Page 13 of Surly Sheriff
Urgh.
“Please,” Bella added. “You saved me from the accounting nightmare. It’s the least we can do to repay you.”
Rae felt herself wavering. And a clean bed in a secure environment sounded awesome. She held her arms up in surrender and blew out her breath. “Okay.”
What are you doing?rational Raegan chided.
It’s just for one night, impulsive Rae-Rae argued.
“Yay.” Bella clapped her hands. And her belly bounced.
Rae gave the protrusion a stink-eye.
Bella giggled, drawing a smile from Rae.
And marveled at the surge of kinship she felt toward the woman.
*
Bella and Nate’s home turned out to be the place where Beau and his sister grew up. “Nice place,” Rae said, taking in the older but well-maintained, double-storied house after pulling upbehind Nate’s truck. The many small-paned windows reflected the lowering sun, setting the glass ablaze.
“We grew up here.”
She frowned and turned to look at Beau. There was something off in his tone. “You don’t like it?” God knows, she hatedherchildhood home.
He pursed his lips, his gaze fixed on the dwelling before them. It took him a few moments to answer. “Our father left it to me and Bella. Nate bought out my share when they married. But I never understood why Bella wanted to live here.”
Hmm. There was a story there. Dare she pry? She flicked the switch to raise Esmeralda’s roof. They stayed quiet while the mechanism whirred and the hinges squeaked. She made a mental note to get some oil.
“My mom left us. We were young, still in grade school. But I remember the arguments between her and Pop. Nasty. Bitter. And …” He trailed off, shaking his head, and shifted to look at her. “Guess some of the nastier childhood memories linger,” he ended gruffly.
His mother had walked out on her children? How dreadful. “I’m sorry.”
He managed a weak smile. “It is what it is.” He climbed out from Esmeralda.
She followed suit, joining him at the trunk.
Nate walked over, running his hand along the sleek bottle-green side of her vehicle. “She’s a beauty, Rae.” He grabbed hold of the backpack Beau handed him. “Have you had her long?”
“A few months,” she mumbled, gathering her sleeping bag and pillow. She had debated buying such a flashy vehicle, but in the end pleasure outweighed caution. Her past was well and truly behind her. It was time to start living without looking over her shoulder all the freaking time.
Had she made a crucial mistake?
“Got her from an Arizona transplant. Poor guy hadn’t realized a convertible was pointless in Seattle. We traded vehicles.”
Beau hauled out her duffel and grabbed the bag with her shoes.
“You can leave the shoes, but I need my laptop,” she said, pointing to the back corner.
“And where you headed?” Nate asked.
“Key West.” She placed the sleeping bag and pillow back in the trunk. Beau straightened, swinging her laptop bag over his shoulder.
“Long trip ahead,” Nate said. “You between jobs, then?”
Rae suppressed a sigh.So many questions
A reminder why she never lingered in one place.
