Page 15 of Surly Sheriff
Raegan Williams had had enough trouble for several lifetimes.
She found Bella seated at the large island in the kitchen, a steaming cup in her hands, the aroma of something wonderful hanging in the air.
“Morning. Please tell me that’s coffee?”
Bella grinned and nodded her head toward the counter. “There’s more in the pot.”
“Yes!” She grabbed a mug from the stylish racks beside the coffee machine, filled one, adding a splash of milk and a drop of honey. Standing where she was, she gulped a few mouthfuls before turning to her host. “I thought pregnant women weren’t allowed caffeine?” She couldn’t imaginenotdrinking the vital beverage.
“One cup a day.”
Rae shuddered. “I can’t even.”
Bella chuckled. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did. Thanks. The bed is super comfortable. I’ll wash and replace the linen before I leave.”
“About that …” Bella straightened, placed her mug down, and rested her hands on her belly. “How firm are your travel plans?”
Rae made her way across the floor and stopped opposite Bella. “Why?”
“It’s just … the young woman I hired to help” — Bella winced and smoothed a hand down one side of her abdomen — “well, she was supposed to start today, but broke up with her boyfriend, and is moving back to Lincoln. Nate suggested that you might be willing to help until I find someone permanent?”
Wow. Stay longer? Deepen her attachment?
Bad idea. Averybad idea,Raegan censured.
But Rae-Rae was in charge today. And Bella offered a rational excuse to stay. “For how long?”
“A week. Maybe two?”
“I’ve no experience working in a store.”
“I’m looking for a grunt. Packing shelves? Arranging displays?” Bella shrugged. “Easy-peasy.”
Rae hooked her bare toes onto the rungs of the wooden stool. Two weeks? It wasn’t as though she wasreallygoing to Florida.That was just a red herring. She had no timetable. No fixed destination.
But staying two weeks in a small place like Clearbrook?
Cozying up to the locals?
Bad idea. Pack your car and leave. Now!
Rae-Rae pushed Raegan’s command from her mind. “Two weeks,” she whispered and held out her hand to seal the deal.
Fool!Raegan reprimanded.
It’s for Bella,Rae-Rae countered. Got nothing to do with Beau.
Liar!
*
By the time she and Bella made it to the shop around ten, it was to find the painting paraphernalia cleared away, and Nate and his team moving the shelving into position. Once done, they left to fetch the remainder of the furniture in a neighboring town. With Bella sequestrated behind the computer loading her stock into the system, Rae and Beau were tasked with wiping down the shelves and unpacking the books.
But she worried over her easy acquiescence to Bella’s request.
So much so, Beau called her out on it. “You don’t have to stay.” He dropped another box containing books beside her. “I can help her in the shop for a while,” he added, slicing the packaging tape with his pocketknife.
