Page 57 of Rocky Ride

“Aw shit, their water is frozen,” said Virge. “I’m gonna halfta get the blow torch going and thaw out the line.”

“Do you know how to do it?”

“How hard can it be?”

“I’ll run in and ask Dad how to do it. I don’t want you burning the fuckin barn down.”

“Nope, not today. Today’s the day I’m gonna ask Vicki to go to the movies.”

“Want to double date on Friday night?”

“Sure. If Vicki will go with me.”

“Why wouldn’t she? You’re almost as good looking as your older brother.”

“Shut up.”

At breakfast, Sunday seemed a little lost and not herself. She looked at Billy a lot, but they didn’t talk to each other. Me and Virge didn’t know what was going on but there was tension at the table. You could feel it. I glanced at Dad a couple of times, and he shrugged it off. I figured he didn’t know either.

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

First thing Molly did was go over all the reports she needed that hadn’t been completed. She gave each one of us a list of what was missing and asked us to catch up.

I took my unfinished reports to my desk in the squad room and started filling in the blanks. I did that for about the first fifteen minutes, then I texed Penny at the grocery store.

“You busy at the market?”

“Not too many customers yet.”

“Can’t wait for our date tomorrow.”

“Me too. I don’t get off until seven on Fridays.”

“That’s okay. We’ll catch a later show.”

Billy was working behind his desk reading from his computer screen when Sunday came into his office and closed the door. She rounded his desk, pushed in on his knee and kissed him.

“Hey, should we be doing this at work?”

“You tell me. You’re the boss here.”

“I’m the undersheriff. Travis is the big boss.”

“Can we lock the door and take a minute for ourselves, Billy? I’ve been waiting for you to kiss me, and you didn’t do it.”

“Umm…I wasn’t sure.”

“When we talked about you and me, you sounded sure.”

“I’ve had a few bad experiences,” said Billy.

“You think I haven’t? My husband was killed by a grizzly bear, Billy. Can you match that one?”

“No, and I don’t want to, Sunday. That must have been horrible for you.”

“Yeah, it was, but I’m trying to forget about it and make a new life for myself.”

“Let’s hold off at work and we’ll continue this at home tonight.”

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