Page 25 of Make Her Mine

“He’s going to be out and about in town,” Harlow says. “People might ask him about it. We should tell him sooner versus later.”

“How many people know about this?” my mom asks.

“We were just down at the diner. So…”

“Everyone,” Peyton fills in.

Not that the entire town was at the diner, but everyone at the diner has probably already told someone who has told someone. It’s been about twenty minutes so…yeah, everyone.

Peyton pulls her phone from her pocket and presses a button.

A second later Scott’s voice comes across the line. “It’s early for trouble.”

“That’s not what you said in the shower this morning,” Peyton tells him.

“Mom!” Harlow protests.

“I’m going to assume that Harlow is telling you what the hell is going on with her and Jefferson?” Scott asks, clearly having heard his daughter’s voice.

“You already heard?” Harlow asks. She doesn’t seem surprised.

None of us are.

“Well, Derek told me and Kyle that Jefferson announced to the bar last night that you’re seeing someone and then walked out. Then just now Melissa Stevens asked me how long you and Jefferson have been dating so yeah, I’ve heard.”

Derek Wright manages the Come Again and Kyle Ames is one of the town doctors. They’re also Scott’s best friends and the three of them get coffee every morning. Between the three of them, they hear as much gossip as the ladies at the hair salon and the old men at Dottie’s.

“What did you say?” Peyton asks.

“That it’s hard to keep track since we’ve known Jefferson all his life and he’s always been around.”

The four of us in the bakery all exchange impressed looks.

“That was pretty good,” Peyton tells her husband. “Not a lie but you didn’t give anything away.”

“Thinking on my feet is kind of part of the job,” Scott says.

“Makes you a good cop,” Peyton says with a grin.

“I meant the job of bein’ your husband, but yeah, it helps with the cop thing too,” he replies.

She just laughs. “Well, for the record, Officer Hansen, this one is all Harlow’s. Or Harlow’s and Jefferson’s. Not my idea.”

“You’re not discouraging it though,” Scott says.

“Well…no.”

“For the record,” Scott says, “I don’t like Zach Nelson either.”

Harlow’s eyes round in surprise. “Wow, you’re like a detective or something.”

“Damn right. You okay? Some reason you can’t just tell Zach to fuck off?” Scott asks.

Harlow‘s gaze meets mine again. She smiles. I return it.

There is something about being partners in crime with her that gets my heart beating a little faster.

“It’s more just for fun. Messing with Zach feels like revenge. I’m not too proud to admit that to you guys.”

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