Page 4 of Home Town Knight

No, notmydirection. Damn it.

The two brawlers careened into the woman beside me before I could stop them. Their heavier weight slammed into her and took her down to the wood floor.

“Watch it,” I yelled, grabbing hold of Idiot Number One and yanking him back. He wore a neon yellow stocking cap, which fell off onto the floor. I was about to toss him asideand go for Idiot Number Two, who had a thin mustache like something he’d forgotten to wipe from his upper lip.

But she had already shoved him off, adding in a kick to his gut with her fancy, fleece-topped snow boot. “Asshole! Get off me!”

He stumbled back, and fury darkened his face as he glared at her. But her stare back was just as menacing. “Go ahead and try it,” she warned.

He slunk back a few steps, muttering some extremely ungentlemanly words.

My new friend responded by flipping him off.

By then, Dean had made it around the bar and grabbed Idiot Number Two. I still had a grip on Number One, and my hand went to my belt, instinctively reaching for my handcuffs. But of course, they weren’t there. I was out of uniform.

“Lobby,” I said to my buddy. “We’ll deal with them there.” I didn’t want any more trouble in the vicinity of the other patrons, including these two idiots’ friends, who were standing slack-jawed a few feet away.

But Dean shook his head. “I’ll handle it, Tex.” He took hold of both brawlers and shoved them toward the lobby. “These two are going to their rooms. Aren’t you, gentlemen?”

So they were staying here at the Alpine Hotel. Probably running a tab to their rooms, which explained why Dean wasn’t too concerned with settling their payment. He just wanted them out of his bar.

“You sure the hotel won’t want to press charges?” I asked under my breath, following. The Alpine was in an unincorporated area of the county, so this was clearly my jurisdiction.

All the fight had gone out of the two hunters, as usually happens with drunken brawlers. I’d certainly dealt with my share. But they’d just made a mess inmycounty. I was morethan willing to give these knuckleheads a free stay in county lockup if it would knock some sense into them.

“I’ve got it,” Dean said smoothly. After leaving the Marines, he’d taken the opposite tack from me, choosing to pivot to peace, love, and harmony. He hated guns, and despite his friendship with me, he wasn’t a fan of law enforcement either. “Go check on the lovely lady at the bar. Make sure she’s okay.”

I gave him a stern look. “Pretty sure she’s fine.” And I knew what he was doing. Trying to play my wingman.

“Go, Sheriff. Quit trying to make a federal case out of a simple tussle.”

I almost launched into a lecture about the differences between state and federal law and the nuances of jurisdiction, but he was just trying to get a rise out of me. Dean knew me better than most people, even my friends here in the county. Nobody else within a thousand square miles called meTex. He also cared about me and was trying to save my evening. The asshole. He didn’t know the exact reasons for my anxiety tonight, but he’d picked up on it.

So I turned and went back into the bar.

I was just in time to see Ms. Snowboots supervising the other patrons as they righted the chairs and tidied up the broken glass. They must’ve gotten the broom and dustpan from behind the counter. My suspicion was confirmed when she pointed one of her helpers in the direction of the trashcan. I noticed the other two hunters had left, presumably to join their friends. They’d picked up Idiot Number One’s fallen knit cap.

There was nothing left for me to do. “Thanks,” I said. “Looks like you took charge.”

“I just can’t stand a mess. Especially if I can do something to fix it.”

“Woman after my own heart.” I groaned inwardly as Iheard myself say that, because it sounded like a cheesy line. But she just smiled and shrugged. We both went back to our barstools. “You’re all right, though?” I asked.

She waved the question away. “What was that all about? The fight.”

“Who the heck knows. Some people don’t need an excuse to get drunk and disorderly. Hopefully they won’t cause any more problems. Dean is sending them to their comfy hotel beds instead of the drunk tank for the night, so they should be thanking him.”

“I think he has the right idea.” She eyed me a moment. “Of course, if one of them had made me break a nail, I would’ve had to call in the National Guard.”

I laughed, thinking,I like her.

Maybe Dean had the right idea about other things tonight, too.

From the minute I’d walked in here, I’d noticed her. Golden hair loosely braided down her back, long legs in dark denim, and a colorful scarf draped around her neck. Maybe around thirty. I didn’t really have a physical type, but the quick way she’d joked with me after I sat down? That had gotten my attention.

Was she flirting with me? Even if she wasn’t, I might as well enjoy chatting with her. As long as she was willing. Lord knew it had been a while since I’d allowed myself some fun. Better that than brooding over the meeting I had scheduled with the reporter tomorrow.

But as soon as that thought crossed my mind, my mood darkened.

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