Page 29 of Ruined
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I’d been trying to read through the report in front of me for the last hour, but the only thing I kept seeing was Zoe. There was no doubt that everything about her set my pulse on fire, but nothing compared to the way she was with Molly. That lit a flame in that thumping thing inside my chest.
Admitting defeat, I set the paper down on the table and checked my emails. As I suspected there was another one from Melissa’s parents. Roughly a year ago a lawyer had contacted me on their behalf, claiming that they never knew they had a granddaughter until Melissa had let it slip one day.
The moment they’d found out she existed, they’d wanted to meet her.
How could I bring them into my baby’s life when their daughter was the one who’d abandoned us? How could I trust that they wouldn’t hurt Molly the same way Melissa had destroyed me? I couldn’t, I told the lawyer exactly that, but the Boones had refused to accept my answer. They’d taken it upon themselves to email me every day, begging me to let them meet Molly.
I’d always been so certain I was doing the right thing, that I was protecting my baby girl. Staring at the unopened email, uncertainty flooded my veins. Lately, it seemed as if all I did was misread situations. Hell, my suspicious nature had brought trouble right to Harper’s doorstep. If I’d pulled the stick out of my ass long enough to listen, I would’ve seen exactly how wrong I’d been.
Then there was Zoe… I didn’t know left from right when it came to her. The only thing I was fairly certain of was that she intrigued me. And maybe, just maybe, it was time for me to put myself back out there.
“What the hell?” Frowning, I fell back against the plush leather. Where did that damn thought come from? Before I had time to analyze the strange turn my thoughts had taken, a knock on my office door drew my attention.
“Come on in,” I said to Liam.
“Got back from a call a few minutes ago.” He lowered his large frame into the seat in front of my desk. His blue eyes narrowed as he ran a palm over his blond hair.
“That bad, huh?” Folding my arms across my chest, I tried my hardest to hide my grin.
He studied me for a moment, then he shook his head. “You folks are really serious about your land.” Resting his elbows on his knees, he let his hands fall in the space between his spread legs. “The sweetest looking old lady just threatened to cut my balls off if I didn’t get her neighbor’s cow off her land.”
This time I didn’t hide my laugh. “I see you’ve met Mrs. Romero.” For as long as I could remember, the Romeros and Donnellys hadn’t gotten along. No one really knew why or how the feud began, but that hadn’t stopped generation after generation from keeping up with it. Stracey Donnelly usually got the greatest kick out of her cows grazing on Joy Romero’s land.
“It’s not funny, man.” Liam let out a breath. “I just spent the better part of an hour chasing a damn cow over an imaginary line.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that started in my belly before it bubbled its way to the surface. If I wasn’t afraid that the poor guy would quit and leave me without a deputy I would’ve kept the next piece of advice to myself a little longer. “Listen, next time that happens call Chase. Those two ladies have a serious soft spot for him.”
“You couldn’t have told me about this earlier.”
Still chuckling, I shook my head. “Consider it your rite of passage.” Another knock sounded and when I looked up the laughter died on my tongue. After this morning’s dream, I wasn’t certain if the woman standing at the door was real.
“I’m sorry, the lady up front said I could come through.” Zoe’s gaze flitted between me and Liam before settling on me again. “I can come back later.”
I jumped up so fast, I banged my knee on the edge of my desk. Gritting my teeth, I bit back the curse that lay on the tip of my tongue. “You came all this way, might as well do what you gotta do.” I wish I knew why my tone was always so harsh when I spoke to her.
Zoe stood rooted to the spot for a few moments, then she cautiously advanced toward my desk. I glanced at Liam, hoping he was preparing to give us some privacy. A few more curses threatened to slip when I saw him relax further into his seat, his gaze lingering on Zoe’s ass.
“I believe this is Molly’s.” She set a book down on the smooth surface of the wood before she slid it toward me.
After picking it up, I flicked through the pages. Confused, I asked, “How did you end up with her book?”
Her tongue darted out of her mouth and ran along those plump lips I couldn’t seem to get out of my mind. “It’s a long story, but after chatting with her last night and this morning, I figured she’d want it back.”
My gaze snapped to hers and all I wanted to do was drown in her eyes. What the hell is wrong with me? In need of some sort of reprieve, I broke eye contact by looking down at the book still clutched in my hands. “She talked your ear off this morning, I’m sorry.”
“Oh no, please don’t apologize.” My heart almost stopped when her lips lifted into a smile that went all the way to her eyes. “I love seeing kids so passionate about art.”
Our eyes met again, lingering this time. As the silence stretched between us, I found myself unable to resist returning her smile. That sadness I’d seen before was still there, simmering just below the surface. It took everything in me not to round the desk and beg her to tell me what had caused it and how I could take it away.
The sound of someone clearing their throat broke the spell we were under. Annoyed, I aimed my glare at Liam, but not before I noticed Zoe blink a couple of times like she too was trying to make sense of what had happened.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” Liam asked.
“Right.” After clearing my throat, I spoke, “Zoe,” I knew I stared at her for a beat too long. “This is Liam Deputy Hayes,” I gestured toward Liam before addressing him. “Zoe Carlisle, she’s visiting.” Liam’s grin stretched from ear to ear as he pushed to his feet and took Zoe’s hand in his.
I couldn’t hear what they said, I was too busy fighting the sudden urge to grab my new deputy by the throat and throw him out of my office. For the millionth time, I wondered what was happening to me. There was no reason for me to be jealous that he got to touch her, no reason for my blood to be boiling because he was holding on to her for too long.
And yet, that was exactly what I felt. I couldn’t explain why, and I didn’t like it one bit.
“Uh, I should go.” Zoe’s voice broke through the madness in my brain. When I looked at her, it seemed like she was preparing to say something else. I held my breath as I waited for her words to come. They never did. Instead of speaking, she shook her head subtly then she turned around and disappeared just as suddenly as she appeared.
I was still staring at the empty doorway when Liam’s low whistle reached my ears, “I think I’m gonna like living here.”
My gaze snapped to his and before I had time to stop them, the words flew from my mouth. “She’s off-limits.”
