Page 27 of My Wild Mountain Man

“No reason. You’re just quiet.”

“I’m always quiet,” I teased, “But I could say the same about you.” I smirked, ready to change the subject. “Does this have anything to do with a certain new sheriff?” She rolled her eyes like I knew she would.

“Pfft. Sheriff Luke wouldn’t know what to do with me,” she huffed and I pressed my lips together. “Can you believe he went to the farmer’s market this morning?”

“Did he?” I knew that because I’d been the one who told him she was going to be there.

“He stopped at my booth and asked about my permit. Never, not even that first year I started my booth, did someone come ask about my permit,” she huffed.

“But he did?” I asked.

“Yes. And it wasn’t even like he was in uniform! He was off duty! Then, do you know what he did?”

“Hmm?” I tilted my head and watched her closely.

“He stuck around after I showed it to him. Sat down in some chair he brought and talked to me.”

“You let him go behind the tables and sit with you?” I asked, surprised that she would let that happen. She didn’t even let us help her.

“Pfft.” She rolled her eyes. “Not exactly.” My brows narrowed.

“What do you mean, not exactly?”

“I didn’t let him. He just plopped his folding chair next to mine and kept…” Her voice drifted off to nothing as a scowl grew on her pretty face.

“What?” I turned the blow dryer off, worried that maybe Sheriff Luke wasn’t the good guy I thought he was.

“He just kept… talking to me,” she exhaled. “And talking to the customers. Telling him how my cookies are the best and––“ She shook her head. Her body language might have been saying she was annoyed, but there was no denying the blush on her cheeks.

“You like him,” I noted with a half-smile. I’d hoped she would. Luke was a nice guy, and Oli needed a good guy.

“He’s okay,” she answered nonchalantly, but I laughed. I knew her! She was trying to bullshit me.

“No! Youlike, like him.” I giggled, and she rolled her eyes.

“Who gave you that hickey?” she asked, and my eyes widened. My hands moved to my neck, and she giggled, pointing at my chest, and my eyes dropped.

“What the… it’s…”

“It’s what?” she asked with a self-satisfied smile on her face that she had brought the attention back on me.

“It’s not a hickey,” I muttered, but I was horrible liar.

“Really? Because from here, it looks like a hickey.” I opened and shut my mouth.

“It’––“

“It’s a burn,” Claire stepped in and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “Can you believe she came in rushing, running late, and started to do her hair and the curling iron fell! Thankfully, it dropped to the ground and not in your shirt, or that would have been worse! Were you able to get aloe for it?” I nodded, hoping that the gratitude in my eyes was clear.

“Shit. Really? That must have hurt! I’m sorry, Rave.” Olive turned her chair and looked at my chest and winced. “Shit! Coral did that when she was in high school. Remember how the whole barrel fell into her cleavage?”

With that, the subject was changed. Claire walked away with a wink, and I got back to work.

“You sure you’re okay?” my sister asked again as we walked to the car.

“Oli…”

“I saw you two,” she blurted out, and my eyes widened.

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