“I promise I was talking to myself. How much did you hear?”
“Asshole cocksucker—which, let’s be honest, sounds like a recipe for a damned good time.”
That got a laugh out of me. The kid was clearly snarky and bold as hell.
“What’s your name, and how can I help you today?” I asked.
“Stevie Devore, and I’m here because I work over at Sugar Britches bakery, and we’ve been having a problem we could use your help on.”
“I thought Nico Salerno owned the bakery now?”
“He does, but he’s… ah… well, let’s just say he was going to come talk to you but got distracted upstairs in the tattoo parlor. Playing doctor. With a doctor. So, you know. Legit.”
His sprite-like face crinkled with laughter, and I couldn’t help but smile even though I still felt hollow inside. “What kind of problem have you guys been having over there?”
“The bakery has become the cool kids’ hangout when they don’t want to be at home around their parents. Which is fine for the most part when they’re buying coffee and sodas and cookies or whatever. But we have a crew of kids who’ve started not buying anything. When we politely ask them to give up their tables to our paying customers, they hassle us and then loiter right outside the bakery windows with their vape clouds in our customers’ faces.”
“That sounds annoying as hell,” I agreed.
“Right? We just need a nice, strapping officer of the law such as yourself to come hang out with us one afternoon and help scare the little rapscallions away.” He batted his eyelashes at me before adding, “Pretty please with handcuffs on top? Ooops, I mean, cherries on top?”
I nodded. “Sure. Let me find my dispatcher, and we can head over right now. I could use a latte.”
Stevie hopped and clapped his hands. “Perfect. Whatever you want, Sheriff, is on me.” He tilted his head for a split second and barked out a laugh. “I just said Sheriff is on me. I was wrong earlier, now that sounds like a recipe for a damned good time. Am I right?”
I held up my left hand out of habit to reveal my wedding band. “Sorry.”
Stevie’s face fell, but then he shrugged and winked at me. “Damn, shoulda known. All the cute ones are taken.”
“I sure could use some new friends though. Especially ones who know how to make a decent coffee and a pastry. That sound okay to you?”
The cute guy held out his pinky finger. “To new friends. Nice to meet you Sheriff Walker.”
“Nice to meet you Stevie Devore.” I linked my pinky with his and shook on it.
While he wasn’t exactly the man I’d been hoping to get to know now that I was back in Hobie, I allowed myself to enjoy Stevie’s easy company on the walk over to the bakery.
Chapter 4
Otto
O,
We only have eight months left. We can do anything for eight more months and then we’ll be together when we get to college, okay? In the meantime, let’s concentrate on avoiding blue balls. Send me dick pics please. It’s been way too long since I saw Big O. I miss that beast.
But seriously, baby. You can do this. Know that I miss you more than words can say. Always remember, it could be worse. You could be taking ice hockey lessons like a certain person you know and love.
I love you so much Wilde Man. You and me together forever.
S.
Oh, and did I mention I was cold as fuck? Also, Ross has a new girlfriend who Mom and Dad can’t stand. I kind of feel sorry for her. I think it’s just because she’s poor. Kind of like how they were when John was dating Candice, remember? Why can’t they just be the loving Christians they always claim to be? That poor girl can’t help it if she doesn’t have money or family to help her.
It had been eight weeks since I’d seen Walker in the barn and discovered his dirty little secret. I wasn’t stupid; I’d known there could have been an explanation that made what we did somehow not cheating. Maybe he’d lost his husband and was still wearing the ring in mourning. Maybe he was in the middle of a divorce and hadn’t gotten up the nerve to remove the ring yet.
But none of those things were true.
When I’d crashed my way through the door to Felix’s cabin, Grandpa had been there dropping off a few containers of leftovers.
“Hey, big guy, what’s after you? You about threw that door off its hinges,” he’d said with a frown.
“Did you know Walker was married?” I’d asked, my voice sounding way less sane than I’d hoped.
“I didn’t until this afternoon. I ran into his father when I stopped to get the mail, and he told me about how happy he was that Seth and his family had finally moved to Hobie.”