Just One Kiss (The Town of Pearl 8)

“You’re kind of underdressed for the weather. Temperatures drop around now in Pearl.”

She looked around the area, could see other townspeople wearing light coats and even scarves. “I’m good, Sheriff. I have a coat back at the house.”

He looked at her as if he didn’t believe her, like a law-enforcement officer who knew she was lying.

“Well, if you outgrew it, Anna and the ladies are running the coat drive right now and you could probably have your choice of coats.” She widened her eyes, and he quickly added, “They always have more than enough donations. It’s not like you’d be taking a coat away from someone who you think may need it more.”

She shot her head up to look at him, surprised he figured out she didn’t have a coat and would need one and maybe even couldn’t afford one.

“If you’re going to be job hunting, or getting a job in town, you may want to grab a good, warm coat, maybe even some boots too.”

“Job hunting?” She tried to act dumb.

Again, Wyatt gave her that all-knowing look. The man ran a safe, clean town. No one dared to mess with him or his large department of deputies.

“Bumped into Ron Anders at the hardware store. He was asking if they were hiring part-time. Told me he was looking to help you find something.”

She was shocked but also touched by Ron’s actions.

“That was real nice of him. I’ll still go in person to check potential opportunities for work,” she said, trying to act like she wasn’t so affected by the man.

“Don’t give up hope. Word spreads fast around here. I’m sure you’ll be able to grab something soon enough. Good luck,” he said and tipped his hat at her.

She said thank you then looked to the right, and her breath caught in her throat.

Walking down the hill from the woods she had just walked through was Salvatore Walters. He and his big, mean-looking dog stared right at her and the sheriff and then turned away without a hello, a smile, or even a care. She felt herself shake a little. She had walked through those woods every time she made her way into town from the Anderses’ place. Maybe she needed a safer route. That man was dangerous and scary. Never mind how many muscles he had and how he wore camouflage like it was the only suitable attire for every occasion.

Wyatt watched Salvatore, and she caught Salvatore look up and nod his head. Glancing at Wyatt, she saw him nod back. That was it, and it appeared to be enough to make things okay with Sheriff Wyatt. But not with her.

“I better move along,” Lucia told him. Wyatt gave her a smile.

“Sure thing. Remember, if you need anything, to go see Anna. She would love to help you out.”

He rolled up the window, and she headed to the right, feeling a bit unsure and sad.

The fact that she must look in need bothered her. She was trying to be independent and self-sufficient. Raised in a family where her parents controlled her every move and every aspect of her life, even her clothing and her friends, she found it difficult to change. But she was slowly establishing her own wants and desires. But on a limited budget with no family or friends for support, it was depressing and difficult at times. But at least she was free, and not a slave to a world or a man that would suck the soul and the life from her little by little until she was finally dead.

She took a deep breath and headed toward the shopping center. She would take anything. It was better than nothing at all and would save her from worrying about getting through the winter or having to move on from this safe, loving town.

* * * *

Salvatore Walters headed down the streets of Pearl with his dog, Brutas. He had grown to love the four-legged beast pretty quickly. The dog always seemed to know when Salvatore was feeling distressed or on the verge of losing it. Not that Salvatore would go postal on anyone. It was just the sudden flashbacks and sometimes the overwhelming need to seek shelter and security at home.

Brutas understood that. He had been trained by the best and by other soldiers who knew what it was like to live with PTSD and other effects of the service.

He caught sight of Wyatt talking to some young teenage girl. She was shivering and only wearing a raggedy old sweater as she stood by the patrol truck. Salvatore wondered who she was, and then she turned her head and he saw her face.

Lucia.

She was fairly new to the area, renting a small apartment and bedroom from the Anders family. She didn’t come into town much, but there she was today, looking so fragile and like a teenage girl. He wondered how old she was and then dismissed the thoughts. Why should he care?

Probably because he saw her walking through the woods all alone and it concerned him. As much of a prick he knew he had become, there was still that instinctual pull from deep within to always protect women and children. It seemed nothing could take that pull away.

He had been there, walking in the woods, when he heard her coming from yards away. Another talent from being a Marine. He knelt down and kept Brutas quiet as she passed only yards away without a clue that he was watching her. Not so smart. He thought then that she was just a teenager, but then he found out she was renting the apartment and heard she was in her twenties.

He continued on his way with thoughts of the pretty little brunette jumping in and out of his mind. He had work to do once he got back to the ranch. It had been months of counseling and working with Brutas that got him finally feeling a bit normal. He was able to help out on odd jobs with Lucifer, who was a finisher and worked construction. Lucifer was finishing up a construction job with Liberty Construction as a subcontractor. Gabriele was working on a welding job for the Hendersons. Then there was Maxwell. Maxwell was a detective working late in Turbank at the police department there. It was Maxwell who maintained the family ranch and left the Marine Corps ten years ago at twenty-three to help out their parents. They were older, and once Mom passed away, Dad got worse and worse and basically died of a broken heart. At least that’s what Maxwell believed.

Their mom and dad were close. They were high school sweethearts who knew that there was no one else in the world for them but each other. Salvatore had a lot of fond memories of them and his childhood. They all grew up being patriotic and loving their country. Cowboys at heart, they talked about serving, about being part of a modern-day Wild West. Running into the line of fire, guns blazing, kicking ass, all guts and glory. Boy, did that belief change the moment Salvatore was deployed to the Middle East.