus perfume and the leather boots, he was having a hard time getting his dick on board with the idea of letting her leave.

“Can I get a lemon drop, for Jen and me please,” she said, smiling at Cam and the bar owner hopped right to it.
 

“Coming right up,” Cam said.

Tate didn’t have to turn to see Cam’s giant grin and knew he was checking Mia out. Hell, every man in the room was checking her out. She wasn’t one of those fade into the background kind of people.
 

“I just wanted to say that I’m not going to contest that ticket,” she said, eyes back on Tate. Instantly happy that her attention was focused on him instead of Cam. Which shouldn’t matter, but for some reason, everything about this woman affected him.

“I’m surprised.”

“Well, I parked there. Nothing I can do about that now. But I really didn’t see the red.”

There was an honesty in her eyes. Tate was on the brink of giving in. Telling her to forget the ticket. But when she got bumped from behind, lunging her forward and into Tate’s chest, he lost any train of thought he’d had.
 

She gasped a little and Tate kind of did too. Because they went from inches apart, to her breasts smashed against his chest and his hands cupping her hips. She looked up at him, her turquoise gaze fixated on his mouth, as she licked her own.
 

No fucking way did he see that right. Could Mia Blake actually be thinking of kissing him? When her hips brushed his, Tate realized she was close to getting hard proof of just how into her he was.
 

Tate dropped his hands and shifted his body so they were no longer touching. Whatever expression he was giving off, she didn’t seem to like it because she frowned at him and said, “I just don’t get your deal. All day I’ve heard how you’re this standup guy and there’s damn posters of your face all over town.”
 

Tate glanced over at Luke and knew he was the one responsible for putting those voting postings up. He’d have to kick his ass later. Tate appreciated the support, but lawn posters?
 

“Yet, all I see,” Mia said as she openly ran her eyes from his belt to his face, “is a guy on a power trip.”
 

“Power trip?” He straightened, seriously heated now because the only reason he became a Deputy was to help and serve his town and his family. It was for the honor. For doing something good to help. Power wasn’t even on the list of things he wanted in life.
 

“Well, you know what I see?” He leaned in. “I see a small town girl who went to a big city, got rejected and ran home with a chip on her shoulder expecting favors to be handed to her.”
 

Her mouth parted and right before she frowned, Tate saw a flash of something in her eyes that made him feel like he really was the asshole she thought him to be. But as soon as it came, it went, and she was back to glares and attitude.
 

Cam slid the drinks to Mia and said, “These are on the house.”
 

Tate wanted to roll his eyes. Of course they were.
 

She returned the smile, then her glare was back on Tate.
 

“Understand one thing, Deputy,” she reached behind him to pick up the drinks Cam put down for her, brushing her breasts against his torso and Tate would bet—hoped—it was on purpose, “I don’t get rejected.”
 

With the sexiest, scariest smile he’d ever seen a woman give, she took a sip of her drink and walked away.
 

Damn if Tate didn’t believe her.
 

~

Mia was fuming. Partly because Tatum West was everything controlled and unbreakable, and partly because her “attraction to him was based solely on uniform” theory went right out the window. Even in jeans and a white tee-shirt the man looked edible.
 

Though she liked the Stetson, he went without tonight, showcasing thick black hair and matching five o’clock shadow.

When she was pushed into him, a jolt of heat slithered up her body and the urge to close that last couple millimeters and kiss him was overwhelming. For a second she could have sworn he wanted her too. But then a terrible look soured his face and he brushed her aside like she was toxic.
 

“Whoa, what just bit your ass?” Annie said, as Mia made her way back to her, Jen and Luke.
 

“The Deputy bit my ass, actually.” She took a long swallow of her drink.

“Sounds hot,” Jen said.

Luke laughed. “That’d be a first for Tate. But good for him. I told him he needed a woman.”
 

Annie elbowed Luke in the stomach which only made him chuckle harder.