Page 32 of Riding the High

“Sir Peanut Butter Cups!!” Mabel calls when I come through the big house’s door. I smile and put on my best brave face.

“How was your weekend, Half Pint?!” I ask as I squeeze her tight, kissing her squishy little cheek in a million places as she giggles. The smells of the old wooden cabin walls and my mother’s meatloaf fill the air. Breathing them in and holding Mabel instantly centers me.

She puts her chubby hands at both sides of my face. “Me and Nana watched movies and fed the horses and Harley ran away after a bunny, and I ate four chocolate chip cookies …” She continues her stories as I gather all her things and thank my mama for looking after her with a hug. I’m about to head out the door when Nash and CeCe come through it, rambling on about a list of photographers Mama’s compiled for them.

“Auntie, come and see the princess dresses Nana saved for me on her computer!” Mabel tells CeCe. My sister envelops her in a little side-hug.

“You’re going to be the cutest flower girl ever,” she says, ruffling Mabel’s hair and following her to the den.

Nash smiles after them. “You look wrecked, bud,” he says, rolling his sleeve up and heading for the bar. “What a fucking weekend. And now it’s only five weeks until the big day. I can’t believe it.”

I nod. “You can say that again.”

He motions to pour me a bourbon. I shake my head, the thought of drinking any more alcohol turning my stomach. I just want to get home, relax, and sleep for twelve hours straight.

“Have a little too much last night?” he queries, taking a sip of his drink.

I fiddle with my hat and then turn it backward while I finish packing Mabel’s crayons into a container.

“Yep,” I answer.

“Heard Ginger did too. CeCe said she drank all night and danced at the Chandelier. Funny thing is, I can’t see her going there alone, so someone must have been with her.” He rubs his jaw as though he’s a goddamn detective. “Can’t imagine it was Chris since she shot him down, and Cory said Liv was with them all night—”

“What do you want from me?” I look over at him. He’s leaning back in his chair like the cocky all-knowing prick he can be.

He leans forward. “Look, I get it. There’s something between you two. If you think I don’t know you’ve been fighting this for years—” I scoff, interrupting him. He pauses before continuing. “But just know what you’re getting yourself into. If I was a betting man, I’d say something happened this weekend.”

“And why would you say that?”

“Because I missed your usual fucked-up foreplay banter all the way home. It was awfully quiet up there in seats 4A and 4B. The kind of quiet that follows a night of unplanned sex.”

“Don’t you have a wedding to plan?” I ask tersely.

“Yeah, I do, one where I want to keep the bride happy and focused.Notin the middle of some drama between her best friend and her brother. Capeesh?”

I sit down across from him. Fucking guy knows me too well. I take my hat off and rest it on my knee.

“I’ve got everything under control,” I say. Nash narrows his eyes at me as CeCe comes back into the room.

Grateful for the distraction, I stand, and let Mabel say her goodbyes. I say my quick goodbyes too. I need to get the fuck away from my family. I need some space to sort this shit out.

I grab Mabel’s hand. “Let’s go have some dinner, my little best friend.”

She smiles up at me. “Okay, Daddy. Pizza?”

“Sure, buddy, anything you want.”

I smile down at her, hoping I can get my shit together and be a good example for her. ’Cause, fuck, right now I don’t feel like one. You know, considering she has a new stepmom she doesn’t know about. A new stepmom I’m having a real hard time getting out of my head.

Once we’re home, I unpack Mabel’s weekend bag, prepare her dinner, throw a load of laundry in the washing machine, and pack her a new bag ready for the ranch tomorrow. It’s where she’ll be while I work. I make a note to do a search for summer camps, or play groups to keep Mabel entertained.

My job is so much more demanding now as sheriff. Between managing the deputies and my new town obligations, I’m feeling stretched to the max. I should be working with the community, and spending time listening to the public about their concerns. But instead, all my energy is going into keeping the local office and my deputies running. I could work twelve hours a day and still never have all my tasks complete. Now that school is out, keeping Mabel entertained on the ranch all day won’t be easy, and nor is it fair to have my almost sixty-year-old mother have to spend all day every day doing so.

VIXEN

So are you contemplating your life choices like I am tonight, Sheriff?

I see her name and message light up the screen. I lean forward on the sofa and pick up my phone. If I’m trying to forget what her tight little body felt like pressed up against mine, Ishould probably avoid talking to her, but it’s Ginger so it’s hard to do that.

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